Induction of Pax3 gene expression impedes cardiac differentiation

Cell-based therapies using pluripotent stem cells hold great promise as regenerative approaches to treat many types of diseases. Nevertheless many challenges remain and, perhaps foremost, is the issue of how to direct and enhance the specification and differentiation of a desired cell type for potential therapeutics. We have examined the molecular basis for the inverse correlation of cardiac and skeletal myogenesis in small molecule-enhanced stem cell differentiation. Our study shows that activation of premyogenic factor Pax3 coincides with inhibiting gene expression of early cardiac factor GATA4. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect of small molecules on cardiac differentiation depends on the function of Pax3, but not the mesoderm factor Meox1. Thus Pax3 is an inhibitor of cardiac differentiation in lineage specification. Our studies reveal the dual roles of Pax3 in stem cell fate determinations and provide new molecular insights into small molecule-enhanced lineage specification.