Visualization of sequential conversion of human intermediately reprogrammed stem cells into iPS cells

Analysis of gene expression in single cells is required to understand somatic cell reprogramming into human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). To facilitate this, we established intermediately reprogrammed stem cells (iRSCs), pre-iPSC lines. The iRSC-iPSC conversion system enables the reproducible monitoring of reprogramming events and the analysis of progressive gene expression profiles using single-cell microarray analysis and genome editing. Here, single-cell microarray analysis showed the stage-specific sequential gene activation during the conversion of iRSCs into iPSCs, using OCT4, TDGF1 and E-CADHERIN as marker genes. Out of 75 OCT4-related genes, which were significantly up-regulated after the activation of OCT4, and entry into the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET), LIN28 (LIN28A) and FOXO1 were selected for applying to gene expression visualization. Multicolored visualization was achieved by the genome editing of LIN28 or FOXO1 with mCherry into OCT4-GFP iRSCs. Fluorescent analysis of gene activity in individual cells showed that OCT4 was dispensable for maintenance, but required for activation, of the LIN28 and FOXO1 expression in reprogramming.