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A technique for removing tumourigenic pluripotent stem cells using rBC2LCN lectin
Yoshikazu Haramoto1, Yasuko Onuma1, Shuuji Mawaribuchi1
1Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan.
Regenerative Therapy
|May 29, 2020
Summary
A novel lectin probe, rBC2LCN, effectively removes residual human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) from cell mixtures. This method enhances the safety of regenerative medicine by reducing teratoma formation risk in cell therapies.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Stem Cell Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Tumourigenesis from residual undifferentiated cells is a major safety concern in human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based therapies.
- Eliminating undifferentiated hPSCs is crucial for safe regenerative medicine manufacturing.
- The lectin probe rBC2LCN specifically binds to the surface of hPSCs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a method for removing residual tumourigenic cells from hPSC populations.
- To leverage the specific binding of rBC2LCN for cell separation.
- To reduce the risk of teratoma formation in cell therapy applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing rBC2LCN-conjugated magnetic beads for cell separation.
- Optimizing a method to remove hPSCs from a mixed cell population (e.g., with human fibroblasts).
- Validating the separation efficiency using techniques like Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS), droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), and animal transplantation assays.
Main Results:
- Effective elimination of teratoma-forming cells from heterogeneous populations using rBC2LCN and magnetic beads.
- Demonstrated high efficiency in removing hPSCs from mixed cell samples.
- Validation across multiple methods confirms the efficacy of magnetic cell separation with rBC2LCN.
Conclusions:
- rBC2LCN-based removal of residual tumourigenic cells offers a practical solution for regenerative medicine.
- This technique supports laboratory use and industrial-scale manufacturing of hPSC-derived therapies.
- Enhances the safety profile of pluripotent stem cell-based regenerative medicine.
