Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2025
12:12
In vivo Reprogramming of Adult Somatic Cells to Pluripotency by Overexpression of Yamanaka Factors
Published on: December 17, 2013
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Multi-omic rejuvenation of human cells by maturation phase transient reprogramming
Diljeet Gill1, Aled Parry1, Fátima Santos1
1Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Elife
|April 7, 2022
Summary
Scientists developed a new maturation phase transient reprogramming (MPTR) method to reverse cellular ageing. This method successfully rejuvenated cells by approximately 30 years, offering potential for new anti-ageing therapies.
Area of Science:
- Cellular biology
- Epigenetics
- Ageing research
Background:
- Ageing is characterized by cellular dysfunction, altered gene expression, and epigenetic changes.
- Partial reprogramming during somatic cell reprogramming can rejuvenate cells, suggesting full pluripotency is not necessary for age reversal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and assess a novel maturation phase transient reprogramming (MPTR) method for cellular rejuvenation.
- To investigate if rejuvenation can be separated from full pluripotency reprogramming.
Main Methods:
- Developed the "maturation phase transient reprogramming" (MPTR) method, involving selective expression and withdrawal of reprogramming factors.
- Applied MPTR to middle-aged dermal fibroblasts and analyzed cellular identity, transcriptome, epigenome, and functional attributes.
Main Results:
- MPTR substantially rejuvenated cellular attributes, including the transcriptome (by ~30 years) and epigenome (DNA methylation, H3K9me3 levels).
- MPTR fibroblasts exhibited youthful collagen production and partial functional recovery in migration speed.
- The magnitude of rejuvenation via MPTR exceeded that of previous transient reprogramming protocols.
Conclusions:
- Maturation phase transient reprogramming (MPTR) effectively rejuvenates cells without requiring full pluripotency.
- Optimal time windows for rejuvenating the transcriptome and epigenome exist.
- This approach facilitates the discovery of novel anti-ageing genes and therapies by separating rejuvenation from pluripotency.
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