JAM-A as a potential surface marker of human pluripotent stem cells

Human pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into a variety of different cell types, for instance cardiomyocytes. Especially in the context of future application in regenerative medicine, it is crucial to understand the developmental processes taking place upon differentiation. Moreover, the identification of a panel of cell surface markers suitable for characterization and purification is necessary to ensure quality of human pluripotent stem-cell derived products. In this study, we used quantitative mass spectrometry to characterize proteomic changes in early mesendodermal differentiation. Two human pluripotent stem cell lines, one embryonic (H3) and one induced pluripotent stem cell line (I2), were analyzed under pluripotent conditions and after two days of embryoid body-based differentiation. Functional clustering and enrichment analysis showed down-regulation of proteins associated with pluripotency and the tricarboxylic acid cycle at day two. In contrast, proteins related to the proteasome and annexin family were up-regulated upon differentiation. Among the proteins that were down-regulated upon differentiation in both, H3 and I2, the membrane protein junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A) emerged as potentially associated with pluripotency. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry further confirmed down-regulation of JAM-A on the cell surface of human induced pluripotent stem cells that were differentiated toward mesendoderm for just two days. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding early molecular changes during human pluripotent stem cell differentiation is essential for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. This study provides a comparative proteomic analysis of two cell lines during early differentiation and identifies coordinated metabolic and pluripotency-associated changes. The understanding of changes that occur in the early phase of cardiomyocyte differentiation might be helpful to more precisely monitor the differentiation process. Importantly, we identify the membrane protein JAM-A as a robustly down-regulated cell surface protein, highlighting its potential as marker for human pluripotent stem cells. In the future, JAM-A might be used in a panel of cell surface markers for pluripotent stem cells in order to remove pluripotent stem cells from stem cell-derived therapeutic products.