The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA.
Genes Dev. 2011 May 15;25(10):1035-40. doi: 10.1101/gad.2039011.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are generated from somatic cells by the transduction of defined transcription factors, and this process involves dynamic changes in DNA methylation. While the reprogramming of somatic cells is accompanied by demethylation of pluripotency genes, the functional importance of de novo DNA methylation has not been clarified. Here, using loss-of-function studies, we generated iPSCs from fibroblasts that were deficient in de novo DNA methylation mediated by Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. These iPSCs reactivated pluripotency genes, underwent self-renewal, and showed restricted developmental potential that was rescued upon reintroduction of Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. We conclude that de novo DNA methylation by Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b is dispensable for nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells.
诱导多能干细胞(iPSCs)是通过转导特定转录因子从体细胞产生的,这一过程涉及 DNA 甲基化的动态变化。虽然体细胞的重编程伴随着多能性基因的去甲基化,但新合成 DNA 甲基化的功能重要性尚未阐明。在这里,我们利用功能丧失研究,从缺乏 Dnmt3a 和 Dnmt3b 介导的新合成 DNA 甲基化的成纤维细胞中生成 iPSCs。这些 iPSCs 重新激活了多能性基因,经历了自我更新,并表现出受限的发育潜能,在重新引入 Dnmt3a 和 Dnmt3b 后得到挽救。我们得出结论,Dnmt3a 和 Dnmt3b 的新合成 DNA 甲基化对于体细胞的核重编程是可有可无的。