Spinal Cord Society

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Levesque Biosciences, Inc.

Toomas Neuman

Howard O Nornes

Michel F Levesque

Kikuo Suda

Michel F Lévesque

Henry Connor

The invention is directed to the field of human stem cells and includes methods and compositions for isolating, propagating, and differentiating human stem cells. The invention provides therapeutic uses of the methods and compositions, including autologous transplantation of treated cells into humans for treatment of Parkinson's and other neuronal disorders.

Compositions and methods for isolation, propagation, and differentiation of human stem cells and uses thereof

Disclosed is an in vitro method of transdifferentiating an epidermal basal cell into a cell having one or more morphological, physiological and/or immunological features of a glial cell. Also disclosed are such transdifferentiated cells and cell cultures derived from them. A kit for converting, in vitro, epidermal basal cells into cells having one or more morphological, physiological and/or immunological features of a glial cell is also disclosed.

Transdiffentiation of transfected epidermal basal cells into neural progenitor cells, neuronal cells and/or glial cells

Disclosed is a method of transdifferentiating an epidermal basal cell into a cell having one or more morphological, physiological and/or immunological features of a neural progenitor, neuronal, or glial cell by culturing a proliferating epidermal basal cell population derived from the skin of a mammalian subject; exposing the epidermal basal cell(s) to an antagonist of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), such as fetuin, noggin, chordin, gremlin, or follistatin; and growing the cell(s) in the presence of at least one antisense oligonucleotide comprising a segment of a human MSX1 gene and/or a segment of a human HES1 gene, or homologous non-human counterpart of either of these. Also disclosed is a transdifferentiated cell of epidermal origin and cell cultures derived therefrom. In addition, methods of using the inventive transdifferentiated cell(s) and cell cultures to identify a novel nerve growth factor or to screen a potential chemotherapeutic agent by detecting the presence or absence of an effect, in vitro, on a morphological, physiological and/or molecular biological property of the transdifferentiated cell(s) are described, as is a method of using the transdifferentiated cell(s) and cell cultures to screen a potential chemotherapeutic agent to treat a nervous system disorder of genetic origin. A kit useful for practicing the methods is disclosed

Transdifferentiation of epidermal basal cells into neural progenitor cells, neuronal cells and/or glial cells

The invention relates to the stable transfection of neurons with DNA encoding proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and replication factor C (RFC). Also, co-transfection of a functional gene along with the DNA encoding PCNA and RFC causes stable integration of the functional gene.

Method of stable integration of DNA into neurons

A method is provided for inducing DNA synthesis in differentiated neurons. According to certain embodiments of the invention, a method for inducing DNA synthesis in a differentiated neuron is provided that includes obtaining a vector comprising nucleic acid encoding an E2F regulator and/or an E1A regulator, wherein the vector can be used to express the nucleic acid in a differentiated neuron, and transfecting a differentiated neuron with the vector. According to certain embodiments of the invention, a method for integrating DNA encoding a desired protein in a differentiated neuron is provided that includes obtaining a vector comprising nucleic acid encoding an E2F regulator and/or an E1A regulator, wherein the vector can be used to express the nucleic acid in a neuron, obtaining DNA encoding a desired protein, and cotransfecting a differentiated neuron with the vector and the DNA encoding the desired protein such that the DNA encoding the desired protein is integrated in the differentiated neuron and the desired protein is produced.

Method for inducing DNA synthesis in neurons

The present invention is directed to method of converting, or transdifferentiating the epidermal cells into viable neurons useful in both cell therapy and gene therapy treatment methodologies. The method of transdifferentiating epidermal cells into neuronal cells comprises the following steps: obtaining skin cells from a patient; dedifferentiating these cells with an appropriate medium, neurotrophin or cytokine; transfecting the skin cells with one or more expression vector(s) encoding at least one neurogenic transcription factor or active fragments thereof; expressing at least one of the neurogenic transcription factors; growing the transfected cells in an appropriate medium; and adding to the medium one or more antisense oligonucleotide(s) corresponding to at least one negative regulator of neuronal differentiation, whereby the epidermal cells are transdifferentiated into neuronal cells.

Conversion of non-neuronal cells into neurons: transdifferentiation of

The present invention provides compositions and methods for inducing expression of neurotrophic factor receptors trkB and trkC in neurons. The compositions include a material that activates a nuclear hormone receptor, a material that activates the second messenger response system, and a material that elevates Ca.sup.2+.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Monica, CA, United States of America

Toomas Neuman