Reprogramming of prostate cancer-associated stromal cells

CD90+ prostate cancer-associated (CP) stromal cells represent a disease cell type found only in tumor tissue. Genetic reprogramming by induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology might be used to normal gene expression of diseased cells thereby providing a cure. The resultant iPS cells would no longer express the disease program, and, like stem cells, might respond to normal differentiative signaling. Thus, CP stromal cells, isolated from tumor tissue and cultured in vitro, were transfected with POU5F1/LIN28/NANOG/SOX2 lentiviral vectors. iPS cells were obtained at a frequency of 10^4. Transcriptome analysis showed an almost complete match in gene expression between the iPS cells and human embryonic stem cells. Genes of CP stromal cells were fully inactivated.

6

Vêncio EF, Nelson AM, Cavanaugh C, Ware CB, Milller DG, Garcia JC, Vêncio RZ, Loprieno MA, Liu AY