Efficient differentiation methods of stem cells by gene transfer

To apply embryonic stem (ES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, both of which have the pluripotency and self-renewal potential, for regenerative medicine and drug-screening, methods must be established to differentiate them selectively into functional cells. We attempted to develop an efficient differentiation method of mouse ES and iPS cells by adenovirus (Ad) vector-mediated transduction of a differentiation-related gene. We showed that the CA promoter, which is a hybrid promoter consisting of a CMV enhancer/β-actin promoter with a β-actin intron, was the most appropriate for the transduction into mouse ES and iPS cells. Furthermore, the efficiency of adipocyte and osteoblast differentiation was markedly increased by the transduction of a PPARγ gene and a Runx2 gene, respectively, into ES and iPS cells. Thus, a gene transfer technique using Ad vector could be a useful tool for the regulation of stem cell differentiation and could be applied to regenerative medicine based on ES and iPS cells.