Journal: Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Article Title: Activation of the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) reduces transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) activity and human iPSC-derived nociceptive neuron firing

doi: 10.1186/s13287-026-05174-3

Figure Lengend Snippet: Reprogramming of adult human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) into induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line BO-VC1. Reprogramming was performed using the Epi5 ™ Episomal iPSC Reprogramming Kit, enabling the generation of ( A ) transgene- and virus-free iPSC line BO-VC1. Successful generation of fibroblast-derived iPSCs was validated by immunocytochemical staining for the pluripotency markers ( B ) SOX2, C TRA 1–60, D OCT4, SSEA4 and E NANOG. Quantification of the generated iPSCs via flow cytometry revealed F 99.31% SSEA4/TRA1-60, G 97.43% SOX2/TRA1-60 and H 98.60% OCT3/4/TRA1-60 positive cells. I Quantification of the transcript levels of the stem cell markers NANOG , OCT4 , REX1 and SOX2 revealed significantly higher mRNA levels in iPSC line BO-VC1 compared to the HDFa control ( n = 3 different passages) Moreover, generated iPSCs were functionally validated by directed differentiation into all three germ layers. Subsequent immunocytochemical staining of the iPSCs before and after differentiation confirmed the expression of ( J–M ) meso-, N–Q endo- and R–U ectodermal lineage markers only in the respective differentiations. Scale bars: 50 μm. Data were tested for normal distribution using Shapiro-Wilk test. Means ± SEM (standard error of the mean) were statistically analyzed by a Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test. n = 3 (* p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001)

Article Snippet: Subsequently, cells were incubated in inside fix solution of the Inside Stain Kit (#130-090-477, Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) for 20 min at RT and centrifuged at 200xg for 5 min. After washing in 500 μl PEB buffer and centrifugation at 200xg cells were stained with the nuclear stem cell markers OCT3/4 (1:50, #130-117-821, Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) and SOX2 (1:50, #130-120-790, Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) in inside perm solution for 10 min at RT.

Techniques: Virus, Derivative Assay, Staining, Generated, Flow Cytometry, Control, Expressing

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine

Article Title: An autochthonous CRISPR activation screening platform for characterizing tissue-specific oncogene selection

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102759

Figure Lengend Snippet: Sox2 activation accelerates lung tumor initiation and progression (A) Timeline of the Sox2 activation experiment. (B) Representative macroscopic images and corresponding computed tomography (CT) scans of non-targeted (NT) and Sox2-activated (sgSox2) PPKS lungs at 8 weeks. Scale bar, 1 cm. (C) Relative lung weights for NT and sgSox2 mice at 8 weeks ( n = 8 biological replicates/group). (D) CT voxel attenuation for NT and sgSox2 lungs at 8 weeks ( n = 11–12 biological replicates/group). (E) Histology, IHC (dCas9VP64 and Ki-67), and Alcian blue staining of NT and sgSox2 lungs at 8 weeks. Scale bars, 150 μm. (F) Quantification of dCas9VP64+ cells in NT and sgSox2 lungs at 8 weeks ( n = 8 biological replicates/group). (G) Quantification of Ki-67-positive cells in NT and sgSox2 lungs at 8 weeks ( n = 8 biological replicates/group). (H) Kaplan-Meier survival plot for NT (median survival 144 days) and sgSox2 (median survival 83 days) mice ( n = 6–7 biological replicates). Statistical significance for pairwise comparisons using Student’s two-tailed t test for bar graphs and log rank (Mantel-Cox) for survival. ∗∗ p < 0.01, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001. Error bars indicate SEM. See also .

Article Snippet: For profiling of Sox2-activated lung tumors, stranded mRNA (polyA-selected) libraries were generated and sequenced by Novogene.

Techniques: Activation Assay, Computed Tomography, Staining, Two Tailed Test

Journal: Cell Reports Medicine

Article Title: An autochthonous CRISPR activation screening platform for characterizing tissue-specific oncogene selection

doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102759

Figure Lengend Snippet: Delineating Sox2-mediated transcriptomic reprogramming (A) Schematic of transcriptomic profiling ( n = 4 biological replicates). (B) Heatmap of all differentially expressed genes at survival endpoint (sgSox2 vs. NT). (C) Expression of Sox2 in Sox2-activated and control tumors ( n = 4 biological replicates). Error bars indicate SEM. (D) IHC of SOX2 in Sox2-activated and control lungs at 8 weeks. Scale bar, 150 μm. (E) Quantification of SOX2 IHC ( n = 4–5 biological replicates). Error bars indicate SEM. (F) Heatmap of LUSC- and LUAD-associated transcripts in Sox2-activated and control tumors. (G) Heatmap of transcripts associated with mucinous cancer and gastric metaplasia in Sox2-activated and control tumors ( n = 4 biological replicates). (H) IHC of NKX2-1, TFF1, and MUC5AC. Scale bar, 150 μm. (I) Quantification of NKX2-1, TFF1, and MUC5AC IHC at 8 weeks and survival endpoint (n = 4–5 biological replicates). EP, survival endpoint. (J) Volcano plot of mucin and gastric metaplasia genes in SOX2-high vs. -low KRAS-mutant human LUAD (TCGA-LUAD KRAS-mutant cohort, n = 89 cases). Statistical significance for pairwise comparisons using Student’s two-tailed t test for bar graphs and for multiple comparisons using one-way ANOVA with multiple comparisons correction. For differences in gene expression, adjusted p values ( q values) from DEseq2 were used. ∗ p < 0.05, ∗∗∗ p < 0.001, ∗∗∗∗ p < 0.0001. See also .

Article Snippet: For profiling of Sox2-activated lung tumors, stranded mRNA (polyA-selected) libraries were generated and sequenced by Novogene.

Techniques: Expressing, Control, Mutagenesis, Two Tailed Test, Gene Expression