SUMMARYRecent studies demonstrated that human trophoblast stem-like cells (hTS-like cells) can be derived from naïve embryonic stem cells or be induced from somatic cells by the pluripotency factors, OSKM. This raises two main questions; (i) whether human induced TSCs (hiTSCs) can be generated independently to pluripotent state or factors and (ii) what are the mechanisms by which hTSC state is established during reprogramming. Here, we identify GATA3, OCT4, KLF4 and MYC (GOKM) as a pluripotency-independent combination of factors that can generate stable and functional hiTSCs, from both male and female fibroblasts. By using single and double knockout (KO) fibroblasts for major pluripotency genes (i.e. SOX2 or NANOG/PRDM14) we show that GOKM not only is capable of generating hiTSCs from the KO cells, but rather that the efficiency of the process is increased. Through H3K4me2 and chromatin accessibility profiling we demonstrate that GOKM target different loci and genes than OSKM, and that a significant fraction of them is related to placenta and trophoblast function. Moreover, we show that GOKM exert a greater pioneer activity compared to OSKM. While GOKM target many specific hTSC loci, OSKM mainly target hTSC loci that are shared with hESCs. Finally, we reveal a gene signature of trophoblast-related genes, consisting of 172 genes which are highly expressed in blastocyst-derived TSCs and GOKM-hiTSCs but absent or mildly expressed in OSKM-hiTSCs.Taken together, these results imply that not only is the pluripotent state, and SOX2 specifically, not required to produce functional hiTSCs, but that pluripotency-specific factors actually interfere with the acquisition of the hTSC state during reprogramming.
Cross-sectional imaging is of vital importance in the diagnosis and management of small bowel pathology. The key imaging modalities are CT- and MR- enterography CT-E and MR-E), each with characteristic advantages and disadvantages in various clinical settings. Major small bowel pathology includes inflammatory conditions such as IBD, infection, GVHD, and celiac disease. Neoplasms of the small bowel are relatively rare, though clinical suspicion must remain high as diagnosis is often significantly delayed. Mesenteric ischemia is a surgical emergency and must be identified and managed rapidly in order to minimize mortality. Careful consideration is often needed in choosing appropriate imaging studies for various clinical scenarios to obtain critical diagnostic information and familiarity with radiological signs for various pathologies is essential in the assessment and possible characterization of small bowel disease.
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