Researchers developed a novel method for SALL4-mediated somatic cell reprogramming

Recently, Prof. LIU Jing from Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health (GIBH), Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Prof. LIAO Baojian of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, published an article titled "Reconstitution of Pluripotency from Mouse Fibroblast through SALL4 Overexpression" on Nature Communications.

Figure 1. The Team Led by Prof. Liu

Since the emergence of iPSCs technology, researchers have successfully developed more efficient, faster and safer induction approaches. Among them, OCT4 is regarded as the core reprogramming factor for the induction of iPSCs. However, it remains unknown whether there are other factors can individually mediate somatic cell reprogramming. SALL4 plays a critical role in both somatic cell reprogramming and embryonic development. Therefore, SALL4 has the potential to independently reprogram somatic cells into iPSCs.

In this study, researchers developed a novel SALL4-mediated reprogramming induction approach with higher efficiency and stability. Furthermore, the study explored the mechanism by which SALL4 and OCT4 synergistically enhance reprogramming efficiency, revealing that these two transcription factors effectively increase reprogramming efficiency through dual regulation of reprogramming promoting and inhibitory genes. This study highlight the role and significance of SALL4 in the reprogramming process and providing a new perspective for comprehending the mechanisms of cell fate transition.

Figure 2. The model for SALL4-driven induction of iPSCs and the cooperation of SALL4 with OCT4 to enhance iPSCs generation (Image by Prof. Liu's team)

This research was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou, China, Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, Basic Research Project of Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Health@InnoHK Program launched by the Innovation Technology Commission of the Hong Kong SAR, P.R. China, the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Grade C) of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and Grants from Guangdong Province.

Contacts:

Jing Liu, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Guangzhou, China, 510530

Email:liu_jing@gibh.ac.cn