Silencing of p53 and CDKN1A establishes sustainable immortalized megakaryocyte progenitor cells from human iPSCs

Platelet transfusions are critical for severe thrombocytopenia but depend on blood donors. The shortage of donors and the potential of universal HLA-null platelet products have stimulated research on the ex vivo differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to platelets. We recently established expandable immortalized megakaryocyte cell lines (imMKCLs) from hPSCs by transducing MYC, BMI1, and BCL-XL (MBX). imMKCLs can act as cryopreservable master cells to supply platelet concentrates. However, the proliferation rates of the imMKCLs vary with the starting hPSC clone. In this study, we reveal from the gene expression profiles of several MKCL clones that the proliferation arrest is correlated with the expression levels of specific cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Silencing CDKN1A and p53 with the overexpression of MBX was effective at stably inducing imMKCLs that generate functional platelets irrespective of the hPSC clone. Collectively, this improvement in generating imMKCLs should contribute to platelet industrialization and platelet biology.

Automated summary

Platelet transfusions are critical for severe thrombocytopenia, but the shortage of donors has led to research on using human pluripotent stem cells to produce platelets. The study found that immortalized megakaryocyte cell lines (imMKCLs) from hPSCs can be used as master cells to supply platelet concentrates, with gene expression profiles revealing a correlation between proliferation arrest and specific inhibitors. Silencing specific genes and overexpressing others was effective in inducing functional platelets from imMKCLs.