Single-step protocol for the differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells into hepatic progenitor-like cells

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are ideal sources of hepatocyte for transplantation into patients experiencing hepatic failure. Growth and transcription factors were analyzed to design a single-step protocol for the differentiation of iPS cells into hepatocytes. The expression of transcription factors was analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared among iPS cells, as well as fetal and adult liver cells. iPS cells were cultured with growth factors and RT-PCR was performed to analyze the expression of transcription factors. iPS cells were introduced with transcription factors, cultured with growth factors and subjected to real-time quantitative PCR. Indocyanine green (ICG) was added to the medium as a hepatocyte marker. Sox17, GATA4, GATA6, FoxA2, HEX, HNF4 alpha and C/EBP alpha were expressed in fetal and adult liver cells, but not in iPS cells. Sox17, GATA6 and HNF4 alpha were expressed after exposure a combination of oncostatin M, epidermal growth factor, retinoic acid, dexamethasone and ITS (OERDITS). When iPS cells were introduced with FoxA2, GATA4, HEX and C/EBP alpha and cultured with OERDITS for 8 days, the cells expressed alpha-fetoprotein, delta-like (Dlk)-1 and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GTP), and ICG uptake was observed. Exposure to FoxA2, GATA4, HEX and C/EBP alpha and culturing with OERDITS supplementation potentially serves as a single-step inducer for the differentiation of iPS cells into hepatic progenitor-like cells within 8 days.