Primed Pluripotent Stem Cell Reprogramming for Epigenome Reset

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pluripotent stem cells, particularly primed pluripotent stem cells, exhibit limited differentiation potency due to incomplete epigenome reset and epigenomic memory, leading to differentiation biases and instability, making them unsuitable for direct differentiation methods.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the transient induction of primed pluripotent stem cells to naive pluripotent stem cells and then back to primed pluripotent stem cells, enhancing differentiation potency by culturing primate naive pluripotent stem cells and using specific miRNAs and bone morphogenetic proteins, with feeder- and xeno-free conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional primed pluripotent stem cells are used directly, then they are stable and easy to maintain, but they exhibit limited differentiation potency and differentiation biases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedifferentiation potencyVSAvoidmaintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by transiently inducing primed pluripotent stem cells to naive pluripotent stem cells before final differentiation. This temporary transition to the naive state resets the epigenome and removes differentiation biases, allowing the cells to subsequently differentiate more potently into various cell types while maintaining practical stability for maintenance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If primed pluripotent stem cells are transiently induced to naive pluripotent stem cells and then back to primed, then differentiation potency is improved, but the process complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedifferentiation potencyVSAvoidprocess complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action through a cyclic induction process: primed pluripotent stem cells are transiently induced to naive pluripotent stem cells using specific factors (such as VEGF, bFGF, and other growth factors in defined media), then subsequently induced back to a primed state optimized for differentiation. This periodic transition resets epigenetic marks and removes differentiation biases, enhancing overall differentiation potency despite added process steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying culture conditions during the transient naive induction phase, including specific growth factors, inhibitors, and medium compositions. These parameter changes temporarily shift cells to a naive state with reset epigenome, then return them to a primed state with enhanced differentiation potential, systematically managing the complexity through defined protocol parameters

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If naive pluripotent stem cells are produced from primed cells, then epigenome reset is achieved, but maintenance culture becomes difficult and costly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveepigenome resetVSAvoidmaintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses preliminary action by performing transient induction to naive pluripotent stem cells only for the purpose of epigenome reset, rather than maintaining cells in the naive state. The cells are quickly induced back to a primed state that is more suitable for routine maintenance and differentiation protocols, achieving the epigenetic benefit while avoiding the long-term maintenance difficulties

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a periodic induction strategy where cells are temporarily transitioned to naive state for epigenome reset, then returned to primed state for practical maintenance. This periodic approach separates the epigenetic resetting function from the maintenance function, achieving both goals without the drawbacks of continuous naive state maintenance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4678737A1Method for producing primed pluripotent stem cells
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 KYOTO UNIV
  • EP4678737A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4678737A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4678737A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The present invention provides a method for producing primed pluripotent stem cells, the method comprising: (1) a step of preparing naive pluripotent stem cells of primate animals; and (2) a step of inducing primed pluripotent stem cells from the naive pluripotent stem cells prepared in step (1).