Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CoralStem (Stem cell isolation and transplantation in Hexacorallia: Toward cell-therapy for corals)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
Reef corals are the foundation of ecosystems that host much of the ocean’s biodiversity, making them a significant component of economies and communities around the world. They are under severe threat from anthropogenic stressors, particularly global warming. Some parts of the world’s oceans have already lost the majority of their corals.
Efforts to mitigate the damage are informed by research on understanding and transferring naturally-occurring resilient genotypes. This has a direct parallel in medicine; cell- or gene-therapy, which is founded on an ability to isolate and then transplant progenitor/stem cells. This technology does not exist for any coral species.
In this research program we are developing robust tools for the isolation, characterization, and transplantation of coral progenitor/stem cells. The tools will be species non-specific, and therefore widely applicable.
We are developing generalized strategies for isolating cell-type enriched cell populations, especially progenitor cells, in four species of anemones and stony corals. We are developing cell transplantation techniques for engraftment in non-model species. We are characterizing the engraftment potentials of candidate progenitor/stem cell populations in these species.
This technology will have an impact on basic and applied research. Because of the broad applicability, it will become a valuable tool for researchers seeking a more complete cell biology in non-classical invertebrate species. Being able to isolate, manipulate, and replace progenitor cells in diverse species will assist in efforts to understand how the developmental programs that construct or regenerate an organism function and change during evolution. Being able to transfer progenitor cells from a stress-resilient coral to a sensitive one will assist in understanding the mechanisms governing stress tolerance. With this research, and using the tools developed here, it may become possible to confer resilience in the wild.
Efforts to mitigate the damage are informed by research on understanding and transferring naturally-occurring resilient genotypes. This has a direct parallel in medicine; cell- or gene-therapy, which is founded on an ability to isolate and then transplant progenitor/stem cells. This technology does not exist for any coral species.
In this research program we are developing robust tools for the isolation, characterization, and transplantation of coral progenitor/stem cells. The tools will be species non-specific, and therefore widely applicable.
We are developing generalized strategies for isolating cell-type enriched cell populations, especially progenitor cells, in four species of anemones and stony corals. We are developing cell transplantation techniques for engraftment in non-model species. We are characterizing the engraftment potentials of candidate progenitor/stem cell populations in these species.
This technology will have an impact on basic and applied research. Because of the broad applicability, it will become a valuable tool for researchers seeking a more complete cell biology in non-classical invertebrate species. Being able to isolate, manipulate, and replace progenitor cells in diverse species will assist in efforts to understand how the developmental programs that construct or regenerate an organism function and change during evolution. Being able to transfer progenitor cells from a stress-resilient coral to a sensitive one will assist in understanding the mechanisms governing stress tolerance. With this research, and using the tools developed here, it may become possible to confer resilience in the wild.
Our team has succeeded in developing the proof of concept for the ability of candidate stem cell transplantation in a sea anemone model of Nematostella vectensis. We have shown on different functional levels the existence of candidate stem cell populations, and that they can be transplanted and transfer with them their genotype and phenotype.
We showed the candidate stem cells ability: I) To proliferate in the transplanted animals; II) Longevity we showed through serial transplantation assays; III) Integration to the tissues and cell function we showed through rescue assays of animals after lethal doses of chemotherapy. IV) Genotype and phenotype persistence, we showed via gene analysis and visualization of a transgenic fluorescent gene; V) We isolated an enriched population of our candidate stem cells and showed their differentiation ability.
We showed the candidate stem cells ability: I) To proliferate in the transplanted animals; II) Longevity we showed through serial transplantation assays; III) Integration to the tissues and cell function we showed through rescue assays of animals after lethal doses of chemotherapy. IV) Genotype and phenotype persistence, we showed via gene analysis and visualization of a transgenic fluorescent gene; V) We isolated an enriched population of our candidate stem cells and showed their differentiation ability.
Our team has shown the proof of concept that we can use candidate stem cells in transplantation assays in Hexacorallians. This might lead to the ability to develop cell-based therapy. Our current work focuses on translating those tools and findings to stony corals. We have preliminary data on transplantation assays and the development of the translation tools.
Additionally, we are working on molecular characterization of the candidate stem cells in the different species of corals and sea anemones.
Additionally, we are working on molecular characterization of the candidate stem cells in the different species of corals and sea anemones.