Methods for reprogramming cells and uses thereof

1. An in vitro method of transforming a cell of a first type to a hematopoietic multipotent cell, comprising:

i) providing a cell of a first type, wherein the cell of the first type is a somatic cell that is multipotent, unipotent or terminally differentiated, but not a hematopoietic multipotent cell;

ii) introducing into said cell of a first type reprogramming agent(s) or polynucleotides encoding said reprogramming agents) selected from the group consisting of:

(1) Brachyury (T), Caudal Type Homeobox 4 (CDX4), Homeobox B4 (HOXB4), GATA Binding Factor 1 (GATA1), GATA Binding Factor 2 (GATA2), Kruppel-like Factor 1 (KLF1), Left-right determination factor 1 (LEFTY1), Eomesodermin (FOMES), Delta-like protein 1 precursor (DLL1), GATA Binding Factor 4 (GATA4), GATA Binding Factor 6 (GATA6), Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed-1 (HAND1), Insulin gene enhancer protein (ISL1), and NK2 Homeobox 5 (NKX2.5);

(2) Eomesodermin;

(3) CDX4;

(4) KLF1;

(5) Eomesodermin combined with Gata1, Gata2, Klf1, Cdx4, Tal1, Bmi1, Fli1, or HoxB4;

(6) Cdx4 combined with Gata1, Gata2 or Klf1;

(7) Gata1 combined with Fli1, Cdx4, HoxB4 or Eomesodermin; and

(8) HoxB4 combined with Tal1, Fli1, Gata1, or Eomesodermin;

iii) placing the cell of the first type in a hematopoietic cell culture medium and maintaining expression of the reprogramming agent(s) or polynucleotides encoding said reprogramming agent(s); and

iv) maintaining the cell in hematopoietic cell culture medium for a sufficient period of time to allow a stable expression of a plurality of secondary genes whose expression is characteristic of phenotypical and/or functional properties of the hematopoietic multipotent cell, wherein at least one of said secondary genes is not characteristic of phenotypical and functional properties of an embryonic stem cell, whereby at the end of said period of time the cell of the first type has been transformed into the hematopoietic multipotent cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said reprogramming agent(s) is/are polynucleotide(s) or polypeptide(s) having the sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) Brachyury (T): SEQ ID NO: 196, SEQ ID NO: 197, SEQ ID NO: 198, or SEQ ID NO: 199;

(b) CDX4: SEQ ID NO: 366 or SEQ ID NO: 367;

(c) HoxB4: SEQ ID NO: 374 or SEQ ID NO: 375;

(d) GATA1: SEQ ID NO: 370 or SEQ ID NO: 371;

(e) GATA2: SEQ ID NO: 372 or SEQ ID NO: 373,

(f) Klf1: SEQ ID NO: 376 or SEQ ID NO: 377;

(g) LEFTY1: SEQ ID NO: 73, SEQ ID NO: 74 or SEQ ID NO: 75;

(h) EOMES: SEQ ID No: 177 or SEQ ID NO: 178,

(i) DLL1: SEQ ID No: 202, SEQ ID NO: 203 or SEQ ID NO: 204;

(j) GATA4: SEQ ID No: 186 or SEQ ID NO: 187;

(k) GATA6: SEQ ID No: 188, SEQ ID NO: 189, SEQ ID NO: 190 or SEQ ID NO: 191;

(l) HAND1: SEQ ID No: 257 or SEQ ID NO: 258;

(m) ISL1: SEQ ID No: 261 or SEQ ID NO: 262; and

(n) NKX2.5: SEQ ID No: 254, SEQ ID NO: 273, SEQ ID NO: 274, SEQ ID NO: 275, SEQ ID NO: 276 or SEQ ID NO: 277.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising contacting the chromatin and/or DNA of the cell of the first type with an agent capable of remodeling chromatin and/or DNA of said cell, wherein the agent capable of remodeling chromatin and/or DNA is selected from the group consisting of histone acetylators, inhibitors of histone deacetylation, DNA demethylators, inhibitors of DNA methylation and combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising treating the cell of a first type with a cytoskeleton disruptor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell of a first type is selected from the group consisting of: cells derived from mesoderm, endoderm or ectoderm, and a cell of mesoderm, endoderm or ectoderm lineage, skin derived precursor cell, hair follicle cell, fibroblast, keratinocyte, epidermal cell, endothelial cell, epithelial cell, granulosa epithelial cell, melanocyte, adipocyte, chondrocyte, hepatocyte, B lymphocyte, T lymphocyte, granulocyte, macrophage, monocyte, mononuclear cell, pancreatic islet cell, sertoli cell, neuron, glial cell, cardiac muscle cell, and other muscle cell.

6. An in vitro method of obtaining a hematopoietic multipotent cell, comprising:

i) providing a cell of a first type, wherein the cell of the first type is a somatic cell that is multipotent, unipotent or terminally differentiated;

ii) contacting chromatin and/or DNA of the cell of a first type with a histone acetylator, an inhibitor of histone deacetylation, a DNA demethylator, and/or an inhibitor of DNA methylation;

iii) introducing into said cell of a first type reprogramming agent(s) or polynucleotides encoding said reprogramming agent(s) selected from the group consisting of:

(1) Brachyury (T), Caudal Type Homeobox 4 (CDX4), Homeobox B4 (HOXB4), GATA Binding Factor 1 (GATA1), GATA Binding Factor 2 (GATA2), Kruppel-like Factor 1 (KLF1), Left-right determination factor 1 (LEFTY1), Eomesodermin (FOMES), Delta-like protein 1 precursor (DLL1), GATA Binding Factor 4 (GATA4), GATA Binding Factor 6 (GATA6), Heart and Neural Crest Derivatives Expressed-1 (HAND1), Insulin gene enhancer protein (ISL1), and NK2 Homeobox 5 (NKX2.5);

(2) Eomesodermin;

(3) CDX4;

(4) KLF1;

(5) Eomesodermin combined with Gata1, Gata2, Klf1, Cdx4, Tal1, Bmi1, Fli1, or HoxB4;

(6) Cdx4 combined with Gata1, Gata2 or Klf1;

(7) Gata1 combined with Fli1, Cdx4, HoxB4 or Eomesodermin; and

(8) HoxB4 combined with Tal1, Fli1, Gata1, or Eomesodermin; and

iv) culturing the cell of a first type in a hematopoietic cell culture medium and maintaining stable expression of the reprogramming agent(s), wherein the reprogramming agent(s) is capable of driving directly or indirectly transformation of the cell of the first type into the hematopoietic multipotent cell whereby a hematopoietic multipotent cell is obtained.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising transiently transfecting the cell of a first type with one or more expression vector(s) encoding the reprogramming agent(s), wherein the reprogramming agents(s) is/are selected from the group consisting of:

(a) Brachyury (T): SEQ ID NO: 197;

(b) CDX4: SEQ ID NO: 367;

(c) HoxB4: SEQ ID NO: 375;

(d) GATA1: SEQ ID NO: 371;

(e) GATA2: SEQ ID NO: 373;

(f) Klf1: SEQ ID NO: 377;

(g) LEFTY1: SEQ ID NO: 74;

(h) EOMES: SEQ ID NO: 178;

(i) DLL1: SEQ ID NO: 203, SEQ ID NO: 204;

(j) GATA4: SEQ ID NO: 187;

(k) GATA6: SEQ ID NO: 189 or SEQ ID NO: 190;

(l) HAND1: SEQ ID NO: 258;

(m) ISL1: SEQ ID NO: 262; and

(n) NKX2.5: SEQ ID NO: 273, SEQ ID NO: 275, or SEQ ID NO: 277.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hematopoietic multipotent cell so obtained possesses one or more of the following characteristics:

i) expression of one or more stem cell marker selected from the group consisting of CD34, Flt3, Sca-1, HoxB4, and CXCR4;

ii) decreased expression of one or more genes specific for the cell from which the HSC was obtained;

iii) capable of being cultured in suspension or as an adherent culture;

iv) capable of proliferating without the presence of an exogenous reprogramming agent for over 1 month, over 2 months, over 3 months, over 5 months or for more than a year;

v) positive for telomerase activity;

vi) capable of differentiation into cells according to the lineage of a hematopoietic multipotent cell;

vii) decreased expression of telomerase and one or more stem cell markers after differentiation;

viii) having one or more morphological features of a hematopoietic multipotent cell;

ix) expression of one or more antigen expressed specifically in a hematopoietic multipotent cell;

x) expression of one or more functional markers of lineage specific differentiated cells after differentiation of the hematopoietic multipotent cell;

xi) negative in a tumor colony forming assay;

xii) negative for tumor growth in SCID mice;

xiii) negative for teratoma growth in SCID mice; or

xiv) capable of significantly improving one or more functional measures after placement of an adequate number of hematopoietic multipotent cells in a model assessing the regenerative potential of hematopoietic multipotent cells.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of hematopoietic multipotent cells are obtained and wherein said plurality of hematopoietic multipotent cells are organized within a three-dimensional structure.