IntroductionImmune-based therapy has achieved a certain level of success; however, the overall therapeutic effect has been much less promising due to the immune suppressive mechanisms associated with advanced malignancies. 1 To achieve a better therapeutic efficacy of immune activation therapy, the mechanism or mechanisms by which a large tumor burden prevents immune activation from inducing effective antitumor immunity needs to be elucidated.Tumor growth is accompanied by an increase in the number of Gr-1 ϩ Mac-1 ϩ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) 2-4 and tumor-specific T regulatory cells (Tregs) 5,6 with strong immune suppressive activity in cancer patients and in tumor-bearing mice. [7][8][9] Both MDSCs and Tregs may be directly involved in immune unresponsiveness in active immune therapy.It has been demonstrated that MDSCs are involved in T-cell hyporesponsiveness in tumor-bearing mice. Several mechanisms by which MDSCs regulate the tumor-specific T-cell response have recently been proposed and the in vivo immune regulatory effects of MDSCs on tumor-specific T-cell response have been identified. 7-12 T-cell inactivation can be mediated by MDSCs through IFN␥-dependent nitric oxide (NO) production [12][13][14][15][16] or the Th2-mediated IL-4/IL-13-dependent arginase 1 pathway. 14,[17][18][19][20][21][22] In addition, a mechanism of ROS-mediated cell killing has been proposed. 3,23,24 Furthermore, MDSCs can inhibit cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses through NOdependent or -independent mechanisms. Cell-to-cell contact appeared to be crucial in these mechanisms. 25 Our laboratory has further identified a novel mechanism of MDSC-mediated immune suppression on activated T cells through the development of Foxp3 ϩ T regulatory cells (Tregs) and T-cell tolerance both in vitro and in tumor-bearing mice. The induction of Tregs by MDSCs requires IFN-␥ and IL-10 but is independent of the NO-mediated suppressive mechanism. 11 To overcome MDSCmediated immune suppression and prevent Treg induction, it is critical to identify the tumor factors that are required for MDSC accumulation in tumor-bearing animals.Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that the development and expansion of MDSCs may be modulated by tumor-secreted factors. MDSCs in tumor-bearing animals can differentiate into mature dendritic cells or remain as MDSCs with inhibitory activities, depending on the local cytokine milieu. 26,27 Human renal cell carcinoma cell lines release soluble factors (IL-6, M-CSF) that inhibit the differentiation of CD34 ϩ cells into dendritic cells (DCs) and trigger their commitment toward monocytic cells. 28 In a transgenic mammary tumor, VEGF levels correlate with the MDSC number. 29 Moreover, the in vivo infusion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can induce MDSC development in naive mice and impair DC function and differentiation. 30 Granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) secretion has correlated with the capacity of tumor metastases and the GM-CSF and IL-3 in conditioned mediu...

BackgroundInsulin is a critical component of metabolic control, and as such, insulin gene expression has been the focus of extensive study. DNA sequences that regulate transcription of the insulin gene and the majority of regulatory factors have already been identified. However, only recently have other components of insulin gene expression been investigated, and in this study we examine the role of DNA methylation in the regulation of mouse and human insulin gene expression.Methodology/Principal FindingsGenomic DNA samples from several tissues were bisulfite-treated and sequenced which revealed that cytosine-guanosine dinucleotide (CpG) sites in both the mouse Ins2 and human INS promoters are uniquely demethylated in insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Methylation of these CpG sites suppressed insulin promoter-driven reporter gene activity by almost 90% and specific methylation of the CpG site in the cAMP responsive element (CRE) in the promoter alone suppressed insulin promoter activity by 50%. Methylation did not directly inhibit factor binding to the CRE in vitro, but inhibited ATF2 and CREB binding in vivo and conversely increased the binding of methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2). Examination of the Ins2 gene in mouse embryonic stem cell cultures revealed that it is fully methylated and becomes demethylated as the cells differentiate into insulin-expressing cells in vitro.Conclusions/SignificanceOur findings suggest that insulin promoter CpG demethylation may play a crucial role in beta cell maturation and tissue-specific insulin gene expression.

The study of hematopoietic colony-forming units using semisolid culture media has greatly advanced the knowledge of hematopoiesis. Here we report that similar methods can be used to study pancreatic colony-forming units. We have developed two pancreatic colony assays that enable quantitative and functional analyses of progenitor-like cells isolated from dissociated adult (2-4 mo old) murine pancreas. We find that a methylcellulose-based semisolid medium containing Matrigel allows growth of duct-like "Ring/ Dense" colonies from a rare (∼1%) population of total pancreatic single cells. With the addition of roof plate-specific spondin 1, a wingless-int agonist, Ring/Dense colony-forming cells can be expanded more than 100,000-fold when serially dissociated and replated in the presence of Matrigel. When cells grown in Matrigel are then transferred to a Matrigel-free semisolid medium with a unique laminin-based hydrogel, some cells grow and differentiate into another type of colony, which we name "Endocrine/Acinar." These Endocrine/Acinar colonies are comprised mostly of endocrine-and acinar-like cells, as ascertained by RNA expression analysis, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy. Most Endocrine/Acinar colonies contain beta-like cells that secrete insulin/C-peptide in response to D-glucose and theophylline. These results demonstrate robust self-renewal and differentiation of adult Ring/Dense colony-forming units in vitro and suggest an approach to producing beta-like cells for cell replacement of type 1 diabetes. The methods described, which include microfluidic expression analysis of single cells and colonies, should also advance study of pancreas development and pancreatic progenitor cells. extracellular matrix proteins | Sry-related HMG box (Sox) 9 | Promonin 1 (CD133) | neurogenin 3 | dickkopf1 (Dkk1)

Organoids—cellular aggregates derived from stem or progenitor cells that recapitulate organ function in miniature—are of growing interest in developmental biology and medicine. Organoids have been developed for organs and tissues such as the liver, gut, brain, and pancreas; they are used as organ surrogates to study a wide range of questions in basic and developmental biology, genetic disorders, and therapies. However, many organoids reported to date have been cultured in Matrigel, which is prepared from the secretion of Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm mouse sarcoma cells; Matrigel is complex and poorly defined. This complexity makes it difficult to elucidate Matrigel-specific factors governing organoid development. In this review, we discuss promising Matrigel-free methods for the generation and maintenance of organoids that use decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM), synthetic hydrogels, or gel-forming recombinant proteins.