Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the best characterized adult stem cells and the only stem cell type in routine clinical use. The concept of stem cell transplantation laid the foundations for the development of novel cell therapies within, and even outside, the hematopoietic system. Here, we report on the history of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and of HSC isolation, we briefly summarize the capabilities of HSCs to reconstitute the entire hemato/lymphoid cell system, and we assess current indications for HCT. We aim to draw the lines between areas where HCT has been firmly established, areas where HCT can in the future be expected to be of clinical benefit using their regenerative functions, and areas where doubts persist. We further review clinical trials for diverse approaches that are based on HCT. Finally, we highlight the advent of genome editing in HSCs and critically view the use of HSCs in non-hematopoietic tissue regeneration.

Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are characterised by their capacity to self-renew indefinitely while maintaining the potential to differentiate into all cell types of an adult organism. Both the undifferentiated and differentiated states are defined by specific gene expression programs that are regulated at the chromatin level. Here, we have analysed the contribution of the H3K27me2-and H3K27me23-specific demethylases KDM6A and KDM6B to murine ESC differentiation by employing the GSK-J4 inhibitor, which is specific for KDM6 proteins, and by targeted gene knockout (KO) and knockdown. We observe that inhibition of the H3K27 demethylase activity induces DNA damage along with activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) and cell death in differentiating but not in undifferentiated ESCs. Laser microirradiation experiments revealed that the H3K27me3 mark, but not the KDM6B protein, colocalise with γH2AX-positive sites of DNA damage in differentiating ESCs. Lack of H3K27me3 attenuates the GSK-J4-induced DDR in differentiating Eed-KO ESCs. Collectively, our findings indicate that differentiating ESCs depend on KDM6 and that the H3K27me3 demethylase activity is crucially involved in DDR and survival of differentiating ESCs.

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Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are characterised by their capacity to self-renew indefinitely while maintaining the potential to differentiate into all cell types of an adult organism. Both the undifferentiated and differentiated states are defined by specific gene expression programs that are regulated at the chromatin level. Here, we have analysed the contribution of the H3K27me2-and H3K27me23-specific demethylases KDM6A and KDM6B to murine ESC differentiation by employing the GSK-J4 inhibitor, which is specific for KDM6 proteins, and by targeted gene knockout (KO) and knockdown. We observe that inhibition of the H3K27 demethylase activity induces DNA damage along with activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) and cell death in differentiating but not in undifferentiated ESCs. Laser microirradiation experiments revealed that the H3K27me3 mark, but not the KDM6B protein, colocalise with γH2AX-positive sites of DNA damage in differentiating ESCs. Lack of H3K27me3 attenuates the GSK-J4-induced DDR in differentiating Eed-KO ESCs. Collectively, our findings indicate that differentiating ESCs depend on KDM6 and that the H3K27me3 demethylase activity is crucially involved in DDR and survival of differentiating ESCs.

Exogenous gene induction of therapeutic, diagnostic, and safety mechanisms could be a considerable improvement in oncolytic virotherapy. Here, we introduced a doxycycline-inducible promoter system (comprised of a tetracycline repressor, several promoter constructs, and a tet operator sequence) into oncolytic recombinant vaccinia viruses (rVACV), which were further characterized in detail. Experiments in cell cultures as well as in tumor-bearing mice were analyzed to determine the role of the inducible-system components. To accomplish this, we took advantage of the optical reporter construct, which resulted in the production of click-beetle luciferase as well as a red fluorescent protein. The results indicated that each of the system components could be used to optimize the induction rates and had an influence on the background expression levels. Depending on the given gene to be induced in rVACV-colonized tumors of patients, we discuss the doxycycline-inducible promoter system adjustment and further optimization. IMPORTANCEOncolytic virotherapy of cancer can greatly benefit from the expression of heterologous genes. It is reasonable that some of those heterologous gene products could have detrimental effects either on the cancer patient or on the oncolytic virus itself if they are expressed at the wrong time or if the expression levels are too high. Therefore, exogenous control of gene expression levels by administration of a nontoxic inducer will have positive effects on the safety as well as the therapeutic outcome of oncolytic virotherapy. In addition, it paves the way for the introduction of new therapeutic genes into the genome of oncolytic viruses that could not have been tested otherwise. Cancer remains one of the major health problems worldwide, and novel therapies are direly needed. Over the past decade, therapies which take advantage of tumor-colonizing microorganisms have gained more and more attention and become a significant field of research followed by ongoing clinical trials. Tumorcolonizing microorganisms include pathogenic, nonpathogenic, and even probiotic bacteria, as well as different virus strains. All of those microorganisms have in common the fact that they colonize and replicate in solid tumors and metastases to a much higher extent than in healthy tissues, resulting in tumor-to-organ ratios that by far exceed any other targeted therapies that are based on small molecules and therapeutic antibodies. This phenomenon of tumor-specific enrichment and amplification is either a consequence of rational genetic engineering or based on natural traits of those microorganisms or both. Whatever the basis for the tumorspecific replication is, tumor-colonizing microorganisms are now being used to (over)express heterologous therapeutic proteins within tumor tissues, thereby enhancing the therapeutic efficacy.Some of those therapeutic proteins can be toxic to the patient or even to the microorganism that produces the protein. Therefore, it would be beneficial to exogenously regulate their gene ...