Conversion of human fibroblasts into vascular cells (gene expression)

We report a novel technique to reprogram human fibroblasts into endothelial and smooth muscle cells using partial iPSC reprogramming and chemically defined media. Using appropriate media conditions for differentiation of human pluripotent cells to CD34+ vascular progenitor cells, we show that temporary expression of pluripotent transcription factors and treatment with chemically-defined media, will induce differentiation of human fibroblasts to CD34+ vascular progenitor cells. Sorted CD34+ cells can then be directed to differentiate into vascular endothelial cells expressing a variety of smooth muscle markers. We have assessed the global DNA methylation (Illumina Infinium HD 450K DNA methylationBeadChips) and transcriptional (Illumina HT12v3 and HT12v4 Gene Expression Bead Array) profiles of transdifferentiated endothelial cells and smooth muscle, human embryonic stem cell (hESC) and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) differentiated CD34+ angioblasts, hESCs, hiPSC, primary smooth muscle and primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells using microarrays.