‘Naïve’ ESRRB+ iPSCs with the capacity for rapid neural differentiation

Several groups have reported the existence of a form of pluripotency that resembles that of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), i.e., a naïve state, in human pluripotent stem cells; however, the characteristics vary between reports. The nuclear receptor ESRRB is expressed in mESCs and plays a significant role in their self-renewal, but its expression has not been observed in most naïve-like human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). In this study, we modified several methods for converting hiPSCs into a naïve state through the transgenic expression of several reprogramming factors. The resulting cells express the components of the core transcriptional network of mESCs, including ESRRB, at high levels, which suggests the existence of naïve-state hiPSCs that are similar to mESCs. We also demonstrate that these cells differentiate more readily into neural cells than do conventional hiPSCs. These features may be beneficial for their use in disease modeling and regenerative medicine. RNA-seq of primed and naïve-like hiPSCs in 3 biological replicates respectively.