News Releases & Research Results Successful production of “universal” platelets from iPS cells by a genome editing technique

The results of the collaborative research conducted by Professor Koji Eto (Director of Research Center for Regenerative Therapeutics, Chiba University), Senior Lecturer Akitsu Hotta, Senior Lecturer Naoshi Sugimoto of Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Daisuke Suzuki (a former graduate student of Kyoto University; currently a student of Chiba University School of Medicine)　and others.

• Using a genome editing technique, HLA class-I-depleted*1 immortalized megakaryocyte progenitor cell lines (imMKCLs)*2 were successfully developed from iPS cells, to produce platelets depleted of HLA-I.
  *1 HLA stands for human leukocyte antigen, which is one of the major histocompatibility complexes in humans.
  *2 Megakaryocytes are obtained from hematopoietic stem cells and are responsible for platelets production. imMKCLs are established by gene introduction to megakaryocytes derived from human iPS cells, and can switch from amplification to maturation.
• HLA-deficient iPS platelets are “universal” agents that can be transfused regardless of the HLA-I types.
• The study results showed immunogenic properties of platelets that were less affected by natural killer (NK) cells, demonstrated usefulness of HLA-depleted iPS platelets as “universal” agents in case of refractoriness to platelet transfusions, and will serve as a platform for industrialization of IPS-derived platelets.

This project was conducted with the support of Research Center Network for Realization of Regenerative Medicine by AMED.

The study results were published online in Stem Cell Reports, which is an American science journal, on December 27.

Suzuki D., et al. iPSC-derived platelets depleted of HLA class-I are inert to anti-HLA class-I and NK cell immunity Stem Cell Reports
DOI：10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.11.011