M. Toyoda

Drug metabolic activity as a selection factor for pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatic progenitor cells

This study isolates and expands hepatic progenitor cells from human ESCs by selecting for drug-metabolizing activity, enabling a stable supply of functional liver cells for therapy and drug testing.

Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75

This study investigates the virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75, finding it has higher transmissibility and pathogenicity compared to BA.2 and BA.5, but similar sensitivity to antiviral drugs.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 spike G446S potentiates HLA-A*24:02-restricted T cell immunity

SARS-CoV-2 spike S375F mutation characterizes the Omicron BA.1 variant

This study identifies the S375F mutation in the Omicron spike protein as responsible for its reduced cleavage efficiency, fusogenicity, and rapid spread.

Virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 variant

This study compares the virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 and BA.1 variants, finding BA.2 has higher transmissibility, different antigenicity, greater replicative capacity, and higher pathogenicity in hamsters.

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike mediated immune escape, infectivity and cell-cell fusion

This study investigates the immune escape, infectivity, and cell-cell fusion properties of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 compared to Delta, showing higher ACE2 affinity and antibody evasion but similar antiviral drug efficacy.

Hypothesis: Colony-forming activity of pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells for stem cell assay

The paper hypothesizes that colony-forming units in liver (CFU-L) can quantify the engraftment and functionality of hepatocyte-like cells derived from pluripotent stem cells.

Drug metabolism activity is a Critical Intrinsic Selector for Hepatocytes to elongate cell lifespan by using a cell-killing antibiotic

This study develops a method to expand human hepatocytes in vitro using a cell-killing antibiotic, enabling long-term culture and stable supply for drug research.

An emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutant evading cellular immunity and increasing viral infectivity

This study identifies two SARS-CoV-2 mutations, L452R and Y453F, that evade HLA-restricted cellular immunity and increase viral infectivity.

Gorlin syndrome-induced pluripotent stem cells form medulloblastoma with loss of heterozygosity in PTCH1

This study shows that Gorlin syndrome patient-derived iPSCs form medulloblastoma in mice, with one tumor showing PTCH1 loss of heterozygosity.

Puromycin selection of cells with a high expression of the cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 gene activity from a patient with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and their lifespan prolongation using a combination of CDK4R24C, cyclin D1 and TERT

The paper generates an immortalized hepatocyte cell line with high CYP3A4 expression from a DILI patient and shows its prolonged lifespan and drug-metabolism capacity.

Ammonia-based enrichment and long-term propagation of zone I hepatocyte-like cells

This study shows that ammonia treatment enriches hepatocyte-like cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells, which can be propagated long-term in vitro while maintaining liver-specific gene expression.

Immortalization of human zone I hepatocytes from biliary atresia with CDK4R24C, cyclin D1, and TERT for cytochrome P450 induction testing

The paper describes the creation of an immortalized hepatocyte cell line, HepaMN, from biliary atresia tissue and demonstrates its utility for cytochrome P450 induction testing.

Epigenetic-scale comparison of human iPSCs generated by retrovirus, Sendai virus or episomal vectors

The paper compares epigenetic differences in human iPSCs generated by three different vectors and finds Sendai virus generates the fewest aberrant methylation sites.

Can Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Stromal Cells Serve A Starting Material For Myoblasts?

This study generates ESC-derived CD105+ stromal cells with long-term proliferation and myogenic potential as a cell source for myoblast therapy in muscular disorders.