Identification of novel candidate regulators of human naive pluripotency by means of a genetic switch utilizing the chimeric receptor G-CSFR:GP130

This study investigated the molecular mechanisms underpinning the transition from primed to naive pluripotency in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) by utilizing a dual genetic switch combining hormone-dependent STAT3-ERT2 and a chimeric GCSFR:gp130 receptor. Upon activation with tamoxifen and G-CSF, hPSCs demonstrated upregulation of naive markers, and sustained self-renewal independent of LIF. Transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct clusters of early response genes, with a subset of 26 genes significantly enriched in the human epiblast. Knockdown experiments further delineated essential regulators that modulate differentiation and proliferation during naive reprogramming including interferon gamma inducible protein (IFI)16 and interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) proteins. Moreover, functional assays using mutant chimeric GCSFR:gp130 receptor highlighted the critical role of JAK kinase recruitment in orchestrating epigenomic remodeling and early gene activation. This approach establishes a robust platform to dissect the signaling dynamics governing the accession of hPSCs to naive pluripotency.