Laura Wagstaff

Abstract Metformin rejuvenates adult rat oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) allowing more efficient differentiation into oligodendrocytes and improved remyelination, and therefore is of interest as a therapeutic in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS).

Abstract In Multiple Sclerosis (MS), inflammatory demyelinated lesions in the brain and spinal cord lead to neurodegeneration and progressive disability. Remyelination can restore fast saltatory conduction and neuroprotection but is inefficient in MS especially with increasing age, and is not yet treatable with therapies.

Highlights • Eight dCas9VP160 synthetic transcription factors (sTFs) delivered with one plasmid • All-in-one plasmid containing eight sTFs can simultaneously activate three genes • Neural stem cell differentiation to OPC is enhanced by Sox10 activation with sTF • sTFs activating Sox10, Olig2, and Nkx6-2 drive MEF transdifferentiation to OPCs Summary Cell lineage reprogramming via transgene overexpression of key master regulatory transcription factors has been well documented.