BRACHYURY and CDX2 Mediate BMP-Induced Differentiation of Human and Mouse Pluripotent Stem Cells into Embryonic and Extraembryonic Lineages

Summary

BMP is thought to induce hESC differentiation toward multiple lineages including mesoderm and trophoblast. The BMP-induced trophoblast phenotype is a long-standing paradox in stem cell biology. Here we readdressed BMP function in hESCs and mouse epiblast-derived cells. We found that BMP4 cooperates with FGF2 (via ERK) to induce mesoderm and to inhibit endoderm differentiation. These conditions induced cells with high levels of BRACHYURY (BRA) that coexpressed CDX2. BRA was necessary for and preceded CDX2 expression; both genes were essential for expression not only of mesodermal genes but also of trophoblast-associated genes. Maximal expression of the latter was seen in the absence of FGF but these cells coexpressed mesodermal genes and moreover they differed in cell surface and epigenetic properties from placental trophoblast. We conclude that BMP induces human and mouse pluripotent stem cells primarily to form mesoderm, rather than trophoblast, acting through BRA and CDX2.

Abstract

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

► BMP+FGF induces ESCs to express BRA ^hi/CDX2 ⁺ while Activin+FGF induces BRA ^low/SOX17 ⁺ ► BRA and CDX2 are required for mesoderm- and trophoblast-associated gene expression ► Epigenetic and surface features discern BMP-treated hESCs from in vivo trophoblast ► BMP-treated hESCs expressing trophoblast-associated genes coexpress mesoderm genes