ZO-1 Boosts the In Vitro Self-Renewal of Pre-Haematopoietic Stem Cells from OCT4-Reprogrammed Human Hair Follicle Mesenchymal Stem Cells Through Cytoskeleton Remodeling

The study demonstrates that ZO-1 enhances the self-renewal of pre-haematopoietic stem cells (pre-HSCs) derived from OCT4-reprogrammed human hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells (hHFMSCs) by remodeling the cytoskeleton through the ZO-1-regulated adherens junction (AJ) pathway. This process involves the upregulation of genes such as F-actin, E-cadherin, and β-catenin, which are crucial for cytoskeletal changes and cell cycle regulation. The findings suggest that floating hHFMSCsOCT4, which exhibit moderate proliferation and cytoskeletal remodeling, could serve as promising seed cells for artificial hematopoiesis, offering potential advancements in clinical applications of haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.