Human blood cells converted to induced neural stem cells show protracted epigenetic de-aging
In this abstract, human erythroid progenitors from donors aged neonatal to 101 years were converted to induced neural stem cells using SOX2 and cMYC; epigenetic de-aging continued for weeks, and established lines retained about 13% and 5% of donor age at low and high passages. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Human erythroid progenitors from donors aged neonatal to 101 years were converted to iNSCs by overexpressing SOX2 and cMYC. [1]
Epigenetic de-aging was protracted, continuing for several weeks and even under proliferation-inhibiting conditions. [1]
A bona fide neural stem cell signature developed well after proliferative PAX6-positive iNSCs emerged. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Abstract of a laboratory cell-conversion study.
- Population / context
- Human erythroid progenitor cells from donors aged neonatal to 101 years.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 1, 2026
Conversion of blood progenitors without pluripotent stage
The abstract describes direct conversion of somatic cells into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) from peripheral blood using transcription factors, without passing through a pluripotent stage. The authors overexpressed SOX2 and cMYC in erythroid progenitors from donors ranging from neonatal to 101 years of age. They state that this approach had already been linked to epigenetic de-aging, but the timing of that process was unclear.
Supporting source [1]
De-aging continued for weeks and beyond PAX6 emergence
Using an epigenetic aging clock, the authors report pronounced de-aging in iNSCs from aged donors: about 13% of original donor age remained at low passage and about 5% at high passage. Across time, de-aging was largely protracted, continuing for several weeks and even under proliferation-inhibiting conditions. Differences in gene activity between iNSCs from young and old donors also diminished with longer conversion time. Time-course DNA methylation and RNA sequencing indicated that a bona fide neural stem cell signature developed well after proliferative PAX6-positive iNSCs appeared.
Supporting source [1]
Established iNSC lines lacked age-associated hallmarks
The abstract states that established iNSC lines lacked age-associated cellular hallmarks, similar to induced pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives. The authors call the unexpectedly slow dynamics an attractive model for studying somatic transdifferentiation and epigenetic de-aging. These are findings from an abstract only; the full text was not reviewed, and the abstract does not report sample sizes, detailed methods or whether any functional outcomes were tested.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract does not report sample sizes, detailed methods or functional outcomes.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Berg LJ, Franzen J, Buness A, Konang R, Sheng C, Peitz M, Till A, Wagner W, Brüstle O. · europepmc.org · October 1, 2026