Doxycycline Enhances Survival and Self-Renewal of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

•Doxycycline enhances human pluripotent ESC/iPSC survival and self-renewal•Doxycycline-mediated survival effects are also shown in human neural stem cell (NSC)•Doxycycline effects are not associated with its antibacterial action•The doxycycline actions are mediated by direct activation of a PI3K-Akt signaling

SummaryWe here report that doxycycline, an antibacterial agent, exerts dramatic effects on human embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells (hESC/iPSCs) survival and self-renewal. The survival-promoting effect was also manifest in cultures of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from hESC/iPSCs. These doxycycline effects are not associated with its antibacterial action, but mediated by direct activation of a PI3K-AKT intracellular signal. These findings indicate doxycycline as a useful supplement for stem cell cultures, facilitating their growth and maintenance.