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Ang CE, Olmos VH, Vodehnal K, Zhou B, Lee QY, Sinha R, Narayanaswamy A, Mall M, Chesnov K, Dominicus CS, Südhof T, Wernig M. Generation of human excitatory forebrain neurons by cooperative binding of proneural NGN2 and homeobox factor EMX1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2308401121. [PMID: 38446849 PMCID: PMC10945857 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308401121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Generation of defined neuronal subtypes from human pluripotent stem cells remains a challenge. The proneural factor NGN2 has been shown to overcome experimental variability observed by morphogen-guided differentiation and directly converts pluripotent stem cells into neurons, but their cellular heterogeneity has not been investigated yet. Here, we found that NGN2 reproducibly produces three different kinds of excitatory neurons characterized by partial coactivation of other neurotransmitter programs. We explored two principle approaches to achieve more precise specification: prepatterning the chromatin landscape that NGN2 is exposed to and combining NGN2 with region-specific transcription factors. Unexpectedly, the chromatin context of regionalized neural progenitors only mildly altered genomic NGN2 binding and its transcriptional response and did not affect neurotransmitter specification. In contrast, coexpression of region-specific homeobox factors such as EMX1 resulted in drastic redistribution of NGN2 including recruitment to homeobox targets and resulted in glutamatergic neurons with silenced nonglutamatergic programs. These results provide the molecular basis for a blueprint for improved strategies for generating a plethora of defined neuronal subpopulations from pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic or disease-modeling purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheen Euong Ang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Victor Hipolito Olmos
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Kayla Vodehnal
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Bo Zhou
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- HHMI, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Qian Yi Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Rahul Sinha
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Aadit Narayanaswamy
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Moritz Mall
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Kirill Chesnov
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Caia S. Dominicus
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, CambridgeshireCB10 1SA, United Kingdom
- OpenTargets, Hinxton, CambridgeshireCB10 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Südhof
- HHMI, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Marius Wernig
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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2
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Popova D, Gameiro-Ros I, Youssef MM, Zalamea P, Morris AD, Prytkova I, Jadali A, Kwan KY, Kamarajan C, Salvatore JE, Xuei X, Chorlian DB, Porjesz B, Kuperman S, Dick DM, Goate A, Edenberg HJ, Tischfield JA, Pang ZP, Slesinger PA, Hart RP. Alcohol reverses the effects of KCNJ6 (GIRK2) noncoding variants on excitability of human glutamatergic neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:746-758. [PMID: 36207584 PMCID: PMC9542475 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01818-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Synonymous and noncoding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the KCNJ6 gene, encoding G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunit 2 (GIRK2), have been linked with increased electroencephalographic frontal theta event-related oscillations (ERO) in subjects diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). To identify molecular and cellular mechanisms while retaining the appropriate genetic background, we generated induced excitatory glutamatergic neurons (iN) from iPSCs derived from four AUD-diagnosed subjects with KCNJ6 variants ("Affected: AF") and four control subjects without variants ("Unaffected: UN"). Neurons were analyzed for changes in gene expression, morphology, excitability and physiological properties. Single-cell RNA sequencing suggests that KCNJ6 AF variant neurons have altered patterns of synaptic transmission and cell projection morphogenesis. Results confirm that AF neurons express lower levels of GIRK2, have greater neurite area, and elevated excitability. Interestingly, exposure to intoxicating concentrations of ethanol induces GIRK2 expression and reverses functional effects in AF neurons. Ectopic overexpression of GIRK2 alone mimics the effect of ethanol to normalize induced excitability. We conclude that KCNJ6 variants decrease GIRK2 expression and increase excitability and that this effect can be minimized or reduced with ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Popova
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Isabel Gameiro-Ros
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark M Youssef
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Petronio Zalamea
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ayeshia D Morris
- Joint Program in Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Iya Prytkova
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Azadeh Jadali
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Kelvin Y Kwan
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Salvatore
- Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Xiaoling Xuei
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David B Chorlian
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Danielle M Dick
- Rutgers Addiction Research Center, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana Univ School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Child Health Institute, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Paul A Slesinger
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Human Genetics Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology & Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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3
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Woods LM, Ali FR, Gomez R, Chernukhin I, Marcos D, Parkinson LM, Tayoun ANA, Carroll JS, Philpott A. Elevated ASCL1 activity creates de novo regulatory elements associated with neuronal differentiation. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:255. [PMID: 35366798 PMCID: PMC8977041 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08495-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pro-neural transcription factor ASCL1 is a master regulator of neurogenesis and a key factor necessary for the reprogramming of permissive cell types to neurons. Endogenously, ASCL1 expression is often associated with neuroblast stem-ness. Moreover, ASCL1-mediated reprogramming of fibroblasts to differentiated neurons is commonly achieved using artificially high levels of ASCL1 protein, where ASCL1 acts as an “on-target” pioneer factor. However, the genome-wide effects of enhancing ASCL1 activity in a permissive neurogenic environment has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we overexpressed ASCL1 in the neuronally-permissive context of neuroblastoma (NB) cells where modest endogenous ASCL1 supports the neuroblast programme. Results Increasing ASCL1 in neuroblastoma cells both enhances binding at existing ASCL1 sites and also leads to creation of numerous additional, lower affinity binding sites. These extensive genome-wide changes in ASCL1 binding result in significant reprogramming of the NB transcriptome, redirecting it from a proliferative neuroblastic state towards one favouring neuronal differentiation. Mechanistically, ASCL1-mediated cell cycle exit and differentiation can be increased further by preventing its multi-site phosphorylation, which is associated with additional changes in genome-wide binding and gene activation profiles. Conclusions Our findings show that enhancing ASCL1 activity in a neurogenic environment both increases binding at endogenous ASCL1 sites and also results in additional binding to new low affinity sites that favours neuronal differentiation over the proliferating neuroblast programme supported by the endogenous protein. These findings have important implications for controlling processes of neurogenesis in cancer and cellular reprogramming. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08495-8.
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4
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Mattiassi S, Rizwan M, Grigsby CL, Zaw AM, Leong KW, Yim EKF. Enhanced efficiency of nonviral direct neuronal reprogramming on topographical patterns. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:5175-5191. [PMID: 34128504 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm00400j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nonviral direct neuronal reprogramming holds significant potential in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, the issue of low reprogramming efficiency poses a major barrier to its application. We propose that topographical cues, which have been applied successfully to enhance lineage-directed differentiation and multipotent stem cell transdifferentiation, could improve nonviral direct neuronal reprogramming efficiency. To investigate, we used a polymer-BAM (Brn2, Ascl1, Myt1l) factor transfection polypex to reprogram primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Using a multiarchitecture chip, we screened for patterns that may improve transfection and/or subsequent induced neuron reprogramming efficiency. Selected patterns were then investigated further by analyzing β-tubulin III (TUJ1) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) protein expression, cell morphology and electrophysiological function of induced neurons. Certain hierarchical topographies, with nanopatterns imprinted on micropatterns, significantly improved the percentage of TUJ1+ and MAP2+ cells. It is postulated that the microscale base pattern enhances initial BAM expression while the nanoscale sub-pattern promotes subsequent maturation. This is because the base pattern alone increased expression of TUJ1 and MAP2, while the nanoscale pattern was the only pattern yielding induced neurons capable of firing multiple action potentials. Nanoscale patterns also produced the highest fraction of cells showing spontaneous synaptic activity. Overall, reprogramming efficiency with one dose of polyplex on hierarchical patterns was comparable to that of five doses without topography. Thus, topography can enhance nonviral direct reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Mattiassi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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5
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Lee S, Song JJ, Beyer LA, Swiderski DL, Prieskorn DM, Acar M, Jen HI, Groves AK, Raphael Y. Combinatorial Atoh1 and Gfi1 induction enhances hair cell regeneration in the adult cochlea. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21397. [PMID: 33293609 PMCID: PMC7722738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78167-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature mammalian cochlear hair cells (HCs) do not spontaneously regenerate once lost, leading to life-long hearing deficits. Attempts to induce HC regeneration in adult mammals have used over-expression of the HC-specific transcription factor Atoh1, but to date this approach has yielded low and variable efficiency of HC production. Gfi1 is a transcription factor important for HC development and survival. We evaluated the combinatorial effects of Atoh1 and Gfi1 over-expression on HC regeneration using gene transfer methods in neonatal cochlear explants, and in vivo in adult mice. Adenoviral over-expression of Atoh1 and Gfi1 in cultured neonatal cochlear explants resulted in numerous ectopic HC-like cells (HCLCs), with significantly more cells in Atoh1 + Gfi1 cultures than Atoh1 alone. In vitro, ectopic HCLCs emerged in regions medial to inner HCs as well as in the stria vascularis. In vivo experiments were performed in mature Pou4f3DTR mice in which HCs were completely and specifically ablated by administration of diphtheria toxin. Adenoviral expression of Atoh1 or Atoh1 + Gfi1 in cochlear supporting cells induced appearance of HCLCs, with Atoh1 + Gfi1 expression leading to 6.2-fold increase of new HCLCs after 4 weeks compared to Atoh1 alone. New HCLCs were detected throughout the cochlea, exhibited immature stereocilia and survived for at least 8 weeks. Combinatorial Atoh1 and Gfi1 induction is thus a promising strategy to promote HC regeneration in the mature mammalian cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungsu Lee
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Jae-Jun Song
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Lisa A Beyer
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Donald L Swiderski
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Diane M Prieskorn
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Melih Acar
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hsin-I Jen
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Andrew K Groves
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA
| | - Yehoash Raphael
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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6
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Assetta B, Tang C, Bian J, O'Rourke R, Connolly K, Brickler T, Chetty S, Huang YWA. Generation of Human Neurons and Oligodendrocytes from Pluripotent Stem Cells for Modeling Neuron-Oligodendrocyte Interactions. J Vis Exp 2020. [PMID: 33226027 DOI: 10.3791/61778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders, oligodendroglial failure is a common early pathological feature, but how it contributes to disease development and progression, particularly in the gray matter of the brain, remains largely unknown. The dysfunction of oligodendrocyte lineage cells is hallmarked by deficiencies in myelination and impaired self-renewal of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). These two defects are caused at least in part by the disruption of interactions between neuron and oligodendrocytes along the buildup of pathology. OPCs give rise to myelinating oligodendrocytes during CNS development. In the mature brain cortex, OPCs are the major proliferative cells (comprising ~5% of total brain cells) and control new myelin formation in a neural activity-dependent manner. Such neuron-to-oligodendrocyte communications are significantly understudied, especially in the context of neurodegenerative conditions such as AD, due to the lack of appropriate tools. In recent years, our group and others have made significant progress to improve currently available protocols to generate functional neurons and oligodendrocytes individually from human pluripotent stem cells. In this manuscript, we describe our optimized procedures, including the establishment of a co-culture system to model the neuron-oligodendrocyte connections. Our illustrative results suggest an unexpected contribution from OPCs/oligodendrocytes to the brain amyloidosis and synapse integrity and highlight the utility of this methodology for AD research. This reductionist approach is a powerful tool to dissect the specific hetero-cellular interactions out of the inherent complexity inside the brain. The protocols we describe here are expected to facilitate future studies on oligodendroglial defects in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Assetta
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University
| | - Changyong Tang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University; Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
| | - Jing Bian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Ryan O'Rourke
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University
| | - Kevin Connolly
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University
| | - Thomas Brickler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Sundari Chetty
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
| | - Yu-Wen Alvin Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University; Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Center for Translational Neuroscience, Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science and Brown Institute for Translational Science, Brown University;
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7
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Essayan-Perez S, Zhou B, Nabet AM, Wernig M, Huang YWA. Modeling Alzheimer's disease with human iPS cells: advancements, lessons, and applications. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 130:104503. [PMID: 31202913 PMCID: PMC6689423 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
One in three people will develop Alzheimer's disease (AD) or another dementia and, despite intense research efforts, treatment options remain inadequate. Understanding the mechanisms of AD pathogenesis remains our principal hurdle to developing effective therapeutics to tackle this looming medical crisis. In light of recent discoveries from whole-genome sequencing and technical advances in humanized models, studying disease risk genes with induced human neural cells presents unprecedented advantages. Here, we first review the current knowledge of the proposed mechanisms underlying AD and focus on modern genetic insights to inform future studies. To highlight the utility of human pluripotent stem cell-based innovations, we then present an update on efforts in recapitulating the pathophysiology by induced neuronal, non-neuronal and a collection of brain cell types, departing from the neuron-centric convention. Lastly, we examine the translational potentials of such approaches, and provide our perspectives on the promise they offer to deepen our understanding of AD pathogenesis and to accelerate the development of intervention strategies for patients and risk carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Essayan-Perez
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - Bo Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - Amber M Nabet
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America
| | - Yu-Wen Alvin Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA 94305, United States of America.
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8
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Li H, Jiang H, Yin X, Bard JE, Zhang B, Feng J. Attenuation of PRRX2 and HEY2 enables efficient conversion of adult human skin fibroblasts to neurons. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 516:765-769. [PMID: 31255287 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.06.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The direct conversion of accessible cells such as human fibroblasts to inaccessible cells, particularly neurons, opens up many opportunities for using the human model system to study diseases and discover therapies. Previous studies have indicated that the neuronal conversion of adult human skin fibroblasts is much harder than that for human lung fibroblasts, which are used in many experiments. Here we formally report this differential plasticity of human skin versus lung fibroblasts in their transdifferentiation to induced neurons. Using RNAseq of isogenic and non-isogenic pairs of human skin and lung fibroblasts at different days in their conversion to neurons, we found that several master regulators (TWIST1, TWIST2, PRRX1 and PRRX2) in the fibroblast Gene Regulatory Network were significantly downregulated in lung fibroblasts, but not in skin fibroblasts. By knocking down each of these genes and other genes that suppress the neural fate, such as REST, HES1 and HEY2, we found that the combined attenuation of HEY2 and PRRX2 significantly enhanced the transdifferentiation of human skin fibroblasts induced by ASCL1 and p53 shRNA. The new method, which overexpressed ASCL1 and knocked down p53, HEY2 and PRRX2 (ApH2P2), enabled the efficient transdifferentiation of adult human skin fibroblasts to MAP2+ neurons in 14 days. It would be useful for a variety of applications that require the efficient and speedy derivation of patient-specific neurons from skin fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanqin Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Houbo Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Xinzhen Yin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jonathan E Bard
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Core, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Baorong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Feng
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA.
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9
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Teleanu RI, Gherasim O, Gherasim TG, Grumezescu V, Grumezescu AM, Teleanu DM. Nanomaterial-Based Approaches for Neural Regeneration. Pharmaceutics 2019; 11:E266. [PMID: 31181719 PMCID: PMC6630326 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics11060266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical, thermal, chemical, or ischemic injury of the central or peripheral nervous system results in neuron loss, neurite damage, and/or neuronal dysfunction, almost always accompanied by sensorimotor impairment which alters the patient's life quality. The regenerative strategies for the injured nervous system are currently limited and mainly allow partial functional recovery, so it is necessary to develop new and effective approaches for nervous tissue regenerative therapy. Nanomaterials based on inorganic or organic and composite or hybrid compounds with tunable physicochemical properties and functionality proved beneficial for the transport and delivery/release of various neuroregenerative-relevant biomolecules or cells. Within the following paragraphs, we will emphasize that nanomaterial-based strategies (including nanosized and nanostructured biomaterials) represent a promising alternative towards repairing and regenerating the injured nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Ioana Teleanu
- "Victor Gomoiu" Clinical Children's Hospital, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Oana Gherasim
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
- Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
| | - Tudor George Gherasim
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurovascular Diseases, 077160 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Valentina Grumezescu
- Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 077125 Magurele, Romania.
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania.
| | - Daniel Mihai Teleanu
- Emergency University Hospital, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania.
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10
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Ang CE, Ma Q, Wapinski OL, Fan S, Flynn RA, Lee QY, Coe B, Onoguchi M, Olmos VH, Do BT, Dukes-Rimsky L, Xu J, Tanabe K, Wang L, Elling U, Penninger JM, Zhao Y, Qu K, Eichler EE, Srivastava A, Wernig M, Chang HY. The novel lncRNA lnc-NR2F1 is pro-neurogenic and mutated in human neurodevelopmental disorders. eLife 2019; 8:41770. [PMID: 30628890 PMCID: PMC6380841 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to act as important cell biological regulators including cell fate decisions but are often ignored in human genetics. Combining differential lncRNA expression during neuronal lineage induction with copy number variation morbidity maps of a cohort of children with autism spectrum disorder/intellectual disability versus healthy controls revealed focal genomic mutations affecting several lncRNA candidate loci. Here we find that a t(5:12) chromosomal translocation in a family manifesting neurodevelopmental symptoms disrupts specifically lnc-NR2F1. We further show that lnc-NR2F1 is an evolutionarily conserved lncRNA functionally enhances induced neuronal cell maturation and directly occupies and regulates transcription of neuronal genes including autism-associated genes. Thus, integrating human genetics and functional testing in neuronal lineage induction is a promising approach for discovering candidate lncRNAs involved in neurodevelopmental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheen Euong Ang
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Qing Ma
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Orly L Wapinski
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - ShengHua Fan
- JC Self Research Institute of Human Genetics, Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, United States
| | - Ryan A Flynn
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Qian Yi Lee
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Bradley Coe
- Department of Genome Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Masahiro Onoguchi
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Victor Hipolito Olmos
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Brian T Do
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Lynn Dukes-Rimsky
- JC Self Research Institute of Human Genetics, Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, United States
| | - Jin Xu
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Koji Tanabe
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - LiangJiang Wang
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, United States
| | - Ulrich Elling
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef M Penninger
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yang Zhao
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Kun Qu
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States.,Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Evan E Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Anand Srivastava
- JC Self Research Institute of Human Genetics, Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, United States.,Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, United States
| | - Marius Wernig
- Department of Pathology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
| | - Howard Y Chang
- Center for Personal Dynamic Regulomes, Stanford University, Stanford, United States
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11
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Transdifferentiation of human adult peripheral blood T cells into neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:6470-6475. [PMID: 29866841 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1720273115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cell models for disease based on induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have proven to be powerful new assets for investigating disease mechanisms. New insights have been obtained studying single mutations using isogenic controls generated by gene targeting. Modeling complex, multigenetic traits using patient-derived iPS cells is much more challenging due to line-to-line variability and technical limitations of scaling to dozens or more patients. Induced neuronal (iN) cells reprogrammed directly from dermal fibroblasts or urinary epithelia could be obtained from many donors, but such donor cells are heterogeneous, show interindividual variability, and must be extensively expanded, which can introduce random mutations. Moreover, derivation of dermal fibroblasts requires invasive biopsies. Here we show that human adult peripheral blood mononuclear cells, as well as defined purified T lymphocytes, can be directly converted into fully functional iN cells, demonstrating that terminally differentiated human cells can be efficiently transdifferentiated into a distantly related lineage. T cell-derived iN cells, generated by nonintegrating gene delivery, showed stereotypical neuronal morphologies and expressed multiple pan-neuronal markers, fired action potentials, and were able to form functional synapses. These cells were stable in the absence of exogenous reprogramming factors. Small molecule addition and optimized culture systems have yielded conversion efficiencies of up to 6.2%, resulting in the generation of >50,000 iN cells from 1 mL of peripheral blood in a single step without the need for initial expansion. Thus, our method allows the generation of sufficient neurons for experimental interrogation from a defined, homogeneous, and readily accessible donor cell population.
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12
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Sonntag KC, Song B, Lee N, Jung JH, Cha Y, Leblanc P, Neff C, Kong SW, Carter BS, Schweitzer J, Kim KS. Pluripotent stem cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease: Current status and future prospects. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 168:1-20. [PMID: 29653250 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, which affects about 0.3% of the general population. As the population in the developed world ages, this creates an escalating burden on society both in economic terms and in quality of life for these patients and for the families that support them. Although currently available pharmacological or surgical treatments may significantly improve the quality of life of many patients with PD, these are symptomatic treatments that do not slow or stop the progressive course of the disease. Because motor impairments in PD largely result from loss of midbrain dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, PD has long been considered to be one of the most promising target diseases for cell-based therapy. Indeed, numerous clinical and preclinical studies using fetal cell transplantation have provided proof of concept that cell replacement therapy may be a viable therapeutic approach for PD. However, the use of human fetal cells as a standardized therapeutic regimen has been fraught with fundamental ethical, practical, and clinical issues, prompting scientists to explore alternative cell sources. Based on groundbreaking establishments of human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, these human pluripotent stem cells have been the subject of extensive research, leading to tremendous advancement in our understanding of these novel classes of stem cells and promising great potential for regenerative medicine. In this review, we discuss the prospects and challenges of human pluripotent stem cell-based cell therapy for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-C Sonntag
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Laboratory for Translational Research on Neurodegeneration, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States; Program for Neuropsychiatric Research, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Bin Song
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Nayeon Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Jin Hyuk Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Young Cha
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Pierre Leblanc
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States
| | - Carolyn Neff
- Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Irvine, CA, 92618, United States
| | - Sek Won Kong
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, United States; Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - Bob S Carter
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, United States
| | - Jeffrey Schweitzer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, United States.
| | - Kwang-Soo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States; Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Program in Neuroscience and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, United States.
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13
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Liang XG, Tan C, Wang CK, Tao RR, Huang YJ, Ma KF, Fukunaga K, Huang MZ, Han F. Myt1l induced direct reprogramming of pericytes into cholinergic neurons. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:801-809. [PMID: 29453933 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The cholinergic deficit is thought to underlie progressed cognitive decline in Alzheimer Disease. The lineage reprogramming of somatic cells into cholinergic neurons may provide strategies toward cell-based therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS Here, we found that a combination of neuronal transcription factors, including Ascl1, Myt1l, Brn2, Tlx3, and miR124 (5Fs) were capable of directly converting human brain vascular pericytes (HBVPs) into cholinergic neuronal cells. Intriguingly, the inducible effect screening of reprogramming factors showed that a single reprogramming factor, Myt1l, induced cells to exhibit similarly positive staining for Tuj1, MAP2, ChAT, and VAChT upon lentivirus infection with the 5Fs after 30 days. HBVP-converted neurons were rarely labeled even after long-term incubation with BrdU staining, suggesting that induced neurons were directly converted from HBVPs rather than passing through a proliferative state. In addition, the overexpression of Myt1l induced the elevation of Ascl1, Brn2, and Ngn2 levels that contributed to reprogramming. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provided proof of the principle that cholinergic neurons could be produced from HBVPs by reprogramming factor-mediated fate instruction. Myt1l was a critical mediator of induced neuron cell reprogramming. HBVPs represent another excellent alternative cell resource for cell-based therapy to treat neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Guang Liang
- Central Laboratory, School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chao Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Cheng-Kun Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rong-Rong Tao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Jie Huang
- Central Laboratory, School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kui-Fen Ma
- Central Laboratory, School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kohji Fukunaga
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ming-Zhu Huang
- Central Laboratory, School of Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Han
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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14
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Lin H, Zhu X, Chen G, Song L, Gao L, Khand AA, Chen Y, Lin G, Tao Q. KDM3A-mediated demethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 facilitates the chromatin binding of Neurog2 during neurogenesis. Development 2017; 144:3674-3685. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.144113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Neurog2 is a crucial regulator of neuronal fate specification and differentiation in vivo and in vitro. However, it remains unclear how Neurog2 transactivates neuronal genes that are silenced by repressive chromatin. Here, we provide evidence that the histone H3 lysine 9 demethylase KDM3A facilitates the Xenopus Neurog2 (formerly known as Xngnr1) chromatin accessibility during neuronal transcription. Loss-of-function analyses reveal that KDM3A is not required for the transition of naive ectoderm to neural progenitor cells but is essential for primary neuron formation. ChIP series followed by qPCR analyses reveal that Neurog2 promotes the removal of the repressive H3K9me2 marks and addition of active histone marks, including H3K27ac and H3K4me3, at the NeuroD1 and Tubb2b promoters; this activity depends on the presence of KDM3A because Neurog2, via its C-terminal domain, interacts with KDM3A. Interestingly, KDM3A is dispensable for the neuronal transcription initiated by Ascl1, a proneural factor related to neurogenin in the bHLH family. In summary, our findings uncover a crucial role for histone H3K9 demethylation during Neurog2-mediated neuronal transcription and help in the understanding of the different activities of Neurog2 and Ascl1 in initiating neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Xuechen Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Geng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Lei Song
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Li Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Aftab A. Khand
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
| | - Ying Chen
- Tongji University School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, China 200092
| | - Gufa Lin
- Tongji University School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, China 200092
| | - Qinghua Tao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China 100084
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15
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Vermunt MW, Creyghton MP. Transcriptional Dynamics at Brain Enhancers: from Functional Specialization to Neurodegeneration. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2017; 16:94. [PMID: 27628759 PMCID: PMC5023742 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-016-0689-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decade, the noncoding part of the genome has been shown to harbour thousands of cis-regulatory elements, such as enhancers, that activate well-defined gene expression programs. Driven by the development of numerous techniques, many of these elements are now identified in multiple tissues and cell types, and their characteristics as well as importance in development and disease are becoming increasingly clear. Here, we provide an overview of the insights that were gained from the analysis of noncoding gene regulatory elements in the brain and describe their potential contribution to cell type specialization, brain function and neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marit W Vermunt
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Menno P Creyghton
- Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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16
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Li H, Chen G. In Vivo Reprogramming for CNS Repair: Regenerating Neurons from Endogenous Glial Cells. Neuron 2017; 91:728-738. [PMID: 27537482 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuroregeneration in the CNS has proven to be difficult despite decades of research. The old dogma that CNS neurons cannot be regenerated in the adult mammalian brain has been overturned; however, endogenous adult neurogenesis appears to be insufficient for brain repair. Stem cell therapy once held promise for generating large quantities of neurons in the CNS, but immunorejection and long-term functional integration remain major hurdles. In this Perspective, we discuss the use of in vivo reprogramming as an emerging technology to regenerate functional neurons from endogenous glial cells inside the brain and spinal cord. Besides the CNS, in vivo reprogramming has been demonstrated successfully in the pancreas, heart, and liver and may be adopted in other organs. Although challenges remain for translating this technology into clinical therapies, we anticipate that in vivo reprogramming may revolutionize regenerative medicine by using a patient's own internal cells for tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedong Li
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Gong Chen
- Department of Biology, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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17
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Direct Conversion of Human Fibroblasts into Neural Progenitors Using Transcription Factors Enriched in Human ESC-Derived Neural Progenitors. Stem Cell Reports 2016; 8:54-68. [PMID: 27940274 PMCID: PMC5233298 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2016.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Early human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived neural populations consist of various embryonic neural progenitors (ENPs) with broad neural developmental propensity. Here, we sought to directly convert human somatic cells into ENP-like phenotypes using hESC-ENP-enriched neural transcription factors (TFs). We demonstrated that induced ENP could be efficiently converted from human fibroblasts using two TF combinations. The iENPs exhibit cellular and molecular characteristics resembling hESC-ENPs and can give rise to astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and functional neuronal subtypes of the central and peripheral nervous system. Nevertheless, our analyses further revealed that these two iENP populations differ in terms of their proliferation ability and neuronal propensity. Finally, we demonstrated that the iENPs can be induced from fibroblasts from patients with Huntington's disease and Alzheimer’s disease, and the diseased iENPs and their neuronal derivatives recapitulated the hallmark pathological features of the diseases. Collectively, our results point toward a promising strategy for generating iENPs from somatic cells for disease modeling and future clinical intervention. iENPs can be converted from fibroblasts using hESC-ENP enriched factors iENPs exhibit cellular and molecular characteristics resembling hESC-ENPs iENPs induced by different TF combinations exhibit different neural propensity iENP and their neuronal derivatives recapitulated HD and AD phenotypes
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18
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Wilken MS, Reh TA. Retinal regeneration in birds and mice. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2016; 40:57-64. [PMID: 27379897 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2016.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Retinal regeneration from resident Müller glia cells is robust in teleost fish, but is severely limited in birds and mammals. After neurotoxic injury, chick Müller glia can proliferate, and activate neurogenic genes, but they display limited capacity to differentiate into neurons. Developmental signaling molecules enhance this process. Regeneration of retinal neurons in rodents is even more limited. However, studies show evidence of proliferation and neurogenic gene expression after injury, with stronger effects in rats than mice, and differences between mouse strains. Mitogenic growth factors and Wnt signaling potentiate the proliferative response, while misexpression of the proneural transcription factor, Ascl1, reprograms to generate neurons from Müller glial in vitro, and stimulates neuronal regeneration in young mice, in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Wilken
- Department of Biological Structure, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Thomas A Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States.
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19
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Kareta MS. Bioinformatic and Genomic Analyses of Cellular Reprogramming and Direct Lineage Conversion. CURRENT PHARMACOLOGY REPORTS 2016; 2:103-112. [PMID: 35663262 PMCID: PMC9165525 DOI: 10.1007/s40495-016-0054-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cellular reprogramming, whereby cell fate can be changed by the expression of a few defined factors, is a remarkable process that harnesses the innate ability of a cell's own genome to rework its expressional networks and function. Since cell lineages are defined by global regulation of gene expression, transcriptional regulators, and coupled to the epigenetic markings of the chromatin, changing the cell fate necessitates broad changes to these central cellular features. To properly characterize these changes, and the mechanisms that drive them, computational and genomic approaches are perfectly suited to provide a holistic picture of the reprogramming mechanisms. In particular, the use of bioinformatic analysis has been a major driver in the study of cellular reprogramming, both as it relates to induced pluripotency or direct lineage conversion. This review will summarize many of the bioinformatic studies that have advanced our knowledge of reprogramming and address future directions for these investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Kareta
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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20
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Xu H, Wang Y, He Z, Yang H, Gao WQ. Direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts to GABAergic neurons with combined medium without the introduction of transcription factors or miRNAs. Cell Cycle 2016; 14:2451-60. [PMID: 26114472 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2015.1060382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Degeneration or loss of GABAergic neurons frequently may lead to many neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders. So far no clinically effective therapies can slow and halt the progression of these diseases. Cell-replacement therapy is a promising strategy for treatment of these neuropsychiatric diseases. Although increasing evidence showed that mammalian somatic cells can be directly converted into functional neurons using specific transcription factors or miRNAs via virus delivery, the application of these induced neurons is potentially problematic, due to integration of vectors into the host genome, which results in the disruption or dysfunction of nearby genes. Here, we show that mouse fibroblasts could be efficiently reprogrammed into GABAergic neurons in a combined medium composed of conditioned medium from neurotrophin-3 modified Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (NT3-OECs) plus SB431542, GDNF and RA. Following 3 weeks of induction, these cells derived from fibroblasts acquired the morphological and phenotypical GABAerigic neuronal properties, as demonstrated by the expression of neuronal markers including Tuj1, NeuN, Neurofilament-L, GABA, GABA receptors and GABA transporter 1. More importantly, these converted cells acquired neuronal functional properties such as synapse formation and increasing intracellular free calcium influx when treated with BayK, a specific activator of L-type calcium channel. Therefore, our findings demonstrate for the first time that fibroblasts can be directly converted into GABAergic neurons without ectopic expression of specific transcription factors or miRNA. This study may provide a promising cell source for the application of cell replacement therapy in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiming Xu
- a State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes; Renji-MedX Clinical Stem Cell Research Center; Ren Ji Hospital; School of Medicine; Shanghai Jiao Tong University ; Shangha , China
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21
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Robinson C, Lowe M, Schwartz A, Kikyo N. Mechanisms and Developmental Roles of Promoter-proximal Pausing of RNA Polymerase II. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 6. [PMID: 27158559 PMCID: PMC4855949 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7633.1000330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) temporarily stops transcription after synthesizing 30–50 bases, and resumes elongation only after stimulations by various signaling molecules and developmental cues. This phenomenon, called promoter-proximal pausing, is observed in 10–50% of the entire genes from Drosophila embryos to human cells. Release of paused Pol II is primarily mediated by the activated form of positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) initially sequestered in the inhibitory 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (7SK snRNP) complex. Many proteins and RNAs have been discovered and studied in detail to explain the process of the pausing and release of Pol II in relation to P-TEFb. At the functional level, promoter-proximal pausing regulates genes involved in stimulus-response and development in Drosophila. In mammalian stem cell biology, pausing is important for proliferation and signaling in embryonic stem cells and the formation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Other than this, however, little is known about the biological significance of pausing in mammalian cell differentiation. Further study on pausing mechanisms as well as its functions will contribute to the development of stem cell biology and its clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Robinson
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Matthew Lowe
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Amanda Schwartz
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA
| | - Nobuaki Kikyo
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, USA
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22
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Panchision DM. Concise Review: Progress and Challenges in Using Human Stem Cells for Biological and Therapeutics Discovery: Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Stem Cells 2016; 34:523-36. [PMID: 26840228 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In facing the daunting challenge of using human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells to study complex neural circuit disorders such as schizophrenia, mood and anxiety disorders, and autism spectrum disorders, a 2012 National Institute of Mental Health workshop produced a set of recommendations to advance basic research and engage industry in cell-based studies of neuropsychiatric disorders. This review describes progress in meeting these recommendations, including the development of novel tools, strides in recapitulating relevant cell and tissue types, insights into the genetic basis of these disorders that permit integration of risk-associated gene regulatory networks with cell/circuit phenotypes, and promising findings of patient-control differences using cell-based assays. However, numerous challenges are still being addressed, requiring further technological development, approaches to resolve disease heterogeneity, and collaborative structures for investigators of different disciplines. Additionally, since data obtained so far is on small sample sizes, replication in larger sample sets is needed. A number of individual success stories point to a path forward in developing assays to translate discovery science to therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Panchision
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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23
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Abstract
In vivo induction of non-neuronal cells into neurons by transcription factors offers potential therapeutic approaches for neural regeneration. Although generation of induced neuronal (iN) cells in vitro and in vivo has been reported, whether iN cells can be fully integrated into existing circuits remains unclear. Here we show that expression of achaete-scute complex homolog-like 1 (Ascl1) alone is sufficient to convert dorsal midbrain astrocytes of mice into functional iN cells in vitro and in vivo. Specific expression of Ascl1 in astrocytes by infection with GFAP-adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector converts astrocytes in dorsal midbrain, striatum, and somatosensory cortex of postnatal and adult mice into functional neurons in vivo. These iN cells mature progressively, exhibiting neuronal morphology and markers, action potentials, and synaptic inputs from and output to existing neurons. Thus, a single transcription factor, Ascl1, is sufficient to convert brain astrocytes into functional neurons, and GFAP-AAV is an efficient vector for generating iN cells from astrocytes in vivo.
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24
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Philpott A. Multi-site phospho-regulation of proneural transcription factors controls proliferation versus differentiation in development and reprogramming. NEUROGENESIS (AUSTIN, TEX.) 2015; 2:e1049733. [PMID: 27502783 PMCID: PMC4973605 DOI: 10.1080/23262133.2015.1049733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
During development of the nervous system, it is essential to co-ordinate the processes of proliferation and differentiation. Basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors play a central role in controlling neuronal differentiation and maturation as well as being components of the combinatorial code that determines neuronal identity. We have recently shown that the ability of the proneural proteins Ngn2 and Ascl1 to drive neuronal differentiation is inhibited by cyclin dependent kinase-mediated multi-site phosphorylation. This limits downstream target promoter dwell time, thus demonstrating a direct mechanistic regulatory link between the cell cycle and differentiation machinery.Proneural proteins are key components of transcription factor cocktails that can bring about the direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts into neurons. Building on our observations demonstrating that phospho-mutant proneural proteins show an enhanced ability to drive neuronal differentiation in vivo, we see that replacing wild-type with phospho-mutant proneural proteins in fibroblast reprogramming cocktails significantly enhances the axonal outgrowth, branching and electrophysiological maturity of the neurons generated. A model is presented here that can explain the enhanced ability of dephosphorylated proneural proteins to drive neuronal differentiation, and some unanswered questions in this emerging area are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Philpott
- Department of Oncology; Hutchison/MRC Research Center; Cambridge Biomedical Campus; University of Cambridge; Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute; University of Cambridge; Cambridge, UK
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25
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Abstract
Stem cell-based therapies hold considerable promise for many currently devastating neurological disorders. Substantial progress has been made in the derivation of disease-relevant human donor cell populations. Behavioral data in relevant animal models of disease have demonstrated therapeutic efficacy for several cell-based approaches. Consequently, cGMP grade cell products are currently being developed for first in human clinical trials in select disorders. Despite the therapeutic promise, the presumed mechanism of action of donor cell populations often remains insufficiently validated. It depends greatly on the properties of the transplanted cell type and the underlying host pathology. Several new technologies have become available to probe mechanisms of action in real time and to manipulate in vivo cell function and integration to enhance therapeutic efficacy. Results from such studies generate crucial insight into the nature of brain repair that can be achieved today and push the boundaries of what may be possible in the future.
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26
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Nityanandam A, Baldwin KK. Advances in reprogramming-based study of neurologic disorders. Stem Cells Dev 2015; 24:1265-83. [PMID: 25749371 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2015.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The technology to convert adult human non-neural cells into neural lineages, through induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), somatic cell nuclear transfer, and direct lineage reprogramming or transdifferentiation has progressed tremendously in recent years. Reprogramming-based approaches aimed at manipulating cellular identity have enormous potential for disease modeling, high-throughput drug screening, cell therapy, and personalized medicine. Human iPSC (hiPSC)-based cellular disease models have provided proof of principle evidence of the validity of this system. However, several challenges remain before patient-specific neurons produced by reprogramming can provide reliable insights into disease mechanisms or be efficiently applied to drug discovery and transplantation therapy. This review will first discuss limitations of currently available reprogramming-based methods in faithfully and reproducibly recapitulating disease pathology. Specifically, we will address issues such as culture heterogeneity, interline and inter-individual variability, and limitations of two-dimensional differentiation paradigms. Second, we will assess recent progress and the future prospects of reprogramming-based neurologic disease modeling. This includes three-dimensional disease modeling, advances in reprogramming technology, prescreening of hiPSCs and creating isogenic disease models using gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Nityanandam
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Kristin K Baldwin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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27
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Weider M, Wegener A, Schmitt C, Küspert M, Hillgärtner S, Bösl MR, Hermans-Borgmeyer I, Nait-Oumesmar B, Wegner M. Elevated in vivo levels of a single transcription factor directly convert satellite glia into oligodendrocyte-like cells. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005008. [PMID: 25680202 PMCID: PMC4334169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes are the myelinating glia of the central nervous system and ensure rapid saltatory conduction. Shortage or loss of these cells leads to severe malfunctions as observed in human leukodystrophies and multiple sclerosis, and their replenishment by reprogramming or cell conversion strategies is an important research aim. Using a transgenic approach we increased levels of the transcription factor Sox10 throughout the mouse embryo and thereby prompted Fabp7-positive glial cells in dorsal root ganglia of the peripheral nervous system to convert into cells with oligodendrocyte characteristics including myelin gene expression. These rarely studied and poorly characterized satellite glia did not go through a classic oligodendrocyte precursor cell stage. Instead, Sox10 directly induced key elements of the regulatory network of differentiating oligodendrocytes, including Olig2, Olig1, Nkx2.2 and Myrf. An upstream enhancer mediated the direct induction of the Olig2 gene. Unlike Sox10, Olig2 was not capable of generating oligodendrocyte-like cells in dorsal root ganglia. Our findings provide proof-of-concept that Sox10 can convert conducive cells into oligodendrocyte-like cells in vivo and delineates options for future therapeutic strategies. Developmental or acquired defects of oligodendrocytes or their myelin sheaths impairs saltatory nerve conduction in the central nervous system and thus leads to severe neurological diseases. Strategies to regenerate or replace these cells require a deeper understanding of the regulatory processes that underlie their generation during development. Here we show in a Sox10 overexpressing mouse model that increase of the levels of a single transcription factor during embryogenesis efficiently converts the already Sox10 expressing satellite glial cells of the peripheral nervous system into oligodendrocyte-like cells by a mechanism that does not simply recapitulate developmental oligodendrogenesis but involves direct Sox10-dependent induction of the oligodendroglial differentiation network. Our study identifies mechanisms that may help to convert other cell types into oligodendrocytes and thus prove eventually useful for therapies of myelin diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Weider
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Amélie Wegener
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christian Schmitt
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Melanie Küspert
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Simone Hillgärtner
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael R. Bösl
- Experimentelle Biomedizin, Rudolf-Virchow-Zentrum, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Brahim Nait-Oumesmar
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, ICM, Inserm U1127, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR-S1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Paris, France
| | - Michael Wegner
- Institut für Biochemie, Emil-Fischer-Zentrum, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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28
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Heinrich C, Rouaux C. [Inducing brain regeneration from within: in vivo reprogramming of endogenous somatic cells into neurons]. Med Sci (Paris) 2015; 31:35-42. [PMID: 25658729 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20153101011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to overcome the quasi-total inability of the mammalian central nervous system to regenerate in response to injuries, and in parallel to the studies dedicated to prevent neuronal loss under these circumstances, alternative approaches based on the programming of pluripotent cells or the reprogramming of somatic cells into neurons have recently emerged. These uniquely combine growing knowledge of the mechanisms that underlie neurogenesis and neuronal specification during development to the most recent findings of the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that govern the acquisition and maintenance of cellular identity. Here, we discuss the possibility to instruct the regeneration of the central nervous system from within for therapeutic purposes, in light of the recent works reporting on the generation of neurons by direct conversion of various cerebral cell types in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Heinrich
- Inserm U836, institut des neurosciences de Grenoble, centre de recherche Inserm U836-UJF-CHU, université Joseph Fourier, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Caroline Rouaux
- Inserm U1118, fédération de médecine translationnelle de Strasbourg, université de Strasbourg, 67085 Strasbourg, France
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29
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Guseva D, Rizvanov AA, Salafutdinov II, Kudryashova NV, Palotás A, Islamov RR. Over-expression of Oct4 and Sox2 transcription factors enhances differentiation of human umbilical cord blood cells in vivo. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 451:503-9. [PMID: 25124662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.07.132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Gene and cell-based therapies comprise innovative aspects of regenerative medicine. Even though stem cells represent a highly potential therapeutic strategy, their wide-spread exploitation is marred by ethical concerns, potential for malignant transformation and a plethora of other technical issues, largely restricting their use to experimental studies. Utilizing genetically modified human umbilical cord blood mono-nuclear cells (hUCB-MCs), this communication reports enhanced differentiation of transplants in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Over-expressing Oct4 and Sox2 induced production of neural marker PGP9.5, as well as transformation of hUCB-MCs into micro-glial and endothelial lines in ALS spinal cords. In addition to producing new nerve cells, providing degenerated areas with trophic factors and neo-vascularisation might prevent and even reverse progressive loss of moto-neurons and skeletal muscle paralysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Guseva
- Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Albert A Rizvanov
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation
| | | | | | - András Palotás
- Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation; Asklepios-Med (Private Medical Practice and Research Center), Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Rustem R Islamov
- Kazan State Medical University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation.
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30
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Abstract
Positive predictions were made in the aftermath of the development of induced pluripotent stem cell technology for the use of patient-specific iPSCs to model neurological diseases, including dementia. Here, we review the current state of the field and explore how close we are to the goal of in vitro models that capture all aspects of the cell and molecular biology of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick J Livesey
- Gurdon Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute & Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
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