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Baldassari S, Cervetto C, Amato S, Fruscione F, Balagura G, Pelassa S, Musante I, Iacomino M, Traverso M, Corradi A, Scudieri P, Maura G, Marcoli M, Zara F. Vesicular Glutamate Release from Feeder-FreehiPSC-Derived Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810545. [PMID: 36142455 PMCID: PMC9501332 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) represent one of the main and powerful tools for the in vitro modeling of neurological diseases. Standard hiPSC-based protocols make use of animal-derived feeder systems to better support the neuronal differentiation process. Despite their efficiency, such protocols may not be appropriate to dissect neuronal specific properties or to avoid interspecies contaminations, hindering their future translation into clinical and drug discovery approaches. In this work, we focused on the optimization of a reproducible protocol in feeder-free conditions able to generate functional glutamatergic neurons. This protocol is based on a generation of neuroprecursor cells differentiated into human neurons with the administration in the culture medium of specific neurotrophins in a Geltrex-coated substrate. We confirmed the efficiency of this protocol through molecular analysis (upregulation of neuronal markers and neurotransmitter receptors assessed by gene expression profiling and expression of the neuronal markers at the protein level), morphological analysis, and immunfluorescence detection of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic markers at synaptic boutons. The hiPSC-derived neurons acquired Ca2+-dependent glutamate release properties as a hallmark of neuronal maturation. In conclusion, our study describes a new methodological approach to achieve feeder-free neuronal differentiation from hiPSC and adds a new tool for functional characterization of hiPSC-derived neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Baldassari
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Chiara Cervetto
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56100 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Sarah Amato
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Floriana Fruscione
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Simone Pelassa
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Ilaria Musante
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Monica Traverso
- Paediatric Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Anna Corradi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Scudieri
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Guido Maura
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Manuela Marcoli
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56100 Pisa, Italy
- Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Viale Benedetto XV, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
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ARRAY TOMOGRAPHY: 15 YEARS OF SYNAPTIC ANALYSIS. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20220013. [PMID: 36187224 PMCID: PMC9512143 DOI: 10.1042/ns20220013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Synapses are minuscule, intricate structures crucial for the correct communication between neurons. In the 125 years since the term synapse was first coined, we have advanced a long way when it comes to our understanding of how they work and what they do. Most of the fundamental discoveries have been invariably linked to advances in technology. However, due to their size, delicate structural integrity and their sheer number, our knowledge of synaptic biology has remained somewhat elusive and their role in neurodegenerative diseases still remains largely unknown. Here, we briefly discuss some of the imaging technologies used to study synapses and focus on the utility of the high-resolution imaging technique array tomography (AT). We introduce the AT technique and highlight some of the ways it is utilised with a particular focus on its power for analysing synaptic composition and pathology in human post-mortem tissue. We also discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of techniques for imaging synapses and highlight some recent advances in the study of form and function by combining physiology and high-resolution synaptic imaging.
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Liu P, Wang Y, Sun Y, Peng G. Neuroinflammation as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer’s Disease. Clin Interv Aging 2022; 17:665-674. [PMID: 35520949 PMCID: PMC9064449 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s357558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide accumulation is considered as a key early event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the precise pathophysiology of this deadly illness remains unclear and no effective remedies capable of inhibiting disease progression have been discovered. In addition to deposition of extracellular Aβ plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation has been identified as the third core characteristic crucial in the pathogenesis of AD. More and more evidence from laboratory and clinical studies have suggested that anti-inflammatory treatments could defer or prevent the occurrence of AD. In this review, we will discuss multifaceted evidence of neuroinflammation presented in AD and the newly emerged anti-inflammatory targets both in pre-clinical and clinical AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Liu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yunyun Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Neurology, Shengzhou People’s Hospital, Shaoxing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guoping Peng
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Guoping Peng, Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, #79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310003, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13588150613, Email
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Ge YL, Gong SY, Wang PZ, Yan JH, Li W, Zhang JR, Jin H, Zhuang S, Hu L, Ding CW, Yang YP, Wang F, Li D, Chen J, Mao CJ, Zhang YC, Li K, Liu CF. Cognitive Performance is Associated with Altered Cerebral Hemodynamics Assessed by Transcranial Ultrasound in Parkinson's Disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2022; 18:1421-1431. [PMID: 35855751 PMCID: PMC9288215 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s358150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Cognitive impairment (CI) is a common but debilitating non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Although cerebrovascular functions are related to cognitive performance in healthy individuals, such a relation in PD remains elusive. This study aims to assess the association between cerebrovascular function and cognitive performance in PD individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two-hundred-and-one PD individuals were retrospectively included. They were subsequently divided into two groups: PD with normal cognition (PD-NC) and PD with CI (PD-CI). Cerebral hemodynamic characteristics of the middle cerebral arteries were assessed by transcranial ultrasound. The association between scores in each cognitive domain and cerebral hemodynamic parameters was further analyzed using regression analyses. Additionally, a binary logistic regression model with backward stepwise procedure was applied to build the model for discriminating CI in PD individuals. An independent dataset of additional 46 PD individuals was used further. RESULTS The PD-CI group showed a relatively lower end-diastolic blood flow velocity (EDV, p < 0.05) and a higher resistive index (RI, p < 0.05) compared to the PD-NC group. RI showed significant associations with the memory item score of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p < 0.05). A model combining clinical and hemodynamic variables was established with optimal efficiency (area under the curve, AUC = 0.651). Further replication of the model in an independent dataset yielded a great consistency (AUC = 0.704). CONCLUSION In our study, cerebrovascular functions were significantly associated with the cognitive performance in PD individuals, especially with the memory task. The established model was effective in identifying CI in PD individuals, which might be a potentially useful tool to screen the cognitive decline in PD individuals at an early stage of the disease. Further studies with larger sample sizes in different populations are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Lun Ge
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Si-Yi Gong
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Pu-Zhi Wang
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia-Hui Yan
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Li
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin-Ru Zhang
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Jin
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng Zhuang
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Hu
- Department of Ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chang-Wei Ding
- Department of Ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Ya-Ping Yang
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fen Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Neurology, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Chen
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Jie Mao
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Neurology, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying-Chun Zhang
- Department of Ultrasound, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Li
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Feng Liu
- Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.,Department of Neurology, Suqian First Hospital, Suqian, People's Republic of China
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