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Cukier HN, Duarte CL, Laverde-Paz MJ, Simon SA, Van Booven DJ, Miyares AT, Whitehead PL, Hamilton-Nelson KL, Adams LD, Carney RM, Cuccaro ML, Vance JM, Pericak-Vance MA, Griswold AJ, Dykxhoorn DM. An Alzheimer's disease risk variant in TTC3 modifies the actin cytoskeleton organization and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in iPSC-derived forebrain neurons. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 131:182-195. [PMID: 37677864 PMCID: PMC10538380 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.07.007] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
A missense variant in the tetratricopeptide repeat domain 3 (TTC3) gene (rs377155188, p.S1038C, NM_003316.4:c 0.3113C>G) was found to segregate with disease in a multigenerational family with late-onset Alzheimer's disease. This variant was introduced into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a cognitively intact individual using CRISPR genome editing, and the resulting isogenic pair of iPSC lines was differentiated into cortical neurons. Transcriptome analysis showed an enrichment for genes involved in axon guidance, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and GABAergic synapse. Functional analysis showed that the TTC3 p.S1038C iPSC-derived neuronal progenitor cells had altered 3-dimensional morphology and increased migration, while the corresponding neurons had longer neurites, increased branch points, and altered expression levels of synaptic proteins. Pharmacological treatment with small molecules that target the actin cytoskeleton could revert many of these cellular phenotypes, suggesting a central role for actin in mediating the cellular phenotypes associated with the TTC3 p.S1038C variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly N Cukier
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Carolina L Duarte
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mayra J Laverde-Paz
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Shaina A Simon
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Derek J Van Booven
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Amanda T Miyares
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship in Biological and Computational Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Patrice L Whitehead
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Kara L Hamilton-Nelson
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Larry D Adams
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Regina M Carney
- Mental Health & Behavioral Science Service, Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Michael L Cuccaro
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jeffery M Vance
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Margaret A Pericak-Vance
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Anthony J Griswold
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Derek M Dykxhoorn
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
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Cukier HN, Duarte CL, Laverde-Paz MJ, Simon SA, Van Booven DJ, Miyares AT, Whitehead PL, Hamilton-Nelson KL, Adams LD, Carney RM, Cuccaro ML, Vance JM, Pericak-Vance MA, Griswold AJ, Dykxhoorn DM. An Alzheimer's disease risk variant in TTC3 modifies the actin cytoskeleton organization and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway in iPSC-derived forebrain neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542316. [PMID: 37292815 PMCID: PMC10246004 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A missense variant in the tetratricopeptide repeat domain 3 ( TTC3 ) gene (rs377155188, p.S1038C, NM_003316.4:c.3113C>G) was found to segregate with disease in a multigenerational family with late onset Alzheimer's disease. This variant was introduced into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a cognitively intact individual using CRISPR genome editing and the resulting isogenic pair of iPSC lines were differentiated into cortical neurons. Transcriptome analysis showed an enrichment for genes involved in axon guidance, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and GABAergic synapse. Functional analysis showed that the TTC3 p.S1038C iPSC-derived neuronal progenitor cells had altered 3D morphology and increased migration, while the corresponding neurons had longer neurites, increased branch points, and altered expression levels of synaptic proteins. Pharmacological treatment with small molecules that target the actin cytoskeleton could revert many of these cellular phenotypes, suggesting a central role for actin in mediating the cellular phenotypes associated with the TTC3 p.S1038C variant. Highlights The AD risk variant TTC3 p.S1038C reduces the expression levels of TTC3 The variant modifies the expression of AD specific genes BACE1 , INPP5F , and UNC5C Neurons with the variant are enriched for genes in the PI3K-Akt pathwayiPSC-derived neurons with the alteration have increased neurite length and branchingThe variant interferes with actin cytoskeleton and is ameliorated by Cytochalasin D.
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Mollashahi B, Latifi-Navid H, Owliaee I, Shamdani S, Uzan G, Jamehdor S, Naserian S. Research and Therapeutic Approaches in Stem Cell Genome Editing by CRISPR Toolkit. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28041982. [PMID: 36838970 PMCID: PMC9961668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28041982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The most widely used genome editing toolkit is CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats). It provides the possibility of replacing and modifying DNA and RNA nucleotides. Furthermore, with advancements in biological technology, inhibition and activation of the transcription of specific gene(s) has become possible. Bioinformatics tools that target the evolution of CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) turn this protein into a vehicle that is specific for a DNA or RNA region with single guide RNA (sgRNA). This toolkit could be used by researchers to investigate the function of stem cell gene(s). Here, in this review article, we cover recent developments and applications of this technique in stem cells for research and clinical purposes and discuss different CRISPR/Cas technologies for knock-out, knock-in, activation, or inhibition of gene expression. Additionally, a comparison of several deliveries and off-target detecting strategies is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behrouz Mollashahi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Hamid Latifi-Navid
- Department of Molecular Medicine, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran 14965/161, Iran
| | - Iman Owliaee
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan 6517838636, Iran
| | - Sara Shamdani
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Paris-Saclay University, 94807 Villejuif, France
- CellMedEx, 94100 Saint Maur Des Fossés, France
| | - Georges Uzan
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Paris-Saclay University, 94807 Villejuif, France
| | - Saleh Jamehdor
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan 6517838636, Iran
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (S.N.)
| | - Sina Naserian
- INSERM UMR-S-MD 1197, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Paris-Saclay University, 94807 Villejuif, France
- CellMedEx, 94100 Saint Maur Des Fossés, France
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (S.N.)
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Sen T, Thummer RP. CRISPR and iPSCs: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives in Neurodegenerative Disease Modelling, Research, and Therapeutics. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:1597-1623. [PMID: 36044181 PMCID: PMC9428373 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00564-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are prominent causes of pain, suffering, and death worldwide. Traditional approaches modelling neurodegenerative diseases are deficient, and therefore, improved strategies that effectively recapitulate the pathophysiological conditions of neurodegenerative diseases are the need of the hour. The generation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has transformed our ability to model neurodegenerative diseases in vitro and provide an unlimited source of cells (including desired neuronal cell types) for cell replacement therapy. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has also been gaining popularity because of the flexibility they provide to generate and ablate disease phenotypes. In addition, the recent advancements in CRISPR/Cas9 technology enables researchers to seamlessly target and introduce precise modifications in the genomic DNA of different human cell lines, including iPSCs. CRISPR-iPSC-based disease modelling, therefore, allows scientists to recapitulate the pathological aspects of most neurodegenerative processes and investigate the role of pathological gene variants in healthy non-patient cell lines. This review outlines how iPSCs, CRISPR/Cas9, and CRISPR-iPSC-based approaches accelerate research on neurodegenerative diseases and take us closer to a cure for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and so forth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tirthankar Sen
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati - 781039, Assam, India
| | - Rajkumar P Thummer
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati - 781039, Assam, India.
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Lu L, Yu X, Cai Y, Sun M, Yang H. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:803894. [PMID: 34992519 PMCID: PMC8724030 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.803894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by cognitive impairment, abnormal behavior, and social deficits, which is intimately linked with excessive β-amyloid (Aβ) protein deposition along with many other misfolded proteins, neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein aggregates, and mitochondrial damage in neurons, leading to neuron loss. Currently, research on the pathological mechanism of AD has been elucidated for decades, still no effective treatment for this complex disease was developed, and the existing therapeutic strategies are extremely erratic, thereby leading to irreversible and progressive cognitive decline in AD patients. Due to gradually mental dyscapacitating of AD patients, AD not only brings serious physical and psychological suffering to patients themselves, but also imposes huge economic burdens on family and society. Accordingly, it is very imperative to recapitulate the progress of gene editing-based precision medicine in the emerging fields. In this review, we will mainly focus on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technique in the fields of AD research and gene therapy, and summarize the application of CRISPR/Cas9 in the aspects of AD model construction, screening of pathogenic genes, and target therapy. Finally, the development of delivery systems, which is a major challenge that hinders the clinical application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Miao Sun
- Institute for Fetology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Hao Yang
- Institute for Fetology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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Potjewyd FM, Axtman AD. Exploration of Aberrant E3 Ligases Implicated in Alzheimer's Disease and Development of Chemical Tools to Modulate Their Function. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:768655. [PMID: 34867205 PMCID: PMC8637409 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.768655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The Ubiquitin Proteasome System (UPS) is responsible for the degradation of misfolded or aggregated proteins via a multistep ATP-dependent proteolytic mechanism. This process involves a cascade of ubiquitin (Ub) transfer steps from E1 to E2 to E3 ligase. The E3 ligase transfers Ub to a targeted protein that is brought to the proteasome for degradation. The inability of the UPS to remove misfolded or aggregated proteins due to UPS dysfunction is commonly observed in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). UPS dysfunction in AD drives disease pathology and is associated with the common hallmarks such as amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and tau hyperphosphorylation, among others. E3 ligases are key members of the UPS machinery and dysfunction or changes in their expression can propagate other aberrant processes that accelerate AD pathology. The upregulation or downregulation of expression or activity of E3 ligases responsible for these processes results in changes in protein levels of E3 ligase substrates, many of which represent key proteins that propagate AD. A powerful way to better characterize UPS dysfunction in AD and the role of individual E3 ligases is via the use of high-quality chemical tools that bind and modulate specific E3 ligases. Furthermore, through combining gene editing with recent advances in 3D cell culture, in vitro modeling of AD in a dish has become more relevant and possible. These cell-based models of AD allow for study of specific pathways and mechanisms as well as characterization of the role E3 ligases play in driving AD. In this review, we outline the key mechanisms of UPS dysregulation linked to E3 ligases in AD and highlight the currently available chemical modulators. We present several key approaches for E3 ligase ligand discovery being employed with respect to distinct classes of E3 ligases. Where possible, specific examples of the use of cultured neurons to delineate E3 ligase biology have been captured. Finally, utilizing the available ligands for E3 ligases in the design of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to degrade aberrant proteins is a novel strategy for AD, and we explore the prospects of PROTACs as AD therapeutics.
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