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Shiri H, Javan M. Sox2-mediated transdifferentiation of hAT-MSCs into induced neural progenitor-like cells for remyelination therapies. Tissue Cell 2024; 91:102553. [PMID: 39255744 DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2024.102553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are converted to neural cells using growth factors and chemicals. Although these neural cells are effective at modulating disease symptoms, they are less effective at replacing lost neural cells. Direct transdifferentiation seems to be a promising method for generating the required cells for regenerative medicine applications. Sox2 is a key transcription factor in neural progenitor (NP) fate determination and has been frequently used for transdifferentiating different cell types to NPs. Here, we demonstrated that the overexpression of a single transcription factor, Sox2, in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAT-MSCs) led to the generation of induced NPs-like cells that were clonogenic, proliferative and passageable, and showed the potential to differentiate into three neural lineages. NPs are known as progenitors with the potential to differentiate into oligodendrocytes. In vivo, following transplantation into demyelinated adult mouse brains, they survived, differentiated and integrated into the adult brain while participating in the remyelination process and behavioral improvement. This report introduces a beneficial, low-cost and effective approach for generating NPs from an accessible adult source for autologous applications in treating neurodegenerative diseases, including remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Shiri
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javan
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Institute for Brain and Cognition, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
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2
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Papadimitriou E, Thomaidou D. Post-transcriptional mechanisms controlling neurogenesis and direct neuronal reprogramming. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1929-1939. [PMID: 38227517 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis is a tightly regulated process in time and space both in the developing embryo and in adult neurogenic niches. A drastic change in the transcriptome and proteome of radial glial cells or neural stem cells towards the neuronal state is achieved due to sophisticated mechanisms of epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional regulation. Understanding these neurogenic mechanisms is of major importance, not only for shedding light on very complex and crucial developmental processes, but also for the identification of putative reprogramming factors, that harbor hierarchically central regulatory roles in the course of neurogenesis and bare thus the capacity to drive direct reprogramming towards the neuronal fate. The major transcriptional programs that orchestrate the neurogenic process have been the focus of research for many years and key neurogenic transcription factors, as well as repressor complexes, have been identified and employed in direct reprogramming protocols to convert non-neuronal cells, into functional neurons. The post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression during nervous system development has emerged as another important and intricate regulatory layer, strongly contributing to the complexity of the mechanisms controlling neurogenesis and neuronal function. In particular, recent advances are highlighting the importance of specific RNA binding proteins that control major steps of mRNA life cycle during neurogenesis, such as alternative splicing, polyadenylation, stability, and translation. Apart from the RNA binding proteins, microRNAs, a class of small non-coding RNAs that block the translation of their target mRNAs, have also been shown to play crucial roles in all the stages of the neurogenic process, from neural stem/progenitor cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation and migration, to functional maturation. Here, we provide an overview of the most prominent post-transcriptional mechanisms mediated by RNA binding proteins and microRNAs during the neurogenic process, giving particular emphasis on the interplay of specific RNA binding proteins with neurogenic microRNAs. Taking under consideration that the molecular mechanisms of neurogenesis exert high similarity to the ones driving direct neuronal reprogramming, we also discuss the current advances in in vitro and in vivo direct neuronal reprogramming approaches that have employed microRNAs or RNA binding proteins as reprogramming factors, highlighting the so far known mechanisms of their reprogramming action.
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3
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Liang S, Zhou J, Yu X, Lu S, Liu R. Neuronal conversion from glia to replenish the lost neurons. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1446-1453. [PMID: 38051886 PMCID: PMC10883502 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.386400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neuronal injury, aging, and cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases such as cerebral infarction, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease are characterized by significant neuronal loss. Unfortunately, the neurons of most mammals including humans do not possess the ability to self-regenerate. Replenishment of lost neurons becomes an appealing therapeutic strategy to reverse the disease phenotype. Transplantation of pluripotent neural stem cells can supplement the missing neurons in the brain, but it carries the risk of causing gene mutation, tumorigenesis, severe inflammation, and obstructive hydrocephalus induced by brain edema. Conversion of neural or non-neural lineage cells into functional neurons is a promising strategy for the diseases involving neuron loss, which may overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of neural stem cell therapy. Thus far, many strategies to transform astrocytes, fibroblasts, microglia, Müller glia, NG2 cells, and other glial cells to mature and functional neurons, or for the conversion between neuronal subtypes have been developed through the regulation of transcription factors, polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1), and small chemical molecules or are based on a combination of several factors and the location in the central nervous system. However, some recent papers did not obtain expected results, and discrepancies exist. Therefore, in this review, we discuss the history of neuronal transdifferentiation, summarize the strategies for neuronal replenishment and conversion from glia, especially astrocytes, and point out that biosafety, new strategies, and the accurate origin of the truly converted neurons in vivo should be focused upon in future studies. It also arises the attention of replenishing the lost neurons from glia by gene therapies such as up-regulation of some transcription factors or down-regulation of PTBP1 or drug interference therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhou
- Department of Geriatric Rehabilitation, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ruitian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Sichani AS, Khoddam S, Shakeri S, Tavakkoli Z, Jafroodi AR, Dabbaghipour R, Sisakht M, Fallahi J. Partial Reprogramming as a Method for Regenerating Neural Tissues in Aged Organisms. Cell Reprogram 2024; 26:10-23. [PMID: 38381402 DOI: 10.1089/cell.2023.0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging causes numerous age-related diseases, leading the human species to death. Nevertheless, rejuvenating strategies based on cell epigenetic modifications are a possible approach to counteract disease progression while getting old. Cell reprogramming of adult somatic cells toward pluripotency ought to be a promising tool for age-related diseases. However, researchers do not have control over this process as cells lose their fate, and cause potential cancerous cells or unexpected cell phenotypes. Direct and partial reprogramming were introduced in recent years with distinctive applications. Although direct reprogramming makes cells lose their identity, it has various applications in regeneration medicine. Temporary and regulated in vivo overexpression of Yamanaka factors has been shown in several experimental contexts to be achievable and is used to rejuvenate mice models. This regeneration can be accomplished by altering the epigenetic adult cell signature to the signature of a younger cell. The greatest advantage of partial reprogramming is that this method does not allow cells to lose their identity when they are resetting their epigenetic clock. It is a regimen of short-term Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc expression in vivo that prevents full reprogramming to the pluripotent state and avoids both tumorigenesis and the presence of unwanted undifferentiated cells. We know that many neurological age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, dementia, and Parkinson's disease, are the main cause of death in the last decades of life. Therefore, scientists have a special tendency regarding neuroregeneration methods to increase human life expectancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Saber Sichani
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Somayeh Khoddam
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Shayan Shakeri
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Zahra Tavakkoli
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Arad Ranji Jafroodi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Dabbaghipour
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Sisakht
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Jafar Fallahi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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5
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Li X, Fan R, Xiang J, Yuan Y, Mao X, Zhou N. P-hydroxy benzaldehyde facilitates reprogramming of reactive astrocytes into neurons via endogenous transcriptional regulation. Int J Neurosci 2023; 133:1096-1108. [PMID: 35321633 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2022.2049775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cerebral ischemia leads to linguistic and motor dysfunction, as the death of neurons in ischemic core is permanent and non-renewable. An innovative avenue is to induce and/or facilitate reprogramming of adjacent astrocytes into neurons to replace the lost neurons and re-establish brain homeostasis. PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate whether the p-hydroxy benzaldehyde (p-HBA), a phenolic compound isolated from Gastrodia elata Blume, could facilitate the reprogramming of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-damaged astrocytes into neurons. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS The primary parenchymal astrocytes of rat were exposure to OGD and reperfusion with define culture medium. Cells were then incubated with different concentration of p-HBA (1, 10, 100, 400 μM) and collected at desired time point for reprogramming process analysis. RESULTS OGD/R could elicit endogenous neurogenic program in primary parenchymal astrocytes of rat under define culture condition, and these so-called reactive astrocytes could be reprogrammed into neurons. However, the neonatal neurons produced by this endogenous procedure could not develop into mature neurons, and the conversion rate was only 1.9%. Treatment of these reactive astrocytes with p-HBA could successfully promote the conversion rate to 6.1%, and the neonatal neurons could develop into mature neurons within 14 days. Further analysis showed that p-HBA down-regulated the Notch signal component genes Dll1, Hes1 and SOX2, while the transcription factor NeuroD1 was up-regulated. CONCLUSION The results of this study demonstrated that p-HBA facilitated the astrocyte-to-neuron conversion. This chemical reprogramming was mediated by inhibition of Notch1 signaling pathway and transcriptional activation of NeuroD1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine
| | - Ruoxi Fan
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine
| | - Jianming Xiang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, University of Michigan, MI, USA
| | - Yajin Yuan
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine
| | - Xiaojian Mao
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine
| | - Ningna Zhou
- College of Chinese Materia Medica and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Southern Medicinal Utilization, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine
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6
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Lutfi Ismaeel G, Makki AlHassani OJ, S Alazragi R, Hussein Ahmed A, H Mohamed A, Yasir Jasim N, Hassan Shari F, Almashhadani HA. Genetically engineered neural stem cells (NSCs) therapy for neurological diseases; state-of-the-art. Biotechnol Prog 2023; 39:e3363. [PMID: 37221947 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.3363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent stem cells with remarkable self-renewal potential and also unique competencies to differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes (ODCs) and improve the cellular microenvironment. In addition, NSCs secret diversity of mediators, including neurotrophic factors (e.g., BDNF, NGF, GDNF, CNTF, and NT-3), pro-angiogenic mediators (e.g., FGF-2 and VEGF), and anti-inflammatory biomolecules. Thereby, NSCs transplantation has become a reasonable and effective treatment for various neurodegenerative disorders by their capacity to induce neurogenesis and vasculogenesis and dampen neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Nonetheless, various drawbacks such as lower migration and survival and less differential capacity to a particular cell lineage concerning the disease pathogenesis hinder their application. Thus, genetic engineering of NSCs before transplantation is recently regarded as an innovative strategy to bypass these hurdles. Indeed, genetically modified NSCs could bring about more favored therapeutic influences post-transplantation in vivo, making them an excellent option for neurological disease therapy. This review for the first time offers a comprehensive review of the therapeutic capability of genetically modified NSCs rather than naïve NSCs in neurological disease beyond brain tumors and sheds light on the recent progress and prospect in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghufran Lutfi Ismaeel
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Al-Ameed, Karbala, Iraq
| | | | - Reem S Alazragi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ammar Hussein Ahmed
- Department of Radiology and Sonar, College of Medical Techniques, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Asma'a H Mohamed
- Intelligent Medical Systems Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Babylon, Iraq
| | - Nisreen Yasir Jasim
- Collage of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Falah Hassan Shari
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq
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7
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Fang YM, Chen WC, Zheng WJ, Yang YS, Zhang Y, Chen XL, Pei MQ, Lin S, He HF. A cutting-edge strategy for spinal cord injury treatment: resident cellular transdifferentiation. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1237641. [PMID: 37711511 PMCID: PMC10498389 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1237641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury causes varying degrees of motor and sensory function loss. However, there are no effective treatments for spinal cord repair following an injury. Moreover, significant preclinical advances in bioengineering and regenerative medicine have not yet been translated into effective clinical therapies. The spinal cord's poor regenerative capacity makes repairing damaged and lost neurons a critical treatment step. Reprogramming-based neuronal transdifferentiation has recently shown great potential in repair and plasticity, as it can convert mature somatic cells into functional neurons for spinal cord injury repair in vitro and in vivo, effectively halting the progression of spinal cord injury and promoting functional improvement. However, the mechanisms of the neuronal transdifferentiation and the induced neuronal subtypes are not yet well understood. This review analyzes the mechanisms of resident cellular transdifferentiation based on a review of the relevant recent literature, describes different molecular approaches to obtain different neuronal subtypes, discusses the current challenges and improvement methods, and provides new ideas for exploring therapeutic approaches for spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ming Fang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Wei-Can Chen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Wan-Jing Zheng
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Yu-Shen Yang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Xin-Li Chen
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Meng-Qin Pei
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
| | - Shu Lin
- Centre of Neurological and Metabolic Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
- Neuroendocrinology Group, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - He-Fan He
- Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, China
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8
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Papadimitriou E, Koutsoudaki PN, Thanou I, Karagkouni D, Karamitros T, Chroni-Tzartou D, Gaitanou M, Gkemisis C, Margariti M, Xingi E, Tzartos SJ, Hatzigeorgiou AG, Thomaidou D. A miR-124-mediated post-transcriptional mechanism controlling the cell fate switch of astrocytes to induced neurons. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:915-935. [PMID: 36963393 PMCID: PMC10147664 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The microRNA (miRNA) miR-124 has been employed supplementary to neurogenic transcription factors (TFs) and other miRNAs to enhance direct neurogenic conversion. The aim of this study was to investigate whether miR-124 is sufficient to drive direct reprogramming of astrocytes to induced neurons (iNs) on its own and elucidate its independent mechanism of reprogramming action. Our data show that miR-124 is a potent driver of the reprogramming switch of astrocytes toward an immature neuronal fate by directly targeting the RNA-binding protein Zfp36L1 implicated in ARE-mediated mRNA decay and subsequently derepressing Zfp36L1 neurogenic interactome. To this end, miR-124 contribution in iNs' production largely recapitulates endogenous neurogenesis pathways, being further enhanced upon addition of the neurogenic compound ISX9, which greatly improves iNs' differentiation and functional maturation. Importantly, miR-124 is potent in guiding direct conversion of reactive astrocytes to immature iNs in vivo following cortical trauma, while ISX9 supplementation confers a survival advantage to newly produced iNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Papadimitriou
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Paraskevi N Koutsoudaki
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Irini Thanou
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Karagkouni
- DIANA-Lab, Hellenic Pasteur Institute & Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Timokratis Karamitros
- Bioinformatics and Applied Genomics Unit, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Dafni Chroni-Tzartou
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Immunology, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Gaitanou
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology - Stem Cells, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Gkemisis
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Margariti
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelia Xingi
- Light Microscopy Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Socrates J Tzartos
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Immunology, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Artemis G Hatzigeorgiou
- Bioinformatics and Applied Genomics Unit, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Thomaidou
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece; Light Microscopy Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
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9
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Komarasamy TV, Adnan NAA, James W, Balasubramaniam VRMT. Zika Virus Neuropathogenesis: The Different Brain Cells, Host Factors and Mechanisms Involved. Front Immunol 2022; 13:773191. [PMID: 35371036 PMCID: PMC8966389 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.773191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV), despite being discovered six decades earlier, became a major health concern only after an epidemic in French Polynesia and an increase in the number of microcephaly cases in Brazil. Substantial evidence has been found to support the link between ZIKV and neurological complications in infants. The virus targets various cells in the brain, including radial glial cells, neural progenitor cells (NPCs), astrocytes, microglial and glioblastoma stem cells. It affects the brain cells by exploiting different mechanisms, mainly through apoptosis and cell cycle dysregulation. The modulation of host immune response and the inflammatory process has also been demonstrated to play a critical role in ZIKV induced neurological complications. In addition to that, different ZIKV strains have exhibited specific neurotropism and unique molecular mechanisms. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of ZIKV-induced neuroimmunopathogenesis by dissecting its main target cells in the brain, and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. We highlighted the roles of the different ZIKV host factors and how they exploit specific host factors through various mechanisms. Overall, it covers key components for understanding the crosstalk between ZIKV and the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamil Vaani Komarasamy
- Infection and Immunity Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - Nur Amelia Azreen Adnan
- Infection and Immunity Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
| | - William James
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Vinod R M T Balasubramaniam
- Infection and Immunity Research Strength, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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10
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Leib D, Chen YH, Monteys AM, Davidson BL. Limited astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in the mouse brain using NeuroD1 overexpression. Mol Ther 2022; 30:982-986. [PMID: 35123657 PMCID: PMC8899704 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Leib
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yong Hong Chen
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alex Mas Monteys
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Beverly L. Davidson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Corresponding author: Beverly L. Davidson, Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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11
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Salih S, Nizamudeen ZA, De Melo N, Chakrabarti L, Sottile V. Sox-positive cell population in the adult cerebellum increases upon tissue degeneration. Exp Neurol 2021; 348:113950. [PMID: 34902356 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis is well-described in the subventricular and subgranular zones of the mammalian brain. Recent observations that resident glia express stem cell markers in some areas of the brain not traditionally associated with neurogenesis hint to a possible role in tissue repair. The Bergmann glia (BG) population in the cerebellum displays markers and in vitro features associated with neural stem cells (NSC), however the physiological relevance of this phenotypic overlap remains unclear in the absence of established in vivo evidence of tissue regeneration in the adult cerebellum. Here, this BG population was analysed in the adult cerebellum of different species and showed conservation of NSC-associated marker expression including Sox1, Sox2 and Sox9, in chick, primate and mouse cerebellum tissue. NSC-like cells isolated from adult mouse cerebellum showed slower growth when compared to lateral ventricle NSC, as well as differences upon differentiation. In a mouse model of cerebellar degeneration, progressive Purkinje cell loss was linked to cerebellar cortex disorganisation and a significant increase in Sox-positive cells compared to matching controls. These results show that this Sox-positive population responds to cerebellar tissue disruption, suggesting it may represent a mobilisable cellular resource for targeted strategies to promote tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelanah Salih
- Wolfson STEM Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; College of Medical and Applied Sciences, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Charmo University, Chamchamal 46023, Iraq
| | - Zubair Ahmed Nizamudeen
- Wolfson STEM Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Nigel De Melo
- Wolfson STEM Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Lisa Chakrabarti
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, The University of Nottingham, UK
| | - Virginie Sottile
- Wolfson STEM Centre, School of Medicine, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK; Department of Molecular Medicine, The University of Pavia, Italy.
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12
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Wang F, Cheng L, Zhang X. Reprogramming Glial Cells into Functional Neurons for Neuro-regeneration: Challenges and Promise. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:1625-1636. [PMID: 34283396 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00751-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The capacity for neurogenesis in the adult mammalian brain is extremely limited and highly restricted to a few regions, which greatly hampers neuronal regeneration and functional restoration after neuronal loss caused by injury or disease. Meanwhile, transplantation of exogenous neuronal stem cells into the brain encounters several serious issues including immune rejection and the risk of tumorigenesis. Recent discoveries of direct reprogramming of endogenous glial cells into functional neurons have provided new opportunities for adult neuro-regeneration. Here, we extensively review the experimental findings of the direct conversion of glial cells to neurons in vitro and in vivo and discuss the remaining issues and challenges related to the glial subtypes and the specificity and efficiency of direct cell-reprograming, as well as the influence of the microenvironment. Although in situ glial cell reprogramming offers great potential for neuronal repair in the injured or diseased brain, it still needs a large amount of research to pave the way to therapeutic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengchao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Leping Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Longevity and Aging-related Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, Guangxi-ASEAN Collaborative Innovation Center for Major Disease Prevention and Treatment, and Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China. .,Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China. .,Guangxi Health Commission Key Laboratory of Basic Research on Brain Function and Disease, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, China.
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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13
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Chiareli RA, Carvalho GA, Marques BL, Mota LS, Oliveira-Lima OC, Gomes RM, Birbrair A, Gomez RS, Simão F, Klempin F, Leist M, Pinto MCX. The Role of Astrocytes in the Neurorepair Process. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:665795. [PMID: 34113618 PMCID: PMC8186445 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.665795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are highly specialized glial cells responsible for trophic and metabolic support of neurons. They are associated to ionic homeostasis, the regulation of cerebral blood flow and metabolism, the modulation of synaptic activity by capturing and recycle of neurotransmitters and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. During injuries and infections, astrocytes act in cerebral defense through heterogeneous and progressive changes in their gene expression, morphology, proliferative capacity, and function, which is known as reactive astrocytes. Thus, reactive astrocytes release several signaling molecules that modulates and contributes to the defense against injuries and infection in the central nervous system. Therefore, deciphering the complex signaling pathways of reactive astrocytes after brain damage can contribute to the neuroinflammation control and reveal new molecular targets to stimulate neurorepair process. In this review, we present the current knowledge about the role of astrocytes in brain damage and repair, highlighting the cellular and molecular bases involved in synaptogenesis and neurogenesis. In addition, we present new approaches to modulate the astrocytic activity and potentiates the neurorepair process after brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lennia Soares Mota
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Goias, Goiânia, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alexander Birbrair
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Renato Santiago Gomez
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fabrício Simão
- Research Division, Vascular Cell Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Marcel Leist
- Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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14
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Ding H, Yu J, Chang W, Liu F, He Z. Searching for differentially expressed proteins in spinal cord injury based on the proteomics analysis. Life Sci 2020; 242:117235. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.117235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Abstract
The details of adult neurogenesis, including environmental triggers, region specificity, and species homology remain an area of intense investigation. Slowing or halting age-related cognitive dysfunction, or restoring neurons lost to disease or injury represent just a fraction of potential therapeutic applications. New neurons can derive from stem cells, pluripotent neural progenitor cells, or non-neuronal glial cells, such as astrocytes. Astrocytes must be epigenetically “reprogrammed” to become neurons, which can occur both naturally in vivo, and via artificial exogenous treatments. While neural progenitor cells are localized to a few neurogenic zones in the adult brain, astrocytes populate almost every brain structure. In this review, we will summarize recent research into neurogenesis that arises from conversion of post-mitotic astrocytes, detail the genetic and epigenetic pathways that regulate this process, and discuss the possible clinical relevance in supplementing stem-cell neurogenic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian B Griffiths
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anvee Bhutani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Creed M Stary
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain & Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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16
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Aravantinou-Fatorou K, Thomaidou D. In Vitro Direct Reprogramming of Mouse and Human Astrocytes to Induced Neurons. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2155:41-61. [PMID: 32474866 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0655-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Direct neuronal reprogramming, rewiring the epigenetic and transcriptional network of a differentiated cell type to neuron, apart from being a very promising approach for the treatment of brain injury and neurodegeneration, also offers a prime opportunity to investigate the molecular underpinnings of neuronal cell fate determination, as the precise molecular mechanisms that establish neuronal fate and diversity at the transcriptional and epigenetic level are incompletely understood. Recent studies from a number of groups, including ours, have shown that astrocytes can be directly reprogrammed into functional neurons in vitro and in vivo following ectopic overexpression of combinations of transcription factors, neurogenic proteins, miRNAs, and small chemical molecules.In this chapter we describe the protocols for in vitro converting primary cortical astrocytes of mouse and human origin to induced neurons, through forced expression of two neurogenic molecules, either each one alone or in combination: the master regulatory bHLH proneural transcription factor NEUROGENIN-2 (NEUROG2) and the neurogenic protein CEND1. Forced expression of each one of the two neurogenic proteins in primary astrocytes via retroviral gene transfer results in their direct conversion to subtype-specific induced neurons, while simultaneous coexpression of both molecules drives them predominantly toward acquisition of a neural precursor cell (NPC) state. Although mouse and human astrocytes exhibit differences in their reprogramming rate and particular characteristics, they can both get efficiently in vitro transdifferentiated to NPCs and induced neurons upon NEUROG2 or/and CEND1 forced expression using the reprogramming protocols described in the chapter, presenting valuable cellular platforms for mechanistic studies and in vivo applications to restore neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Aravantinou-Fatorou
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitra Thomaidou
- Neural Stem Cells and Neuroimaging Group, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
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17
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Zarei-Kheirabadi M, Hesaraki M, Kiani S, Baharvand H. In vivo conversion of rat astrocytes into neuronal cells through neural stem cells in injured spinal cord with a single zinc-finger transcription factor. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:380. [PMID: 31842989 PMCID: PMC6916443 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1448-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in glial scar formation and irreversible neuronal loss, which finally leads to functional impairments and long-term disability. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the ectopic expression of Zfp521 reprograms fibroblasts and astrocytes into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs). However, it remains unclear whether treatment with Zfp521 also affects endogenous astrocytes, thus promoting further functional recovery following SCI. METHODS Rat astrocytes were transdifferentiated into neural stem cells in vitro by ZFP521 or Sox2. Then, ZFP521 was applied to the spinal cord injury site of a rat. Transduction, real-time PCR, immunohistofluorescence, and function assessments were performed at 6 weeks post-transduction to evaluate improvement and in vivo lineage reprogramming of astrocytes. RESULTS Here, we show that Zfp521 is more efficient in reprogramming cultured astrocytes compared with Sox2. In the injured spinal cord of an adult rat, resident astrocytes can be reprogrammed into neurons through a progenitor stage by Zfp521. Importantly, this treatment improves the functional abilities of the rats as evaluated by the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale and further by calculation of its subscores. There was enhanced locomotor activity in the hind limbs, step length, toe spread, foot length, and paw area. In addition, motor evoked potential recordings demonstrated the functional integrity of the spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS These results have indicated that the generation of iNSCs or neurons from endogenous astrocytes by in situ reprogramming might be a potential strategy for SCI repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Zarei-Kheirabadi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Mahdi Hesaraki
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Sahar Kiani
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran.
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran. .,Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, 1461968151, Iran.
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18
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Zarei-Kheirabadi M, Hesaraki M, Shojaei A, Kiani S, Baharvand H. Generation of neural stem cells from adult astrocytes by using a single reprogramming factor. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:18697-18706. [PMID: 30912162 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Generating neural stem cells (NSCs) from astroglia as an abundant cell type in the mammalian brain has a promising outlook to be used in cell-replacement therapy for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and neuronal trauma. However, little is known about a single reprogramming factor that may lead to the generation of induced NSCs (iNSCs) from adult brain-derived astrocytes in the absence of extrinsic inductive signals. Here, we show that zinc-finger nuclear protein Zfp521 alone is sufficient for converting the adult mouse brain-derived astrocytes into iNSCs. In vitro, Zfp521-iNSCs demonstrated long-term self-renewal and multipotency and expressed related markers. Moreover, single-seeded iNSCs were able to produce NSC colonies. These results suggest that application of Zfp521 to generate iNSCs could be regarded as a new approach for conversion of resident astrocytes into iNSCs in cell therapy for in vivo treatment of neural injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoumeh Zarei-Kheirabadi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Hesaraki
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Shojaei
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Kiani
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
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19
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Cend1, a Story with Many Tales: From Regulation of Cell Cycle Progression/Exit of Neural Stem Cells to Brain Structure and Function. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:2054783. [PMID: 31191667 PMCID: PMC6525816 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2054783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem/precursor cells (NPCs) generate the large variety of neuronal phenotypes comprising the adult brain. The high diversity and complexity of this organ have its origin in embryonic life, during which NPCs undergo symmetric and asymmetric divisions and then exit the cell cycle and differentiate to acquire neuronal identities. During these processes, coordinated regulation of cell cycle progression/exit and differentiation is essential for generation of the appropriate number of neurons and formation of the correct structural and functional neuronal circuits in the adult brain. Cend1 is a neuronal lineage-specific modulator involved in synchronization of cell cycle exit and differentiation of neuronal precursors. It is expressed all along the neuronal lineage, from neural stem/progenitor cells to mature neurons, and is associated with the dynamics of neuron-generating divisions. Functional studies showed that Cend1 has a critical role during neurogenesis in promoting cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation. Mechanistically, Cend1 acts via the p53-dependent/Cyclin D1/pRb signaling pathway as well as via a p53-independent route involving a tripartite interaction with RanBPM and Dyrk1B. Upon Cend1 function, Notch1 signaling is suppressed and proneural genes such as Mash1 and Neurogenins 1/2 are induced. Due to its neurogenic activity, Cend1 is a promising candidate therapeutic gene for brain repair, while the Cend1 minimal promoter is a valuable tool for neuron-specific gene delivery in the CNS. Mice with Cend1 genetic ablation display increased NPC proliferation, decreased migration, and higher levels of apoptosis during development. As a result, they show in the adult brain deficits in a range of motor and nonmotor behaviors arising from irregularities in cerebellar cortex lamination and impaired Purkinje cell differentiation as well as a paucity in GABAergic interneurons of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Taken together, these studies highlight the necessity for Cend1 expression in the formation of a structurally and functionally normal brain.
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20
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Colasante G, Rubio A, Massimino L, Broccoli V. Direct Neuronal Reprogramming Reveals Unknown Functions for Known Transcription Factors. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:283. [PMID: 30971887 PMCID: PMC6445133 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the need to derive sources of specialized cell types to be employed for cell replacement therapies and modeling studies has triggered a fast acceleration of novel cell reprogramming methods. In particular, in neuroscience, a number of protocols for the efficient differentiation of somatic or pluripotent stem cells have been established to obtain a renewable source of different neuronal cell types. Alternatively, several neuronal populations have been generated through direct reprogramming/transdifferentiation, which concerns the conversion of fully differentiated somatic cells into induced neurons. This is achieved through the forced expression of selected transcription factors (TFs) in the donor cell population. The reprogramming cocktail is chosen after an accurate screening process involving lists of TFs enriched into desired cell lineages. In some instances, this type of studies has revealed the crucial role of TFs whose function in the differentiation of a given specific cell type had been neglected or underestimated. Herein, we will speculate on how the in vitro studies have served to better understand physiological mechanisms of neuronal development in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Colasante
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alicia Rubio
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Massimino
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
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21
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Pavlou MAS, Grandbarbe L, Buckley NJ, Niclou SP, Michelucci A. Transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms underlying astrocyte identity. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 174:36-52. [PMID: 30599178 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes play a significant role in coordinating neural development and provide critical support for the function of the CNS. They possess important adaptation capacities that range from their transition towards reactive astrocytes to their ability to undergo reprogramming, thereby revealing their potential to retain latent features of neural progenitor cells. We propose that the mechanisms underlying reactive astrogliosis or astrocyte reprogramming provide an opportunity for initiating neuronal regeneration, a process that is notably reduced in the mammalian nervous system throughout evolution. Conversely, this plasticity may also affect normal astrocytic functions resulting in pathologies ranging from neurodevelopmental disorders to neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors. We postulate that epigenetic mechanisms linking extrinsic cues and intrinsic transcriptional programs are key factors to maintain astrocyte identity and function, and critically, to control the balance of regenerative and degenerative activity. Here, we will review the main evidences supporting this concept. We propose that unravelling the epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms underlying the acquisition of astrocyte identity and plasticity, as well as understanding how these processes are modulated by the local microenvironment under specific threatening or pathological conditions, may pave the way to new therapeutic avenues for several neurological disorders including neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors of astrocytic lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Angeliki S Pavlou
- Life Sciences Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Luc Grandbarbe
- Life Sciences Research Unit, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Noel J Buckley
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Simone P Niclou
- NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg, Luxembourg; KG Jebsen Brain Tumour Research Center, Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Alessandro Michelucci
- NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Department of Oncology, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-Belval, Luxembourg.
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22
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Golas MM. Human cellular models of medium spiny neuron development and Huntington disease. Life Sci 2018; 209:179-196. [PMID: 30031060 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The loss of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum is the hallmark of Huntington disease (HD), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Transplantation of MSNs or their precursors represents a promising treatment strategy for HD. In initial clinical trials in which HD patients received fetal neurografts directly into the striatum without a pretransplant cell-differentiation step, some patients exhibited temporary benefits. Meanwhile, major challenges related to graft overgrowth, insufficient survival of grafted cells, and limited availability of donated fetal tissue remain. Thus, the development of approaches that allow modeling of MSN differentiation and HD development in cell culture platforms may improve our understanding of HD and translate, ultimately, into HD treatment options. Here, recent advances in the in vitro differentiation of MSNs derived from fetal neural stem cells/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and induced NSCs (iNSCs) as well as advances in direct transdifferentiation are reviewed. Progress in non-allele specific and allele specific gene editing of HTT is presented as well. Cell characterization approaches involving phenotyping as well as in vitro and in vivo functional assays are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika M Golas
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Alle 3, Building 1233, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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23
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Zhu X, Zhou W, Jin H, Li T. Brn2 Alone Is Sufficient to Convert Astrocytes into Neural Progenitors and Neurons. Stem Cells Dev 2018; 27:736-744. [PMID: 29635978 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2017.0250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Generating neurons or neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from astrocytes is a potential strategy for neurological repair by reprogramming. Previous study has showed that Brn2, by cooperating with other factors, participates in neurogenesis and neuronal reprogramming. However, it is still unclear whether the Brn2 alone can convert astrocytes into neurons or NPCs. Here, we explored the effect of Brn2 on reprogramming of astrocytes, and found that a single transcription factor Brn2 can convert mouse astrocytes into functional neurons. Furthermore, the Brn2-infected astrocytes can be induced into NPCs after changing culture condition. In addition, our study found that the reprogramming of astrocytes and the fate of transdifferentiated cells are closely associated with cell microenvironmental factors, such as the brain regions where the astrocytes come from, the proliferation ability of astrocytes, and culture condition of infected astrocytes. To sum up, for the first time, our results demonstrated that Brn2 alone is sufficient to convert astrocytes into neural progenitors and neurons, and the conversion is associated with cell microenvironments. This new conversion method will be a potential therapeutic approach to restore the injured diseased brain in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Zhu
- 1 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology , Kunming, Yunnan, China .,2 Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology , Kunming, Yunnan, China .,3 Kunming Enovate Institute of Bioscience , Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Wenshu Zhou
- 1 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology , Kunming, Yunnan, China .,3 Kunming Enovate Institute of Bioscience , Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hua Jin
- 4 The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province , Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Tianqing Li
- 1 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology , Kunming, Yunnan, China .,3 Kunming Enovate Institute of Bioscience , Kunming, Yunnan, China
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24
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Gómez-Villafuertes R, Paniagua-Herranz L, Gascon S, de Agustín-Durán D, Ferreras MDLO, Gil-Redondo JC, Queipo MJ, Menendez-Mendez A, Pérez-Sen R, Delicado EG, Gualix J, Costa MR, Schroeder T, Miras-Portugal MT, Ortega F. Live Imaging Followed by Single Cell Tracking to Monitor Cell Biology and the Lineage Progression of Multiple Neural Populations. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29286427 PMCID: PMC5755616 DOI: 10.3791/56291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that control critical biological events of neural cell populations, such as proliferation, differentiation, or cell fate decisions, will be crucial to design therapeutic strategies for many diseases affecting the nervous system. Current methods to track cell populations rely on their final outcomes in still images and they generally fail to provide sufficient temporal resolution to identify behavioral features in single cells. Moreover, variations in cell death, behavioral heterogeneity within a cell population, dilution, spreading, or the low efficiency of the markers used to analyze cells are all important handicaps that will lead to incomplete or incorrect read-outs of the results. Conversely, performing live imaging and single cell tracking under appropriate conditions represents a powerful tool to monitor each of these events. Here, a time-lapse video-microscopy protocol, followed by post-processing, is described to track neural populations with single cell resolution, employing specific software. The methods described enable researchers to address essential questions regarding the cell biology and lineage progression of distinct neural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Gómez-Villafuertes
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Lucía Paniagua-Herranz
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Sergio Gascon
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg/Munich, Germany Physiological Genomics, Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich; Toxicology and Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University
| | - David de Agustín-Durán
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - María de la O Ferreras
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Juan Carlos Gil-Redondo
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - María José Queipo
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Aida Menendez-Mendez
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Ráquel Pérez-Sen
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Esmerilda G Delicado
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Javier Gualix
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Marcos R Costa
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte
| | - Timm Schroeder
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zurich
| | - María Teresa Miras-Portugal
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC)
| | - Felipe Ortega
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Complutense University; University Institute for Neurochemistry Research (IUIN); Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC);
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25
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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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26
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Shahbazi E, Mirakhori F, Ezzatizadeh V, Baharvand H. Reprogramming of somatic cells to induced neural stem cells. Methods 2017; 133:21-28. [PMID: 28939501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent investigations have demonstrated that defined sets of exogenous factors (chemical and/or biochemical) can convert human and mouse somatic cells into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs). Considering the self-renewal and multi-potential differentiation capabilities of iNSCs, generation of these cells has considerably enhanced cell therapy for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. These cells can also serve as models for investigation of the mechanism(s) underlying neurodegenerative diseases and as an asset in drug discovery. Meanwhile, using the process of direct conversion/transdifferentiation, by bypassing pluripotent state and consequently reducing tumorigenesis and genetic instability risks, establishment of several desired cells are feasible. In this review, we describe the pros and cons of different methods employed to directly reprogram somatic cells to iNSCs along with the progress of iNSCs applications and the future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Shahbazi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Mirakhori
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Vahid Ezzatizadeh
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
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27
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Brulet R, Matsuda T, Zhang L, Miranda C, Giacca M, Kaspar BK, Nakashima K, Hsieh J. NEUROD1 Instructs Neuronal Conversion in Non-Reactive Astrocytes. Stem Cell Reports 2017; 8:1506-1515. [PMID: 28506534 PMCID: PMC5470076 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Currently, all methods for converting non-neuronal cells into neurons involve injury to the brain; however, whether neuronal transdifferentiation can occur long after the period of insult remains largely unknown. Here, we use the transcription factor NEUROD1, previously shown to convert reactive glial cells to neurons in the cortex, to determine whether astrocyte-to-neuron transdifferentiation can occur under physiological conditions. We utilized adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9), which crosses the blood-brain barrier without injury, to deliver NEUROD1 to astrocytes through an intravascular route. Interestingly, we found that a small, but significant number of non-reactive astrocytes converted to neurons in the striatum, but not the cortex. Moreover, astrocytes cultured to minimize their proliferative potential also exhibited limited neuronal transdifferentiation with NEUROD1 expression. Our results show that a single transcription factor can induce astrocyte-to-neuron conversion under physiological conditions, potentially facilitating future clinical approaches long after the acute injury phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Brulet
- Departments of Molecular Biology, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Taito Matsuda
- Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Ling Zhang
- Departments of Molecular Biology, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Carlos Miranda
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Mauro Giacca
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Padriciano 99, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Brian K Kaspar
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA; Departments of Neuroscience and Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kinichi Nakashima
- Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Jenny Hsieh
- Departments of Molecular Biology, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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