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Danačíková Š, Straka B, Daněk J, Kořínek V, Otáhal J. In vitro human cell culture models in a bench-to-bedside approach to epilepsy. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:865-890. [PMID: 38637998 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12941] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disease, affecting nearly 1%-2% of the world's population. Current pharmacological treatment and regimen adjustments are aimed at controlling seizures; however, they are ineffective in one-third of the patients. Although neuronal hyperexcitability was previously thought to be mainly due to ion channel alterations, current research has revealed other contributing molecular pathways, including processes involved in cellular signaling, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, axon guidance, inflammation, and others. Some forms of drug-resistant epilepsy are caused by genetic defects that constitute potential targets for precision therapy. Although such approaches are increasingly important, they are still in the early stages of development. This review aims to provide a summary of practical aspects of the employment of in vitro human cell culture models in epilepsy diagnosis, treatment, and research. First, we briefly summarize the genetic testing that may result in the detection of candidate pathogenic variants in genes involved in epilepsy pathogenesis. Consequently, we review existing in vitro cell models, including induced pluripotent stem cells and differentiated neuronal cells, providing their specific properties, validity, and employment in research pipelines. We cover two methodological approaches. The first approach involves the utilization of somatic cells directly obtained from individual patients, while the second approach entails the utilization of characterized cell lines. The models are evaluated in terms of their research and clinical benefits, relevance to the in vivo conditions, legal and ethical aspects, time and cost demands, and available published data. Despite the methodological, temporal, and financial demands of the reviewed models they possess high potential to be used as robust systems in routine testing of pathogenicity of detected variants in the near future and provide a solid experimental background for personalized therapy of genetic epilepsies. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, but current treatments fail for many patients. Beyond traditional ion channel alterations, various genetic factors contribute to the disorder's complexity. This review explores how in vitro human cell models, either from patients or from cell lines, can aid in understanding epilepsy's genetic roots and developing personalized therapies. While these models require further investigation, they offer hope for improved diagnosis and treatment of genetic forms of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šárka Danačíková
- Laboratory of Developmental Epileptology, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Straka
- Neurogenetics Laboratory of the Department of Paediatric Neurology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Full Member of the ERN EpiCARE, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Daněk
- Laboratory of Developmental Epileptology, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Kořínek
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Otáhal
- Laboratory of Developmental Epileptology, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Xu SB, Li XR, Fan P, Li X, Hong Y, Han X, Wu S, Chu C, Chen Y, Xu M, Lin M, Guo X, Liu Y. Single-Cell Transcriptome Landscape and Cell Fate Decoding in Human Brain Organoids after Transplantation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2402287. [PMID: 38711218 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202402287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Human stem cells and derivatives transplantation are widely used to treat nervous system diseases, while the fate determination of transplanted cells is not well elucidated. To explore cell fate changes of human brain organoids before and after transplantation, human brain organoids are transplanted into prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP), respectively. Single-cell sequencing is then performed. According to time-series sample comparison, transplanted cells mainly undergo neural development at 2 months post-transplantation (MPT) and then glial development at 4MPT, respectively. A different brain region sample comparison shows that organoids grafted to PFC have obtained cell fate close to those of host cells in PFC, other than HIP, which may be regulated by the abundant expression of dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (Ach) in PFC. Meanwhile, morphological complexity of human astrocyte grafts is greater in PFC than in HIP. DA and Ach both activate the calcium activity and increase morphological complexity of astrocytes in vitro. This study demonstrates that human brain organoids receive host niche factor regulation after transplantation, resulting in the alignment of grafted cell fate with implanted brain regions, which may contribute to a better understanding of cell transplantation and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Xin-Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Pan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Xiyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Xiao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Shanshan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Chu Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Yuejun Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Min Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Mingyan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
| | - Xing Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu, 226019, China
| | - Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, P. R. China
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Nonaka H, Kondo T, Suga M, Yamanaka R, Sagara Y, Tsukita K, Mitsutomi N, Homma K, Saito R, Miyoshi F, Ohzeki H, Okuyama M, Inoue H. Induced pluripotent stem cell-based assays recapture multiple properties of human astrocytes. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18214. [PMID: 38509731 PMCID: PMC10955154 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18214] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The majority of the population of glial cells in the central nervous system consists of astrocytes, and impairment of astrocytes causes various disorders. It is useful to assess the multiple astrocytic properties in order to understand their complex roles in the pathophysiology. Although we can differentiate human astrocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), it remains unknown how we can analyse and reveal the multiple properties of astrocytes in complexed human disease conditions. For this purpose, we tested astrocytic differentiation protocols from feeder-free iPSCs based on the previous method with some modifications. Then, we set up extra- and intracellular assessments of iPSC-derived astrocytes by testing cytokine release, calcium influx, autophagy induction and migration. The results led us to analytic methods with conditions in which iPSC-derived astrocytes behave as in vivo. Finally, we applied these methods for modelling an astrocyte-related disease, Alexander disease. An analytic system using iPSC-derived astrocytes could be used to recapture complexities in human astrocyte diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Nonaka
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma CorporationYokohamaJapan
| | - Takayuki Kondo
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Medical‐risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP)KyotoJapan
| | - Mika Suga
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Ryu Yamanaka
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma CorporationYokohamaJapan
| | - Yukako Sagara
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | - Kayoko Tsukita
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | | | - Kengo Homma
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma CorporationYokohamaJapan
| | - Ryuta Saito
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma CorporationYokohamaJapan
| | | | | | | | - Haruhisa Inoue
- iPSC‐based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC)KyotoJapan
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Medical‐risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP)KyotoJapan
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Xia Y, Ding L, Zhang C, Xu Q, Shi M, Gao T, Zhou FQ, Deng DYB. Inflammatory Factor IL1α Induces Aberrant Astrocyte Proliferation in Spinal Cord Injury Through the Grin2c/Ca 2+/CaMK2b Pathway. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:421-438. [PMID: 37864744 PMCID: PMC11003951 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01128-4] [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: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most devastating traumas, and the aberrant proliferation of astrocytes usually causes neurological deficits. However, the mechanism underlying astrocyte over-proliferation after SCI is unclear. Grin2c (glutamate ionotropic receptor type 2c) plays an essential role in cell proliferation. Our bioinformatic analysis indicated that Grin2c and Ca2+ transport functions were inhibited in astrocytes after SCI. Suppression of Grin2c stimulated astrocyte proliferation by inhibiting the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2b (CaMK2b) pathway in vitro. By screening different inflammatory factors, interleukin 1α (IL1α) was further found to inhibit Grin2c/Ca2+/CaMK2b and enhance astrocyte proliferation in an oxidative damage model. Blockade of IL1α using neutralizing antibody resulted in increased Grin2c expression and the inhibition of astrocyte proliferation post-SCI. Overall, this study suggests that IL1α promotes astrocyte proliferation by suppressing the Grin2c/Ca2+/CaMK2b pathway after SCI, revealing a novel pathological mechanism of astrocyte proliferation, and may provide potential targets for SCI repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xia
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Lu Ding
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Changlin Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
- Pelvic Floor Disorders Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Qi Xu
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Ming Shi
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Tianshun Gao
- Big Data Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Feng-Quan Zhou
- Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310016, China.
| | - David Y B Deng
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
- Orthopaedic and Neurological Repair Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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Rogujski P, Lukomska B, Janowski M, Stanaszek L. Glial-restricted progenitor cells: a cure for diseased brain? Biol Res 2024; 57:8. [PMID: 38475854 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-024-00486-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The central nervous system (CNS) is home to neuronal and glial cells. Traditionally, glia was disregarded as just the structural support across the brain and spinal cord, in striking contrast to neurons, always considered critical players in CNS functioning. In modern times this outdated dogma is continuously repelled by new evidence unravelling the importance of glia in neuronal maintenance and function. Therefore, glia replacement has been considered a potentially powerful therapeutic strategy. Glial progenitors are at the center of this hope, as they are the source of new glial cells. Indeed, sophisticated experimental therapies and exciting clinical trials shed light on the utility of exogenous glia in disease treatment. Therefore, this review article will elaborate on glial-restricted progenitor cells (GRPs), their origin and characteristics, available sources, and adaptation to current therapeutic approaches aimed at various CNS diseases, with particular attention paid to myelin-related disorders with a focus on recent progress and emerging concepts. The landscape of GRP clinical applications is also comprehensively presented, and future perspectives on promising, GRP-based therapeutic strategies for brain and spinal cord diseases are described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Rogujski
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Lukomska
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Miroslaw Janowski
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luiza Stanaszek
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
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6
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Beghini DG, Kasai-Brunswick TH, Henriques-Pons A. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Drug Discovery and Neurodegenerative Disease Modelling. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2392. [PMID: 38397069 PMCID: PMC10889263 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042392] [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: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are derived from reprogrammed adult somatic cells. These adult cells are manipulated in vitro to express genes and factors essential for acquiring and maintaining embryonic stem cell (ESC) properties. This technology is widely applied in many fields, and much attention has been given to developing iPSC-based disease models to validate drug discovery platforms and study the pathophysiological molecular processes underlying disease onset. Especially in neurological diseases, there is a great need for iPSC-based technological research, as these cells can be obtained from each patient and carry the individual's bulk of genetic mutations and unique properties. Moreover, iPSCs can differentiate into multiple cell types. These are essential characteristics, since the study of neurological diseases is affected by the limited access to injury sites, the need for in vitro models composed of various cell types, the complexity of reproducing the brain's anatomy, the challenges of postmortem cell culture, and ethical issues. Neurodegenerative diseases strongly impact global health due to their high incidence, symptom severity, and lack of effective therapies. Recently, analyses using disease specific, iPSC-based models confirmed the efficacy of these models for testing multiple drugs. This review summarizes the advances in iPSC technology used in disease modelling and drug testing, with a primary focus on neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Gois Beghini
- Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Tais Hanae Kasai-Brunswick
- Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, CENABIO, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica 23890-000, RJ, Brazil;
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Medicina Regenerativa, INCT-REGENERA, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica 23890-000, RJ, Brazil
| | - Andrea Henriques-Pons
- Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil;
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Yan Y, Li X, Gao Y, Mathivanan S, Kong L, Tao Y, Dong Y, Li X, Bhattacharyya A, Zhao X, Zhang SC. 3D bioprinting of human neural tissues with functional connectivity. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:260-274.e7. [PMID: 38306994 PMCID: PMC10883639 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Probing how human neural networks operate is hindered by the lack of reliable human neural tissues amenable to the dynamic functional assessment of neural circuits. We developed a 3D bioprinting platform to assemble tissues with defined human neural cell types in a desired dimension using a commercial bioprinter. The printed neuronal progenitors differentiate into neurons and form functional neural circuits within and between tissue layers with specificity within weeks, evidenced by the cortical-to-striatal projection, spontaneous synaptic currents, and synaptic response to neuronal excitation. Printed astrocyte progenitors develop into mature astrocytes with elaborated processes and form functional neuron-astrocyte networks, indicated by calcium flux and glutamate uptake in response to neuronal excitation under physiological and pathological conditions. These designed human neural tissues will likely be useful for understanding the wiring of human neural networks, modeling pathological processes, and serving as platforms for drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanwei Yan
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xueyan Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yu Gao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sakthikumar Mathivanan
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
| | - Linghai Kong
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yunlong Tao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
| | - Yi Dong
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; GK Goh Centre for Neuroscience, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815.
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Yan Y, Li X, Gao Y, Mathivanan S, Kong L, Tao Y, Dong Y, Li X, Bhattacharyya A, Zhao X, Zhang SC. 3D Bioprinting of Human Neural Tissues with Functional Connectivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.18.576289. [PMID: 38328181 PMCID: PMC10849546 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.18.576289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Probing how the human neural networks operate is hindered by the lack of reliable human neural tissues amenable for dynamic functional assessment of neural circuits. We developed a 3D bioprinting platform to assemble tissues with defined human neural cell types in a desired dimension using a commercial bioprinter. The printed neuronal progenitors differentiate to neurons and form functional neural circuits in and between tissue layers with specificity within weeks, evidenced by the cortical-to-striatal projection, spontaneous synaptic currents and synaptic response to neuronal excitation. Printed astrocyte progenitors develop into mature astrocytes with elaborated processes and form functional neuron-astrocyte networks, indicated by calcium flux and glutamate uptake in response to neuronal excitation under physiological and pathological conditions. These designed human neural tissues will likely be useful for understanding the wiring of human neural networks, modeling pathological processes, and serving as platforms for drug testing.
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Rodriguez-Jimenez FJ, Ureña-Peralta J, Jendelova P, Erceg S. Alzheimer's disease and synapse Loss: What can we learn from induced pluripotent stem Cells? J Adv Res 2023; 54:105-118. [PMID: 36646419 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.01.006] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Synaptic dysfunction is a major contributor to Alzheimeŕs disease (AD) pathogenesis in addition to the formation of neuritic β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. However, how these features contribute to synaptic dysfunction and axonal loss remains unclear. While years of considerable effort have been devoted to gaining an improved understanding of this devastating disease, the unavailability of patient-derived tissues, considerable genetic heterogeneity, and lack of animal models that faithfully recapitulate human AD have hampered the development of effective treatment options. Ongoing progress in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology has permitted the derivation of patient- and disease-specific stem cells with unlimited self-renewal capacity. These cells can differentiate into AD-affected cell types, which support studies of disease mechanisms, drug discovery, and the development of cell replacement therapies in traditional and advanced cell culture models. AIM OF REVIEW To summarize current hiPSC-based AD models, highlighting the associated achievements and challenges with a primary focus on neuron and synapse loss. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW We aim to identify how hiPSC models can contribute to understanding AD-associated synaptic dysfunction and axonal loss. hiPSC-derived neural cells, astrocytes, and microglia, as well as more sophisticated cellular organoids, may represent reliable models to investigate AD and identify early markers of AD-associated neural degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Rodriguez-Jimenez
- Stem Cell Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab., Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe (CIPF), c/ Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Juan Ureña-Peralta
- Stem Cell Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab., Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe (CIPF), c/ Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Pavla Jendelova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neuroregeneration, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Slaven Erceg
- Stem Cell Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab., Centro de Investigación Principe Felipe (CIPF), c/ Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neuroregeneration, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic; National Stem Cell Bank-Valencia Node, Centro de Investigacion Principe Felipe, c/ Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain.
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Lavekar SS, Patel MD, Montalvo-Parra MD, Krencik R. Asteroid impact: the potential of astrocytes to modulate human neural networks within organoids. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1305921. [PMID: 38075269 PMCID: PMC10702564 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1305921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are a vital cellular component of the central nervous system that impact neuronal function in both healthy and pathological states. This includes intercellular signals to neurons and non-neuronal cells during development, maturation, and aging that can modulate neural network formation, plasticity, and maintenance. Recently, human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural aggregate cultures, known as neurospheres or organoids, have emerged as improved experimental platforms for basic and pre-clinical neuroscience compared to traditional approaches. Here, we summarize the potential capability of using organoids to further understand the mechanistic role of astrocytes upon neural networks, including the production of extracellular matrix components and reactive signaling cues. Additionally, we discuss the application of organoid models to investigate the astrocyte-dependent aspects of neuropathological diseases and to test astrocyte-inspired technologies. We examine the shortcomings of organoid-based experimental platforms and plausible improvements made possible by cutting-edge neuroengineering technologies. These advancements are expected to enable the development of improved diagnostic strategies and high-throughput translational applications regarding neuroregeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - R. Krencik
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
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Chameh HM, Falby M, Movahed M, Arbabi K, Rich S, Zhang L, Lefebvre J, Tripathy SJ, De Pittà M, Valiante TA. Distinctive biophysical features of human cell-types: insights from studies of neurosurgically resected brain tissue. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1250834. [PMID: 37860223 PMCID: PMC10584155 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1250834] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrophysiological characterization of live human tissue from epilepsy patients has been performed for many decades. Although initially these studies sought to understand the biophysical and synaptic changes associated with human epilepsy, recently, it has become the mainstay for exploring the distinctive biophysical and synaptic features of human cell-types. Both epochs of these human cellular electrophysiological explorations have faced criticism. Early studies revealed that cortical pyramidal neurons obtained from individuals with epilepsy appeared to function "normally" in comparison to neurons from non-epilepsy controls or neurons from other species and thus there was little to gain from the study of human neurons from epilepsy patients. On the other hand, contemporary studies are often questioned for the "normalcy" of the recorded neurons since they are derived from epilepsy patients. In this review, we discuss our current understanding of the distinct biophysical features of human cortical neurons and glia obtained from tissue removed from patients with epilepsy and tumors. We then explore the concept of within cell-type diversity and its loss (i.e., "neural homogenization"). We introduce neural homogenization to help reconcile the epileptogenicity of seemingly "normal" human cortical cells and circuits. We propose that there should be continued efforts to study cortical tissue from epilepsy patients in the quest to understand what makes human cell-types "human".
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Affiliation(s)
- Homeira Moradi Chameh
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Madeleine Falby
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mandana Movahed
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keon Arbabi
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Scott Rich
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Liang Zhang
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jérémie Lefebvre
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shreejoy J. Tripathy
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maurizio De Pittà
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Bilbao, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Taufik A. Valiante
- Division of Clinical and Computational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Center for Advancing Neurotechnological Innovation to Application (CRANIA), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Max Planck-University of Toronto Center for Neural Science and Technology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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12
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Chen H, Zheng K, Qiu M, Yang J. Preparation of astrocytes by directed differentiation of pluripotent stem cells and somatic cell transdifferentiation. Dev Neurobiol 2023; 83:282-292. [PMID: 37789524 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22929] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes (ACs) are the most widely distributed cells in the mammalian central nervous system, which are essential for the function and homeostasis of nervous system. Increasing evidence indicates that ACs also participate in the development of many neurological diseases and repair after nerve injury. ACs cultured in vitro provide a cellular model for studying astrocytic development, function, and the pathogenesis of associated diseases. The preparation of primary ACs (pACs) faces many limitations, so it is important to obtain high-quality ACs by the differentiation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC) or somatic cell transdifferentiation. Initially, researchers mainly tried to induce embryonic stem cells to differentiate into ACs via embryoid body (EB) and then turned to employ induced PSCs as seed cells to explore more simple and efficient directed differentiation strategies, and serum-free culture was delved to improve the quality of induced ACs. While exploring the induction of ACs by the overexpression of AC-specific transcription factors, researchers also began to investigate small molecule-mediated somatic cell transdifferentiation. Here, we provide an updated review on the research progresses in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangjie Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environment Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kang Zheng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environment Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengsheng Qiu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environment Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junlin Yang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environment Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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13
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Takahashi K, Ishibashi Y, Chujo K, Suzuki I, Sato K. Neuroprotective Potential of L-Glutamate Transporters in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells against Excitotoxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12605. [PMID: 37628787 PMCID: PMC10454411 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612605] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural cells have started to be used in safety/toxicity tests at the preclinical stage of drug development. As previously reported, hiPSC-derived neurons exhibit greater tolerance to excitotoxicity than those of primary cultures of rodent neurons; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We here investigated the functions of L-glutamate (L-Glu) transporters, the most important machinery to maintain low extracellular L-Glu concentrations, in hiPSC-derived neural cells. We also clarified the contribution of respective L-Glu transporter subtypes. At 63 days in vitro (DIV), we detected neuronal circuit functions in hiPSC-derived neural cells by a microelectrode array system (MEA). At 63 DIV, exposure to 100 μM L-Glu for 24 h did not affect the viability of neural cells. 100 µM L-Glu in the medium decreased to almost 0 μM in 60 min. Pharmacological inhibition of excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1) and EAAT2 suppressed almost 100% of L-Glu decrease. In the presence of this inhibitor, 100 μM L-Glu dramatically decreased cell viability. These results suggest that in hiPSC-derived neural cells, EAAT1 and EAAT2 are the predominant L-Glu transporters, and their uptake potentials are the reasons for the tolerance of hiPSC-derived neurons to excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Takahashi
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; (K.T.); (K.C.)
| | - Yuto Ishibashi
- Department of Electronics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku Institute of Technology, Miyagi 982-8577, Japan; (Y.I.); (I.S.)
| | - Kaori Chujo
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; (K.T.); (K.C.)
| | - Ikuro Suzuki
- Department of Electronics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku Institute of Technology, Miyagi 982-8577, Japan; (Y.I.); (I.S.)
| | - Kaoru Sato
- Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Division of Pharmacology, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki-city, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; (K.T.); (K.C.)
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14
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Jovanovic VM, Weber C, Slamecka J, Ryu S, Chu PH, Sen C, Inman J, De Sousa JF, Barnaeva E, Hirst M, Galbraith D, Ormanoglu P, Jethmalani Y, Mercado JC, Michael S, Ward ME, Simeonov A, Voss TC, Tristan CA, Singeç I. A defined roadmap of radial glia and astrocyte differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:1701-1720. [PMID: 37451260 PMCID: PMC10444578 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.06.007] [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: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Human gliogenesis remains poorly understood, and derivation of astrocytes from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is inefficient and cumbersome. Here, we report controlled glial differentiation from hPSCs that bypasses neurogenesis, which otherwise precedes astrogliogenesis during brain development and in vitro differentiation. hPSCs were first differentiated into radial glial cells (RGCs) resembling resident RGCs of the fetal telencephalon, and modulation of specific cell signaling pathways resulted in direct and stepwise induction of key astroglial markers (NFIA, NFIB, SOX9, CD44, S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]). Transcriptomic and genome-wide epigenetic mapping and single-cell analysis confirmed RGC-to-astrocyte differentiation, obviating neurogenesis and the gliogenic switch. Detailed molecular and cellular characterization experiments uncovered new mechanisms and markers for human RGCs and astrocytes. In summary, establishment of a glia-exclusive neural lineage progression model serves as a unique serum-free platform of manufacturing large numbers of RGCs and astrocytes for neuroscience, disease modeling (e.g., Alexander disease), and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vukasin M Jovanovic
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
| | - Claire Weber
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jaroslav Slamecka
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Seungmi Ryu
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Pei-Hsuan Chu
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Chaitali Sen
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jason Inman
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Juliana Ferreira De Sousa
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Elena Barnaeva
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | | | | | - Pinar Ormanoglu
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Yogita Jethmalani
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jennifer Colon Mercado
- Inherited Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sam Michael
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Michael E Ward
- Inherited Neurodegenerative Disease Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Ty C Voss
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Carlos A Tristan
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Ilyas Singeç
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Division of Preclinical Innovation, Stem Cell Translation Laboratory (SCTL), National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
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15
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Yeon GB, Jeon BM, Yoo SH, Kim D, Oh SS, Park S, Shin WH, Kim HW, Na D, Kim DW, Kim DS. Differentiation of astrocytes with characteristics of ventral midbrain from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:1890-1906. [PMID: 37067644 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10536-y] [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] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Molecular and functional diversity among region-specific astrocytes is of great interest in basic neuroscience and the study of neurological diseases. In this study, we present the generation and characterization of astrocytes from human embryonic stem cells with the characteristics of the ventral midbrain (VM). Fine modulation of WNT and SHH signaling during neural differentiation induced neural precursor cells (NPCs) with high expression of EN1 and NKX6.1, but less expression of FOXA2. Overexpression of nuclear factor IB in NPCs induced astrocytes, thereby maintaining the expression of region-specific genes acquired in the NPC stage. When cocultured with dopaminergic (DA) precursors or DA neurons, astrocytes with VM characteristics (VM-iASTs) promoted the differentiation and survival of DA neurons better than those that were not regionally specified. Transcriptomic analysis showed that VM-iASTs were more closely related to human primary midbrain astrocytes than to cortical astrocytes, and revealed the upregulation of WNT1 and WNT5A, which supports their VM identity and explains their superior activity in DA neurons. Taken together, we hope that VM-iASTs can serve to improve ongoing DA precursor transplantation for Parkinson's disease, and that their transcriptomic data provide a valuable resource for investigating regional diversity in human astrocyte populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyu-Bum Yeon
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-Min Jeon
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Hyun Yoo
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyun Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Soo Oh
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyun Park
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ho Shin
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 141 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Wook Kim
- Department of Bio-Integrated Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-Ro, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul, 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Dokyun Na
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Program for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Severance Biomedical Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dae-Sung Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro Hospital, 97 Gurodong-Gil, Guro-Gu, Seoul, 08308, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Lindblad C, Neumann S, Kolbeinsdóttir S, Zachariadis V, Thelin EP, Enge M, Thams S, Brundin L, Svensson M. Stem cell-derived brainstem mouse astrocytes obtain a neurotoxic phenotype in vitro upon neuroinflammation. J Inflamm (Lond) 2023; 20:22. [PMID: 37370141 DOI: 10.1186/s12950-023-00349-8] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astrocytes respond to injury and disease through a process known as reactive astrogliosis, of which inflammatory signaling is one subset. This inflammatory response is heterogeneous with respect to the inductive stimuli and the afflicted central nervous system region. This is of plausible importance in e.g. traumatic axonal injury (TAI), where lesions in the brainstem carries a particularly poor prognosis. In fact, astrogliotic forebrain astrocytes were recently suggested to cause neuronal death following axotomy. We therefore sought to assess if ventral brainstem- or rostroventral spinal astrocytes exert similar effects on motor neurons in vitro. METHODS We derived brainstem/rostroventral spinal astrocyte-like cells (ES-astrocytes) and motor neurons using directed differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ES). We activated the ES-astrocytes using the neurotoxicity-eliciting cytokines interleukin- (IL-) 1α and tumor necrosis factor-(TNF-)α and clinically relevant inflammatory mediators. In co-cultures with reactive ES-astrocytes and motor neurons, we assessed neurotoxic ES-astrocyte activity, similarly to what has previously been shown for other central nervous system (CNS) regions. RESULTS We confirmed the brainstem/rostroventral ES-astrocyte identity using RNA-sequencing, immunocytochemistry, and by comparison with primary subventricular zone-astrocytes. Following cytokine stimulation, the c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway down-stream product phosphorylated c-Jun was increased, thus demonstrating ES-astrocyte reactivity. These reactive ES-astrocytes conferred a contact-dependent neurotoxic effect upon co-culture with motor neurons. When exposed to IL-1β and IL-6, two neuroinflammatory cytokines found in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum proteome following human severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), ES-astrocytes exerted similar effects on motor neurons. Activation of ES-astrocytes by these cytokines was associated with pathways relating to endoplasmic reticulum stress and altered regulation of MYC. CONCLUSIONS Ventral brainstem and rostroventral spinal cord astrocytes differentiated from mouse ES can exert neurotoxic effects in vitro. This highlights how neuroinflammation following CNS lesions can exert region- and cell-specific effects. Our in vitro model system, which uniquely portrays astrocytes and neurons from one niche, allows for a detailed and translationally relevant model system for future studies on how to improve neuronal survival in particularly vulnerable CNS regions following e.g. TAI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Lindblad
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Susanne Neumann
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | - Eric P Thelin
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Enge
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Thams
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lou Brundin
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikael Svensson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, J5:20 Svensson Group, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna, SE-171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurosurgery, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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17
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Yan YW, Qian ES, Woodard LE, Bejoy J. Neural lineage differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells: Advances in disease modeling. World J Stem Cells 2023; 15:530-547. [PMID: 37424945 PMCID: PMC10324500 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v15.i6.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain diseases affect 1 in 6 people worldwide. These diseases range from acute neurological conditions such as stroke to chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Recent advancements in tissue-engineered brain disease models have overcome many of the different shortcomings associated with the various animal models, tissue culture models, and epidemiologic patient data that are commonly used to study brain disease. One innovative method by which to model human neurological disease is via the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to neural lineages including neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Three-dimensional models such as brain organoids have also been derived from hPSCs, offering more physiological relevance due to their incorporation of various cell types. As such, brain organoids can better model the pathophysiology of neural diseases observed in patients. In this review, we will emphasize recent developments in hPSC-based tissue culture models of neurological disorders and how they are being used to create neural disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Wei Yan
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, United States
| | - Eddie S Qian
- Nephrology and Hypertension, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Lauren E Woodard
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Julie Bejoy
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
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18
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Grochowska MM, Ferraro F, Mascaro AC, Natale D, Winkelaar A, Boumeester V, Breedveld GJ, Bonifati V, Mandemakers W. deCLUTTER2+ - a pipeline to analyze calcium traces in a stem cell model for ventral midbrain patterned astrocytes. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm049980. [PMID: 37260295 PMCID: PMC10309582 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049980] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are the most populous cell type of the human central nervous system and are essential for physiological brain function. Increasing evidence suggests multiple roles for astrocytes in Parkinson's disease, nudging a shift in the research focus, which historically pivoted around ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons (vmDANs). Studying human astrocytes and other cell types in vivo remains challenging. However, in vitro-reprogrammed human stem cell-based models provide a promising alternative. Here, we describe a novel protocol for astrocyte differentiation from human stem cell-derived vmDAN-generating progenitors. This protocol simulates the regionalization, gliogenic switch, radial migration and final differentiation that occur in the developing human brain. We characterized the morphological, molecular and functional features of these ventral midbrain patterned astrocytes with a broad palette of techniques and identified novel candidate midbrain-astrocyte specific markers. In addition, we developed a new pipeline for calcium imaging data analysis called deCLUTTER2+ (deconvolution of Ca2+ fluorescent patterns) that can be used to discover spontaneous or cue-dependent patterns of Ca2+ transients. Altogether, our protocol enables the characterization of the functional properties of human ventral midbrain patterned astrocytes under physiological conditions and in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna M. Grochowska
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Federico Ferraro
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ana Carreras Mascaro
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Domenico Natale
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Amber Winkelaar
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Valerie Boumeester
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Guido J. Breedveld
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Bonifati
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wim Mandemakers
- Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Clinical Genetics, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
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19
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Watson LA, Meharena HS. From neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration: utilizing human stem cell models to gain insight into Down syndrome. Front Genet 2023; 14:1198129. [PMID: 37323671 PMCID: PMC10267712 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1198129] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), caused by triplication of chromosome 21, is the most frequent aneuploidy observed in the human population and represents the most common genetic form of intellectual disability and early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals with DS exhibit a wide spectrum of clinical presentation, with a number of organs implicated including the neurological, immune, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and gastrointestinal systems. Decades of DS research have illuminated our understanding of the disorder, however many of the features that limit quality of life and independence of individuals with DS, including intellectual disability and early-onset dementia, remain poorly understood. This lack of knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to neurological features of DS has caused significant roadblocks in developing effective therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life for individuals with DS. Recent technological advances in human stem cell culture methods, genome editing approaches, and single-cell transcriptomics have provided paradigm-shifting insights into complex neurological diseases such as DS. Here, we review novel neurological disease modeling approaches, how they have been used to study DS, and what questions might be addressed in the future using these innovative tools.
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20
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Temple S. Advancing cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:512-529. [PMID: 37084729 PMCID: PMC10201979 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based therapies are being developed for various neurodegenerative diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Concomitantly, the roles of individual cell types in neurodegenerative pathology are being uncovered by genetic and single-cell studies. With a greater understanding of cellular contributions to health and disease and with the arrival of promising approaches to modulate them, effective therapeutic cell products are now emerging. This review examines how the ability to generate diverse CNS cell types from stem cells, along with a deeper understanding of cell-type-specific functions and pathology, is advancing preclinical development of cell products for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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21
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Gramatiuk SM, Ivanova YV, Hudyma AA, Sargsyan K, Kryvoruchko IA, Puliaieva IS. Differentiation of neurosphere after transplantation into the damaged spinal cord. J Med Life 2023; 16:689-698. [PMID: 37520471 PMCID: PMC10375341 DOI: 10.25122/jml-2022-0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the differentiation and survival of human neural stem/progenitor cells of various origins in vitro and after transplantation into the injured spinal cord of laboratory animals. Rats with simulated spinal cord injury were transplanted with neurosphere cells obtained by directed differentiation of HUES6 cell lines. Fluorescence microscopy was used to visualize the obtained results. HUES6#1 and iPSC#1 neurospheres showed a wide range of markers associated with glial differentiation. The expression of the proliferation marker Ki67 did not exceed 25%, both in the lines of early and late neurospheres. Although neurospheres did not fully differentiate into astrocytes in vitro, they massively approached the GFAP+ astrocyte phenotype when exposed to the transplanted environment. PSC-derived neurospheres transplanted into the site of SM injury without additional growth factors showed only moderate survival, a significant degree of differentiation into astrocytes, and moderate differentiation into neurons. The difference in the survival and differentiation of HUES6#1 and iPSC#1 neurospheres, both in vitro and in vivo, can be explained by the difference in the regulatory behavior of signaling molecules corresponding to the source of origin of PSCs. Derivatives of human PSCs of various origins obtained according to the described differentiation protocol did not mature into astrocytic populations, nor did the glycogenic transition of PSC-derived NSCs occur in vitro. The study demonstrated the impact of the injured spinal cord microenvironment on the differentiation of transplanted HUES6#1 and iPSC#1 into astrocytes. The results showed that HUES6-derived neurospheres generated 90% of GFAP+ astrocytes and 5-10% of early neurons, while iPSC-derived neurospheres generated an average of 74% GFAP+ astrocytes and 5% of early neurons in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Mykolaiivna Gramatiuk
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bio-Stem Cell Rehabilitation of the Ukrainian Association of Biobanks, Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Department of Biotechnology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- International Biobanking and Education, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Yulia Viktorovna Ivanova
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bio-Stem Cell Rehabilitation of the Ukrainian Association of Biobanks, Kharkiv, Ukraine
- Department of Surgery No.1, Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Arsen Arsenievich Hudyma
- Emergency Medical Care, Ternopil National Medical University named after I. Ya. Gorbachevsky, Ternopil, Ukraine
| | - Karine Sargsyan
- International Biobanking and Education, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Medical Genetics, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | - Inna Sergeevna Puliaieva
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bio-Stem Cell Rehabilitation of the Ukrainian Association of Biobanks, Kharkiv, Ukraine
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22
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Battistella I, Cutarelli A, Zasso J, Clerici M, Sala C, Marcatili M, Conti L. Cortical Astrocyte Progenitors and Astrocytes from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Pers Med 2023; 13:jpm13030538. [PMID: 36983719 PMCID: PMC10051695 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13030538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes coordinate several homeostatic processes of the central nervous system and play essential roles for normal brain development and response to disease conditions. Protocols for the conversion of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into mature astrocytes have opened to the generation of in vitro systems to explore astrocytes’ functions in living human cell contexts and patient-specific settings. In this study, we present an optimized monolayer procedure to commit hiPSC-derived cortical progenitors into enriched populations of cortical astrocyte progenitor cells (CX APCs) that can be further amplified and efficiently differentiated into mature astrocytes. Our optimized system provides a valid tool to explore the role of these cells in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases, opening it up to applications in drug development and biomarkers discovery/validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Battistella
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cutarelli
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Jacopo Zasso
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Massimo Clerici
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
- Department of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Carlo Sala
- National Research Council Neuroscience Institute, 20100 Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Marcatili
- Department of Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Luciano Conti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology-CIBIO, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0461-285216
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23
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Khamis ZI, Sarker DB, Xue Y, Al-Akkary N, James VD, Zeng C, Li Y, Sang QXA. Modeling Human Brain Tumors and the Microenvironment Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041253. [PMID: 36831595 PMCID: PMC9954701 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041253] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain cancer is a group of diverse and rapidly growing malignancies that originate in the central nervous system (CNS) and have a poor prognosis. The complexity of brain structure and function makes brain cancer modeling extremely difficult, limiting pathological studies and therapeutic developments. Advancements in human pluripotent stem cell technology have opened a window of opportunity for brain cancer modeling, providing a wealth of customizable methods to simulate the disease in vitro. This is achieved with the advent of genome editing and genetic engineering technologies that can simulate germline and somatic mutations found in human brain tumors. This review investigates induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based approaches to model human brain cancer. The applications of iPSCs as renewable sources of individual brain cell types, brain organoids, blood-brain barrier (BBB), and brain tumor models are discussed. The brain tumor models reviewed are glioblastoma and medulloblastoma. The iPSC-derived isogenic cells and three-dimensional (3D) brain cancer organoids combined with patient-derived xenografts will enhance future compound screening and drug development for these deadly human brain cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahraa I. Khamis
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- High-Performance Materials Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences-I, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Drishty B. Sarker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Yu Xue
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Nancy Al-Akkary
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences-I, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Viviana D. James
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Changchun Zeng
- Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
- High-Performance Materials Institute, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32310, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Qing-Xiang Amy Sang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-850-644-8683; Fax: +1-850-644-8281
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24
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Rapino F, Natoli T, Limone F, O'Connor E, Blank J, Tegtmeyer M, Chen W, Norabuena E, Narula J, Hazelbaker D, Angelini G, Barrett L, O'Neil A, Beattie UK, Thanos JM, de Rivera H, Sheridan SD, Perlis RH, McCarroll SA, Stevens B, Subramanian A, Nehme R, Rubin LL. Small-molecule screen reveals pathways that regulate C4 secretion in stem cell-derived astrocytes. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:237-253. [PMID: 36563689 PMCID: PMC9860128 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the brain, the complement system plays a crucial role in the immune response and in synaptic elimination during normal development and disease. Here, we sought to identify pathways that modulate the production of complement component 4 (C4), recently associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. To design a disease-relevant assay, we first developed a rapid and robust 3D protocol capable of producing large numbers of astrocytes from pluripotent cells. Transcriptional profiling of these astrocytes confirmed the homogeneity of this population of dorsal fetal-like astrocytes. Using a novel ELISA-based small-molecule screen, we identified epigenetic regulators, as well as inhibitors of intracellular signaling pathways, able to modulate C4 secretion from astrocytes. We then built a connectivity map to predict and validate additional key regulatory pathways, including one involving c-Jun-kinase. This work provides a foundation for developing therapies for CNS diseases involving the complement cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Rapino
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Ted Natoli
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Francesco Limone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Leiden University Medical Center, LUMC, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Erin O'Connor
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jack Blank
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Matthew Tegtmeyer
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - William Chen
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Erika Norabuena
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Juhi Narula
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Dane Hazelbaker
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gabriella Angelini
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Lindy Barrett
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Alison O'Neil
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ursula K Beattie
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Jessica M Thanos
- Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heather de Rivera
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven D Sheridan
- Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health, Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven A McCarroll
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Ralda Nehme
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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25
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Yang Z, Gong M, Yang C, Chen C, Zhang K. Applications of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Glia in Brain Disease Research and Treatment. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2023; 281:103-140. [PMID: 37735301 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_697] [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: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Glia are integral components of neural networks and are crucial in both physiological functions and pathological processes of the brain. Many brain diseases involve glial abnormalities, including inflammatory changes, mitochondrial damage, calcium signaling disturbance, hemichannel opening, and loss of glutamate transporters. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived glia provide opportunities to study the contributions of glia in human brain diseases. These cells have been used for human disease modeling as well as generating new therapies. This chapter introduces glial involvement in brain diseases, then summarizes different methods of generating iPSC-derived glia disease models of these cells. Finally, strategies for treating disease using iPSC-derived glia are discussed. The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview and shed light on the applications of iPSC-derived glia in brain disease research and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqi Yang
- Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Mingyue Gong
- Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chuanyan Yang
- Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunhai Chen
- Department of Occupational Health, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Kuan Zhang
- Brain Research Center and State Key Laboratory of Trauma and Chemical Poisoning, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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26
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Carmichael ST, Llorente IL. The Ties That Bind: Glial Transplantation in White Matter Ischemia and Vascular Dementia. Neurotherapeutics 2023; 20:39-47. [PMID: 36357662 PMCID: PMC10119342 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01322-8] [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] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
White matter injury is a progressive vascular disease that leads to neurological deficits and vascular dementia. It comprises up to 30% of all diagnosed strokes, though up to ten times as many events go undiagnosed in early stages. There are several pathologies that can lead to white matter injury. While some studies suggest that white matter injury starts as small infarcts in deep penetrating blood vessels in the brain, others point to the breakdown of endothelial function or the blood-brain barrier as the primary cause of the disease. Whether due to local endothelial or BBB dysfunction, or to local small infarcts (or a combination), white matter injury progresses, accumulates, and expands from preexisting lesions into adjacent white matter to produce motor and cognitive deficits that present as vascular dementia in the elderly. Vascular dementia is the second leading cause of dementia, and white matter injury-attributed vascular dementia represents 40% of all diagnosed dementias and aggravates Alzheimer's pathology. Despite the advances in the last 15 years, there are few animal models of progressive subcortical white matter injury or vascular dementia. This review will discuss recent progress in animal modeling of white matter injury and the emerging principles to enhance glial function as a means of promoting repair and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Thomas Carmichael
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 635 Charles E Young Drive South, NRB 407, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Irene L Llorente
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, 3801 Miranda Ave, 94304, Palo alto, USA.
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27
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Limone F, Klim JR, Mordes DA. Pluripotent stem cell strategies for rebuilding the human brain. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1017299. [PMID: 36408113 PMCID: PMC9667068 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1017299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders have been extremely challenging to treat with traditional drug-based approaches and curative therapies are lacking. Given continued progress in stem cell technologies, cell replacement strategies have emerged as concrete and potentially viable therapeutic options. In this review, we cover advances in methods used to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into several highly specialized types of neurons, including cholinergic, dopaminergic, and motor neurons, and the potential clinical applications of stem cell-derived neurons for common neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, ataxia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Additionally, we summarize cellular differentiation techniques for generating glial cell populations, including oligodendrocytes and microglia, and their conceivable translational roles in supporting neural function. Clinical trials of specific cell replacement therapies in the nervous system are already underway, and several attractive avenues in regenerative medicine warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Limone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, United States,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States,Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Joseph R. Klim
- Faze Medicines, Cambridge, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Joseph R. Klim,
| | - Daniel A. Mordes
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States,Daniel A. Mordes,
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28
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Välimäki NN, Bakreen A, Häkli S, Dhungana H, Keuters MH, Dunlop Y, Koskuvi M, Keksa-Goldsteine V, Oksanen M, Jäntti H, Lehtonen Š, Malm T, Koistinaho J, Jolkkonen J. Astrocyte Progenitors Derived From Patients With Alzheimer Disease Do Not Impair Stroke Recovery in Mice. Stroke 2022; 53:3192-3201. [DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.039700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Species-specific differences in astrocytes and their Alzheimer disease-associated pathology may influence cellular responses to other insults. Herein, human glial chimeric mice were generated to evaluate how Alzheimer disease predisposing genetic background in human astrocytes contributes to behavioral outcome and brain pathology after cortical photothrombotic ischemia.
METHODS:
Neonatal (P0) immunodeficient mice of both sexes were transplanted with induced pluripotent stem cell–derived astrocyte progenitors from Alzheimer disease patients carrying
PSEN1
exon 9 deletion (
P
SEN1
Δ
E
9), with isogenic controls, with cells from a healthy donor, or with mouse astrocytes or vehicle. After 14 months, a photothrombotic lesion was produced with Rose Bengal in the motor cortex. Behavior was assessed before ischemia and 1 and 4 weeks after the induction of stroke, followed by tissue perfusion for histology.
RESULTS:
Open field, cylinder, and grid-walking tests showed a persistent locomotor and sensorimotor impairment after ischemia and female mice had larger infarct sizes; yet, these were not affected by astrocytes with
P
SEN1
Δ
E
9 background. Staining for human nuclear antigen confirmed that human cells successfully engrafted throughout the mouse brain. However, only a small number of human cells were positive for astrocytic marker GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein), mostly located in the corpus callosum and retaining complex human-specific morphology with longer processes compared with host counterparts. While host astrocytes formed the glial scar, human astrocytes were scattered in small numbers close to the lesion boundary. Aβ (beta-amyloid) deposits were not present in
P
SEN1
ΔE
9 astrocyte-transplanted mice.
CONCLUSIONS:
Transplanted human cells survived and distributed widely in the host brain but had no impact on severity of ischemic damage after cortical photothrombosis in chimeric mice. Only a small number of transplanted human astrocytes acquired GFAP-positive glial phenotype or migrated toward the ischemic lesion forming glial scar.
P
SEN1
ΔE
9 astrocytes did not impair behavioral recovery after experimental stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelli-Noora Välimäki
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Abdulhameed Bakreen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Sara Häkli
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Hiramani Dhungana
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Meike H. Keuters
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Yannick Dunlop
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Marja Koskuvi
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Velta Keksa-Goldsteine
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Minna Oksanen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Henna Jäntti
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Šárka Lehtonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Tarja Malm
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
| | - Jari Koistinaho
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland (H.D., M.H.K., M.K., Š.L., J.K.)
| | - Jukka Jolkkonen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (N.-N.V., A.B., S.H., H.D., M.H.K., Y.D., M.K., V.K.-G., M.O., H.J., Š.L., T.M., J.K., J.J.)
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The Cell Autonomous and Non-Cell Autonomous Aspects of Neuronal Vulnerability and Resilience in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081191. [PMID: 36009818 PMCID: PMC9405388 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by a progressive paralysis due to the loss of particular neurons in our nervous system called motor neurons, that exert voluntary control of all our skeletal muscles. It is not entirely understood why motor neurons are particularly vulnerable in ALS, neither is it completely clear why certain groups of motor neurons, including those that regulate eye movement, are rather resilient to this disease. However, both vulnerability and resilience to ALS likely reflect cell intrinsic properties of different motor neuron subpopulations as well as non-cell autonomous events regulated by surrounding cell types. In this review we dissect the particular properties of different motor neuron types and their responses to disease that may underlie their respective vulnerabilities and resilience. Disease progression in ALS involves multiple cell types that are closely connected to motor neurons and we here also discuss their contributions to the differential vulnerability of motor neurons. Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is defined by the loss of upper motor neurons (MNs) that project from the cerebral cortex to the brain stem and spinal cord and of lower MNs in the brain stem and spinal cord which innervate skeletal muscles, leading to spasticity, muscle atrophy, and paralysis. ALS involves several disease stages, and multiple cell types show dysfunction and play important roles during distinct phases of disease initiation and progression, subsequently leading to selective MN loss. Why MNs are particularly vulnerable in this lethal disease is still not entirely clear. Neither is it fully understood why certain MNs are more resilient to degeneration in ALS than others. Brain stem MNs of cranial nerves III, IV, and VI, which innervate our eye muscles, are highly resistant and persist until the end-stage of the disease, enabling paralyzed patients to communicate through ocular tracking devices. MNs of the Onuf’s nucleus in the sacral spinal cord, that innervate sphincter muscles and control urogenital functions, are also spared throughout the disease. There is also a differential vulnerability among MNs that are intermingled throughout the spinal cord, that directly relate to their physiological properties. Here, fast-twitch fatigable (FF) MNs, which innervate type IIb muscle fibers, are affected early, before onset of clinical symptoms, while slow-twitch (S) MNs, that innervate type I muscle fibers, remain longer throughout the disease progression. The resilience of particular MN subpopulations has been attributed to intrinsic determinants and multiple studies have demonstrated their unique gene regulation and protein content in health and in response to disease. Identified factors within resilient MNs have been utilized to protect more vulnerable cells. Selective vulnerability may also, in part, be driven by non-cell autonomous processes and the unique surroundings and constantly changing environment close to particular MN groups. In this article, we review in detail the cell intrinsic properties of resilient and vulnerable MN groups, as well as multiple additional cell types involved in disease initiation and progression and explain how these may contribute to the selective MN resilience and vulnerability in ALS.
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Munderere R, Kim SH, Kim C, Park SH. The Progress of Stem Cell Therapy in Myocardial-Infarcted Heart Regeneration: Cell Sheet Technology. Tissue Eng Regen Med 2022; 19:969-986. [PMID: 35857259 DOI: 10.1007/s13770-022-00467-z] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Various tissues, including the heart, cornea, bone, esophagus, bladder and liver, have been vascularized using the cell sheet technique. It overcomes the limitations of existing techniques by allowing small layers of the cell sheet to generate capillaries on their own, and it can also be used to vascularize tissue-engineered transplants. Cell sheets eliminate the need for traditional tissue engineering procedures such as isolated cell injections and scaffold-based technologies, which have limited applicability. While cell sheet engineering can eliminate many of the drawbacks, there are still a few challenges that need to be addressed. The number of cell sheets that can be layered without triggering core ischemia or hypoxia is limited. Even when scaffold-based technologies are disregarded, strategies to tackle this problem remain a substantial impediment to the efficient regeneration of thick, living three-dimensional cell sheets. In this review, we summarize the cell sheet technology in myocardial infarcted tissue regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raissa Munderere
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,The Center for Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology (BK21 PLUS), Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Hwa Kim
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,The Center for Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology (BK21 PLUS), Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Changsu Kim
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hyug Park
- Industry 4.0 Convergence Bionics Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea. .,The Center for Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology (BK21 PLUS), Pukyong National University, Busan, Republic of Korea. .,Major of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Smart Healthcare, College of Information Technology and Convergence, Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
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31
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Simöes Da Gama C, Morin-Brureau M. Study of BBB Dysregulation in Neuropathogenicity Using Integrative Human Model of Blood-Brain Barrier. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:863836. [PMID: 35755780 PMCID: PMC9226644 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.863836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a cellular and physical barrier with a crucial role in homeostasis of the brain extracellular environment. It controls the imports of nutrients to the brain and exports toxins and pathogens. Dysregulation of the blood-brain barrier increases permeability and contributes to pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and ischemia. It remains unclear how a dysregulated BBB contributes to these different syndromes. Initial studies on the role of the BBB in neurological disorders and also techniques to permit the entry of therapeutic molecules were made in animals. This review examines progress in the use of human models of the BBB, more relevant to human neurological disorders. In recent years, the functionality and complexity of in vitro BBB models have increased. Initial efforts consisted of static transwell cultures of brain endothelial cells. Human cell models based on microfluidics or organoids derived from human-derived induced pluripotent stem cells have become more realistic and perform better. We consider the architecture of different model generations as well as the cell types used in their fabrication. Finally, we discuss optimal models to study neurodegenerative diseases, brain glioma, epilepsies, transmigration of peripheral immune cells, and brain entry of neurotrophic viruses and metastatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraly Simöes Da Gama
- Inserm, Sorbonne University, UMRS 938 Saint-Antoine Research Center, Immune System and Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Morin-Brureau
- Inserm, Sorbonne University, UMRS 938 Saint-Antoine Research Center, Immune System and Neuroinflammation Laboratory, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
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32
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Legault EM, Bouquety J, Drouin-Ouellet J. Disease Modeling of Neurodegenerative Disorders Using Direct Neural Reprogramming. Cell Reprogram 2022; 24:228-251. [PMID: 35749150 DOI: 10.1089/cell.2021.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the pathophysiology of CNS-associated neurological diseases has been hampered by the inaccessibility of patient brain tissue to perform live analyses at the molecular level. To this end, neural cells obtained by differentiation of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are considerably helpful, especially in the context of monogenic-based disorders. More recently, the use of direct reprogramming to convert somatic cells to neural cells has emerged as an alternative to iPSCs to generate neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. This review focuses on the different studies that used direct neural reprogramming to study disease-associated phenotypes in the context of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julie Bouquety
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
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Wilson H, de Natale ER, Politis M. Concise Review: Recent advances in neuroimaging techniques to assist clinical trials on cell-based therapies in neurodegenerative diseases. Stem Cells 2022; 40:724-735. [PMID: 35671344 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac039] [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: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), are progressive disorders for which a curative therapy is still lacking. Cell-based therapy aims at replacing dysfunctional cellular populations by repairing damaged tissue and by enriching the microenvironment of selective brain areas, and thus constitutes a promising disease-modifying treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Scientific research has engineered a wide range of human-derived cellular populations to help overcome some of the logistical, safety, and ethical issues associated with this approach. Open-label studies and clinical trials in human participants have employed neuroimaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to assess the success of the transplantation, to evaluate the functional integration of the implanted tissue into the host environment and to understand the pathophysiological changes associated with the therapy. Neuroimaging has constituted an outcome measure of large, randomized clinical trials, and has given answers to clarify the pathophysiology underlying some of the complications linked with this therapy. Novel PET radiotracers and MRI sequences for the staging of neurodegenerative diseases and to study alterations at molecular level significantly expands the translational potential of neuroimaging to assist pre-clinical and clinical research on cell-based therapy in these disorders. This concise review summarizes the current use of neuroimaging in human studies of cell-based replacement therapy and focuses on future application of PET and MRI techniques to evaluate the pathophysiology and treatment efficacy, as well as to aid patient selection and as an outcome measure to improve treatment success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Wilson
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, University of Exeter Medical School, London, UK
| | | | - Marios Politis
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, University of Exeter Medical School, London, UK
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Wang W, Su L, Wang Y, Li C, Ji F, Jiao J. Endothelial Cells Mediated by UCP2 Control the Neurogenic-to-Astrogenic Neural Stem Cells Fate Switch During Brain Development. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2022; 9:e2105208. [PMID: 35488517 PMCID: PMC9218656 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202105208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
During mammalian cortical development, neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) gradually alter their characteristics, and the timing of generation of neurons and glial cells is strictly regulated by internal and external factors. However, whether the blood vessels located near NSCs affect the neurogenic-to-gliogenic transition remain unknown. Here, it is demonstrated that endothelial uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) deletion reduces blood vessel diameter and affects the transition timing of neurogenesis and gliogenesis. Deletion of endothelial UCP2 results in a persistent increase in astrocyte production at the postnatal stage. Mechanistically, the endothelial UCP2/ROS/ERK1/2 pathway increases chymase-1 expression to enhance angiotensin II (AngII) secretion outside the brain endothelium. The endotheliocyte-driven AngII-gp130-JAK-STAT pathway also regulates gliogenesis initiation. Moreover, endothelial UCP2 knockdown decreases human neural precursor cell (hNPC) differentiation into neurons and accelerates hNPC differentiation into astrocytes. Altogether, this work provides mechanistic insights into how endothelial UCP2 regulates the neurogenic-to-gliogenic fate switch in the developing neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Science and Technology of ChinaHefei230026China
| | - Libo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Chenxiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Fen Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
| | - Jianwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive BiologyInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100049China
- Co‐Innovation Center of NeuroregenerationNantong UniversityNantong226001China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative MedicineInstitute for Stem Cell and RegenerationChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101China
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35
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Lattke M, Guillemot F. Understanding astrocyte differentiation: Clinical relevance, technical challenges, and new opportunities in the omics era. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1557. [PMID: 35546493 PMCID: PMC9539907 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes are a major type of glial cells that have essential functions in development and homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). Immature astrocytes in the developing CNS support neuronal maturation and possess neural-stem-cell-like properties. Mature astrocytes partially lose these functions but gain new functions essential for adult CNS homeostasis. In pathological conditions, astrocytes become "reactive", which disrupts their mature homeostatic functions and reactivates some immature astrocyte-like properties, suggesting a partial reversal of astrocyte maturation. The loss of homeostatic astrocyte functions contributes to the pathogenesis of various neurological conditions, and therefore activating maturation-promoting mechanisms may be a promising therapeutic strategy to restore homeostasis. Manipulating the mechanisms underlying astrocyte maturation might also allow to facilitate CNS regeneration by enhancing developmental functions of adult astrocytes. However, such therapeutic strategies are still some distance away because of our limited understanding of astrocyte differentiation and maturation, due to biological and technical challenges, including the high degree of similarity of astrocytes with neural stem cells and the shortcomings of astrocyte markers. Current advances in systems biology have a huge potential to overcome these challenges. Recent transcriptomic analyses have already revealed new astrocyte markers and new regulators of astrocyte differentiation. However, the epigenomic changes that presumably occur during astrocyte differentiation remain an important, largely unexplored area for future research. Emerging technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9-based functional screens will further improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying astrocyte differentiation. This may open up new clinical approaches to restore homeostasis in neurological disorders and/or promote CNS regeneration. This article is categorized under: Neurological Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Neurological Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lattke
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Francois Guillemot
- Neural Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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36
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Smethurst P, Franklin H, Clarke BE, Sidle K, Patani R. The role of astrocytes in prion-like mechanisms of neurodegeneration. Brain 2022; 145:17-26. [PMID: 35265969 PMCID: PMC8967097 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that neurodegenerative diseases are not merely neuronal in nature but comprise multicellular involvement, with astrocytes emerging as key players. The pathomechanisms of several neurodegenerative diseases involve the deposition of misfolded protein aggregates in neurons that have characteristic prion-like behaviours such as template-directed seeding, intercellular propagation, distinct conformational strains and protein-mediated toxicity. The role of astrocytes in dealing with these pathological prion-like protein aggregates and whether their responses either protect from or conspire with the disease process is currently unclear. Here we review the existing literature implicating astrocytes in multiple neurodegenerative proteinopathies with a focus on prion-like behaviour in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Smethurst
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Hannah Franklin
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Benjamin E Clarke
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Katie Sidle
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Katie Sidle E-mail:
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Correspondence to: Rickie Patani The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK E-mail:
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37
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Insights into Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030344. [PMID: 35327542 PMCID: PMC8945600 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Most neurodegenerative disorders have complex and still unresolved pathology characterized by progressive neuronal damage and death. Astrocytes, the most-abundant non-neuronal cell population in the central nervous system, play a vital role in these processes. They are involved in various functions in the brain, such as the regulation of synapse formation, neuroinflammation, and lactate and glutamate levels. The development of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reformed the research in neurodegenerative disorders allowing for the generation of disease-relevant neuronal and non-neuronal cell types that can help in disease modeling, drug screening, and, possibly, cell transplantation strategies. In the last 14 years, the differentiation of human iPSCs into astrocytes allowed for the opportunity to explore the contribution of astrocytes to neurodegenerative diseases. This review discusses the development protocols and applications of human iPSC-derived astrocytes in the most common neurodegenerative conditions.
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McCready FP, Gordillo-Sampedro S, Pradeepan K, Martinez-Trujillo J, Ellis J. Multielectrode Arrays for Functional Phenotyping of Neurons from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020316. [PMID: 35205182 PMCID: PMC8868577 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Multielectrode array technology allows researchers to record the spontaneous firing activity of cultured neurons over a period of multiple weeks or months. These data can be valuable for understanding how the functional relationships between neurons evolve as they begin to form connections and wire into a functional network. This technology has been adopted by researchers using stem cells to produce human neurons in culture to study neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the dizzying complexity and scale of the data generated have posed some challenges with the analysis and interpretation of experimental results. Here, we first provide historical context as to why multielectrode array platforms were originally developed, and use this perspective to explore some of the challenges currently facing the field. We then highlight new analysis methods, provide some guidance for improving the analysis of multielectrode array data, and discuss standardizing how these findings are communicated in scientific publications. Abstract In vitro multielectrode array (MEA) systems are increasingly used as higher-throughput platforms for functional phenotyping studies of neurons in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) disease models. While MEA systems generate large amounts of spatiotemporal activity data from networks of iPSC-derived neurons, the downstream analysis and interpretation of such high-dimensional data often pose a significant challenge to researchers. In this review, we examine how MEA technology is currently deployed in iPSC modeling studies of neurodevelopmental disorders. We first highlight the strengths of in vitro MEA technology by reviewing the history of its development and the original scientific questions MEAs were intended to answer. Methods of generating patient iPSC-derived neurons and astrocytes for MEA co-cultures are summarized. We then discuss challenges associated with MEA data analysis in a disease modeling context, and present novel computational methods used to better interpret network phenotyping data. We end by suggesting best practices for presenting MEA data in research publications, and propose that the creation of a public MEA data repository to enable collaborative data sharing would be of great benefit to the iPSC disease modeling community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fraser P. McCready
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (F.P.M.); (S.G.-S.)
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Sara Gordillo-Sampedro
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (F.P.M.); (S.G.-S.)
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Kartik Pradeepan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Robarts Research and Brain and Mind Institutes, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada; (K.P.); (J.M.-T.)
| | - Julio Martinez-Trujillo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Robarts Research and Brain and Mind Institutes, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada; (K.P.); (J.M.-T.)
| | - James Ellis
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (F.P.M.); (S.G.-S.)
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Cvetkovic C, Patel R, Shetty A, Hogan MK, Anderson M, Basu N, Aghlara-Fotovat S, Ramesh S, Sardar D, Veiseh O, Ward ME, Deneen B, Horner PJ, Krencik R. Assessing Gq-GPCR-induced human astrocyte reactivity using bioengineered neural organoids. J Cell Biol 2022; 221:212997. [PMID: 35139144 PMCID: PMC8842185 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202107135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte reactivity can directly modulate nervous system function and immune responses during disease and injury. However, the consequence of human astrocyte reactivity in response to specific contexts and within neural networks is obscure. Here, we devised a straightforward bioengineered neural organoid culture approach entailing transcription factor-driven direct differentiation of neurons and astrocytes from human pluripotent stem cells combined with genetically encoded tools for dual cell-selective activation. This strategy revealed that Gq-GPCR activation via chemogenetics in astrocytes promotes a rise in intracellular calcium followed by induction of immediate early genes and thrombospondin 1. However, astrocytes also undergo NF-κB nuclear translocation and secretion of inflammatory proteins, correlating with a decreased evoked firing rate of cocultured optogenetic neurons in suboptimal conditions, without overt neurotoxicity. Altogether, this study clarifies the intrinsic reactivity of human astrocytes in response to targeting GPCRs and delivers a bioengineered approach for organoid-based disease modeling and preclinical drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Cvetkovic
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | | | - Arya Shetty
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | - Matthew K Hogan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | - Morgan Anderson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | - Nupur Basu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | - Samira Aghlara-Fotovat
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX.,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX
| | | | | | - Omid Veiseh
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX
| | - Michael E Ward
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Philip J Horner
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
| | - Robert Krencik
- Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX
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Barak M, Fedorova V, Pospisilova V, Raska J, Vochyanova S, Sedmik J, Hribkova H, Klimova H, Vanova T, Bohaciakova D. Human iPSC-Derived Neural Models for Studying Alzheimer's Disease: from Neural Stem Cells to Cerebral Organoids. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:792-820. [PMID: 35107767 PMCID: PMC8930932 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10254-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
During the past two decades, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been widely used to study mechanisms of human neural development, disease modeling, and drug discovery in vitro. Especially in the field of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where this treatment is lacking, tremendous effort has been put into the investigation of molecular mechanisms behind this disease using induced pluripotent stem cell-based models. Numerous of these studies have found either novel regulatory mechanisms that could be exploited to develop relevant drugs for AD treatment or have already tested small molecules on in vitro cultures, directly demonstrating their effect on amelioration of AD-associated pathology. This review thus summarizes currently used differentiation strategies of induced pluripotent stem cells towards neuronal and glial cell types and cerebral organoids and their utilization in modeling AD and potential drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Barak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Fedorova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Pospisilova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Raska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Vochyanova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Sedmik
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Hribkova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Klimova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Vanova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dasa Bohaciakova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Bugiani M, Plug BC, Man JHK, Breur M, van der Knaap MS. Heterogeneity of white matter astrocytes in the human brain. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:159-177. [PMID: 34878591 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02391-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes regulate central nervous system development, maintain its homeostasis and orchestrate repair upon injury. Emerging evidence support functional specialization of astroglia, both between and within brain regions. Different subtypes of gray matter astrocytes have been identified, yet molecular and functional diversity of white matter astrocytes remains largely unexplored. Nonetheless, their important and diverse roles in maintaining white matter integrity and function are well recognized. Compelling evidence indicate that impairment of normal astrocytic function and their response to injury contribute to a wide variety of diseases, including white matter disorders. In this review, we highlight our current understanding of astrocyte heterogeneity in the white matter of the mammalian brain and how an interplay between developmental origins and local environmental cues contribute to astroglial diversification. In addition, we discuss whether, and if so, how, heterogeneous astrocytes could contribute to white matter function in health and disease and focus on the sparse human research data available. We highlight four leukodystrophies primarily due to astrocytic dysfunction, the so-called astrocytopathies. Insight into the role of astroglial heterogeneity in both healthy and diseased white matter may provide new avenues for therapies aimed at promoting repair and restoring normal white matter function.
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Modeling and Targeting Neuroglial Interactions with Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031684. [PMID: 35163606 PMCID: PMC8836094 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Generation of relevant and robust models for neurological disorders is of main importance for both target identification and drug discovery. The non-cell autonomous effects of glial cells on neurons have been described in a broad range of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, pointing to neuroglial interactions as novel alternative targets for therapeutics development. Interestingly, the recent breakthrough discovery of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has opened a new road for studying neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders “in a dish”. Here, we provide an overview of the generation and modeling of both neuronal and glial cells from human iPSCs and a brief synthesis of recent work investigating neuroglial interactions using hiPSCs in a pathophysiological context.
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Downregulated Calcium-Binding Protein S100A16 and HSP27 in Placenta-Derived Multipotent Cells Induce Functional Astrocyte Differentiation. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:839-852. [PMID: 35061207 PMCID: PMC8930865 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10319-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractLittle is known about genes that induce stem cells differentiation into astrocytes. We previously described that heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) downregulation is directly related to neural differentiation under chemical induction in placenta-derived multipotent stem cells (PDMCs). Using this neural differentiation cell model, we cross-compared transcriptomic and proteomic data and selected 26 candidate genes with the same expression trends in both omics analyses. Those genes were further compared with a transcriptomic database derived from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Eighteen out of 26 candidates showed opposite expression trends between our data and the AD database. The mRNA and protein expression levels of those candidates showed downregulation of HSP27, S100 calcium-binding protein A16 (S100A16) and two other genes in our neural differentiation cell model. Silencing these four genes with various combinations showed that co-silencing HSP27 and S100A16 has stronger effects than other combinations for astrocyte differentiation. The induced astrocyte showed typical astrocytic star-shape and developed with ramified, stringy and filamentous processes as well as differentiated endfoot structures. Also, some of them connected with each other and formed continuous network. Immunofluorescence quantification of various neural markers indicated that HSP27 and S100A16 downregulation mainly drive PDMCs differentiation into astrocytes. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscopic images showed the classical star-like shape morphology and co-expression of crucial astrocyte markers in induced astrocytes, while electrophysiology and Ca2+ influx examination further confirmed their functional characteristics. In conclusion, co-silencing of S100A16 and HSP27 without chemical induction leads to PDMCs differentiation into functional astrocytes.
Graphical abstract
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Youhanna S, Kemas AM, Preiss L, Zhou Y, Shen JX, Cakal SD, Paqualini FS, Goparaju SK, Shafagh RZ, Lind JU, Sellgren CM, Lauschke VM. Organotypic and Microphysiological Human Tissue Models for Drug Discovery and Development-Current State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives. Pharmacol Rev 2022; 74:141-206. [PMID: 35017176 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of successful drug development projects has been stagnant for decades despite major breakthroughs in chemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. Unreliable target identification and poor translatability of preclinical models have been identified as major causes of failure. To improve predictions of clinical efficacy and safety, interest has shifted to three-dimensional culture methods in which human cells can retain many physiologically and functionally relevant phenotypes for extended periods of time. Here, we review the state of the art of available organotypic culture techniques and critically review emerging models of human tissues with key importance for pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and toxicity. In addition, developments in bioprinting and microfluidic multiorgan cultures to emulate systemic drug disposition are summarized. We close by highlighting important trends regarding the fabrication of organotypic culture platforms and the choice of platform material to limit drug absorption and polymer leaching while supporting the phenotypic maintenance of cultured cells and allowing for scalable device fabrication. We conclude that organotypic and microphysiological human tissue models constitute promising systems to promote drug discovery and development by facilitating drug target identification and improving the preclinical evaluation of drug toxicity and pharmacokinetics. There is, however, a critical need for further validation, benchmarking, and consolidation efforts ideally conducted in intersectoral multicenter settings to accelerate acceptance of these novel models as reliable tools for translational pharmacology and toxicology. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Organotypic and microphysiological culture of human cells has emerged as a promising tool for preclinical drug discovery and development that might be able to narrow the translation gap. This review discusses recent technological and methodological advancements and the use of these systems for hit discovery and the evaluation of toxicity, clearance, and absorption of lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Youhanna
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Aurino M Kemas
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Lena Preiss
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Yitian Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Joanne X Shen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Selgin D Cakal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Francesco S Paqualini
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Sravan K Goparaju
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Reza Zandi Shafagh
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Johan Ulrik Lind
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Carl M Sellgren
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (S.Y., A.M.K., L.P., Y.Z., J.X.S., S.K.G., R.Z.S., C.M.S., V.M.L.); Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK), Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (L.P.); Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark (S.D.C., J.U.L.); Synthetic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (F.S.P.); Division of Micro- and Nanosystems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden (Z.S.); and Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart, Germany (V.M.L.)
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Giacomelli E, Vahsen BF, Calder EL, Xu Y, Scaber J, Gray E, Dafinca R, Talbot K, Studer L. Human stem cell models of neurodegeneration: From basic science of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to clinical translation. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:11-35. [PMID: 34995492 PMCID: PMC8785905 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive cell loss leading to disruption of the structure and function of the central nervous system. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was among the first of these disorders modeled in patient-specific iPSCs, and recent findings have translated into some of the earliest iPSC-inspired clinical trials. Focusing on ALS as an example, we evaluate the status of modeling neurodegenerative diseases using iPSCs, including methods for deriving and using disease-relevant neuronal and glial lineages. We further highlight the remaining challenges in exploiting the full potential of iPSC technology for understanding and potentially treating neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Giacomelli
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Björn F Vahsen
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yinyan Xu
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), CAMS Oxford Institute (COI), Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Jakub Scaber
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ruxandra Dafinca
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
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46
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases of Chinese Ministry of Education, the School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
- Wei Wang, Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China. Tel: +86-27-83663657, E-mail:
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47
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Hastings N, Kuan WL, Osborne A, Kotter MRN. Therapeutic Potential of Astrocyte Transplantation. Cell Transplant 2022; 31:9636897221105499. [PMID: 35770772 PMCID: PMC9251977 DOI: 10.1177/09636897221105499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell transplantation is an attractive treatment strategy for a variety of brain disorders, as it promises to replenish lost functions and rejuvenate the brain. In particular, transplantation of astrocytes has come into light recently as a therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); moreover, grafting of astrocytes also showed positive results in models of other conditions ranging from neurodegenerative diseases of older age to traumatic injury and stroke. Despite clear differences in etiology, disorders such as ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases, as well as traumatic injury and stroke, converge on a number of underlying astrocytic abnormalities, which include inflammatory changes, mitochondrial damage, calcium signaling disturbance, hemichannel opening, and loss of glutamate transporters. In this review, we examine these convergent pathways leading to astrocyte dysfunction, and explore the existing evidence for a therapeutic potential of transplantation of healthy astrocytes in various models. Existing literature presents a wide variety of methods to generate astrocytes, or relevant precursor cells, for subsequent transplantation, while described outcomes of this type of treatment also differ between studies. We take technical differences between methodologies into account to understand the variability of therapeutic benefits, or lack thereof, at a deeper level. We conclude by discussing some key requirements of an astrocyte graft that would be most suitable for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataly Hastings
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Wei-Li Kuan
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew Osborne
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mark R N Kotter
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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48
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Ziff OJ, Clarke BE, Taha DM, Crerar H, Luscombe NM, Patani R. Meta-analysis of human and mouse ALS astrocytes reveals multi-omic signatures of inflammatory reactive states. Genome Res 2022; 32:71-84. [PMID: 34963663 PMCID: PMC8744676 DOI: 10.1101/gr.275939.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Astrocytes contribute to motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but whether they adopt deleterious features consistent with inflammatory reactive states remains incompletely resolved. To identify inflammatory reactive features in ALS human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes, we examined transcriptomics, proteomics, and glutamate uptake in VCP-mutant astrocytes. We complemented this by examining other ALS mutations and models using a systematic meta-analysis of all publicly-available ALS astrocyte sequencing data, which included hiPSC-derived astrocytes carrying SOD1, C9orf72, and FUS gene mutations as well as mouse ALS astrocyte models with SOD1G93A mutation, Tardbp deletion, and Tmem259 (also known as membralin) deletion. ALS astrocytes were characterized by up-regulation of genes involved in the extracellular matrix, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and the immune response and down-regulation of synaptic integrity, glutamate uptake, and other neuronal support processes. We identify activation of the TGFB, Wnt, and hypoxia signaling pathways in both hiPSC and mouse ALS astrocytes. ALS changes positively correlate with TNF, IL1A, and complement pathway component C1q-treated inflammatory reactive astrocytes, with significant overlap of differentially expressed genes. By contrasting ALS changes with models of protective reactive astrocytes, including middle cerebral artery occlusion and spinal cord injury, we uncover a cluster of genes changing in opposing directions, which may represent down-regulated homeostatic genes and up-regulated deleterious genes in ALS astrocytes. These observations indicate that ALS astrocytes augment inflammatory processes while concomitantly suppressing neuronal supporting mechanisms, thus resembling inflammatory reactive states and offering potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Ziff
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin E Clarke
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Doaa M Taha
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt
| | - Hamish Crerar
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas M Luscombe
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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49
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Lanciotti A, Brignone MS, Macioce P, Visentin S, Ambrosini E. Human iPSC-Derived Astrocytes: A Powerful Tool to Study Primary Astrocyte Dysfunction in the Pathogenesis of Rare Leukodystrophies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010274. [PMID: 35008700 PMCID: PMC8745131 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are very versatile cells, endowed with multitasking capacities to ensure brain homeostasis maintenance from brain development to adult life. It has become increasingly evident that astrocytes play a central role in many central nervous system pathologies, not only as regulators of defensive responses against brain insults but also as primary culprits of the disease onset and progression. This is particularly evident in some rare leukodystrophies (LDs) where white matter/myelin deterioration is due to primary astrocyte dysfunctions. Understanding the molecular defects causing these LDs may help clarify astrocyte contribution to myelin formation/maintenance and favor the identification of possible therapeutic targets for LDs and other CNS demyelinating diseases. To date, the pathogenic mechanisms of these LDs are poorly known due to the rarity of the pathological tissue and the failure of the animal models to fully recapitulate the human diseases. Thus, the development of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) from patient fibroblasts and their differentiation into astrocytes is a promising approach to overcome these issues. In this review, we discuss the primary role of astrocytes in LD pathogenesis, the experimental models currently available and the advantages, future evolutions, perspectives, and limitations of hiPSC to study pathologies implying astrocyte dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Lanciotti
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Maria Stefania Brignone
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Pompeo Macioce
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
| | - Sergio Visentin
- National Center for Research and Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation of Drugs, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy;
| | - Elena Ambrosini
- Department of Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00169 Rome, Italy; (A.L.); (M.S.B.); (P.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-064-990-2037
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Muzzi L, Di Lisa D, Arnaldi P, Aprile D, Pastorino L, Martinoia S, Frega M. Rapid generation of functional engineered 3D human neuronal assemblies: network dynamics evaluated by micro-electrodes arrays. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34844234 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac3e02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Objective.In this work we adapted a protocol for the fast generation of human neurons to build 3D neuronal networks with controlled structure and cell composition suitable for systematic electrophysiological investigations.Approach.We used biocompatible chitosan microbeads as scaffold to build 3D networks and to ensure nutrients-medium exchange from the core of the structure to the external environment. We used excitatory neurons derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) co-cultured with astrocytes. By adapting the well-established NgN2 differentiation protocol, we obtained 3D engineered networks with good control over cell density, volume and cell composition. We coupled the 3D neuronal networks to 60-channel micro electrode arrays (MEAs) to monitor and characterize their electrophysiological development. In parallel, we generated two-dimensional neuronal networks cultured on chitosan to compare the results of the two models.Main results.We sustained samples until 60 din vitro(DIV) and 3D cultures were healthy and functional. From the structural point of view, the hiPSC derived neurons were able to adhere to chitosan microbeads and to form a stable 3D assembly thanks to the connections among cells. From a functional point of view, neuronal networks showed spontaneous activity after a couple of weeks.Significance.We presented a particular method to generate 3D engineered cultures for the first time with human-derived neurons coupled to MEAs, overcoming some of the limitations related to 2D and 3D neuronal networks and thus increasing the therapeutic target potential of these models for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Muzzi
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - D Di Lisa
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - P Arnaldi
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - D Aprile
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - L Pastorino
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - S Martinoia
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - M Frega
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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