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Yang M, Liu M, Sánchez YF, Avazzadeh S, Quinlan LR, Liu G, Lu Y, Yang G, O'Brien T, Henshall DC, Hardiman O, Shen S. A novel protocol to derive cervical motor neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:1870-1883. [PMID: 37595581 PMCID: PMC10545486 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.07.004] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is the majority of ALS, and the lack of appropriate disease models has hindered its research. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology now permits derivation of iPSCs from somatic cells of sALS patients to investigate disease phenotypes and mechanisms. Most existing differentiation protocols are time-consuming or low efficient in generating motor neurons (MNs). Here we report a rapid and simple protocol to differentiate MNs in monolayer culture using small molecules, which led to nearly pure neural stem cells in 6 days, robust OLIG2+ pMNs (73%-91%) in 12 days, enriched CHAT+ cervical spinal MNs (sMNs) (88%-97%) in 18 days, and functionally mature sMNs in 28 days. This simple and reproducible protocol permitted the identification of hyperexcitability phenotypes in our sALS iPSC-derived sMNs, and its application in neurodegenerative diseases should facilitate in vitro disease modeling, drug screening, and the development of cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meimei Yang
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland; FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Min Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
| | - Yajaira Feller Sánchez
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Sahar Avazzadeh
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Leo R Quinlan
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cardiac Injury Repair Mechanism Study, Hebei Key Laboratory of Heart and Metabolism, Hebei Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Medical Clinical Application, Hebei International Joint Research Center for Structural Heart Disease, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yin Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Guangming Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Timothy O'Brien
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland
| | - David C Henshall
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Orla Hardiman
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland; FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland.
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Andersen J, Thom N, Shadrach JL, Chen X, Onesto MM, Amin ND, Yoon SJ, Li L, Greenleaf WJ, Müller F, Pașca AM, Kaltschmidt JA, Pașca SP. Single-cell transcriptomic landscape of the developing human spinal cord. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:902-914. [PMID: 37095394 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01311-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding spinal cord assembly is essential to elucidate how motor behavior is controlled and how disorders arise. The human spinal cord is exquisitely organized, and this complex organization contributes to the diversity and intricacy of motor behavior and sensory processing. But how this complexity arises at the cellular level in the human spinal cord remains unknown. Here we transcriptomically profiled the midgestation human spinal cord with single-cell resolution and discovered remarkable heterogeneity across and within cell types. Glia displayed diversity related to positional identity along the dorso-ventral and rostro-caudal axes, while astrocytes with specialized transcriptional programs mapped into white and gray matter subtypes. Motor neurons clustered at this stage into groups suggestive of alpha and gamma neurons. We also integrated our data with multiple existing datasets of the developing human spinal cord spanning 22 weeks of gestation to investigate the cell diversity over time. Together with mapping of disease-related genes, this transcriptomic mapping of the developing human spinal cord opens new avenues for interrogating the cellular basis of motor control in humans and guides human stem cell-based models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Andersen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nicholas Thom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Massimo Mario Onesto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Se-Jin Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Li Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - William J Greenleaf
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Fabian Müller
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Anca M Pașca
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Sergiu P Pașca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Rial RV, Akaârir M, Canellas F, Barceló P, Rubiño JA, Martín-Reina A, Gamundí A, Nicolau MC. Mammalian NREM and REM sleep: Why, when and how. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105041. [PMID: 36646258 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105041] [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: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This report proposes that fish use the spinal-rhombencephalic regions of their brain to support their activities while awake. Instead, the brainstem-diencephalic regions support the wakefulness in amphibians and reptiles. Lastly, mammals developed the telencephalic cortex to attain the highest degree of wakefulness, the cortical wakefulness. However, a paralyzed form of spinal-rhombencephalic wakefulness remains in mammals in the form of REMS, whose phasic signs are highly efficient in promoting maternal care to mammalian litter. Therefore, the phasic REMS is highly adaptive. However, their importance is low for singletons, in which it is a neutral trait, devoid of adaptive value for adults, and is mal-adaptive for marine mammals. Therefore, they lost it. The spinal-rhombencephalic and cortical wakeful states disregard the homeostasis: animals only attend their most immediate needs: foraging defense and reproduction. However, these activities generate allostatic loads that must be recovered during NREMS, that is a paralyzed form of the amphibian-reptilian subcortical wakefulness. Regarding the regulation of tonic REMS, it depends on a hypothalamic switch. Instead, the phasic REMS depends on an independent proportional pontine control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén V Rial
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Mourad Akaârir
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Francesca Canellas
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut; Hospital Son Espases, 07120, Palma de Mallorca (España).
| | - Pere Barceló
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - José A Rubiño
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut; Hospital Son Espases, 07120, Palma de Mallorca (España).
| | - Aida Martín-Reina
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Antoni Gamundí
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - M Cristina Nicolau
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
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Álvarez Z, Ortega JA, Sato K, Sasselli IR, Kolberg-Edelbrock AN, Qiu R, Marshall KA, Nguyen TP, Smith CS, Quinlan KA, Papakis V, Syrgiannis Z, Sather NA, Musumeci C, Engel E, Stupp SI, Kiskinis E. Artificial extracellular matrix scaffolds of mobile molecules enhance maturation of human stem cell-derived neurons. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:219-238.e14. [PMID: 36638801 PMCID: PMC9898161 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technologies offer a unique resource for modeling neurological diseases. However, iPSC models are fraught with technical limitations including abnormal aggregation and inefficient maturation of differentiated neurons. These problems are in part due to the absence of synergistic cues of the native extracellular matrix (ECM). We report on the use of three artificial ECMs based on peptide amphiphile (PA) supramolecular nanofibers. All nanofibers display the laminin-derived IKVAV signal on their surface but differ in the nature of their non-bioactive domains. We find that nanofibers with greater intensity of internal supramolecular motion have enhanced bioactivity toward hiPSC-derived motor and cortical neurons. Proteomic, biochemical, and functional assays reveal that highly mobile PA scaffolds caused enhanced β1-integrin pathway activation, reduced aggregation, increased arborization, and matured electrophysiological activity of neurons. Our work highlights the importance of designing biomimetic ECMs to study the development, function, and dysfunction of human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Álvarez
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - J Alberto Ortega
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08907, Spain
| | - Kohei Sato
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Ivan R Sasselli
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sebastián 20014, Spain
| | - Alexandra N Kolberg-Edelbrock
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Ruomeng Qiu
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Kelly A Marshall
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Thao Phuong Nguyen
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Cara S Smith
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Katharina A Quinlan
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Vasileios Papakis
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Zois Syrgiannis
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Nicholas A Sather
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Chiara Musumeci
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Elisabeth Engel
- Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Barcelona 08028, Spain
| | - Samuel I Stupp
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
| | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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5
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Thill B. The fetal pain paradox. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2023; 4:1128530. [PMID: 37025166 PMCID: PMC10072285 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1128530] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Controversy exists as to when conscious pain perception in the fetus may begin. According to the hypothesis of cortical necessity, thalamocortical connections, which do not form until after 24-28 weeks gestation, are necessary for conscious pain perception. However, anesthesiologists and neonatologists treat age-matched neonates as both conscious and pain-capable due to observable and measurable behavioral, hormonal, and physiologic indicators of pain. In preterm infants, these multimodal indicators of pain are uncontroversial, and their presence, despite occurring prior to functional thalamocortical connections, has guided the use of analgesics in neonatology and fetal surgery for decades. However, some medical groups state that below 24 weeks gestation, there is no pain capacity. Thus, a paradox exists in the disparate acknowledgment of pain capability in overlapping patient populations. Brain networks vary by age. During the first and second trimesters, the cortical subplate, a unique structure that is present only during fetal and early neonatal development, forms the first cortical network. In the third trimester, the cortical plate assumes this function. According to the subplate modulation hypothesis, a network of connections to the subplate and subcortical structures is sufficient to facilitate conscious pain perception in the fetus and the preterm neonate prior to 24 weeks gestation. Therefore, similar to other fetal and neonatal systems that have a transitional phase (i.e., circulatory system), there is now strong evidence for transitional developmental phases of fetal and neonatal pain circuitry.
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Ionta S. Visual Neuropsychology in Development: Anatomo-Functional Brain Mechanisms of Action/Perception Binding in Health and Disease. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:689912. [PMID: 34135745 PMCID: PMC8203289 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.689912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vision is the main entrance for environmental input to the human brain. Even if vision is our most used sensory modality, its importance is not limited to environmental exploration. Rather it has strong links to motor competences, further extending to cognitive and social aspects of human life. These multifaceted relationships are particularly important in developmental age and become dramatically evident in presence of complex deficits originating from visual aberrancies. The present review summarizes the available neuropsychological evidence on the development of visual competences, with a particular focus on the associated visuo-motor integration skills in health and disease. With the aim of supporting future research and interventional settings, the goal of the present review is to constitute a solid base to help the translation of neuropsychological hypotheses into straightforward empirical investigations and rehabilitation/training protocols. This approach will further increase the impact, ameliorate the acceptance, and ease the use and implementation of lab-derived intervention protocols in real-life situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Ionta
- Sensory-Motor Lab (SeMoLa), Department of Ophthalmology-University of Lausanne, Jules Gonin Eye Hospital-Fondation Asile des Aveugles, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Quinn RK, Drury HR, Lim R, Callister RJ, Tadros MA. Differentiation of Sensory Neuron Lineage During the Late First and Early Second Trimesters of Human Foetal Development. Neuroscience 2021; 467:28-38. [PMID: 34033872 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.05.018] [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: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 09/30/2022]
Abstract
Sensory neurons within DRGs are broadly divided into three types that transmit nociceptive, mechanical, and proprioceptive signals. These subtypes are established during in utero development when sensory neurons differentiate into distinct categories according to a complex developmental plan. Most of what we know about this developmental plan comes from studies in rodents and little is known about this process in humans. The present study documents the expression of key genes involved in human sensory neuron development during the late first and early second trimesters (9-16WG). We observed a decrease in the expression of SOX10 and BRN3A, factors associated with migration and proliferation of sensory neurons, towards the end of the first trimester. Small and large sensory neuron populations also emerged at the end of the first trimester, as well as the transcription factors responsible for defining distinct sensory neuron types. NTRK1, which is expressed in nociceptive neurons, emerged first at ~11 WG followed by NTRK2 in mechanoreceptors at ~12 WG, with NTRK3 for proprioceptors peaking at ~14 WG. These peaks were followed by increased expression of their respective neurotrophic factors. Our results show significant differences in the expression of key signalling molecules for human DRG development versus that of rodents, most notably the expression of neurotrophins that promote the survival of sensory neuron types. This highlights the importance of examining molecular changes in humans to better inform the application of data collected in pre-clinical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikki K Quinn
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Hannah R Drury
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Rebecca Lim
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Robert J Callister
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Melissa A Tadros
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia.
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8
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Analgesia for fetal pain during prenatal surgery: 10 years of progress. Pediatr Res 2021; 89:1612-1618. [PMID: 32971529 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01170-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Some doubts on the necessity and safety of providing analgesia to the fetus during prenatal surgery were raised 10 years ago. They were related to four matters: fetal sleep due to neuroinhibitors in fetal blood, the immaturity of the cerebral cortex, safety, and the need for fetal direct analgesia. These objections now seem obsolete. This review shows that neuroinhibitors give fetuses at most some transient sedation, but not a complete analgesia, that the cerebral cortex is not indispensable to feel pain, when subcortical structures for pain perception are present, and that maternal anesthesia seems not sufficient to anesthetize the fetus. Current drugs used for maternal analgesia pass through the placenta only partially so that they cannot guarantee a sufficient analgesia to the fetus. Extraction indices, that is, how much each analgesic drug crosses the placenta, are provided here. We here report safety guidelines for fetal direct analgesia. In conclusion, the human fetus can feel pain when it undergoes surgical interventions and direct analgesia must be provided to it. IMPACT: Fetal pain is evident in the second half of pregnancy. Progress in the physiology of fetal pain, which is reviewed in this report, supports the notion that the fetus reacts to painful interventions during fetal surgery. Evidence here reported shows that it is an error to believe that the fetus is in a continuous and unchanging state of sedation and analgesia. Data are given that disclose that drugs used for maternal analgesia cross the placenta only partially, so that they cannot guarantee a sufficient analgesia to the fetus. Safety guidelines are given for fetal direct analgesia.
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Izsak J, Seth H, Theiss S, Hanse E, Illes S. Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Promotes Neuronal Circuit Maturation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived 3D Neural Aggregates. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 14:1044-1059. [PMID: 32521247 PMCID: PMC7355159 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived in vitro neural and organoid models resemble fetal, rather than adult brain properties, indicating that currently applied cultivation media and supplements are insufficient to achieve neural maturation beyond the fetal stage. In vivo, cerebrospinal fluid molecules are regulating the transition of the immature fetal human brain into a mature adult brain. By culturing hiPSC-3D neural aggregates in human cerebrospinal fluid (hCSF) obtained from healthy adult individuals, we demonstrate that hCSF rapidly triggers neurogenesis, gliogenesis, synapse formation, neurite outgrowth, suppresses proliferation of residing neural stem cells, and results in the formation of synchronously active neuronal circuits in vitro within 3 days. Thus, a physiologically relevant and adult brain-like milieu triggers maturation of hiPSC-3D neural aggregates into highly functional neuronal circuits in vitro. The approach presented here opens a new avenue to identify novel physiological factors for the improvement of hiPSC neural in vitro models. Human CSF triggers rapidly multiple maturation processes in human 3D neural models Human CSF triggers human neurogenesis and suppresses neural stem cell proliferation Human CSF triggers human astrocyte development, neurite growth, and synapse formation Human CSF triggers the maturation of neurons into highly functional neuronal circuits
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Izsak
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Henrik Seth
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Stephan Theiss
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Result Medical GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eric Hanse
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Illes
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Derbyshire SW, Bockmann JC. Reconsidering fetal pain. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2020; 46:3-6. [PMID: 31937669 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Fetal pain has long been a contentious issue, in large part because fetal pain is often cited as a reason to restrict access to termination of pregnancy or abortion. We have divergent views regarding the morality of abortion, but have come together to address the evidence for fetal pain. Most reports on the possibility of fetal pain have focused on developmental neuroscience. Reports often suggest that the cortex and intact thalamocortical tracts are necessary for pain experience. Given that the cortex only becomes functional and the tracts only develop after 24 weeks, many reports rule out fetal pain until the final trimester. Here, more recent evidence calling into question the necessity of the cortex for pain and demonstrating functional thalamic connectivity into the subplate is used to argue that the neuroscience cannot definitively rule out fetal pain before 24 weeks. We consider the possibility that the mere experience of pain, without the capacity for self reflection, is morally significant. We believe that fetal pain does not have to be equivalent to a mature adult human experience to matter morally, and so fetal pain might be considered as part of a humane approach to abortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart Wg Derbyshire
- Psychology and NUS Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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11
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Cavarsan CF, Gorassini MA, Quinlan KA. Animal models of developmental motor disorders: parallels to human motor dysfunction in cerebral palsy. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1238-1253. [PMID: 31411933 PMCID: PMC6766736 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00233.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in children. Much of the previous research on CP has focused on reducing the severity of brain injuries, whereas very few researchers have investigated the cause and amelioration of motor symptoms. This research focus has had an impact on the choice of animal models. Many of the commonly used animal models do not display a prominent CP-like motor phenotype. In general, rodent models show anatomically severe injuries in the central nervous system (CNS) in response to insults associated with CP, including hypoxia, ischemia, and neuroinflammation. Unfortunately, most rodent models do not display a prominent motor phenotype that includes the hallmarks of spasticity (muscle stiffness and hyperreflexia) and weakness. To study motor dysfunction related to developmental injuries, a larger animal model is needed, such as rabbit, pig, or nonhuman primate. In this work, we describe and compare various animal models of CP and their potential for translation to the human condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa F Cavarsan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
| | - Monica A Gorassini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Katharina A Quinlan
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island
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Abstract
Fetal pain is difficult to assess, because the main feature needed to spot pain, is the subject's capability of declaring it. Nonetheless, much can be affirmed about this issue. In this review we first report the epochs of the development of human nociceptive pathways; then we review since when they are functioning. We also review the latest data about the new topic of analgesia and prenatal surgery and about the scarce effect on fetal pain sentience of the natural sedatives fetuses produce. It appears that pain is a neuroadaptive phenomenon that emerges in the middle of pregnancy, at about 20-22 weeks of gestation, and becomes more and more evident for bystanders and significant for the fetus, throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo V Bellieni
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Siena, Italy.
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Manuel M, Chardon M, Tysseling V, Heckman CJ. Scaling of Motor Output, From Mouse to Humans. Physiology (Bethesda) 2019; 34:5-13. [PMID: 30540233 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00021.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Appropriate scaling of motor output from mouse to humans is essential. The motoneurons that generate all motor output are, however, very different in rodents compared with humans, being smaller and much more excitable. In contrast, feline motoneurons are more similar to those in humans. These scaling differences need to be taken into account for the use of rodents for translational studies of motor output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marin Manuel
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie, et Pathologie, UMR 8119 CNRS/Université Paris Descartes , Paris , France
| | - Matthieu Chardon
- Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago, Illinois
| | - Vicki Tysseling
- Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago, Illinois
| | - C J Heckman
- Physiology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago, Illinois
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Tadros MA, Zouikr I, Hodgson DM, Callister RJ. Excitability of Rat Superficial Dorsal Horn Neurons Following a Neonatal Immune Challenge. Front Neurol 2018; 9:743. [PMID: 30245664 PMCID: PMC6137193 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that neonatal exposure to a mild inflammatory challenge, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Salmonella enteriditis) results in altered pain behaviors later in life. To further characterize the impact of a neonatal immune challenge on pain processing, we examined the excitability of superficial dorsal horn (SDH) neurons following neonatal LPS exposure and subsequent responses to noxious stimulation at three time-points during early postnatal development. Wistar rats were injected with LPS (0.05 mg/kg i.p.) or saline on postnatal days (PNDs) 3 and 5, and later subjected to the formalin test at PNDs 7, 13, and 22. One hour after formalin injection into the plantar hindpaw, animals were euthanized (Ketamine, 100 mg/kg i.p.) and transverse slices from the lumbosacral spinal cord were prepared. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from SDH neurons (KCH3SO4-based internal, 22–24°C) on the ipsi- and contralateral sides of the spinal cord. Depolarising current steps were injected into SDH neurons to categorize action potential (AP) discharge. In both saline- and LPS-treated rats we observed age-related increases the percentage of neurons exhibiting tonic-firing, with concurrent decreases in single-spiking, between PND 7 and 22. In contrast, neonatal exposure to LPS failed to alter the proportions of AP discharge patterns at any age examined. We also assessed the subthreshold currents that determine AP discharge in SDH neurons. The rapid outward potassium current, IAr decreased in prevalence with age, but was susceptible to neonatal LPS exposure. Peak IAr current amplitude was greater in ipsilateral vs. contralateral SDH neurons from LPS-treated rats. Spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents (sEPSCs) were recorded to assess network excitability. Age-related increases were observed in sEPSC frequency and time course, but not peak amplitude, in both saline- and LPS-treated rats. Furthermore, sEPSC frequency was higher in ipsilateral vs. contralateral SDH neurons in LPS-treated animals. Taken together, these data suggest a neonatal immune challenge does not markedly affect the intrinsic properties of SDH neurons, however, it can increase the excitability of local spinal cord networks via altering the properties of rapid A-type currents and excitatory synaptic connections. These changes, made in neurons within spinal cord pain circuits, have the capacity to alter nociceptive signaling in the ascending pain pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Tadros
- Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Ihssane Zouikr
- Laboratory for Molecular Mechanisms of Thalamus Development, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Deborah M Hodgson
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert J Callister
- Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
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Chimelli L, Melo ASO, Avvad-Portari E, Wiley CA, Camacho AHS, Lopes VS, Machado HN, Andrade CV, Dock DCA, Moreira ME, Tovar-Moll F, Oliveira-Szejnfeld PS, Carvalho ACG, Ugarte ON, Batista AGM, Amorim MMR, Melo FO, Ferreira TA, Marinho JRL, Azevedo GS, Leal JIBF, da Costa RFM, Rehen S, Arruda MB, Brindeiro RM, Delvechio R, Aguiar RS, Tanuri A. The spectrum of neuropathological changes associated with congenital Zika virus infection. Acta Neuropathol 2017; 133:983-999. [PMID: 28332092 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-017-1699-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
A major concern associated with ZIKV infection is the increased incidence of microcephaly with frequent calcifications in infants born from infected mothers. To date, postmortem analysis of the central nervous system (CNS) in congenital infection is limited to individual reports or small series. We report a comprehensive neuropathological study in ten newborn babies infected with ZIKV during pregnancy, including the spinal cords and dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and also muscle, pituitaries, eye, systemic organs, and placentas. Using in situ hybridization (ISH) and electron microscopy, we investigated the role of direct viral infection in the pathogenesis of the lesions. Nine women had Zika symptoms between the 4th and 18th and one in the 28th gestational week. Two babies were born at 32, one at 34 and 36 weeks each and six at term. The cephalic perimeter was reduced in four, and normal or enlarged in six patients, although the brain weights were lower than expected. All had arthrogryposis, except the patient infected at 28 weeks gestation. We defined three patterns of CNS lesions, with different patterns of destructive, calcification, hypoplasia, and migration disturbances. Ventriculomegaly was severe in the first pattern due to midbrain damage with aqueduct stenosis/distortion. The second pattern had small brains and mild/moderate (ex-vacuo) ventriculomegaly. The third pattern, a well-formed brain with mild calcification, coincided with late infection. The absence of descending fibres resulted in hypoplastic basis pontis, pyramids, and cortico-spinal tracts. Spinal motor cell loss explained the intrauterine akinesia, arthrogryposis, and neurogenic muscle atrophy. DRG, dorsal nerve roots, and columns were normal. Lympho-histiocytic inflammation was mild. ISH showed meningeal, germinal matrix, and neocortical infection, consistent with neural progenitors death leading to proliferation and migration disorders. A secondary ischemic process may explain the destructive lesions. In conclusion, we characterized the destructive and malformative consequences of ZIKV in the nervous system, as reflected in the topography and severity of lesions, anatomic localization of the virus, and timing of infection during gestation. Our findings indicate a developmental vulnerability of the immature CNS, and shed light on possible mechanisms of brain injury of this newly recognized public health threat.
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Tadros MA, Fuglevand AJ, Brichta AM, Callister RJ. Intrinsic excitability differs between murine hypoglossal and spinal motoneurons. J Neurophysiol 2016; 115:2672-80. [PMID: 26936988 DOI: 10.1152/jn.01114.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Motoneurons differ in the behaviors they control and their vulnerability to disease and aging. For example, brain stem motoneurons such as hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) are involved in licking, suckling, swallowing, respiration, and vocalization. In contrast, spinal motoneurons (SMs) innervating the limbs are involved in postural and locomotor tasks requiring higher loads and lower movement velocities. Surprisingly, the properties of these two motoneuron pools have not been directly compared, even though studies on HMs predominate in the literature compared with SMs, especially for adult animals. Here we used whole cell patch-clamp recording to compare the electrophysiological properties of HMs and SMs in age-matched neonatal mice (P7-P10). Passive membrane properties were remarkably similar in HMs and SMs, and afterhyperpolarization properties did not differ markedly between the two populations. HMs had narrower action potentials (APs) and a faster upstroke on their APs compared with SMs. Furthermore, HMs discharged APs at higher frequencies in response to both step and ramp current injection than SMs. Therefore, while HMs and SMs have similar passive properties, they differ in their response to similar levels of depolarizing current. This suggests that each population possesses differing suites of ion channels that allow them to discharge at rates matched to the different mechanical properties of the muscle fibers that drive their distinct motor functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Tadros
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; and
| | - A J Fuglevand
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - A M Brichta
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; and
| | - R J Callister
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; and
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