1
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Fang M, Deibler SK, Krishnamurthy PM, Wang F, Rodriguez P, Banday S, Virbasius CM, Sena-Esteves M, Watts JK, Green MR. EZH2 inhibition reactivates epigenetically silenced FMR1 and normalizes molecular and electrophysiological abnormalities in fragile X syndrome neurons. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1348478. [PMID: 38449737 PMCID: PMC10915284 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1348478] [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: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neurological disorder caused by epigenetic silencing of the FMR1 gene. Reactivation of FMR1 is a potential therapeutic approach for FXS that would correct the root cause of the disease. Here, using a candidate-based shRNA screen, we identify nine epigenetic repressors that promote silencing of FMR1 in FXS cells (called FMR1 Silencing Factors, or FMR1- SFs). Inhibition of FMR1-SFs with shRNAs or small molecules reactivates FMR1 in cultured undifferentiated induced pluripotent stem cells, neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and post-mitotic neurons derived from FXS patients. One of the FMR1-SFs is the histone methyltransferase EZH2, for which an FDA-approved small molecule inhibitor, EPZ6438 (also known as tazemetostat), is available. We show that EPZ6438 substantially corrects the characteristic molecular and electrophysiological abnormalities of cultured FXS neurons. Unfortunately, EZH2 inhibitors do not efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier, limiting their therapeutic use for FXS. Recently, antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based approaches have been developed as effective treatment options for certain central nervous system disorders. We therefore derived efficacious ASOs targeting EZH2 and demonstrate that they reactivate FMR1 expression and correct molecular and electrophysiological abnormalities in cultured FXS neurons, and reactivate FMR1 expression in human FXS NPCs engrafted within the brains of mice. Collectively, our results establish EZH2 inhibition in general, and EZH2 ASOs in particular, as a therapeutic approach for FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minggang Fang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Sara K. Deibler
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | | | - Feng Wang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Paola Rodriguez
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Shahid Banday
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Ching-Man Virbasius
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Miguel Sena-Esteves
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Jonathan K. Watts
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Michael R. Green
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
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2
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Narzisi A, Halladay A, Masi G, Novarino G, Lord C. Tempering expectations: considerations on the current state of stem cells therapy for autism treatment. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1287879. [PMID: 37854442 PMCID: PMC10579796 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1287879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Narzisi
- Department of Child Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alycia Halladay
- Autism Science Foundation, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Gabriele Masi
- Department of Child Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Calambrone, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gaia Novarino
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Catherine Lord
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Development and Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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3
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Ren B, Burkovetskaya M, Jung Y, Bergdolt L, Totusek S, Martinez-Cerdeno V, Stauch K, Korade Z, Dunaevsky A. Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism, aberrant excitability and altered cell cycle of astrocytes in fragile X syndrome. Glia 2023; 71:1176-1196. [PMID: 36594399 PMCID: PMC10023374 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent heritable form of intellectual disability, is caused by the transcriptional silencing of the FMR1 gene. While neuronal contribution to FXS has been extensively studied in both animal and human-based models of FXS, the roles of astrocytes, a type of glial cells in the brain, are largely unknown. Here, we generated a human-based FXS model via differentiation of astrocytes from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and characterized their development, function, and proteomic profiles. We identified shortened cell cycle, enhanced Ca2+ signaling, impaired sterol biosynthesis, and pervasive alterations in the proteome of FXS astrocytes. Our work identified astrocytic impairments that could contribute to the pathogenesis of FXS and highlight astrocytes as a novel therapeutic target for FXS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyan Ren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Maria Burkovetskaya
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Yoosun Jung
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Lara Bergdolt
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Steven Totusek
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Veronica Martinez-Cerdeno
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MIND Institute, and Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at UC Davis School of Medicine, and Shriners Hospitals for Children of Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Kelly Stauch
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Zeljka Korade
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, CHRI, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Anna Dunaevsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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4
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Cencelli G, Pacini L, De Luca A, Messia I, Gentile A, Kang Y, Nobile V, Tabolacci E, Jin P, Farace MG, Bagni C. Age-Dependent Dysregulation of APP in Neuronal and Skin Cells from Fragile X Individuals. Cells 2023; 12:758. [PMID: 36899894 PMCID: PMC10000963 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050758] [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: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of monogenic intellectual disability and autism, caused by the absence of the functional fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP). FXS features include increased and dysregulated protein synthesis, observed in both murine and human cells. Altered processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), consisting of an excess of soluble APPα (sAPPα), may contribute to this molecular phenotype in mice and human fibroblasts. Here we show an age-dependent dysregulation of APP processing in fibroblasts from FXS individuals, human neural precursor cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and forebrain organoids. Moreover, FXS fibroblasts treated with a cell-permeable peptide that decreases the generation of sAPPα show restored levels of protein synthesis. Our findings suggest the possibility of using cell-based permeable peptides as a future therapeutic approach for FXS during a defined developmental window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Cencelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Neurosurgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Catholic University, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Pacini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, UniCamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Anastasia De Luca
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Ilenia Messia
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonietta Gentile
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Roma, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Yunhee Kang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Veronica Nobile
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Catholic University, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Tabolacci
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Catholic University, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Peng Jin
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Maria Giulia Farace
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) and Cerebral Organoids for Drug Screening and Development in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Opportunities and Challenges. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13020280. [PMID: 33669772 PMCID: PMC7922555 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13020280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a group of neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by persistent deficits in social communication, interaction, and repetitive patterns of behaviors, interests, and activities. The etiopathogenesis is multifactorial with complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. The clinical heterogeneity and complex etiology of this pediatric disorder have limited the development of pharmacological therapies. The major limit to ASD research remains a lack of relevant human disease models which can faithfully recapitulate key features of the human pathology and represent its genetic heterogeneity. Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), reprogrammed from somatic cells of patients into all types of patient-specific neural cells, have provided a promising cellular tool for disease modeling and development of novel drug treatments. The iPSCs technology allowed not only a better investigation of the disease etiopathogenesis but also opened up the potential for personalized therapies and offered new opportunities for drug discovery, pharmacological screening, and toxicity assessment. Moreover, iPSCs can be differentiated and organized into three-dimensional (3D) organoids, providing a model which mimics the complexity of the brain’s architecture and more accurately recapitulates tissue- and organ-level disease pathophysiology. The aims of this review were to describe the current state of the art of the use of human patient-derived iPSCs and brain organoids in modeling ASD and developing novel therapeutic strategies and to discuss the opportunities and major challenges in this rapidly moving field.
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6
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Sabitha KR, Shetty AK, Upadhya D. Patient-derived iPSC modeling of rare neurodevelopmental disorders: Molecular pathophysiology and prospective therapies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 121:201-219. [PMID: 33370574 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The pathological alterations that manifest during the early embryonic development due to inherited and acquired factors trigger various neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Besides major NDDs, there are several rare NDDs, exhibiting specific characteristics and varying levels of severity triggered due to genetic and epigenetic anomalies. The rarity of subjects, paucity of neural tissues for detailed analysis, and the unavailability of disease-specific animal models have hampered detailed comprehension of rare NDDs, imposing heightened challenge to the medical and scientific community until a decade ago. The generation of functional neurons and glia through directed differentiation protocols for patient-derived iPSCs, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and 3D brain organoid models have provided an excellent opportunity and vibrant resource for decoding the etiology of brain development for rare NDDs caused due to monogenic as well as polygenic disorders. The present review identifies cellular and molecular phenotypes demonstrated from patient-derived iPSCs and possible therapeutic opportunities identified for these disorders. New insights to reinforce the existing knowledge of the pathophysiology of these disorders and prospective therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Sabitha
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Ashok K Shetty
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Dinesh Upadhya
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.
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7
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Hohmann SS, Ilieva M, Michel TM. In vitro models for ASD-patient-derived iPSCs and cerebral organoids. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 173:355-375. [PMID: 32711817 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a set of pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders. The causation is multigenic in most cases, which makes it difficult to model the condition in vitro. Advances in pluripotent stem cell technology has made it possible to generate in vitro models of human brain development. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from somatic cells and have the ability to differentiate to all of the body's cells. This chapter aims to give an overview of the iPSC technology for generating neural cells and cerebral organoids as models for neurodevelopment and how these models are utilized in the study of ASD. The combination of iPSC technology and the genetic modification tool CRISPR/Cas9 is described, and current limitations and future perspectives of iPSC technology is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Simone Hohmann
- Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Mirolyuba Ilieva
- Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; BRIDGE-Brain Research-Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Tanja Maria Michel
- Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; Department of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; BRIDGE-Brain Research-Inter-Disciplinary Guided Excellence, Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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8
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Moore D, Meays BM, Madduri LSV, Shahjin F, Chand S, Niu M, Albahrani A, Guda C, Pendyala G, Fox HS, Yelamanchili SV. Downregulation of an Evolutionary Young miR-1290 in an iPSC-Derived Neural Stem Cell Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Stem Cells Int 2019; 2019:8710180. [PMID: 31191687 PMCID: PMC6525818 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8710180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of several evolutionary young miRNAs, which arose in primates, raised several possibilities for the role of such miRNAs in human-specific disease processes. We previously have identified an evolutionary young miRNA, miR-1290, to be essential in neural stem cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. Here, we show that miR-1290 is significantly downregulated during neuronal differentiation in reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem cell- (iPSC-) derived neurons obtained from idiopathic autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients. Further, we identified that miR-1290 is actively released into extracellular vesicles. Supplementing ASD patient-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) with conditioned media from differentiated control-NSCs spiked with "artificial EVs" containing synthetic miR-1290 oligonucleotides significantly rescued differentiation deficits in ASD cell lines. Based on our earlier published study and the observations from the data presented here, we conclude that miR-1290 regulation could play a critical role during neuronal differentiation in early brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Moore
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Lepakshe S. V. Madduri
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Farah Shahjin
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Subhash Chand
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Meng Niu
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Abrar Albahrani
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Chittibabu Guda
- Department of Genetics Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Gurudutt Pendyala
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Howard S. Fox
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sowmya V. Yelamanchili
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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9
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Choi Y, Kim H, Choi M, Yang EJ, Takumi T, Kim HS. Fetal neural stem cells from a mouse model of 15q11-13 duplication syndrome exhibit altered differentiation into neurons and astrocytes. J Pharmacol Sci 2018; 139:249-253. [PMID: 30718079 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The duplication of human chromosome 15q11-13 is known to be associated with an estimated 1.1% of autism cases. Here, we investigated whether differentiation into neurons and astrocytes is altered in fetal neural stem cells (FNSCs) isolated from the mouse model of 15q11-13 duplication syndrome (patDp/+ mice). In patDp/+ mice-derived FNSCs, multipotency was maintained for a longer period, the population of neurons was downregulated, and that of astrocytes was upregulated significantly after differentiation induction. These results suggest that the dysregulation of FNSCs differentiation could affect cortical development and behavioral deficits in the early postnatal stage shown in the patDp/+ mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjung Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunju Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea
| | - Moonseok Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jeong Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea
| | - Toru Takumi
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hye-Sun Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea; Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, 463-707, South Korea; Neuroscience Research Institute, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, 103 Daehakro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 110-799, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Siniscalco D, Kannan S, Semprún-Hernández N, Eshraghi AA, Brigida AL, Antonucci N. Stem cell therapy in autism: recent insights. STEM CELLS AND CLONING-ADVANCES AND APPLICATIONS 2018; 11:55-67. [PMID: 30425534 PMCID: PMC6204871 DOI: 10.2147/sccaa.s155410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by core domains: persistent deficits in social communication and interaction; restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. ASDs comprise heterogeneous and complex neurodevelopmental pathologies with well-defined inflammatory conditions and immune system dysfunction. Due to neurobiologic changes underlying ASD development, cell-based therapies have been proposed and applied to ASDs. Indeed, stem cells show specific immunologic properties, which make them promising candidates in ASD treatment. This comprehensive up-to-date review focuses on ASD cellular/molecular abnormalities, potentially useful stem cell types, animal models, and current clinical trials on the use of stem cells in treating autism. Limitations are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Siniscalco
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania, Napoli, Italy,
| | - Suresh Kannan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Neomar Semprún-Hernández
- Research Division, Autism Immunology Unit of Maracaibo, Catedra libre de Autismo, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Adrien A Eshraghi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hearing Research and Cochlear Implant Laboratory, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Nicola Antonucci
- Biomedical Centre for Autism Research and Treatment, Bari, Italy
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11
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Zhang Z, Marro SG, Zhang Y, Arendt KL, Patzke C, Zhou B, Fair T, Yang N, Südhof TC, Wernig M, Chen L. The fragile X mutation impairs homeostatic plasticity in human neurons by blocking synaptic retinoic acid signaling. Sci Transl Med 2018; 10:eaar4338. [PMID: 30068571 PMCID: PMC6317709 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aar4338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X chromosome-linked disease leading to severe intellectual disabilities. FXS is caused by inactivation of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene, but how FMR1 inactivation induces FXS remains unclear. Using human neurons generated from control and FXS patient-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells or from embryonic stem cells carrying conditional FMR1 mutations, we show here that loss of FMR1 function specifically abolished homeostatic synaptic plasticity without affecting basal synaptic transmission. We demonstrated that, in human neurons, homeostatic plasticity induced by synaptic silencing was mediated by retinoic acid, which regulated both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic strength. FMR1 inactivation impaired homeostatic plasticity by blocking retinoic acid-mediated regulation of synaptic strength. Repairing the genetic mutation in the FMR1 gene in an FXS patient cell line restored fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) expression and fully rescued synaptic retinoic acid signaling. Thus, our study reveals a robust functional impairment caused by FMR1 mutations that might contribute to neuronal dysfunction in FXS. In addition, our results suggest that FXS patient iPS cell-derived neurons might be useful for studying the mechanisms mediating functional abnormalities in FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjie Zhang
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Samuele G Marro
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
- Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Yingsha Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Kristin L Arendt
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Christopher Patzke
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Bo Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Tyler Fair
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
- Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
- Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Thomas C Südhof
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA.
- Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA
| | - Lu Chen
- Departments of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-5453, USA.
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12
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Psychiatry in a Dish: Stem Cells and Brain Organoids Modeling Autism Spectrum Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:558-568. [PMID: 29295738 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders are a group of pervasive neurodevelopmental conditions with heterogeneous etiology, characterized by deficits in social cognition, communication, and behavioral flexibility. Despite an increasing scientific effort to find the pathophysiological explanations for the disease, the neurobiological links remain unclear. A large amount of evidence suggests that pathological processes taking place in early embryonic neurodevelopment might be responsible for later manifestation of autistic symptoms. This dysfunctional development includes altered maturation/differentiation processes, disturbances in cell-cell communication, and an unbalanced ratio between certain neuronal populations. All those processes are highly dependent on the interconnectivity and three-dimensional organizations of the brain. Moreover, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the complex neurobiology of autism spectrum disorders, valid disease models are pivotal. Induced pluripotent stem cells could potentially help to elucidate the complex mechanisms of the disease and lead to the development of more effective individualized treatment. The induced pluripotent stem cells approach allows comparison between the development of various cellular phenotypes generated from cell lines of patients and healthy individuals. A newly advanced organoid technology makes it possible to create three-dimensional in vitro models of brain development and structural interconnectivity, based on induced pluripotent stem cells derived from the respective individuals. The biggest challenge for modeling psychiatric diseases in vitro is finding and establishing the link between cellular and molecular findings with the clinical symptoms, and this review aims to give an overview over the feasibility and applicability of this new tissue engineering tool in psychiatry.
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13
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Liu XS, Wu H, Krzisch M, Wu X, Graef J, Muffat J, Hnisz D, Li CH, Yuan B, Xu C, Li Y, Vershkov D, Cacace A, Young RA, Jaenisch R. Rescue of Fragile X Syndrome Neurons by DNA Methylation Editing of the FMR1 Gene. Cell 2018; 172:979-992.e6. [PMID: 29456084 PMCID: PMC6375087 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 278] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common genetic form of intellectual disability in males, is caused by silencing of the FMR1 gene associated with hypermethylation of the CGG expansion mutation in the 5' UTR of FMR1 in FXS patients. Here, we applied recently developed DNA methylation editing tools to reverse this hypermethylation event. Targeted demethylation of the CGG expansion by dCas9-Tet1/single guide RNA (sgRNA) switched the heterochromatin status of the upstream FMR1 promoter to an active chromatin state, restoring a persistent expression of FMR1 in FXS iPSCs. Neurons derived from methylation-edited FXS iPSCs rescued the electrophysiological abnormalities and restored a wild-type phenotype upon the mutant neurons. FMR1 expression in edited neurons was maintained in vivo after engrafting into the mouse brain. Finally, demethylation of the CGG repeats in post-mitotic FXS neurons also reactivated FMR1. Our data establish that demethylation of the CGG expansion is sufficient for FMR1 reactivation, suggesting potential therapeutic strategies for FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Shawn Liu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Fulcrum Therapeutics, One Kendall Square, Binney Street b7102, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marine Krzisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Xuebing Wu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John Graef
- Fulcrum Therapeutics, One Kendall Square, Binney Street b7102, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Julien Muffat
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Denes Hnisz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Charles H Li
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bingbing Yuan
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Chuanyun Xu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yun Li
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Dan Vershkov
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Angela Cacace
- Fulcrum Therapeutics, One Kendall Square, Binney Street b7102, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Richard A Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rudolf Jaenisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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14
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Xie Y, Schutte RJ, Ng NN, Ess KC, Schwartz PH, O'Dowd DK. Reproducible and efficient generation of functionally active neurons from human hiPSCs for preclinical disease modeling. Stem Cell Res 2017; 26:84-94. [PMID: 29272856 PMCID: PMC5899925 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neuronal cultures to study the mechanisms of neurological disorders is often limited by low efficiency and high variability in differentiation of functional neurons. Here we compare the functional properties of neurons in cultures prepared with two hiPSC differentiation protocols, both plated on astroglial feeder layers. Using a protocol with an expandable intermediate stage, only a small percentage of cells with neuronal morphology were excitable by 21-23days in culture. In contrast, a direct differentiation strategy of the same hiPSC line produced cultures in which the majority of neurons fired action potentials as early as 4-5days. By 35-38days over 80% of the neurons fired repetitively and many fired spontaneously. Spontaneous post-synaptic currents were observed in ~40% of the neurons at 4-5days and in ~80% by 21-23days. The majority (75%) received both glutamatergic and GABAergic spontaneous postsynaptic currents. The rate and degree of maturation of excitability and synaptic activity was similar between multiple independent platings from a single hiPSC line, and between two different control hiPSC lines. Cultures of rapidly functional neurons will facilitate identification of cellular mechanisms underlying genetically defined neurological disorders and development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyao Xie
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Ryan J Schutte
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Nathan N Ng
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Kevin C Ess
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Philip H Schwartz
- Children's Hospital of Orange County Research Institute, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Diane K O'Dowd
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.
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15
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Reilly J, Gallagher L, Chen JL, Leader G, Shen S. Bio-collections in autism research. Mol Autism 2017; 8:34. [PMID: 28702161 PMCID: PMC5504648 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-017-0154-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders with diverse clinical manifestations and symptoms. In the last 10 years, there have been significant advances in understanding the genetic basis for ASD, critically supported through the establishment of ASD bio-collections and application in research. Here, we summarise a selection of major ASD bio-collections and their associated findings. Collectively, these include mapping ASD candidate genes, assessing the nature and frequency of gene mutations and their association with ASD clinical subgroups, insights into related molecular pathways such as the synapses, chromatin remodelling, transcription and ASD-related brain regions. We also briefly review emerging studies on the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to potentially model ASD in culture. These provide deeper insight into ASD progression during development and could generate human cell models for drug screening. Finally, we provide perspectives concerning the utilities of ASD bio-collections and limitations, and highlight considerations in setting up a new bio-collection for ASD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Reilly
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, BioMedical Sciences Building, National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Trinity Translational Medicine Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James Hospital Street, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - June L Chen
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062 China
| | - Geraldine Leader
- Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research (ICAN), Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, BioMedical Sciences Building, National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, Ireland
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16
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Lu P, Chen X, Feng Y, Zeng Q, Jiang C, Zhu X, Fan G, Xue Z. Integrated transcriptome analysis of human iPS cells derived from a fragile X syndrome patient during neuronal differentiation. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2016; 59:1093-1105. [PMID: 27730449 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-016-0194-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) patients carry the expansion of over 200 CGG repeats at the promoter of fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1), leading to decreased or absent expression of its encoded fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). However, the global transcriptional alteration by FMRP deficiency has not been well characterized at single nucleotide resolution, i.e., RNA-seq. Here, we performed in-vitro neuronal differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that were derived from fibroblasts of a FXS patient (FXS-iPSC). We then performed RNA-seq and examined the transcriptional misregulation at each intermediate stage during in-vitro differentiation of FXS-iPSC into neurons. After thoroughly analyzing the transcriptomic data and integrating them with those from other platforms, we found up-regulation of many genes encoding TFs for neuronal differentiation (WNT1, BMP4, POU3F4, TFAP2C, and PAX3), down-regulation of potassium channels (KCNA1, KCNC3, KCNG2, KCNIP4, KCNJ3, KCNK9, and KCNT1) and altered temporal regulation of SHANK1 and NNAT in FXS-iPSC derived neurons, indicating impaired neuronal differentiation and function in FXS patients. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the FMRP deficiency in FXS patients has significant impact on the gene expression patterns during development, which will help to discover potential targeting candidates for the cure of FXS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Lu
- Tongji Stem Cell Research Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiaolong Chen
- Tongji University, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yun Feng
- Tongji Stem Cell Research Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Qiao Zeng
- Tongji Stem Cell Research Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Cizhong Jiang
- Tongji University, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xianmin Zhu
- Tongji University, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, 200092, China.
| | - Guoping Fan
- Tongji University, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Zhigang Xue
- Tongji Stem Cell Research Center, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
- Translational Center for Stem Cell Research, Tongji Hospital, Department of Regenerative Medicine, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200065, China.
- Tongji University Suzhou Institute, Suzhou, 215101, China.
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17
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Mor-Shaked H, Eiges R. Modeling Fragile X Syndrome Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Genes (Basel) 2016; 7:genes7100077. [PMID: 27690107 PMCID: PMC5083916 DOI: 10.3390/genes7100077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common heritable form of cognitive impairment. It results from a loss-of-function mutation by a CGG repeat expansion at the 5′ untranslated region of the X-linked fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene. Expansion of the CGG repeats beyond 200 copies results in protein deficiency by leading to aberrant methylation of the FMR1 promoter and the switch from active to repressive histone modifications. Additionally, the CGGs become increasingly unstable, resulting in high degree of variation in expansion size between and within tissues of affected individuals. It is still unclear how the FMR1 protein (FMRP) deficiency leads to disease pathology in neurons. Nor do we know the mechanisms by which the CGG expansion results in aberrant DNA methylation, or becomes unstable in somatic cells of patients, at least in part due to the lack of appropriate animal or cellular models. This review summarizes the current contribution of pluripotent stem cells, mutant human embryonic stem cells, and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells to disease modeling of FXS for basic and applied research, including the development of new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hagar Mor-Shaked
- Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem 91031, Israel.
| | - Rachel Eiges
- Stem Cell Research Laboratory, Medical Genetics Institute, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem 91031, Israel.
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18
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Li M, Zhao H, Ananiev GE, Musser MT, Ness KH, Maglaque DL, Saha K, Bhattacharyya A, Zhao X. Establishment of Reporter Lines for Detecting Fragile X Mental Retardation (FMR1) Gene Reactivation in Human Neural Cells. Stem Cells 2016; 35:158-169. [PMID: 27422057 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Human patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide unique opportunities for disease modeling and drug development. However, adapting hiPSCs or their differentiated progenies to high throughput assays for phenotyping or drug screening has been challenging. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and a major genetic cause of autism. FXS is caused by mutational trinucleotide expansion in the FMR1 gene leading to hypermethylation and gene silencing. One potential therapeutic strategy is to reactivate the silenced FMR1 gene, which has been attempted using both candidate chemicals and cell-based screening. However, molecules that effectively reactivate the silenced FMR1 gene are yet to be identified; therefore, a high throughput unbiased screen is needed. Here we demonstrate the creation of a robust FMR1-Nluc reporter hiPSC line by knocking in a Nano luciferase (Nluc) gene into the endogenous human FMR1 gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing method. We confirmed that luciferase activities faithfully report FMR1 gene expression levels and showed that neural progenitor cells derived from this line could be optimized for high throughput screening. The FMR1-Nluc reporter line is a good resource for drug screening as well as for testing potential genetic reactivation strategies. In addition, our data provide valuable information for the generation of knockin human iPSC reporter lines for disease modeling, drug screening, and mechanistic studies. Stem Cells 2017;35:158-169.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Huashan Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Gene E Ananiev
- Small Molecule Screening Facility, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michael T Musser
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Kathryn H Ness
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Dianne L Maglaque
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Krishanu Saha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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19
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Stover AE, Herculian S, Banuelos MG, Navarro SL, Jenkins MP, Schwartz PH. Culturing Human Pluripotent and Neural Stem Cells in an Enclosed Cell Culture System for Basic and Preclinical Research. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 27341536 PMCID: PMC4927770 DOI: 10.3791/53685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper describes how to use a custom manufactured, commercially available enclosed cell culture system for basic and preclinical research. Biosafety cabinets (BSCs) and incubators have long been the standard for culturing and expanding cell lines for basic and preclinical research. However, as the focus of many stem cell laboratories shifts from basic research to clinical translation, additional requirements are needed of the cell culturing system. All processes must be well documented and have exceptional requirements for sterility and reproducibility. In traditional incubators, gas concentrations and temperatures widely fluctuate anytime the cells are removed for feeding, passaging, or other manipulations. Such interruptions contribute to an environment that is not the standard for cGMP and GLP guidelines. These interruptions must be minimized especially when cells are utilized for therapeutic purposes. The motivation to move from the standard BSC and incubator system to a closed system is that such interruptions can be made negligible. Closed systems provide a work space to feed and manipulate cell cultures and maintain them in a controlled environment where temperature and gas concentrations are consistent. This way, pluripotent and multipotent stem cells can be maintained at optimum health from the moment of their derivation all the way to their eventual use in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E Stover
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute
| | - Siranush Herculian
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute
| | - Maria G Banuelos
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute
| | - Samantha L Navarro
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute
| | - Michael P Jenkins
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute
| | - Philip H Schwartz
- National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, Childrens Hospital of Orange County Research Institute;
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20
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Telezhkin V, Schnell C, Yarova P, Yung S, Cope E, Hughes A, Thompson BA, Sanders P, Geater C, Hancock JM, Joy S, Badder L, Connor-Robson N, Comella A, Straccia M, Bombau G, Brown JT, Canals JM, Randall AD, Allen ND, Kemp PJ. Forced cell cycle exit and modulation of GABAA, CREB, and GSK3β signaling promote functional maturation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2015; 310:C520-41. [PMID: 26718628 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00166.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although numerous protocols have been developed for differentiation of neurons from a variety of pluripotent stem cells, most have concentrated on being able to specify effectively appropriate neuronal subtypes and few have been designed to enhance or accelerate functional maturity. Of those that have, most employ time courses of functional maturation that are rather protracted, and none have fully characterized all aspects of neuronal function, from spontaneous action potential generation through to postsynaptic receptor maturation. Here, we describe a simple protocol that employs the sequential addition of just two supplemented media that have been formulated to separate the two key phases of neural differentiation, the neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, each characterized by different signaling requirements. Employing these media, this new protocol synchronized neurogenesis and enhanced the rate of maturation of pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors. Neurons differentiated using this protocol exhibited large cell capacitance with relatively hyperpolarized resting membrane potentials; moreover, they exhibited augmented: 1) spontaneous electrical activity; 2) regenerative induced action potential train activity; 3) Na(+) current availability, and 4) synaptic currents. This was accomplished by rapid and uniform development of a mature, inhibitory GABAAreceptor phenotype that was demonstrated by Ca(2+) imaging and the ability of GABAAreceptor blockers to evoke seizurogenic network activity in multielectrode array recordings. Furthermore, since this protocol can exploit expanded and frozen prepatterned neural progenitors to deliver mature neurons within 21 days, it is both scalable and transferable to high-throughput platforms for the use in functional screens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Polina Yarova
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sun Yung
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Cope
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Alis Hughes
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Philip Sanders
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Charlene Geater
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jane M Hancock
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; and
| | - Shona Joy
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Luned Badder
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrea Comella
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Straccia
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georgina Bombau
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jon T Brown
- Hatherly Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Josep M Canals
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew D Randall
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; and Hatherly Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas D Allen
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom;
| | - Paul J Kemp
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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21
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A Dishful of a Troubled Mind: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Psychiatric Research. Stem Cells Int 2015; 2016:7909176. [PMID: 26839567 PMCID: PMC4709917 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7909176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells and direct reprogramming represent powerful methods for modeling the development of neurons in vitro. Moreover, this approach is also a means for comparing various cellular phenotypes between cell lines originating from healthy and diseased individuals or isogenic cell lines engineered to differ at only one or a few genomic loci. Despite methodological constraints and initial skepticism regarding this approach, the field is expanding at a fast pace. The improvements include the development of new differentiation protocols resulting in selected neuronal populations (e.g., dopaminergic, GABAergic, hippocampal, and cortical), the widespread use of genome editing methods, and single-cell techniques. A major challenge awaiting in vitro disease modeling is the integration of clinical data in the models, by selection of well characterized clinical populations. Ideally, these models will also demonstrate how different diagnostic categories share overlapping molecular disease mechanisms, but also have unique characteristics. In this review we evaluate studies with regard to the described developments, to demonstrate how differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells and direct reprogramming can contribute to psychiatry.
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22
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Bhattacharyya A, Zhao X. Human pluripotent stem cell models of Fragile X syndrome. Mol Cell Neurosci 2015; 73:43-51. [PMID: 26640241 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2015.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and autism. The causal mutation in FXS is a trinucleotide CGG repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene that leads to human specific epigenetic silencing and loss of Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) expression. Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and particularly induced PSCs (iPSCs), offer a model system to reveal cellular and molecular events underlying human neuronal development and function in FXS. Human FXS PSCs have been established and have provided insight into the epigenetic silencing of the FMR1 gene as well as aspects of neuronal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, United States.
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, United States.
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23
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Crook JM, Wallace G, Tomaskovic-Crook E. The potential of induced pluripotent stem cells in models of neurological disorders: implications on future therapy. Expert Rev Neurother 2015; 15:295-304. [PMID: 25664599 DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2015.1013096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There is an urgent need for new and advanced approaches to modeling the pathological mechanisms of complex human neurological disorders. This is underscored by the decline in pharmaceutical research and development efficiency resulting in a relative decrease in new drug launches in the last several decades. Induced pluripotent stem cells represent a new tool to overcome many of the shortcomings of conventional methods, enabling live human neural cell modeling of complex conditions relating to aberrant neurodevelopment, such as schizophrenia, epilepsy and autism as well as age-associated neurodegeneration. This review considers the current status of induced pluripotent stem cell-based modeling of neurological disorders, canvassing proven and putative advantages, current constraints, and future prospects of next-generation culture systems for biomedical research and translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Micah Crook
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong, Squires Way, Fairy Meadow, New South Wales 2519, Australia
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