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Moceri S, Bäuerle N, Habermeyer J, Ratz-Wirsching V, Harrer J, Distler J, Schulze-Krebs A, Timotius IK, Bluhm A, Hartlage-Rübsamen M, Roßner S, Winkler J, Xiang W, Hörsten SV. Young human alpha synuclein transgenic (BAC-SNCA) mice display sex- and gene-dose-dependent phenotypic disturbances. Behav Brain Res 2024; 460:114781. [PMID: 38043677 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative movement disorder, characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and the accumulation of aggregated alpha synuclein (aSyn). The disease often presents with early prodromal non-motor symptoms and later motor symptoms. Diagnosing PD based purely on motor symptoms is often too late for successful intervention, as a significant neuronal loss has already occurred. Furthermore, the lower prevalence of PD in females is not well understood, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the interaction between sex and aSyn, the crucial protein for PD pathogenesis. Here, we conducted a comprehensive phenotyping study in 1- to 5-month-old mice overexpressing human aSyn gene (SNCA) in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC-SNCA). We demonstrate a SNCA gene-dose-dependent increase of human aSyn and phosphorylated aSyn, as well as a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase expression in BAC-SNCA mice, with more pronounced effects in male mice. Phosphorylated aSyn was already found in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve of 2-month-old mice. This was time-wise associated with significant gait altrations in BAC-SNCA mice as early as 1 and 3 months of age using CatWalk gait analysis. Furthermore, anxiety-related behavioral tests revealed an increase in anxiety levels in male BAC-SNCA mice. Finally, 5-month-old male BAC-SNCA mice exhibited a SNCA gene-dose-dependent elevation in energy expenditure in automated home-cage monitoring. For the first time, these findings describe early-onset, sex- and gene-dose-dependent, aSyn-mediated disturbances in BAC-SNCA mice, providing a model for sex-differences, early-onset neuropathology, and prodromal symptoms of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Moceri
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Natascha Bäuerle
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johanna Habermeyer
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Veronika Ratz-Wirsching
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Harrer
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg Distler
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anja Schulze-Krebs
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ivanna K Timotius
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Department of Electronic Engineering, Satya Wacana Christian University, 50711 Salatiga, Indonesia
| | - Alexandra Bluhm
- Paul-Flechsig-Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Steffen Roßner
- Paul-Flechsig-Institute for Brain Research, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jürgen Winkler
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Stephan von Hörsten
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Preclinical Experimental Center, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Sarrafha L, Neavin DR, Parfitt GM, Kruglikov IA, Whitney K, Reyes R, Coccia E, Kareva T, Goldman C, Tipon R, Croft G, Crary JF, Powell JE, Blanchard J, Ahfeldt T. Novel human pluripotent stem cell-derived hypothalamus organoids demonstrate cellular diversity. iScience 2023; 26:107525. [PMID: 37646018 PMCID: PMC10460991 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamus is a region of the brain that plays an important role in regulating body functions and behaviors. There is a growing interest in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for modeling diseases that affect the hypothalamus. Here, we established an hPSC-derived hypothalamus organoid differentiation protocol to model the cellular diversity of this brain region. Using an hPSC line with a tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-TdTomato reporter for dopaminergic neurons (DNs) and other TH-expressing cells, we interrogated DN-specific pathways and functions in electrophysiologically active hypothalamus organoids. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) revealed diverse neuronal and non-neuronal cell types in mature hypothalamus organoids. We identified several molecularly distinct hypothalamic DN subtypes that demonstrated different developmental maturities. Our in vitro 3D hypothalamus differentiation protocol can be used to study the development of this critical brain structure and can be applied to disease modeling to generate novel therapeutic approaches for disorders centered around the hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Sarrafha
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Drew R. Neavin
- Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Gustavo M. Parfitt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | | - Kristen Whitney
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Ricardo Reyes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Elena Coccia
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tatyana Kareva
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Camille Goldman
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Regine Tipon
- New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - Gist Croft
- New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York, NY 10019, USA
| | - John F. Crary
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pathology, Molecular, and Cell-Based Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Joseph E. Powell
- Garvan-Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Joel Blanchard
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Tim Ahfeldt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer’s Disease, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Friedman Brain Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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