1
|
Kampmann M. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of selective vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:351-371. [PMID: 38575768 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00806-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The selective vulnerability of specific neuronal subtypes is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. In this Review, I summarize our current understanding of the brain regions and cell types that are selectively vulnerable in different neurodegenerative diseases and describe the proposed underlying cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. I highlight how recent methodological innovations - including single-cell transcriptomics, CRISPR-based screens and human cell-based models of disease - are enabling new breakthroughs in our understanding of selective vulnerability. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms that determine selective vulnerability and resilience would shed light on the key processes that drive neurodegeneration and point to potential therapeutic strategies to protect vulnerable cell populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kampmann
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang Y, Tian K, Wei W, Mi W, Lu F, Liu Z, Zhu Q, Zhang X, Geng P, Qiu J, Song Y, Zha D. Translocation of telomerase reverse transcriptase coincided with ATP release in postnatal cochlear supporting cells. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1119-1125. [PMID: 37862217 PMCID: PMC10749606 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382862] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The spontaneous bursts of electrical activity in the developing auditory system are derived from the periodic release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by supporting cells in the Kölliker's organ. However, the mechanisms responsible for initiating spontaneous ATP release have not been determined. Our previous study revealed that telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is expressed in the basilar membrane during the first postnatal week. Its role in cochlear development remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression and role of TERT in postnatal cochlea supporting cells. Our results revealed that in postnatal cochlear Kölliker's organ supporting cells, TERT shifts from the nucleus into the cytoplasm over time. We found that the TERT translocation tendency in postnatal cochlear supporting cells in vitro coincided with that observed in vivo. Further analysis showed that TERT in the cytoplasm was mainly located in mitochondria in the absence of oxidative stress or apoptosis, suggesting that TERT in mitochondria plays roles other than antioxidant or anti-apoptotic functions. We observed increased ATP synthesis, release and activation of purine signaling systems in supporting cells during the first 10 postnatal days. The phenomenon that TERT translocation coincided with changes in ATP synthesis, release and activation of the purine signaling system in postnatal cochlear supporting cells suggested that TERT may be involved in regulating ATP release and activation of the purine signaling system. Our study provides a new research direction for exploring the spontaneous electrical activity of the cochlea during the early postnatal period.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yukai Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Keyong Tian
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Wenjuan Mi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Fei Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Zhenzhen Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Qingwen Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Panling Geng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Jianhua Qiu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Yongli Song
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Dingjun Zha
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Moser VA, Svendsen CN. Survival of the fittest glia. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:700-702. [PMID: 37640947 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01944-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- V Alexandra Moser
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Clive N Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chatterjee S, Leach-Mehrwald M, Huang CK, Xiao K, Fuchs M, Otto M, Lu D, Dang V, Winkler T, Dunbar CE, Thum T, Bär C. Telomerase is essential for cardiac differentiation and sustained metabolism of human cardiomyocytes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:196. [PMID: 38658440 PMCID: PMC11043037 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05239-7] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Telomeres as the protective ends of linear chromosomes, are synthesized by the enzyme telomerase (TERT). Critically short telomeres essentially contribute to aging-related diseases and are associated with a broad spectrum of disorders known as telomeropathies. In cardiomyocytes, telomere length is strongly correlated with cardiomyopathies but it remains ambiguous whether short telomeres are the cause or the result of the disease. In this study, we employed an inducible CRISPRi human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line to silence TERT expression enabling the generation of hiPSCs and hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes with long and short telomeres. Reduced telomerase activity and shorter telomere lengths of hiPSCs induced global transcriptomic changes associated with cardiac developmental pathways. Consequently, the differentiation potential towards cardiomyocytes was strongly impaired and single cell RNA sequencing revealed a shift towards a more smooth muscle cell like identity in the cells with the shortest telomeres. Poor cardiomyocyte function and increased sensitivity to stress directly correlated with the extent of telomere shortening. Collectively our data demonstrates a TERT dependent cardiomyogenic differentiation defect, highlighting the CRISPRi TERT hiPSCs model as a powerful platform to study the mechanisms and consequences of short telomeres in the heart and also in the context of telomeropathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shambhabi Chatterjee
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Center of Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Megan Leach-Mehrwald
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Cheng-Kai Huang
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ke Xiao
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Maximilian Fuchs
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mandy Otto
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dongchao Lu
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Center of Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Vinh Dang
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Winkler
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cynthia E Dunbar
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Center of Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Bär
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
- Center of Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li B, Xiong W, Zuo W, Shi Y, Wang T, Chang L, Wu Y, Ma H, Bian Q, Chang ACY. Proximal telomeric decompaction due to telomere shortening drives FOXC1-dependent myocardial senescence. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae274. [PMID: 38634789 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, TTAGGGn DNA repeat sequences located at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, play a pivotal role in aging and are targets of DNA damage response. Although we and others have demonstrated presence of short telomeres in genetic cardiomyopathic and heart failure cardiomyocytes, little is known about the role of telomere lengths in cardiomyocyte. Here, we demonstrate that in heart failure patient cardiomyocytes, telomeres are shortened compared to healthy controls. We generated isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) with short telomeres (sTL-CMs) and normal telomeres (nTL-CMs) as model. Compared to nTL-CMs, short telomeres result in cardiac dysfunction and expression of senescent markers. Using Hi-C and RNASeq, we observe that short telomeres induced TAD insulation decrease near telomeric ends and this correlated with a transcription upregulation in sTL-CMs. FOXC1, a key transcription factor involved in early cardiogenesis, was upregulated in sTL-CMs and its protein levels were negatively correlated with telomere lengths in heart failure patients. Overexpression of FOXC1 induced hiPSC-CM aging, mitochondrial and contractile dysfunction; knockdown of FOXC1 rescued these phenotypes. Overall, the work presented demonstrate that increased chromatin accessibility due to telomere shortening resulted in the induction of FOXC1-dependent expression network responsible for contractile dysfunction and myocardial senescence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Li
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Weiyao Xiong
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Wu Zuo
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Yuanyuan Shi
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Teng Wang
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Lingling Chang
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Yueheng Wu
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Heng Ma
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169 Changle West Rd, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Qian Bian
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| | - Alex C Y Chang
- Department of Cardiology and Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200125, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rowlands J, Moore DJ. VPS35 and retromer dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220384. [PMID: 38368930 PMCID: PMC10874700 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0384] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The vacuolar protein sorting 35 ortholog (VPS35) gene encodes a core component of the retromer complex essential for the endosomal sorting and recycling of transmembrane cargo. Endo-lysosomal pathway deficits are suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Mutations in VPS35 cause a late-onset, autosomal dominant form of PD, with a single missense mutation (D620N) shown to segregate with disease in PD families. Understanding how the PD-linked D620N mutation causes retromer dysfunction will provide valuable insight into the pathophysiology of PD and may advance the identification of therapeutics. D620N VPS35 can induce LRRK2 hyperactivation and impair endosomal recruitment of the WASH complex but is also linked to mitochondrial and autophagy-lysosomal pathway dysfunction and altered neurotransmitter receptor transport. The clinical similarities between VPS35-linked PD and sporadic PD suggest that defects observed in cellular and animal models with the D620N VPS35 mutation may provide valuable insights into sporadic disease. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge surrounding VPS35 and its role in retromer dysfunction in PD. We provide a critical discussion of the mechanisms implicated in VPS35-mediated neurodegeneration in PD, as well as the interplay between VPS35 and other PD-linked gene products. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Understanding the endo-lysosomal network in neurodegeneration'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Rowlands
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Darren J. Moore
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Harley J, Santosa MM, Ng CY, Grinchuk OV, Hor JH, Liang Y, Lim VJ, Tee WW, Ong DST, Ng SY. Telomere shortening induces aging-associated phenotypes in hiPSC-derived neurons and astrocytes. Biogerontology 2024; 25:341-360. [PMID: 37987889 PMCID: PMC10998800 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10076-5] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Telomere shortening is a well-established hallmark of cellular aging. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) plays a crucial role in maintaining the length of telomeres, which are specialised protective caps at the end of chromosomes. The lack of in vitro aging models, particularly for the central nervous system (CNS), has impeded progress in understanding aging and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to explore the possibility of inducing aging-associated features in cell types of the CNS using hiPSC (human induced pluripotent stem cell) technology. To achieve this, we utilised CRISPR/Cas9 to generate hiPSCs with a loss of telomerase function and shortened telomeres. Through directed differentiation, we generated motor neurons and astrocytes to investigate whether telomere shortening could lead to age-associated phenotypes. Our findings revealed that shortened telomeres induced age-associated characteristics in both motor neurons and astrocytes including increased cellular senescence, heightened inflammation, and elevated DNA damage. We also observed cell-type specific age-related morphology changes. Additionally, our study highlighted the fundamental role of TERT and telomere shortening in neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation and neuronal differentiation. This study serves as a proof of concept that telomere shortening can effectively induce aging-associated phenotypes, thereby providing a valuable tool to investigate age-related decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Harley
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Munirah Mohamad Santosa
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Chong Yi Ng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Oleg V Grinchuk
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Jin-Hui Hor
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Yajing Liang
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Valerie Jingwen Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
| | - Wee Wei Tee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Derrick Sek Tong Ong
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore
| | - Shi-Yan Ng
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR Research Entities, Singapore, 138673, Singapore.
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
de Luzy IR, Lee MK, Mobley WC, Studer L. Lessons from inducible pluripotent stem cell models on neuronal senescence in aging and neurodegeneration. Nat Aging 2024; 4:309-318. [PMID: 38429379 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00586-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Age remains the central risk factor for many neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Although the mechanisms of aging are complex, the age-related accumulation of senescent cells in neurodegeneration is well documented and their clearance can alleviate disease-related features in preclinical models. Senescence-like characteristics are observed in both neuronal and glial lineages, but their relative contribution to aging and neurodegeneration remains unclear. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons provide an experimental model system to induce neuronal senescence. However, the extensive heterogeneity in the profile of senescent neurons and the methods to assess senescence remain major challenges. Here, we review the evidence of cellular senescence in neuronal aging and disease, discuss human pluripotent stem cell-based model systems used to investigate neuronal senescence and propose a panel of cellular and molecular hallmarks to characterize senescent neurons. Understanding the role of neuronal senescence may yield novel therapeutic opportunities in neurodegenerative disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle R de Luzy
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| | - Michael K Lee
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - William C Mobley
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pitrez PR, Monteiro LM, Borgogno O, Nissan X, Mertens J, Ferreira L. Cellular reprogramming as a tool to model human aging in a dish. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1816. [PMID: 38418829 PMCID: PMC10902382 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46004-5] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The design of human model systems is highly relevant to unveil the underlying mechanisms of aging and to provide insights on potential interventions to extend human health and life span. In this perspective, we explore the potential of 2D or 3D culture models comprising human induced pluripotent stem cells and transdifferentiated cells obtained from aged or age-related disorder-affected donors to enhance our understanding of human aging and to catalyze the discovery of anti-aging interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia R Pitrez
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luis M Monteiro
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC-institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Casa Costa Alemão, Coimbra, 3030-789, Portugal
| | - Oliver Borgogno
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Xavier Nissan
- CECS, I-STEM, AFM, Institute for Stem Cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic diseases, Evry cedex, France
| | - Jerome Mertens
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Laboratory of Genetics, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Lino Ferreira
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wu J, Ren J, Cui H, Xie Y, Tang Y. Rapid and high-purity differentiation of human medium spiny neurons reveals LMNB1 hypofunction and subtype necessity in modeling Huntington's disease. Inflamm Regen 2024; 44:7. [PMID: 38360694 PMCID: PMC10870681 DOI: 10.1186/s41232-024-00320-x] [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: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Different neural subtypes are selectively lost in diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor abnormalities that primarily affect the striatum. The Huntingtin (HTT) mutation involves an expanded CAG repeat, leading to insoluble polyQ, which renders GABA+ medium spiny neurons (MSN) more venerable to cell death. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) technology allows for the construction of disease-specific models, providing valuable cellular models for studying pathogenesis, drug screening, and high-throughput analysis. METHODS In this study, we established a method that allows for rapid and efficient generation of MSNs (> 90%) within 21 days from hPSC-derived neural progenitor cells, by introducing a specific combination of transcription factors. RESULTS We efficiently induced several neural subtypes, in parallel, based on the same cell source, and revealed that, compared to other neural subtypes, MSNs exhibited higher polyQ aggregation propensity and overexpression toxicity, more severe dysfunction in BDNF/TrkB signaling, greater susceptibility to BDNF withdrawal, and more severe disturbances in nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT). We further found that the nuclear lamina protein LMNB1 was greatly reduced in HD neurons and mislocalized to the cytoplasm and axons. Knockdown of HTT or treatment with KPT335, an orally selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE), effectively attenuated the pathological phenotypes and alleviated neuronal death caused by BDNF withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS This study thus establishes an effective method for obtaining MSNs and underscores the necessity of using high-purity MSNs to study HD pathogenesis, especially the MSN-selective vulnerability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junjiao Wu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Provincial Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Hongfei Cui
- Department of Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Yali Xie
- Department of Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Department of Geriatrics, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
- Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Vellingiri B, Balasubramani K, Iyer M, Raj N, Elangovan A, Song K, Yeo HC, Jayakumar N, Kinoshita M, Thangarasu R, Narayanasamy A, Dayem AA, Prajapati VK, Gopalakrishnan AV, Cho SG. Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Parkinson's Disease-A New Theranostics? Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300097. [PMID: 37590305 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex condition that is significantly influenced by oxidative stress and inflammation. It is also suggested that telomere shortening (TS) is regulated by oxidative stress which leads to various diseases including age-related neurodegenerative diseases like PD. Thus, it is anticipated that PD would result in TS of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Telomeres protect the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes preserving them against fusion and destruction. The TS is a normal process because DNA polymerase is unable to replicate the linear ends of the DNA due to end replication complications and telomerase activity in various cell types counteracts this process. PD is usually observed in the aged population and progresses over time therefore, disparities among telomere length in PBMCs of PD patients are recorded and it is still a question whether it has any useful role. Here, the likelihood of telomere attrition in PD and its implications concerning microglia activation, ageing, oxidative stress, and the significance of telomerase activators are addressed. Also, the possibility of telomeres and telomerase as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker in PD is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Balachandar Vellingiri
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Kiruthika Balasubramani
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Mahalaxmi Iyer
- Department of Biotechnology, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641021, India
| | - Neethu Raj
- Human Molecular Cytogenetics and Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Ajay Elangovan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine/Translational Research, Department of Zoology, School of Basic Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Kwonwoo Song
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Han-Cheol Yeo
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Namitha Jayakumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Sri Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641006, India
| | - Masako Kinoshita
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Utano National Hospital, Ondoyama-Cho, Narutaki, Ukyo-Ku, Kyoto, 616-8255, Japan
| | - Ravimanickam Thangarasu
- Department of Zoology, School of Science, Tamil Nadu Open University, Saidapet, Chennai, 600015, India
| | - Arul Narayanasamy
- Disease Proteomics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641046, India
| | - Ahmed Abdal Dayem
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Benito Juarez Road, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, 110021, India
| | - Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Ssang-Goo Cho
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Molecular and Cellular Reprogramming Center and Institute of Advanced Regenerative Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang C, Saurat N, Cornacchia D, Chung SY, Sikder T, Minotti A, Studer L, Betel D. Identifying novel age-modulating compounds and quantifying cellular aging using novel computational framework for evaluating transcriptional age. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.03.547539. [PMID: 37461485 PMCID: PMC10349953 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.03.547539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provides access to most cell types and tissues. However, hPSC-derived lineages capture a fetal-stage of development and methods to accelerate progression to an aged identity are limited. Understanding the factors driving cellular age and rejuvenation is also essential for efforts aimed at extending human life and health span. A prerequisite for such studies is the development of methods to score cellular age and simple readouts to assess the relative impact of various age modifying strategies. Here we established a transcriptional score (RNAge) in young versus old primary fibroblasts, frontal cortex and substantia nigra tissue. We validated the score in independent RNA-seq datasets and demonstrated a strong cell and tissue specificity. In fibroblasts we observed a reset of RNAge during iPSC reprogramming while direct reprogramming of aged fibroblasts to induced neurons (iN) resulted in the maintenance of both a neuronal and a fibroblast aging signature. Increased RNAge in hPSC-derived neurons was confirmed for several age-inducing strategies such as SATB1 loss, progerin expression or chemical induction of senescence (SLO). Using RNAge as a probe set, we next performed an in-silico screen using the LINCS L1000 dataset. We identified and validated several novel age-inducing and rejuvenating compounds, and we observed that RNAage captures age-related changes associated with distinct cellular hallmarks of age. Our study presents a simple tool to score age manipulations and identifies compounds that greatly expand the toolset of age-modifying strategies in hPSC derived lineages.
Collapse
|
13
|
Chakrabarty K, Nayak D, Debnath J, Das D, Shetty R, Ghosh A. Retinal organoids in disease modeling and drug discovery: Opportunities and challenges. Surv Ophthalmol 2023:S0039-6257(23)00127-3. [PMID: 37778668 DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2023.09.003] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Diseases leading to retinal cell loss can cause severe visual impairment and blindness. The lack of effective therapies to address retinal cell loss and the absence of intrinsic regeneration in the human retina leads to an irreversible pathological condition. Progress in recent years in the generation of human three-dimensional retinal organoids from pluripotent stem cells makes it possible to recreate the cytoarchitecture and associated cell-cell interactions of the human retina in remarkable detail. These human three-dimensional retinal organoid systems made of distinct retinal cell types and possessing contextual physiological responses allow the study of human retina development and retinal disease pathology in a way animal model and two-dimensional cell cultures were unable to achieve. We describe the derivation of retinal organoids from human pluripotent stem cells and their application for modeling retinal disease pathologies, while outlining the opportunities and challenges for its application in academia and industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koushik Chakrabarty
- GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
| | - Divyani Nayak
- GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Jayasree Debnath
- GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Debashish Das
- Stem Cell Research Lab, GROW Lab, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Narayana Nethralaya, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Rohit Shetty
- Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery, Narayana Nethralaya Eye Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Arkasubhra Ghosh
- GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Otero MG, Bell S, Laperle AH, Lawless G, Myers Z, Castro MA, Villalba JM, Svendsen CN. Organ-Chips Enhance the Maturation of Human iPSC-Derived Dopamine Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14227. [PMID: 37762529 PMCID: PMC10531789 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241814227] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
While cells in the human body function in an environment where the blood supply constantly delivers nutrients and removes waste, cells in conventional tissue culture well platforms are grown with a static pool of media above them and often lack maturity, limiting their utility to study cell biology in health and disease. In contrast, organ-chip microfluidic systems allow the growth of cells under constant flow, more akin to the in vivo situation. Here, we differentiated human induced pluripotent stem cells into dopamine neurons and assessed cellular properties in conventional multi-well cultures and organ-chips. We show that organ-chip cultures, compared to multi-well cultures, provide an overall greater proportion and homogeneity of dopaminergic neurons as well as increased levels of maturation markers. These organ-chips are an ideal platform to study mature dopamine neurons to better understand their biology in health and ultimately in neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Clive N. Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (M.G.O.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Esteves F, Brito D, Rajado AT, Silva N, Apolónio J, Roberto VP, Araújo I, Nóbrega C, Castelo-Branco P, Bragança J. Reprogramming iPSCs to study age-related diseases: Models, therapeutics, and clinical trials. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 214:111854. [PMID: 37579530 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111854] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The unprecedented rise in life expectancy observed in the last decades is leading to a global increase in the ageing population, and age-associated diseases became an increasing societal, economic, and medical burden. This has boosted major efforts in the scientific and medical research communities to develop and improve therapies to delay ageing and age-associated functional decline and diseases, and to expand health span. The establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by reprogramming human somatic cells has revolutionised the modelling and understanding of human diseases. iPSCs have a major advantage relative to other human pluripotent stem cells as their obtention does not require the destruction of embryos like embryonic stem cells do, and do not have a limited proliferation or differentiation potential as adult stem cells. Besides, iPSCs can be generated from somatic cells from healthy individuals or patients, which makes iPSC technology a promising approach to model and decipher the mechanisms underlying the ageing process and age-associated diseases, study drug effects, and develop new therapeutic approaches. This review discusses the advances made in the last decade using iPSC technology to study the most common age-associated diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, brain stroke, cancer, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Esteves
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - David Brito
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Ana Teresa Rajado
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Nádia Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Joana Apolónio
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Vânia Palma Roberto
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; ABC Collaborative Laboratory, Association for Integrated Aging and Rejuvenation Solutions (ABC CoLAB), 8100-735 Loulé, Portugal
| | - Inês Araújo
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; ABC Collaborative Laboratory, Association for Integrated Aging and Rejuvenation Solutions (ABC CoLAB), 8100-735 Loulé, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Clévio Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; ABC Collaborative Laboratory, Association for Integrated Aging and Rejuvenation Solutions (ABC CoLAB), 8100-735 Loulé, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Castelo-Branco
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; ABC Collaborative Laboratory, Association for Integrated Aging and Rejuvenation Solutions (ABC CoLAB), 8100-735 Loulé, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute (ABC-RI), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; ABC Collaborative Laboratory, Association for Integrated Aging and Rejuvenation Solutions (ABC CoLAB), 8100-735 Loulé, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal; Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Plesa AM, Shadpour M, Boyden E, Church GM. Transcriptomic reprogramming for neuronal age reversal. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1293-1302. [PMID: 37004545 PMCID: PMC10066999 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02529-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a progressive multifaceted functional decline of a biological system. Chronic age-related conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases are leading causes of death worldwide, and they are becoming a pressing problem for our society. To address this global challenge, there is a need for novel, safe, and effective rejuvenation therapies aimed at reversing age-related phenotypes and improving human health. With gene expression being a key determinant of cell identity and function, and in light of recent studies reporting rejuvenation effects through genetic perturbations, we propose an age reversal strategy focused on reprogramming the cell transcriptome to a youthful state. To this end, we suggest using transcriptomic data from primary human cells to predict rejuvenation targets and develop high-throughput aging assays, which can be used in large perturbation screens. We propose neural cells as particularly relevant targets for rejuvenation due to substantial impact of neurodegeneration on human frailty. Of all cell types in the brain, we argue that glutamatergic neurons, neuronal stem cells, and oligodendrocytes represent the most impactful and tractable targets. Lastly, we provide experimental designs for anti-aging reprogramming screens that will likely enable the development of neuronal age reversal therapies, which hold promise for dramatically improving human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandru M. Plesa
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Michael Shadpour
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Ed Boyden
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, MIT, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - George M. Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Mullis AS, Kaplan DL. Functional bioengineered tissue models of neurodegenerative diseases. Biomaterials 2023; 298:122143. [PMID: 37146365 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases remain poorly understood and no disease-modifying treatments exist despite decades of investigation. Predominant in vitro (e.g., 2D cell culture, organoids) and in vivo (e.g., mouse) models of these diseases are insufficient mimics of human brain tissue structure and function and of human neurodegenerative pathobiology, and have thus contributed to this collective translational failure. This has been a longstanding challenge in the field, and new strategies are required to address both fundamental and translational needs. Bioengineered tissue culture models constitute a class of promising alternatives, as they can overcome the low cell density, poor nutrient exchange, and long term culturability limitations of existing in vitro models. Further, they can reconstruct the structural, mechanical, and biochemical cues of native brain tissue, providing a better mimic of human brain tissues for in vitro pathobiological investigation and drug development. We discuss bioengineering techniques for the generation of these neurodegenerative tissue models, including biomaterials-, organoid-, and microfluidics-based approaches, and design considerations for their construction. To aid the development of the next generation of functional neurodegenerative disease models, we discuss approaches to incorporate greater cellular diversity and simulate aging processes within bioengineered brain tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Mullis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
| | - David L Kaplan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA; Allen Discovery Center, Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Berryer MH, Rizki G, Nathanson A, Klein JA, Trendafilova D, Susco SG, Lam D, Messana A, Holton KM, Karhohs KW, Cimini BA, Pfaff K, Carpenter AE, Rubin LL, Barrett LE. High-content synaptic phenotyping in human cellular models reveals a role for BET proteins in synapse assembly. eLife 2023; 12:80168. [PMID: 37083703 PMCID: PMC10121225 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80168] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Resolving fundamental molecular and functional processes underlying human synaptic development is crucial for understanding normal brain function as well as dysfunction in disease. Based upon increasing evidence of species-divergent features of brain cell types, coupled with emerging studies of complex human disease genetics, we developed the first automated and quantitative high-content synaptic phenotyping platform using human neurons and astrocytes. To establish the robustness of our platform, we screened the effects of 376 small molecules on presynaptic density, neurite outgrowth, and cell viability, validating six small molecules that specifically enhanced human presynaptic density in vitro. Astrocytes were essential for mediating the effects of all six small molecules, underscoring the relevance of non-cell-autonomous factors in synapse assembly and their importance in synaptic screening applications. Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) inhibitors emerged as the most prominent hit class and global transcriptional analyses using multiple BET inhibitors confirmed upregulation of synaptic gene expression. Through these analyses, we demonstrate the robustness of our automated screening platform for identifying potent synaptic modulators, which can be further leveraged for scaled analyses of human synaptic mechanisms and drug discovery efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin H Berryer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Gizem Rizki
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Anna Nathanson
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jenny A Klein
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Darina Trendafilova
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Sara G Susco
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Daisy Lam
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Angelica Messana
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Kristina M Holton
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Kyle W Karhohs
- Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Beth A Cimini
- Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Kathleen Pfaff
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Anne E Carpenter
- Imaging Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Lindy E Barrett
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kraskovskaya N, Bolshakova A, Khotin M, Bezprozvanny I, Mikhailova N. Protocol Optimization for Direct Reprogramming of Primary Human Fibroblast into Induced Striatal Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076799. [PMID: 37047770 PMCID: PMC10095147 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The modeling of neuropathology on induced neurons obtained by cell reprogramming technologies can fill a gap between clinical trials and studies on model organisms for the development of treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. Patient-specific models based on patients’ cells play an important role in such studies. There are two ways to obtain induced neuronal cells. One is based on induced pluripotent stem cells. The other is based on direct reprogramming, which allows us to obtain mature neuronal cells from adult somatic cells, such as dermal fibroblasts. Moreover, the latter method makes it possible to better preserve the age-related aspects of neuropathology, which is valuable for diseases that occur with age. However, direct methods of reprogramming have a significant drawback associated with low cell viability during procedures. Furthermore, the number of reprogrammable neurons available for morphological and functional studies is limited by the initial number of somatic cells. In this article, we propose modifications of a previously developed direct reprogramming method, based on the combination of microRNA and transcription factors, which allowed us to obtain a population of functionally active induced striatal neurons (iSNs) with a high efficiency. We also overcame the problem of the presence of multinucleated neurons associated with the cellular division of starting fibroblasts. Synchronization cells in the G1 phase increased the homogeneity of the fibroblast population, increased the survival rate of induced neurons, and eliminated the presence of multinucleated cells at the end of the reprogramming procedure. We have demonstrated that iSNs are functionally active and able to form synaptic connections in co-cultures with mouse cortical neurons. The proposed modifications can also be used to obtain a population of other induced neuronal types, such as motor and dopaminergic ones, by selecting transcription factors that determine differentiation into a region-specific neuron.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Kraskovskaya
- Center of Cellular Technologies, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Science, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anastasia Bolshakova
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail Khotin
- Center of Cellular Technologies, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Science, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ilya Bezprozvanny
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195251 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Natalia Mikhailova
- Center of Cellular Technologies, Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Science, 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Yu X, Liu MM, Zheng CY, Liu YT, Wang Z, Wang ZY. Telomerase reverse transcriptase and neurodegenerative diseases. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1165632. [PMID: 37063844 PMCID: PMC10091515 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1165632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are chronic conditions that result in progressive damage to the nervous system, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Age is a major risk factor for NDs. Telomere shortening is a biological marker of cellular aging, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) has been shown to slow down this process by maintaining telomere length. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes the brain a unique immune organ, and while the number of T cells present in the central nervous system is limited, they play an important role in NDs. Research suggests that NDs can be influenced by modulating peripheral T cell immune responses, and that TERT may play a significant role in T cell senescence and NDs. This review focuses on the current state of research on TERT in NDs and explores the potential connections between TERT, T cells, and NDs. Further studies on aging and telomeres may provide valuable insights for developing therapeutic strategies for age-related diseases.
Collapse
|
21
|
Danics L, Abbas AA, Kis B, Pircs K. Fountain of youth—Targeting autophagy in aging. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1125739. [PMID: 37065462 PMCID: PMC10090449 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1125739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
As our society ages inexorably, geroscience and research focusing on healthy aging is becoming increasingly urgent. Macroautophagy (referred to as autophagy), a highly conserved process of cellular clearance and rejuvenation has attracted much attention due to its universal role in organismal life and death. Growing evidence points to autophagy process as being one of the key players in the determination of lifespan and health. Autophagy inducing interventions show significant improvement in organismal lifespan demonstrated in several experimental models. In line with this, preclinical models of age-related neurodegenerative diseases demonstrate pathology modulating effect of autophagy induction, implicating its potential to treat such disorders. In humans this specific process seems to be more complex. Recent clinical trials of drugs targeting autophagy point out some beneficial effects for clinical use, although with limited effectiveness, while others fail to show any significant improvement. We propose that using more human-relevant preclinical models for testing drug efficacy would significantly improve clinical trial outcomes. Lastly, the review discusses the available cellular reprogramming techniques used to model neuronal autophagy and neurodegeneration while exploring the existing evidence of autophagy’s role in aging and pathogenesis in human-derived in vitro models such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons (iPSC-neurons) or induced neurons (iNs).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Danics
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine - Semmelweis University (HCEMM-SU), Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Eötvös Loránd Research Network and Semmelweis University (ELKH-SU), Cerebrovascular and Neurocognitive Disorders Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Anoir Abbas
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine - Semmelweis University (HCEMM-SU), Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Kis
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine - Semmelweis University (HCEMM-SU), Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Karolina Pircs
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine - Semmelweis University (HCEMM-SU), Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center and Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Karolina Pircs,
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Cai W, Wu T, Chen N. The Amyloid-Beta Clearance: From Molecular Targets to Glial and Neural Cells. Biomolecules 2023; 13. [PMID: 36830682 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain is one of the primary pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It can take place 20-30 years before the onset of clinical symptoms. The imbalance between the production and the clearance of Aβ is one of the major causes of AD. Enhancing Aβ clearance at an early stage is an attractive preventive and therapeutic strategy of AD. Direct inhibition of Aβ production and aggregation using small molecules, peptides, and monoclonal antibody drugs has not yielded satisfactory efficacy in clinical trials for decades. Novel approaches are required to understand and combat Aβ deposition. Neurological dysfunction is a complex process that integrates the functions of different types of cells in the brain. The role of non-neurons in AD has not been fully elucidated. An in-depth understanding of the interactions between neurons and non-neurons can contribute to the elucidation of Aβ formation and the identification of effective drug targets. AD patient-derived pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) contain complete disease background information and have the potential to differentiate into various types of neurons and non-neurons in vitro, which may bring new insight into the treatment of AD. Here, we systematically review the latest studies on Aβ clearance and clarify the roles of cell interactions among microglia, astroglia and neurons in response to Aβ plaques, which will be beneficial to explore methods for reconstructing AD disease models using inducible PSCs (iPSCs) through cell differentiation techniques and validating the applications of models in understanding the formation of Aβ plaques. This review may provide the most promising directions of finding the clues for preventing and delaying the development of AD.
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
Brain organoids are self-assembled three-dimensional aggregates with brain-like cell types and structures and have emerged as new model systems that can be used to investigate human neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. However, brain organoids are not as mature and functional as real human brains due to limitations of the culture system with insufficient developmental patterning signals and a lack of components that are important for brain development and function, such as the non-neural population and vasculature. In addition, establishing the desired brain-like environment and monitoring the complex neural networks and physiological functions of the brain organoids remain challenging. The current protocols to generate brain organoids also have problems with heterogeneity and batch variation due to spontaneous self-organization of brain organoids into complex architectures of the brain. To address these limitations of current brain organoid technologies, various engineering platforms, such as extracellular matrices, fluidic devices, three-dimensional bioprinting, bioreactors, polymeric scaffolds, microelectrodes, and biochemical sensors, have been employed to improve neuronal development and maturation, reduce structural heterogeneity, and facilitate functional analysis and monitoring. In this review, we provide an overview of the latest engineering techniques that overcome these limitations in the production and application of brain organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eunseon Jeong
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Suah Choi
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Woo Cho
- Department of Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering (NanoBME), Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Castillo Bautista CM, Sterneckert J. Progress and challenges in directing the differentiation of human iPSCs into spinal motor neurons. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1089970. [PMID: 36684437 PMCID: PMC9849822 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1089970] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron (MN) diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, cause progressive paralysis and, in many cases, death. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis is urgently needed to identify more effective therapies. However, studying MNs has been extremely difficult because they are inaccessible in the spinal cord. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can generate a theoretically limitless number of MNs from a specific patient, making them powerful tools for studying MN diseases. However, to reach their potential, iPSCs need to be directed to efficiently differentiate into functional MNs. Here, we review the reported differentiation protocols for spinal MNs, including induction with small molecules, expression of lineage-specific transcription factors, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional cultures, as well as the implementation of microfluidics devices and co-cultures with other cell types, including skeletal muscle. We will summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. In addition, we will provide insights into how to address some of the remaining challenges, including reproducibly obtaining mature and aged MNs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jared Sterneckert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany,*Correspondence: Jared Sterneckert,
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Leong YC, Sowden JC. Modeling Retinitis Pigmentosa with Patient-Derived iPSCs. Adv Exp Med Biol 2023; 1415:555-563. [PMID: 37440086 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-27681-1_81] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) causes blindness in 1 out of 3000-4000 individuals worldwide. Understanding the disease mechanism underlying the death of photoreceptors in RP patient is crucial for the discovery and development of therapies to prevent and stop the progression of retinal degeneration. Despite having provided valuable insight into RP pathology, several shortcomings of animal models warrant the need for a better modeling system. This review discusses the current use of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model RP and its advantages over animal models. Further improvement to enhance the representativeness of iPSC RP models is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yeh Chwan Leong
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London and NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Jane C Sowden
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London and NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Aversano S, Caiazza C, Caiazzo M. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived and directly reprogrammed neurons to study neurodegenerative diseases: The impact of aging signatures. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1069482. [PMID: 36620769 PMCID: PMC9810544 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1069482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many diseases of the central nervous system are age-associated and do not directly result from genetic mutations. These include late-onset neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), which represent a challenge for biomedical research and drug development due to the impossibility to access to viable human brain specimens. Advancements in reprogramming technologies have allowed to obtain neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or directly from somatic cells (iNs), leading to the generation of better models to understand the molecular mechanisms and design of new drugs. Nevertheless, iPSC technology faces some limitations due to reprogramming-associated cellular rejuvenation which resets the aging hallmarks of donor cells. Given the prominent role of aging for the development and manifestation of late-onset NDDs, this suggests that this approach is not the most suitable to accurately model age-related diseases. Direct neuronal reprogramming, by which a neuron is formed via direct conversion from a somatic cell without going through a pluripotent intermediate stage, allows the possibility to generate patient-derived neurons that maintain aging and epigenetic signatures of the donor. This aspect may be advantageous for investigating the role of aging in neurodegeneration and for finely dissecting underlying pathological mechanisms. Here, we will compare iPSC and iN models as regards the aging status and explore how this difference is reported to affect the phenotype of NDD in vitro models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Aversano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmen Caiazza
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Caiazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy,Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands,*Correspondence: Massimiliano Caiazzo,
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Yanakiev M, Soper O, Berg DA, Kang E. Modelling Alzheimer's disease using human brain organoids: current progress and challenges. Expert Rev Mol Med 2022; 25:e3. [PMID: 36517884 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2022.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by gradual memory loss and declining cognitive and executive functions. AD is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide, and is a major health concern in society. Despite decades of research, the cause of AD is not well understood and there is no effective curative treatment so far. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase understanding of AD pathophysiology in the hope of developing a much-needed cure. Dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms of AD pathogenesis has been challenging as the most commonly used model systems such as transgenic animals and two-dimensional neuronal culture do not fully recapitulate the pathological hallmarks of AD. The recent advent of three-dimensional human brain organoids confers unique opportunities to study AD in a humanised model system by encapsulating many aspects of AD pathology. In the present review, we summarise the studies of AD using human brain organoids that recapitulate the major pathological components of AD including amyloid-β and tau aggregation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and synaptic and circuitry dysregulation. Additionally, the current challenges and future directions of the brain organoids modelling system are discussed.
Collapse
|
28
|
Yang X, Wang J, Zeng W, Zhang X, Yang X, Xu Y, Xu Y, Cao X. Time-dependent alterations in the rat nigrostriatal system after intrastriatal injection of fibrils formed by α–Syn and tau fragments. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1049418. [DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1049418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
IntroductionAccurate demonstration of phosphorylated α-synuclein aggregation and propagation, progressive nigrostriatal degeneration and motor deficits will help further research on elucidating the mechanisms of Parkinson’s Disease. α-synucleinN103 and tauN368, cleaved by activated asparagine endopeptidase in Parkinson’s Disease, robustly interacted with each other and triggered endogenous α-synuclein accumulation in a strong manner. However, the detailed pathophysiological process caused by the complex remains to be established.MethodsIn this study, rats were unilaterally inoculated with 15 or 30 μg of this complex or vehicle (phosphate buffered saline, PBS). Over a 6-month period post injection, we then investigated the abundance of pSyn inclusions, nigrostriatal degeneration, and changes in axonal transport proteins to identify the various dynamic pathological changes caused by pSyn aggregates in the nigrostriatal system.ResultsAs expected, rats displayed a dose-dependent increase in the amount of α-synuclein inclusions, and progressive dopaminergic neurodegeneration was observed throughout the study, reaching 30% at 6 months post injection. Impairments in anterograde axonal transport, followed by retrograde transport, were observed prior to neuron death, which was first discovered in the PFFs model.DiscussionThe current results demonstrate the value of a novel rat model of Parkinson’s disease characterized by widespread, “seed”-initiated endogenous α-Syn pathology, impaired axonal transport, and a neurodegenerative cascade in the nigrostriatal system. Notably, the present study is the first to examine alterations in axonal transport proteins in a PFF model, providing an appropriate foundation for future research regarding the mechanisms leading to subsequent neurodegeneration. As this model recapitulates some essential features of Parkinson’s disease, it provides an important platform for further research on specific pathogenic mechanisms and pre-clinical evaluations of novel therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
29
|
Leng K, Kampmann M. Towards elucidating disease-relevant states of neurons and glia by CRISPR-based functional genomics. Genome Med 2022; 14:130. [PMID: 36401300 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01134-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of neurological diseases has been tremendously enhanced over the past decade by the application of new technologies. Genome-wide association studies have highlighted glial cells as important players in diseases. Single-cell profiling technologies are providing descriptions of disease states of neurons and glia at unprecedented molecular resolution. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms driving disease-associated cell states, and how these states contribute to disease. These gaps in our understanding can be bridged by CRISPR-based functional genomics, a powerful approach to systematically interrogate gene function. In this review, we will briefly review the current literature on neurological disease-associated cell states and introduce CRISPR-based functional genomics. We discuss how advances in CRISPR-based screens, especially when implemented in the relevant brain cell types or cellular environments, have paved the way towards uncovering mechanisms underlying neurological disease-associated cell states. Finally, we will delineate current challenges and future directions for CRISPR-based functional genomics to further our understanding of neurological diseases and potential therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
|
30
|
Magni M, Bossi B, Conforti P, Galimberti M, Dezi F, Lischetti T, He X, Barker RA, Zuccato C, Espuny-Camacho I, Cattaneo E. Brain Regional Identity and Cell Type Specificity Landscape of Human Cortical Organoid Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23. [PMID: 36361956 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro models of corticogenesis from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have greatly improved our understanding of human brain development and disease. Among these, 3D cortical organoid systems are able to recapitulate some aspects of in vivo cytoarchitecture of the developing cortex. Here, we tested three cortical organoid protocols for brain regional identity, cell type specificity and neuronal maturation. Overall, all protocols gave rise to organoids that displayed a time-dependent expression of neuronal maturation genes such as those involved in the establishment of synapses and neuronal function. Comparatively, guided differentiation methods without WNT activation generated the highest degree of cortical regional identity, whereas default conditions produced the broadest range of cell types such as neurons, astrocytes and hematopoietic-lineage-derived microglia cells. These results suggest that cortical organoid models produce diverse outcomes of brain regional identity and cell type specificity and emphasize the importance of selecting the correct model for the right application.
Collapse
|
31
|
Nie YZ, Zheng YW, Taniguchi H. Improving the repopulation capacity of elderly human hepatocytes by decoding aging-associated hepatocyte plasticity. Hepatology 2022; 76:1030-1045. [PMID: 35243665 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The loss of liver regenerative capacity is the most dramatic age-associated alteration. Because of an incomplete mechanistic understanding of the liver aging process, a successful therapeutic strategy to improve liver regeneration in the elderly has not been developed so far. Hepatocyte plasticity is a principal mechanism for producing new hepatocytes and cholangiocytes during regeneration. This study aims to promote the repopulation capacity of elderly hepatocytes by decoding the underlying mechanism about the regulation of aging on human hepatocyte plasticity. APPROACH AND RESULTS To understand the age-related mechanisms, we established a hepatocyte aging model from human-induced pluripotent stem cells and developed a method for ex vivo characterization of hepatocyte plasticity. We found that hepatocyte plasticity was gradually diminished with aging, and the impaired plasticity was caused by age-induced histone hypoacetylation. Notably, selective inhibition of histone deacetylases could markedly restore aging-impaired plasticity. Based on these findings, we successfully improved the plasticity of elderly primary human hepatocytes that enhanced their repopulation capacity in the liver injury model. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that age-induced histone hypoacetylation impairs hepatocyte plasticity, and hepatocyte plasticity might be a therapeutic target for promoting the regenerative capacity of the elderly liver.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Zhong Nie
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yun-Wen Zheng
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Large Animal Models for Biomedicine, School of Biotechnology and Heath Sciences, Wuyi University, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China.,Department of Medicinal and Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan.,Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hideki Taniguchi
- Department of Regenerative Medicine, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Division of Regenerative Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Advanced Medical Research Center, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Ma C, Seong H, Li X, Yu X, Xu S, Li Y, Chimenti I. Human Brain Organoid: A Versatile Tool for Modeling Neurodegeneration Diseases and for Drug Screening. Stem Cells Int 2022; 2022:1-20. [PMID: 36061149 PMCID: PMC9436613 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2150680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials serve as the fundamental prerequisite for clinical therapy of human disease, which is primarily based on biomedical studies in animal models. Undoubtedly, animal models have made a significant contribution to gaining insight into the developmental and pathophysiological understanding of human diseases. However, none of the existing animal models could efficiently simulate the development of human organs and systems due to a lack of spatial information; the discrepancy in genetic, anatomic, and physiological basis between animals and humans limits detailed investigation. Therefore, the translational efficiency of the research outcomes in clinical applications was significantly weakened, especially for some complex, chronic, and intractable diseases. For example, the clinical trials for human fragile X syndrome (FXS) solely based on animal models have failed such as mGluR5 antagonists. To mimic the development of human organs more faithfully and efficiently translate in vitro biomedical studies to clinical trials, extensive attention to organoids derived from stem cells contributes to a deeper understanding of this research. The organoids are a miniaturized version of an organ generated in vitro, partially recapitulating key features of human organ development. As such, the organoids open a novel avenue for in vitro models of human disease, advantageous over the existing animal models. The invention of organoids has brought an innovative breakthrough in regeneration medicine. The organoid-derived human tissues or organs could potentially function as invaluable platforms for biomedical studies, pathological investigation of human diseases, and drug screening. Importantly, the study of regeneration medicine and the development of therapeutic strategies for human diseases could be conducted in a dish, facilitating in vitro analysis and experimentation. Thus far, the pilot breakthrough has been made in the generation of numerous types of organoids representing different human organs. Most of these human organoids have been employed for in vitro biomedical study and drug screening. However, the efficiency and quality of the organoids in recapitulating the development of human organs have been hindered by engineering and conceptual challenges. The efficiency and quality of the organoids are essential for downstream applications. In this article, we highlight the application in the modeling of human neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as FXS, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), and organoid-based drug screening. Additionally, challenges and weaknesses especially for limits of the brain organoid models in modeling late onset NDDs such as AD and PD., and future perspectives regarding human brain organoids are addressed.
Collapse
|
33
|
Amorós MA, Choi ES, Cofré AR, Dokholyan NV, Duzzioni M. Motor neuron-derived induced pluripotent stem cells as a drug screening platform for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:962881. [PMID: 36105357 PMCID: PMC9467621 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.962881] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of cell culture models that recapitulate the etiology and features of nervous system diseases is central to the discovery of new drugs and their translation onto therapies. Neuronal tissues are inaccessible due to skeletal constraints and the invasiveness of the procedure to obtain them. Thus, the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology offers the opportunity to model different neuronal pathologies. Our focus centers on iPSCs derived from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, whose pathology remains in urgent need of new drugs and treatment. In this sense, we aim to revise the process to obtain motor neurons derived iPSCs (iPSC-MNs) from patients with ALS as a drug screening model, review current 3D-models and offer a perspective on bioinformatics as a powerful tool that can aid in the progress of finding new pharmacological treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana A. Amorós
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Esther S. Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Axel R. Cofré
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Marcelo Duzzioni
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Inagaki E, Yoshimatsu S, Okano H. Accelerated neuronal aging in vitro ∼melting watch ∼. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:868770. [PMID: 36016855 PMCID: PMC9397486 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.868770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In developed countries, the aging of the population and the associated increase in age-related diseases are causing major unresolved medical, social, and environmental matters. Therefore, research on aging has become one of the most important and urgent issues in life sciences. If the molecular mechanisms of the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases are elucidated, we can expect to develop disease-modifying methods to prevent neurodegeneration itself. Since the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), there has been an explosion of disease models using disease-specific iPSCs derived from patient-derived somatic cells. By inducing the differentiation of iPSCs into neurons, disease models that reflect the patient-derived pathology can be reproduced in culture dishes, and are playing an active role in elucidating new pathological mechanisms and as a platform for new drug discovery. At the same time, however, we are faced with a new problem: how to recapitulate aging in culture dishes. It has been pointed out that cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells are juvenile, retain embryonic traits, and may not be fully mature. Therefore, attempts are being made to induce cell maturation, senescence, and stress signals through culture conditions. It has also been reported that direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons can reproduce human neurons with an aged phenotype. Here, we outline some state-of-the-art insights into models of neuronal aging in vitro. New frontiers in which stem cells and methods for inducing differentiation of tissue regeneration can be applied to aging research are just now approaching, and we need to keep a close eye on them. These models are forefront and intended to advance our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of aging and contribute to the development of novel therapies for human neurodegenerative diseases associated with aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emi Inagaki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Yoshimatsu
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Hideyuki Okano,
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
August I, Semendeferi K, Marchetto MC. Brain aging, Alzheimer's disease, and the role of stem cells in primate comparative studies. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2940-2953. [PMID: 35929189 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25394] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is ultimately fatal. Currently, millions of Americans are living with AD, and this number is predicted to grow with increases in the aging population. Interestingly, despite the prevalence of AD in human populations, the full AD phenotype has not been observed in any nonhuman primate (NHP) species, and it has been suggested that NHPs are immune to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD. Here, we review the typical age-related changes and pathologies in humans along with the neuropathologic changes associated with AD, and we place this information in the context of the comparative neuropathology of NHPs. We further propose the use of induced pluripotent stem cell technology as a way of addressing initial molecular processes and changes that occur in neurons and glia (in both humans and NHPs) when exposed to AD-inducing pathology prior to cell death.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel August
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), San Diego, California, USA
| | - Maria Carolina Marchetto
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.,Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), San Diego, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Yang SG, Wang XW, Qian C, Zhou FQ. Reprogramming neurons for regeneration: The fountain of youth. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 214:102284. [PMID: 35533809 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) are terminally differentiated cells that gradually lose their ability to support regeneration during maturation due to changes in transcriptomic and chromatin landscape. Similar transcriptomic changes also occur during development when stem cells differentiate into different types of somatic cells. Importantly, differentiated cells can be reprogrammed back to induced pluripotent stems cells (iPSCs) via global epigenetic remodeling by combined overexpression of pluripotent reprogramming factors, including Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, Nanog, and/or Lin28. Moreover, recent findings showed that many proneural transcription factors were able to convert non-neural somatic cells into neurons bypassing the pluripotent stage via direct reprogramming. Interestingly, many of these factors have recently been identified as key regulators of CNS neural regeneration. Recent studies indicated that these factors could rejuvenate mature CNS neurons back to a younger state through cellular state reprogramming, thus favoring regeneration. Here we will review some recent findings regarding the roles of genetic cellular state reprogramming in regulation of neural regeneration and explore the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Moreover, by using newly emerging techniques, such as multiomics sequencing with big data analysis and Crispr-based gene editing, we will discuss future research directions focusing on better revealing cellular state reprogramming-induced remodeling of chromatin landscape and potential translational application.
Collapse
|
37
|
Chen Y, Jong TTY, Chen C, Sidransky E. CRISPR/Cas9-Based Functional Genomics in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Models: Can "the Stars Align" for Neurodegenerative Diseases? Mov Disord 2022; 37:886-890. [PMID: 35338523 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda ,Maryland /Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Tiffany Ting-Yu Jong
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda ,Maryland /Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Chase Chen
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda ,Maryland /Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda ,Maryland /Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Abstract
It has been 15 years since the birth of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology in 2007, and the scope of its application has been expanding. In addition to the development of cell therapies using iPSC-derived cells, pathological analyses using disease-specific iPSCs and clinical trials to confirm the safety and efficacy of drugs developed using iPSCs are progressing. With the innovation of related technologies, iPSC applications are about to enter a new stage. This review outlines advances in iPSC modeling and therapeutic development for cardinal neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Satoru Morimoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Barak M, Fedorova V, Pospisilova V, Raska J, Vochyanova S, Sedmik J, Hribkova H, Klimova H, Vanova T, Bohaciakova D. Human iPSC-Derived Neural Models for Studying Alzheimer's Disease: from Neural Stem Cells to Cerebral Organoids. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:792-820. [PMID: 35107767 PMCID: PMC8930932 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10254-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
During the past two decades, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been widely used to study mechanisms of human neural development, disease modeling, and drug discovery in vitro. Especially in the field of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where this treatment is lacking, tremendous effort has been put into the investigation of molecular mechanisms behind this disease using induced pluripotent stem cell-based models. Numerous of these studies have found either novel regulatory mechanisms that could be exploited to develop relevant drugs for AD treatment or have already tested small molecules on in vitro cultures, directly demonstrating their effect on amelioration of AD-associated pathology. This review thus summarizes currently used differentiation strategies of induced pluripotent stem cells towards neuronal and glial cell types and cerebral organoids and their utilization in modeling AD and potential drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Barak
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Fedorova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Pospisilova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Raska
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Vochyanova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Sedmik
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Hribkova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Klimova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Vanova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dasa Bohaciakova
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's Faculty Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Matt SM. Targeting neurotransmitter-mediated inflammatory mechanisms of psychiatric drugs to mitigate the double burden of multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 18:100353. [PMID: 34647105 PMCID: PMC8495104 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased incidence of multimorbidities and polypharmacy is a major concern, particularly in the growing aging population. While polypharmacy can be beneficial, in many cases it can be more harmful than no treatment, especially in individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders, who have elevated risks of multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Age-related chronic inflammation and immunopathologies might contribute to these increased risks in this population, but the optimal clinical management of drug-drug interactions and the neuro-immune mechanisms that are involved warrants further investigation. Given that neurotransmitter systems, which psychiatric medications predominantly act on, can influence the development of inflammation and the regulation of immune function, it is important to better understand these interactions to develop more successful strategies to manage these comorbidities and complicated polypharmacy. I propose that expanding upon research in translationally relevant human in vitro models, in tandem with other preclinical models, is critical to defining the neurotransmitter-mediated mechanisms by which psychiatric drugs alter immune function. This will define more precisely the interactions of psychiatric drugs and other immunomodulatory drugs, used in combination, enabling identification of novel targets to be translated into more efficacious diagnostic, preventive, and therapeutic interventions. This interdisciplinary approach will aid in better precision polypharmacy for combating adverse events associated with multimorbidity and polypharmacy in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Matt
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Chao CC, Shen PW, Tzeng TY, Kung HJ, Tsai TF, Wong YH. Human iPSC-Derived Neurons as A Platform for Deciphering the Mechanisms behind Brain Aging. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1635. [PMID: 34829864 PMCID: PMC8615703 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
With an increased life expectancy among humans, aging has recently emerged as a major focus in biomedical research. The lack of in vitro aging models-especially for neurological disorders, where access to human brain tissues is limited-has hampered the progress in studies on human brain aging and various age-associated neurodegenerative diseases at the cellular and molecular level. In this review, we provide an overview of age-related changes in the transcriptome, in signaling pathways, and in relation to epigenetic factors that occur in senescent neurons. Moreover, we explore the current cell models used to study neuronal aging in vitro, including immortalized cell lines, primary neuronal culture, neurons directly converted from fibroblasts (Fib-iNs), and iPSC-derived neurons (iPSC-iNs); we also discuss the advantages and limitations of these models. In addition, the key phenotypes associated with cellular senescence that have been observed by these models are compared. Finally, we focus on the potential of combining human iPSC-iNs with genome editing technology in order to further our understanding of brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases, and discuss the future directions and challenges in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Chuan Chao
- Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (T.-F.T.)
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wen Shen
- Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 112, Taiwan;
- Ph.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Yu Tzeng
- Cancer Progression Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan;
| | - Hsing-Jien Kung
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 350, Taiwan;
- Research Center of Cancer Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Ting-Fen Tsai
- Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (T.-F.T.)
- Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli 350, Taiwan;
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hui Wong
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Couch ACM, Berger T, Hanger B, Matuleviciute R, Srivastava DP, Thuret S, Vernon AC. Maternal immune activation primes deficiencies in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:410-422. [PMID: 34352366 PMCID: PMC8478664 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis, the process in which new neurons are generated, occurs throughout life in the mammalian hippocampus. Decreased adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) is a common feature across psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression- and anxiety-related behaviours, and is highly regulated by environmental influences. Epidemiological studies have consistently implicated maternal immune activation (MIA) during neurodevelopment as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The extent to which the reduction of hippocampal neurogenesis in adulthood may be driven by early life exposures, such as MIA, is however unclear. We therefore reviewed the literature for evidence of the involvement of MIA in disrupting AHN. Consistent with our hypothesis, data from both in vivo murine and in vitro human models of AHN provide evidence for key roles of specific cytokines induced by MIA in the foetal brain in disrupting hippocampal neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation early in development. The precise molecular mechanisms however remain unclear. Nonetheless, these data suggest a potential latent vulnerability mechanism, whereby MIA primes dysfunction in the unique hippocampal pool of neural stem/progenitor cells. This renders offspring potentially more susceptible to additional environmental exposures later in life, such as chronic stress, resulting in the unmasking of psychopathology. We highlight the need for studies to test this hypothesis using validated animal models of MIA, but also to test the relevance of such data for human pathology at a molecular basis through the use of patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) differentiated into hippocampal progenitor cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amalie C M Couch
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Thomas Berger
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Bjørn Hanger
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Deepak P Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony C Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Sharabi Y, Vatine GD, Ashkenazi A. Parkinson's disease outside the brain: targeting the autonomic nervous system. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:868-876. [PMID: 34536407 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00219-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Patients with Parkinson's disease present with signs and symptoms of dysregulation of the peripheral autonomic nervous system that can even precede motor deficits. This dysregulation might reflect early pathology and therefore could be targeted for the development of prodromal or diagnostic biomarkers. Only a few objective clinical tests assess disease progression and are used to evaluate the entire spectrum of autonomic dysregulation in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, results from epidemiological studies and findings from new animal models suggest that the dysfunctional autonomic nervous system is a probable route by which Parkinson's disease pathology can spread both to and from the CNS. The autonomic innervation of the gut, heart, and skin is affected by α-synuclein pathology in the early stages of the disease and might initiate α-synuclein spread via the autonomic connectome to the CNS. The development of easy-to-use and reliable clinical tests of autonomic nervous system function seems crucial for early diagnosis, and for developing strategies to stop or prevent neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yehonatan Sharabi
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Hypertension Unit, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-HaShomer, Israel
| | - Gad D Vatine
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell (RMSC) Research Center and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Avraham Ashkenazi
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Strother L, Miles GB, Holiday AR, Cheng Y, Doherty GH. Long-term culture of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells in the absence of neurotrophins: A novel model of neuronal ageing. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 362:109301. [PMID: 34343572 PMCID: PMC8434422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Studying human ageing is of increasing importance due to the worldwide ageing population. However, it faces the challenge of lengthy experiments to produce an ageing phenotype. Often, to recreate the hallmarks of ageing requires complex empirical conditions that can confound data interpretation. Indeed, many studies use whole organisms with relatively short life spans, which may have little, or limited, relevance to human ageing. There has been extensive use of cell lines to study ageing in human somatic cells, but the modelling of human neuronal ageing is somewhat more complex in vitro. New Method We cultured the well-characterised SH-SY5Y human neural cell line to produce high purity cultures of cells differentiated to express a neuronal phenotype, and designed a protocol to maintain these cells in culture until they accumulated biomarkers of cellular ageing. Results Our data validate a novel and simple technique for the efficient differentiation and long-term maintenance of SH-SY5Y cells, expressing markers of neuronal differentiation and demonstrating electrical activity in culture. Over time in vitro, these cells progressively accumulate markers of ageing such as enhanced production of reactive oxygen species and accumulation of oxidative damage. Comparison to Existing Methods In comparison to existing techniques to model neuronal ageing our method is cost effective, requiring no specialist equipment or growth factors. Conclusions We demonstrate that SH-SY5Y cells, grown under these culture conditions, represent a simple model of neuronal ageing that is amenable to cell biological, biochemical and electrophysiological investigation. Ageing study is often hindered by the need for complex and lengthy experiments. SH-SY5Y cells underwent neuronal differentiation and were cultured until they were of an aged phenotype. These cells were electrically active and acquired oxidative damage. This is a novel technique to model neuronal ageing in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Strother
- Bute Building, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, West Burn Lane, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
| | - Gareth B Miles
- Bute Building, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, West Burn Lane, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
| | - Alison R Holiday
- Bute Building, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, West Burn Lane, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
| | - Ying Cheng
- Bute Building, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, West Burn Lane, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
| | - Gayle H Doherty
- Bute Building, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, West Burn Lane, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Li J, Fraenkel E. Phenotyping Neurodegeneration in Human iPSCs. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2021; 4:83-100. [PMID: 34465166 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-092820-025214] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology holds promise for modeling neurodegenerative diseases. Traditional approaches for disease modeling using animal and cellular models require knowledge of disease mutations. However, many patients with neurodegenerative diseases do not have a known genetic cause. iPSCs offer a way to generate patient-specific models and study pathways of dysfunction in an in vitro setting in order to understand the causes and subtypes of neurodegeneration. Furthermore, iPSC-based models can be used to search for candidate therapeutics using high-throughput screening. Here we review how iPSC-based models are currently being used to further our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as discuss their challenges and future directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Li
- Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA; .,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Aguila J, Cheng S, Kee N, Cao M, Wang M, Deng Q, Hedlund E. Spatial RNA Sequencing Identifies Robust Markers of Vulnerable and Resistant Human Midbrain Dopamine Neurons and Their Expression in Parkinson's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:699562. [PMID: 34305528 PMCID: PMC8297217 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.699562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Defining transcriptional profiles of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons is critical to understanding their differential vulnerability in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Here, we determine transcriptomes of human SNc and VTA dopamine neurons using LCM-seq on a large sample cohort. We apply a bootstrapping strategy as sample input to DESeq2 and identify 33 stably differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between these two subpopulations. We also compute a minimal sample size for identification of stable DEGs, which highlights why previous reported profiles from small sample sizes display extensive variability. Network analysis reveal gene interactions unique to each subpopulation and highlight differences in regulation of mitochondrial stability, apoptosis, neuronal survival, cytoskeleton regulation, extracellular matrix modulation as well as synapse integrity, which could explain the relative resilience of VTA dopamine neurons. Analysis of PD tissues showed that while identified stable DEGs can distinguish the subpopulations also in disease, the SNc markers SLIT1 and ATP2A3 were down-regulated and thus appears to be biomarkers of disease. In summary, our study identifies human SNc and VTA marker profiles, which will be instrumental for studies aiming to modulate dopamine neuron resilience and to validate cell identity of stem cell-derived dopamine neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julio Aguila
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shangli Cheng
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nigel Kee
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ming Cao
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Menghan Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Qiaolin Deng
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eva Hedlund
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Baena-Montes JM, Avazzadeh S, Quinlan LR. α-synuclein pathogenesis in hiPSC models of Parkinson's disease. Neuronal Signal 2021; 5:NS20210021. [PMID: 34239711 DOI: 10.1042/NS20210021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein is an increasingly prominent player in the pathology of a variety of neurodegenerative conditions. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects mainly the dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. Typical of PD pathology is the finding of protein aggregations termed ‘Lewy bodies’ in the brain regions affected. α-synuclein is implicated in many disease states including dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer’s disease. However, PD is the most common synucleinopathy and continues to be a significant focus of PD research in terms of the α-synuclein Lewy body pathology. Mutations in several genes are associated with PD development including SNCA, which encodes α-synuclein. A variety of model systems have been employed to study α-synuclein physiology and pathophysiology in an attempt to relate more closely to PD pathology. These models include cellular and animal system exploring transgenic technologies, viral vector expression and knockdown approaches, and models to study the potential prion protein-like effects of α-synuclein. The current review focuses on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models with a specific focus on mutations or multiplications of the SNCA gene. iPSCs are a rapidly evolving technology with huge promise in the study of normal physiology and disease modeling in vitro. The ability to maintain a patient’s genetic background and replicate similar cell phenotypes make iPSCs a powerful tool in the study of neurological diseases. This review focuses on the current knowledge about α-synuclein physiological function as well as its role in PD pathogenesis based on human iPSC models.
Collapse
|
48
|
Song G, Zhao M, Chen H, Zhou X, Lenahan C, Ou Y, He Y. The Application of Brain Organoid Technology in Stroke Research: Challenges and Prospects. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:646921. [PMID: 34234646 PMCID: PMC8257041 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.646921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a neurological disease responsible for significant morbidity and disability worldwide. However, there remains a dearth of effective therapies. The failure of many therapies for stroke in clinical trials has promoted the development of human cell-based models, such as brain organoids. Brain organoids differ from pluripotent stem cells in that they recapitulate various key features of the human central nervous system (CNS) in three-dimensional (3D) space. Recent studies have demonstrated that brain organoids could serve as a new platform to study various neurological diseases. However, there are several limitations, such as the scarcity of glia and vasculature in organoids, which are important for studying stroke. Herein, we have summarized the application of brain organoid technology in stroke research, such as for modeling and transplantation purposes. We also discuss methods to overcome the limitations of brain organoid technology, as well as future prospects for its application in stroke research. Although there are many difficulties and challenges associated with brain organoid technology, it is clear that this approach will play a critical role in the future exploration of stroke treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guini Song
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Hanmin Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangyue Zhou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Cameron Lenahan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Yibo Ou
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue He
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Saretzki G, Wan T. Telomerase in Brain: The New Kid on the Block and Its Role in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Biomedicines 2021; 9:490. [PMID: 33946850 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase is an enzyme that in its canonical function extends and maintains telomeres, the ends of chromosomes. This reverse transcriptase function is mainly important for dividing cells that shorten their telomeres continuously. However, there are a number of telomere-independent functions known for the telomerase protein TERT (Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase). This includes the shuttling of the TERT protein from the nucleus to mitochondria where it decreases oxidative stress, apoptosis sensitivity and DNA damage. Recently, evidence has accumulated on a protective role of TERT in brain and postmitotic neurons. This function might be able to ameliorate the effects of toxic proteins such as amyloid-β, pathological tau and α-synuclein involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the protective mechanisms of TERT are not clear yet. Recently, an activation of autophagy as an important protein degradation process for toxic neuronal proteins by TERT has been described. This review summarises the current knowledge about the non-canonical role of the telomerase protein TERT in brain and shows its potential benefit for the amelioration of brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases such as AD and PD. This might form the basis for the development of novel strategies and therapies against those diseases.
Collapse
|
50
|
Pandya VA, Crerar H, Mitchell JS, Patani R. A Non-Toxic Concentration of Telomerase Inhibitor BIBR1532 Fails to Reduce TERT Expression in a Feeder-Free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Human Motor Neurogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3256. [PMID: 33806803 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown that human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derivatives are essentially fetal in terms of their maturational status. Inducing ageing in iPSC-motor neuron (MN) models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has the potential to capture pathology with higher fidelity and consequently improve translational success. We show here that the telomerase inhibitor BIBR1532, hypothesised to recapitulate the telomere attrition hallmark of ageing in iPSC-MNs, was in fact cytotoxic to feeder-free iPSCs when used at doses previously shown to be effective in iPSCs grown on a layer of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Toxicity in feeder-free cultures was not rescued by co-treatment with Rho Kinase (ROCK) inhibitor (Y-27632). Moreover, the highest concentration of BIBR1532 compatible with continued iPSC culture proved insufficient to induce detectable telomerase inhibition. Our data suggest that direct toxicity by BIBR1532 is the most likely cause of iPSC death observed, and that culture methods may influence enhanced toxicity. Therefore, recapitulation of ageing hallmarks in iPSC-MNs, which might reveal novel and relevant human disease targets in ALS, is not achievable in feeder-free culture through the use of this small molecule telomerase inhibitor.
Collapse
|