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Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded polyglutamine (polyQ)-encoding repeats in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Traditionally, HD cellular models consisted of either patient cells not affected by disease or rodent neurons expressing expanded polyQ repeats in HTT. As these models can be limited in their disease manifestation or proper genetic context, respectively, human HD pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are currently under investigation as a way to model disease in patient-derived neurons and other neural cell types. This chapter reviews embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of disease, including published differentiation paradigms for neurons and their associated phenotypes, as well as current challenges to the field such as validation of the PSCs and PSC-derived cells. Highlighted are potential future technical advances to HD PSC modeling, including transdifferentiation, complex in vitro multiorgan/system reconstruction, and personalized medicine. Using a human HD patient model of the central nervous system, hopefully one day researchers can tease out the consequences of mutant HTT (mHTT) expression on specific cell types within the brain in order to identify and test novel therapies for disease.
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52
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Goold R, Flower M, Moss DH, Medway C, Wood-Kaczmar A, Andre R, Farshim P, Bates GP, Holmans P, Jones L, Tabrizi SJ. FAN1 modifies Huntington's disease progression by stabilizing the expanded HTT CAG repeat. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 28:650-661. [PMID: 30358836 PMCID: PMC6360275 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. CAG repeat length explains around half of the variation in age at onset (AAO) but genetic variation elsewhere in the genome accounts for a significant proportion of the remainder. Genome-wide association studies have identified a bidirectional signal on chromosome 15, likely underlain by FANCD2- and FANCI-associated nuclease 1 (FAN1), a nuclease involved in DNA interstrand cross link repair. Here we show that increased FAN1 expression is significantly associated with delayed AAO and slower progression of HD, suggesting FAN1 is protective in the context of an expanded HTT CAG repeat. FAN1 overexpression in human cells reduces CAG repeat expansion in exogenously expressed mutant HTT exon 1, and in patient-derived stem cells and differentiated medium spiny neurons, FAN1 knockdown increases CAG repeat expansion. The stabilizing effects are FAN1 concentration and CAG repeat length-dependent. We show that FAN1 binds to the expanded HTT CAG repeat DNA and its nuclease activity is not required for protection against CAG repeat expansion. These data shed new mechanistic insights into how the genetic modifiers of HD act to alter disease progression and show that FAN1 affects somatic expansion of the CAG repeat through a nuclease-independent mechanism. This provides new avenues for therapeutic interventions in HD and potentially other triplet repeat disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Goold
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michael Flower
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Davina Hensman Moss
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Chris Medway
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Alison Wood-Kaczmar
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ralph Andre
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Pamela Farshim
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gill P Bates
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London,Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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53
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Chuang CY, Yang CC, Soong BW, Yu CY, Chen SH, Huang HP, Kuo HC. Modeling spinocerebellar ataxias 2 and 3 with iPSCs reveals a role for glutamate in disease pathology. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1166. [PMID: 30718627 PMCID: PMC6361947 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37774-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias 2 and 3 (SCA2 and SCA3) are dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases caused by expansion of polyglutamine-encoding CAG repeats in the affected genes. The etiology of these disorders is known to involve widespread loss of neuronal cells in the cerebellum, however, the mechanisms that contribute to cell death are still elusive. Here we established SCA2 and SCA3 induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and demonstrated that SCA-associated pathological features can be recapitulated in SCA-iPSC-derived neurons. Importantly, our results also revealed that glutamate stimulation promotes the development of disease-related phenotypes in SCA-iPSC-derived neurons, including altered composition of glutamatergic receptors, destabilized intracellular calcium, and eventual cell death. Furthermore, anti-glutamate drugs and calcium stabilizer treatment protected the SCA-iPSC-derived neurons and reduced cell death. Collectively, our study demonstrates that the SCA-iPSC-derived neurons can recapitulate SCA-associated pathological features, providing a valuable tool to explore SCA pathogenic mechanisms and screen drugs to identify potential SCA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Yu Chuang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chao Yang
- Departments of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Wen Soong
- Departments of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University Faculty of Medicine and Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Ying Yu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Hwa Chen
- Lab of Systems and Network Biology, Institute of Information Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Po Huang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chih Kuo
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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54
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Farkhondeh A, Li R, Gorshkov K, Chen KG, Might M, Rodems S, Lo DC, Zheng W. Induced pluripotent stem cells for neural drug discovery. Drug Discov Today 2019; 24:992-999. [PMID: 30664937 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are growing problems, as average life expectancy is increasing globally. Drug discovery for neurological disease remains a major challenge. Poor understanding of disease pathophysiology and incomplete representation of human disease in animal models hinder therapeutic drug development. Recent advances with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have enabled modeling of human diseases with patient-derived neural cells. Utilizing iPSC-derived neurons advances compound screening and evaluation of drug efficacy. These cells have the genetic backgrounds of patients that more precisely model disease-specific pathophysiology and phenotypes. Neural cells derived from iPSCs can be produced in a large quantity. Therefore, application of iPSC-derived human neurons is a new direction for neuronal drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atena Farkhondeh
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rong Li
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kirill Gorshkov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin G Chen
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Might
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Donald C Lo
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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55
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Mathkar PP, Suresh D, Dunn J, Tom CM, Mattis VB. Characterization of Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in iPSC-Derived Striatal Cultures from Patients with Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2019; 8:257-269. [PMID: 31381521 PMCID: PMC6839479 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by atrophy of certain regions of the brain in a progressive manner. HD patients experience behavioral changes and uncontrolled movements which can be primarily attributed to the atrophy of striatal neurons. Previous publications describe the models of the HD striatum using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from HD patients with a juvenile onset (JHD). In this model, the JHD iPSC-derived striatal cultures had altered neurodevelopment and contained a high number of nestin expressing progenitor cells at 42 days of differentiation. OBJECTIVE To further characterize the altered neurodevelopmental phenotype and evaluate potential phenotypic reversal. METHODS Differentiation of human iPSCs towards striatal fate and characterization by means of immunocytochemistry and stereological quantification. RESULTS Here this study demonstrates a distinct delay in the differentiation of the JHD neural progenitor population. However, reduction of the JHD aberrant progenitor populations can be accomplished either by targeting the canonical Notch signaling pathway or by treatment with HTT antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). CONCLUSIONS In summary, this data is postulated to reflect a potential overall developmental delay in JHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav P. Mathkar
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Divya Suresh
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James Dunn
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Colton M. Tom
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Virginia B. Mattis
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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56
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Golas MM. Human cellular models of medium spiny neuron development and Huntington disease. Life Sci 2018; 209:179-196. [PMID: 30031060 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The loss of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum is the hallmark of Huntington disease (HD), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Transplantation of MSNs or their precursors represents a promising treatment strategy for HD. In initial clinical trials in which HD patients received fetal neurografts directly into the striatum without a pretransplant cell-differentiation step, some patients exhibited temporary benefits. Meanwhile, major challenges related to graft overgrowth, insufficient survival of grafted cells, and limited availability of donated fetal tissue remain. Thus, the development of approaches that allow modeling of MSN differentiation and HD development in cell culture platforms may improve our understanding of HD and translate, ultimately, into HD treatment options. Here, recent advances in the in vitro differentiation of MSNs derived from fetal neural stem cells/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and induced NSCs (iNSCs) as well as advances in direct transdifferentiation are reviewed. Progress in non-allele specific and allele specific gene editing of HTT is presented as well. Cell characterization approaches involving phenotyping as well as in vitro and in vivo functional assays are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika M Golas
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Alle 3, Building 1233, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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57
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Harding RJ, Tong YF. Proteostasis in Huntington's disease: disease mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2018; 39:754-769. [PMID: 29620053 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2018.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by impairment of protein quality control mechanisms in neuronal cells. Ineffective clearance of misfolded proteins by the proteasome, autophagy pathways and exocytosis leads to accumulation of toxic protein oligomers and aggregates in neurons. Toxic protein species affect various cellular functions resulting in the development of a spectrum of different neurodegenerative proteinopathies, including Huntington's disease (HD). Playing an integral role in proteostasis, dysfunction of the ubiquitylation system in HD is progressive and multi-faceted with numerous biochemical pathways affected, in particular, the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy routes for protein aggregate degradation. Unravelling the molecular mechanisms involved in HD pathogenesis of proteostasis provides new insight in disease progression in HD as well as possible therapeutic avenues. Recent developments of potential therapeutics are discussed in this review.
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58
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Sances S, Ho R, Vatine G, West D, Laperle A, Meyer A, Godoy M, Kay PS, Mandefro B, Hatata S, Hinojosa C, Wen N, Sareen D, Hamilton GA, Svendsen CN. Human iPSC-Derived Endothelial Cells and Microengineered Organ-Chip Enhance Neuronal Development. Stem Cell Reports 2018; 10:1222-1236. [PMID: 29576540 PMCID: PMC5998748 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Human stem cell-derived models of development and neurodegenerative diseases are challenged by cellular immaturity in vitro. Microengineered organ-on-chip (or Organ-Chip) systems are designed to emulate microvolume cytoarchitecture and enable co-culture of distinct cell types. Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) share common signaling pathways with neurons early in development, but their contribution to human neuronal maturation is largely unknown. To study this interaction and influence of microculture, we derived both spinal motor neurons and BMECs from human induced pluripotent stem cells and observed increased calcium transient function and Chip-specific gene expression in Organ-Chips compared with 96-well plates. Seeding BMECs in the Organ-Chip led to vascular-neural interaction and specific gene activation that further enhanced neuronal function and in vivo-like signatures. The results show that the vascular system has specific maturation effects on spinal cord neural tissue, and the use of Organ-Chips can move stem cell models closer to an in vivo condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Sances
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
| | - Ritchie Ho
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Gad Vatine
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Dylan West
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Alex Laperle
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Amanda Meyer
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Marlesa Godoy
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Paul S Kay
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Berhan Mandefro
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; iPSC Core, The David Janet Polak Foundation Stem Cell Core Laboratory, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Seigo Hatata
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Chris Hinojosa
- Emulate Inc., 27 Drydock Avenue, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Norman Wen
- Emulate Inc., 27 Drydock Avenue, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210, USA
| | - Dhruv Sareen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; iPSC Core, The David Janet Polak Foundation Stem Cell Core Laboratory, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | | | - Clive N Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
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59
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Liu Y, Qiao F, Leiferman PC, Ross A, Schlenker EH, Wang H. FOXOs modulate proteasome activity in human-induced pluripotent stem cells of Huntington's disease and their derived neural cells. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 26:4416-4428. [PMID: 28973411 PMCID: PMC6075623 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it has been speculated that proteasome dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD), a devastating neurodegenerative disorder, how proteasome activity is regulated in HD affected stem cells and somatic cells remains largely unclear. To better understand the pathogenesis of HD, we analyzed proteasome activity and the expression of FOXO transcription factors in three wild-type (WT) and three HD induced-pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. HD iPSCs exhibited elevated proteasome activity and higher levels of FOXO1 and FOXO4 proteins. Knockdown of FOXO4 but not FOXO1 expression decreased proteasome activity. Following neural differentiation, the HD-iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) demonstrated lower levels of proteasome activity and FOXO expressions than their WT counterparts. More importantly, overexpression of FOXO4 but not FOXO1 in HD NPCs dramatically enhanced proteasome activity. When HD NPCs were further differentiated into DARPP32-positive neurons, these HD neurons were more susceptible to death than WT neurons and formed Htt aggregates under the condition of oxidative stress. Similar to HD NPCs, HD-iPSC-derived neurons showed reduced proteasome activity and diminished FOXO4 expression compared to WT-iPSC-derived neurons. Furthermore, HD iPSCs had lower AKT activities than WT iPSCs, whereas the neurons derived from HD iPSC had higher AKT activities than their WT counterparts. Inhibiting AKT activity increased both FOXO4 level and proteasome activity, indicating a potential role of AKT in regulating FOXO levels. These data suggest that FOXOs modulate proteasome activity, and thus represents a potentially valuable therapeutic target for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanying Liu
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Fangfang Qiao
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | | | - Alan Ross
- Sanford Medical Genetics Laboratory, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, USA
| | - Evelyn H Schlenker
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Hongmin Wang
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
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60
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Shin JW, Kim KH, Chao MJ, Atwal RS, Gillis T, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Lee JM. Permanent inactivation of Huntington's disease mutation by personalized allele-specific CRISPR/Cas9. Hum Mol Genet 2018; 25:4566-4576. [PMID: 28172889 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive genetics-based precision medicine strategy to selectively and permanently inactivate only mutant, not normal allele, could benefit many dominantly inherited disorders. Here, we demonstrate the power of our novel strategy of inactivating the mutant allele using haplotype-specific CRISPR/Cas9 target sites in Huntington's disease (HD), a late-onset neurodegenerative disorder due to a toxic dominant gain-of-function CAG expansion mutation. Focusing on improving allele specificity, we combined extensive knowledge of huntingtin (HTT) gene haplotype structure with a novel personalized allele-selective CRISPR/Cas9 strategy based on Protospacer Adjacent Motif (PAM)-altering SNPs to target patient-specific CRISPR/Cas9 sites, aiming at the mutant HTT allele-specific inactivation for a given diplotype. As proof-of-principle, simultaneously using two CRISPR/Cas9 guide RNAs (gRNAs) that depend on PAM sites generated by SNP alleles on the mutant chromosome, we selectively excised ∼44 kb DNA spanning promoter region, transcription start site, and the CAG expansion mutation of the mutant HTT gene, resulting in complete inactivation of the mutant allele without impacting the normal allele. This excision on the disease chromosome completely prevented the generation of mutant HTT mRNA and protein, unequivocally indicating permanent mutant allele-specific inactivation of the HD mutant allele. The perfect allele selectivity with broad applicability of our strategy in disorders with diverse disease haplotypes should also support precision medicine through inactivation of many other gain-of-function mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wan Shin
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kyung-Hee Kim
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Chao
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ranjit S Atwal
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tammy Gillis
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Human Genetic Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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61
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Lim RG, Quan C, Reyes-Ortiz AM, Lutz SE, Kedaigle AJ, Gipson TA, Wu J, Vatine GD, Stocksdale J, Casale MS, Svendsen CN, Fraenkel E, Housman DE, Agalliu D, Thompson LM. Huntington's Disease iPSC-Derived Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells Reveal WNT-Mediated Angiogenic and Blood-Brain Barrier Deficits. Cell Rep 2018; 19:1365-1377. [PMID: 28514657 PMCID: PMC5646270 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) are an essential component of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that shields the brain against toxins and immune cells. While BBB dysfunction exists in neurological disorders, including Huntington’s disease (HD), it is not known if BMECs themselves are functionally compromised to promote BBB dysfunction. Further, the underlying mechanisms of BBB dysfunction remain elusive given limitations with mouse models and post-mortem tissue to identify primary deficits. We undertook a transcriptome and functional analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived BMECs (iBMEC) from HD patients or unaffected controls. We demonstrate that HD iBMECs have intrinsic abnormalities in angiogenesis and barrier properties, as well as in signaling pathways governing these processes. Thus, our findings provide an iPSC-derived BBB model for a neurodegenerative disease and demonstrate autonomous neurovascular deficits that may underlie HD pathology with implications for therapeutics and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan G Lim
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Chris Quan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Andrea M Reyes-Ortiz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Sarah E Lutz
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Cell Biology and Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Amanda J Kedaigle
- Computational and Systems Biology Graduate Program, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Theresa A Gipson
- Center for Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Gad D Vatine
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | | | - Malcolm S Casale
- Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Clive N Svendsen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - David E Housman
- Center for Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biology, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Dritan Agalliu
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology, and Cell Biology and Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Columbia Translational Neuroscience Initiative, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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Ghaffari LT, Starr A, Nelson AT, Sattler R. Representing Diversity in the Dish: Using Patient-Derived in Vitro Models to Recreate the Heterogeneity of Neurological Disease. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:56. [PMID: 29479303 PMCID: PMC5812426 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurological diseases, including dementias such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and degenerative motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are responsible for an increasing fraction of worldwide fatalities. Researching these heterogeneous diseases requires models that endogenously express the full array of genetic and epigenetic factors which may influence disease development in both familial and sporadic patients. Here, we discuss the two primary methods of developing patient-derived neurons and glia to model neurodegenerative disease: reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are differentiated into neurons or glial cells, or directly converting (DC) somatic cells into neurons (iNeurons) or glial cells. Distinct differentiation techniques for both models result in a variety of neuronal and glial cell types, which have been successful in displaying unique hallmarks of a variety of neurological diseases. Yield, length of differentiation, ease of genetic manipulation, expression of cell-specific markers, and recapitulation of disease pathogenesis are presented as determining factors in how these methods may be used separately or together to ascertain mechanisms of disease and identify therapeutics for distinct patient populations or for specific individuals in personalized medicine projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla T Ghaffari
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health-St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Alexander Starr
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health-St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Andrew T Nelson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health-St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Rita Sattler
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health-St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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Neagoe I, Liu C, Stumpf A, Lu Y, He D, Francis R, Chen J, Reynen P, Alaoui-Ismaili MH, Fukui H. The GluN2B subunit represents a major functional determinant of NMDA receptors in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical neurons. Stem Cell Res 2018; 28:105-114. [PMID: 29454156 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal signaling pathways mediated by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various CNS disorders and have been long considered as promising points of therapeutic intervention. However, few efforts have been previously described concerning evaluation of therapeutic modulators of NMDARs and their downstream pathways in human neurons with endogenous expression of NMDARs. In the present study, we assessed expression, functionality, and subunit composition of endogenous NMDARs in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cortical neurons (iCell Neurons and iCell GlutaNeurons). We initially confirmed the expected pharmacological response of iCell Neurons and iCell GlutaNeurons to NMDA by patch-clamp recordings. Subsequent pharmacological interrogation using GluN2 subunit-selective antagonists revealed the predominance of GluN2B in both iCell Neurons and iCell GlutaNeurons. This observation was also supported by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses of GluN2 subunit expression as well as pharmacological experiments using positive allosteric modulators with distinct GluN2 subunit selectivity. We conclude that iCell Neurons and iCell GlutaNeurons express functional GluN2B-containing NMDARs and could serve as a valuable system for development and validation of GluN2B-modulating pharmaceutical agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Neagoe
- Evotec AG, Essener Bogen 7, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Alexander Stumpf
- Institute for Neurophysiology, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt 60590, Germany
| | - Yanmei Lu
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Dongping He
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Ross Francis
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Paul Reynen
- Department of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Genentech, 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Faulty neuronal determination and cell polarization are reverted by modulating HD early phenotypes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E762-E771. [PMID: 29311338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1715865115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that early neurodevelopmental defects in Huntington's disease (HD) patients could contribute to the later adult neurodegenerative phenotype. Here, by using HD-derived induced pluripotent stem cell lines, we report that early telencephalic induction and late neural identity are affected in cortical and striatal populations. We show that a large CAG expansion causes complete failure of the neuro-ectodermal acquisition, while cells carrying shorter CAGs repeats show gross abnormalities in neural rosette formation as well as disrupted cytoarchitecture in cortical organoids. Gene-expression analysis showed that control organoid overlapped with mature human fetal cortical areas, while HD organoids correlated with the immature ventricular zone/subventricular zone. We also report that defects in neuroectoderm and rosette formation could be rescued by molecular and pharmacological approaches leading to a recovery of striatal identity. These results show that mutant huntingtin precludes normal neuronal fate acquisition and highlights a possible connection between mutant huntingtin and abnormal neural development in HD.
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Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) give rise to the entire nervous system. Animal models suggest that defects in NSC proliferation and differentiation contribute to several brain disorders (e.g., microcephaly, macrocephaly, autism, schizophrenia, and Huntington's disease). However, animal models of such diseases do not fully recapitulate all disease-related phenotypes because of substantial differences in brain development between rodents and humans. Therefore, additional human-based evidence is required to understand the mechanisms that are involved in the development of neurological diseases that result from human NSC (hNSC) dysfunction. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells provide a new model to investigate the contribution of hNSCs to various neurological pathologies. In this chapter, we review the role of hNSCs in both neurodevelopment- and neurodegeneration-related human brain pathologies, with an emphasis on recent evidence that has been obtained using embryonic stem cell- or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hNSCs and progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Liszewska
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jacek Jaworski
- International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland.
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66
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Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Polyglutamine Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1049:439-466. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71779-1_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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67
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Phosphorylation of huntingtin at residue T3 is decreased in Huntington's disease and modulates mutant huntingtin protein conformation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E10809-E10818. [PMID: 29162692 PMCID: PMC5740681 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705372114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications can have profound effects on the biological and biophysical properties of proteins associated with misfolding and aggregation. However, their detection and quantification in clinical samples and an understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathological properties of misfolding- and aggregation-prone proteins remain a challenge for diagnostics and therapeutics development. We have applied an ultrasensitive immunoassay platform to develop and validate a quantitative assay for detecting a posttranslational modification (phosphorylation at residue T3) of a protein associated with polyglutamine repeat expansion, namely Huntingtin, and characterized its presence in a variety of preclinical and clinical samples. We find that T3 phosphorylation is greatly reduced in samples from Huntington's disease models and in Huntington's disease patients, and we provide evidence that bona-fide T3 phosphorylation alters Huntingtin exon 1 protein conformation and aggregation properties. These findings have significant implications for both mechanisms of disease pathogenesis and the development of therapeutics and diagnostics for Huntington's disease.
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68
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Tousley A, Kegel-Gleason KB. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Huntington's Disease Research: Progress and Opportunity. J Huntingtons Dis 2017; 5:99-131. [PMID: 27372054 PMCID: PMC4942721 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-160199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from controls and patients can act as a starting point for in vitro differentiation into human brain cells for discovery of novel targets and treatments for human disease without the same ethical limitations posed by embryonic stem cells. Numerous groups have successfully produced and characterized Huntington’s disease (HD) iPSCs with different CAG repeat lengths, including cells from patients with one or two HD alleles. HD iPSCs and the neural cell types derived from them recapitulate some disease phenotypes found in both human patients and animal models. Although these discoveries are encouraging, the use of iPSCs for cutting edge and reproducible research has been limited due to some of the inherent problems with cell lines and the technological differences in the way laboratories use them. The goal of this review is to summarize the current state of the HD iPSC field, and to highlight some of the issues that need to be addressed to maximize their potential as research tools.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kimberly B. Kegel-Gleason
- Correspondence to: Kimberly Kegel-Gleason, Assistant Professor in Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 114 16th Street, Room 2001, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Tel.: +1 617 724 8754; E-mail:
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69
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Rindt H, Tom CM, Lorson CL, Mattis VB. Optimization of trans-Splicing for Huntington's Disease RNA Therapy. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:544. [PMID: 29066943 PMCID: PMC5641306 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. We have previously demonstrated that spliceosome-mediated trans-splicing is a viable molecular strategy to specifically reduce and repair mutant HTT (mtHTT). Here, the targeted tethering efficacy of the pre-mRNA trans-splicing modules (PTM) in HTT was optimized. Various PTMs that targeted the 3′ end of HTT intron 1 or the intron 1 branch point were shown trans-splice into an HTT mini-gene, as well as the endogenous HTT pre-mRNA. PTMs that specifically target the endogenous intron 1 branch point increased the trans-splicing efficacy from 1–5 to 10–15%. Furthermore, lentiviral expression of PTMs in a human HD patient iPSC-derived neural culture significantly reversed two previously established polyQ-length dependent phenotypes. These results suggest that pre-mRNA repair of mtHTT could hold therapeutic benefit and it demonstrates an alternative platform to correct the mRNA product produced by the mtHTT allele in the context of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansjörg Rindt
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Colton M Tom
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Christian L Lorson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Virginia B Mattis
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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70
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Tom CM, Younesi S, Meer E, Bresee C, Godoy M, Mattis VB. Survival of iPSC-derived grafts within the striatum of immunodeficient mice: Importance of developmental stage of both transplant and host recipient. Exp Neurol 2017; 297:118-128. [PMID: 28760579 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Degeneration of the striatum can occur in multiple disorders with devastating consequences for the patients. Infantile infections with streptococcus, measles, or herpes can cause striatal necrosis associated with dystonia or dyskinesia; and in patients with Huntington's disease the striatum undergoes massive degeneration, leading to behavioral, psychological and movement issues, ultimately resulting in death. Currently, only supportive therapies are available for striatal degeneration. Clinical trials have shown some efficacy using transplantation of fetal-derived primary striatal progenitors. Large banks of fetal progenitors that give rise to medium spiny neurons (MSNs), the primary neuron of the striatum, are needed to make transplantation therapy a reality. However, fetal tissue is of limited supply, has ethical concerns, and is at risk of graft immunorejection. An alternative potential source of MSNs is induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), adult somatic tissues reprogrammed back to a stem cell fate. Multiple publications have demonstrated the ability to differentiate striatal MSNs from iPSCs. Previous publications have demonstrated that the efficacy of fetal progenitor transplants is critically dependent upon the age of the donor embryo/fetus as well as the age of the transplant recipient. With the advent of iPSC technology, a question that remains unanswered concerns the graft's "age," which is crucial since transplanting pluripotent cells has an inherent risk of over proliferation and teratoma formation. Therefore, in order to also determine the effect of transplant recipient age on the graft, iPSCs were differentiated to three stages along a striatal differentiation paradigm and transplanted into the striatum of both neonatal and adult immunodeficient mice. This study demonstrated that increased murine transplant-recipient age (adult vs neonate) resulted in decreased graft survival and volume/rostro-caudal spread after six weeks in vivo, regardless of "age" of the cells transplanted. Importantly, this study implicates that the in vivo setting may provide a better neurogenic niche for iPSC-based modeling as compared to the in vitro setting. Together, these results recapitulate findings from fetal striatal progenitor transplantation studies and further demonstrate the influence of the host environment on cellular survival and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colton M Tom
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Shahab Younesi
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Elana Meer
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Catherine Bresee
- Biostatistics & Bioinformatics Research Center, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Marlesa Godoy
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Virginia B Mattis
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
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71
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Vatine GD, Al-Ahmad A, Barriga BK, Svendsen S, Salim A, Garcia L, Garcia VJ, Ho R, Yucer N, Qian T, Lim RG, Wu J, Thompson LM, Spivia WR, Chen Z, Van Eyk J, Palecek SP, Refetoff S, Shusta EV, Svendsen CN. Modeling Psychomotor Retardation using iPSCs from MCT8-Deficient Patients Indicates a Prominent Role for the Blood-Brain Barrier. Cell Stem Cell 2017; 20:831-843.e5. [PMID: 28526555 PMCID: PMC6659720 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Inactivating mutations in the thyroid hormone (TH) transporter Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) cause severe psychomotor retardation in children. Animal models do not reflect the biology of the human disease. Using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we generated MCT8-deficient neural cells that showed normal TH-dependent neuronal properties and maturation. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) controls TH entry into the brain, and reduced TH availability to neural cells could instead underlie the diseased phenotype. To test potential BBB involvement, we generated an iPSC-based BBB model of MCT8 deficiency, and we found that MCT8 was necessary for polarized influx of the active form of TH across the BBB. We also found that a candidate drug did not appreciably cross the mutant BBB. Our results therefore clarify the underlying physiological basis of this disorder, and they suggest that circumventing the diseased BBB to deliver active TH to the brain could be a viable therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gad D Vatine
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Abraham Al-Ahmad
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| | - Bianca K Barriga
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Soshana Svendsen
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Ariel Salim
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Leslie Garcia
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Veronica J Garcia
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Ritchie Ho
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Nur Yucer
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Tongcheng Qian
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Ryan G Lim
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California, Irvine (UCI), Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Weston R Spivia
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Zhaohui Chen
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Jennifer Van Eyk
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Sean P Palecek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Samuel Refetoff
- Department of Medicine, Pediatrics and Committee on Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Eric V Shusta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Clive N Svendsen
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
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72
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Akhtar AA, Breunig JJ. Tetracycline-Inducible and Reversible Stable Gene Expression in Human iPSC-Derived Neural Progenitors and in the Postnatal Mouse Brain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 41:5A.9.1-5A.9.12. [PMID: 28510333 DOI: 10.1002/cpsc.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The pB-tet-GOI plasmid system allows for stable piggyBac transposition-mediated integration into cells, a fluorescent nuclear reporter to identify cells that have been transfected, and robust transgene activation or suppression upon the addition of dox to the cell culture or diet of the animal. Furthermore, the addition of luciferase downstream of the target gene allows for quantitative assessment of gene activity in a non-invasive manner. The protocols herein provide instructions for the use of this system in cell lines and in the neonatal mouse brain. Specifically, a detailed protocol is provided to illustrate: (1) cloning of the respective GOI (genetic element(s) of interest); (2) nucleofection of the plasmid system into human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neural progenitors; (3) dox-induced activation in vitro or in vivo; and (4) non-invasive assessment of gene activity in vivo by bioluminescence imaging. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslam Abbasi Akhtar
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
| | - Joshua J Breunig
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California
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73
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Huntington Disease as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Early Signs of the Disease in Stem Cells. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:3351-3371. [PMID: 28497201 PMCID: PMC5842500 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited disorder caused by a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which results in the HTT protein that contains an expanded polyglutamine tract. The adult form of HD exhibits a late onset of the fully symptomatic phase. However, there is also a long presymptomatic phase, which has been increasingly investigated and recognized as important for the disease development. Moreover, the juvenile form of HD, evoked by a higher number of CAG repeats, resembles a neurodevelopmental disorder and has recently been the focus of additional interest. Multiple lines of data, such as the developmental necessity of HTT, its role in the cell cycle and neurogenesis, and findings from pluripotent stem cells, suggest the existence of a neurodevelopmental component in HD pathogenesis. Therefore, we discuss the early molecular pathogenesis of HD in pluripotent and neural stem cells, with respect to the neurodevelopmental aspects of HD.
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74
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Baronchelli S, La Spada A, Ntai A, Barbieri A, Conforti P, Jotti GS, Redaelli S, Bentivegna A, De Blasio P, Biunno I. Epigenetic and transcriptional modulation of WDR5, a chromatin remodeling protein, in Huntington's disease human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model. Mol Cell Neurosci 2017; 82:46-57. [PMID: 28476540 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) changes are of increasing relevance to neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD). We performed genome-wide screening of possible DNAm changes occurring during striatal differentiation in human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a HD patient (HD-hiPSCs) as cellular model. We identified 240 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) at promoters in fully differentiated HD-hiPSCs. Subsequently, we focused on the methylation differences in a subcluster of genes related to Jumonji Domain Containing 3 (JMJD3), a demethylase that epigenetically regulates neuronal differentiation and activates neuronal progenitor associated genes, which are indispensable for neuronal fate acquisition. Noticeably among these genes, WD repeat-containing protein 5 (WDR5) promoter was found hypermethylated in HD-hiPSCs, resulting in a significant down-modulation in its expression and of the encoded protein. A similar WDR5 expression decrease was seen in a small series of HD-hiPSC lines characterized by different CAG length. The decrease in WDR5 expression was particularly evident in HD-hiPSCs compared to hESCs and control-hiPSCs from healthy subjects. WDR5 is a core component of the MLL/SET1 chromatin remodeling complexes essential for H3K4me3, previously reported to play an important role in stem cells self-renewal and differentiation. These results suggest the existence of epigenetic mechanisms in HD and the identification of genes, which are able to modulate HD phenotype, is important both for biomarker discovery and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Baronchelli
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto La Spada
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Aikaterini Ntai
- Integrated Systems Engineering Srl, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Barbieri
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Conforti
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan and Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare Padiglione Invernizzi, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Gloria Saccani Jotti
- Department of Biological Science, Biotechnology and Translational - S.Bi.Bi.T., University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Serena Redaelli
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Bentivegna
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Milan, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center of Neuroscience, via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Pasquale De Blasio
- Integrated Systems Engineering Srl, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Ida Biunno
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy; IRCCS Multimedica, via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy.
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75
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Developmental alterations in Huntington's disease neural cells and pharmacological rescue in cells and mice. Nat Neurosci 2017; 20:648-660. [PMID: 28319609 PMCID: PMC5610046 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neural cultures derived from Huntington's disease (HD) patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells were used for 'omics' analyses to identify mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. RNA-seq analysis identified genes in glutamate and GABA signaling, axonal guidance and calcium influx whose expression was decreased in HD cultures. One-third of gene changes were in pathways regulating neuronal development and maturation. When mapped to stages of mouse striatal development, the profiles aligned with earlier embryonic stages of neuronal differentiation. We observed a strong correlation between HD-related histone marks, gene expression and unique peak profiles associated with dysregulated genes, suggesting a coordinated epigenetic program. Treatment with isoxazole-9, which targets key dysregulated pathways, led to amelioration of expanded polyglutamine repeat-associated phenotypes in neural cells and of cognitive impairment and synaptic pathology in HD model R6/2 mice. These data suggest that mutant huntingtin impairs neurodevelopmental pathways that could disrupt synaptic homeostasis and increase vulnerability to the pathologic consequence of expanded polyglutamine repeats over time.
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76
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Jaworska E, Kozlowska E, Switonski PM, Krzyzosiak WJ. Modeling simple repeat expansion diseases with iPSC technology. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:4085-100. [PMID: 27261369 PMCID: PMC11108530 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2284-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A number of human genetic disorders, including Huntington's disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, C9ORF72 form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and several spinocerebellar ataxias, are caused by the expansion of various microsatellite sequences in single implicated genes. The neurodegenerative and neuromuscular nature of the repeat expansion disorders considerably limits the access of researchers to appropriate cellular models of these diseases. This limitation, however, can be overcome by the application of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. In this paper, we review the current knowledge on the modeling of repeat expansion diseases with human iPSCs and iPSC-derived cells, focusing on the disease phenotypes recapitulated in these models. In subsequent sections, we provide basic practical knowledge regarding iPSC generation, characterization and differentiation into neurons. We also cover disease modeling in iPSCs, neuronal stem cells and specialized neuronal cultures. Furthermore, we also summarize the therapeutic potential of iPSC technology in repeat expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Jaworska
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Emilia Kozlowska
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Pawel M Switonski
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz J Krzyzosiak
- Department of Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14 Str., 61-704, Poznan, Poland.
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77
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Barral S, Kurian MA. Utility of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for the Study and Treatment of Genetic Diseases: Focus on Childhood Neurological Disorders. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:78. [PMID: 27656126 PMCID: PMC5012159 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of neurological disorders often presents with significant challenges due to the inaccessibility of human neuronal cells for further investigation. Advances in cellular reprogramming techniques, have however provided a new source of human cells for laboratory-based research. Patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can now be robustly differentiated into specific neural subtypes, including dopaminergic, inhibitory GABAergic, motorneurons and cortical neurons. These neurons can then be utilized for in vitro studies to elucidate molecular causes underpinning neurological disease. Although human iPSC-derived neuronal models are increasingly regarded as a useful tool in cell biology, there are a number of limitations, including the relatively early, fetal stage of differentiated cells and the mainly two dimensional, simple nature of the in vitro system. Furthermore, clonal variation is a well-described phenomenon in iPSC lines. In order to account for this, robust baseline data from multiple control lines is necessary to determine whether a particular gene defect leads to a specific cellular phenotype. Over the last few years patient-derived neural cells have proven very useful in addressing several mechanistic questions related to central nervous system diseases, including early-onset neurological disorders of childhood. Many studies report the clinical utility of human-derived neural cells for testing known drugs with repurposing potential, novel compounds and gene therapies, which then can be translated to clinical reality. iPSCs derived neural cells, therefore provide great promise and potential to gain insight into, and treat early-onset neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Barral
- Neurogenetics Group, Molecular Neurosciences, UCL Institute of Child Health,University College London London, UK
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Neurogenetics Group, Molecular Neurosciences, UCL Institute of Child Health,University College LondonLondon, UK; Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street HospitalLondon, UK
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78
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Southwell AL, Smith-Dijak A, Kay C, Sepers M, Villanueva EB, Parsons MP, Xie Y, Anderson L, Felczak B, Waltl S, Ko S, Cheung D, Dal Cengio L, Slama R, Petoukhov E, Raymond LA, Hayden MR. An enhanced Q175 knock-in mouse model of Huntington disease with higher mutant huntingtin levels and accelerated disease phenotypes. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:3654-3675. [PMID: 27378694 PMCID: PMC5216613 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) model mice with heterozygous knock-in (KI) of an expanded CAG tract in exon 1 of the mouse huntingtin (Htt) gene homolog genetically recapitulate the mutation that causes HD, and might be favoured for preclinical studies. However, historically these mice have failed to phenotypically recapitulate the human disease. Thus, homozygous KI mice, which lack wildtype Htt, and are much less relevant to human HD, have been used. The zQ175 model was the first KI mouse to exhibit significant HD-like phenotypes when heterozygous. In an effort to exacerbate HD-like phenotypes and enhance preclinical utility, we have backcrossed zQ175 mice to FVB/N, a strain highly susceptible to neurodegeneration. These Q175F mice display significant HD-like phenotypes along with sudden early death from fatal seizures. The zQ175 KI allele retains a floxed neomycin resistance cassette upstream of the Htt gene locus and produces dramatically reduced mutant Htt as compared to the endogenous wildtype Htt allele. By intercrossing with mice expressing cre in germ line cells, we have excised the neo cassette from Q175F mice generating a new line, Q175FΔneo (Q175FDN). Removal of the neo cassette resulted in a ∼2 fold increase in mutant Htt and rescue of fatal seizures, indicating that the early death phenotype of Q175F mice is caused by Htt deficiency rather than by mutant Htt. Additionally, Q175FDN mice exhibit earlier onset and a greater variety and severity of HD-like phenotypes than Q175F mice or any previously reported KI HD mouse model, making them valuable for preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber L Southwell
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Amy Smith-Dijak
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Chris Kay
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Marja Sepers
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Erika B Villanueva
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Matthew P Parsons
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yuanyun Xie
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Lisa Anderson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Boguslaw Felczak
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Sabine Waltl
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Seunghyun Ko
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Daphne Cheung
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Louisa Dal Cengio
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Ramy Slama
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Eugenia Petoukhov
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
| | - Lynn A Raymond
- Department of Psychiatry, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Child and Family Research Institute
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79
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Mungenast AE, Siegert S, Tsai LH. Modeling Alzheimer's disease with human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2016; 73:13-31. [PMID: 26657644 PMCID: PMC5930170 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have revolutionized the utility of human in vitro models of neurological disease. The iPS-derived and differentiated cells allow researchers to study the impact of a distinct cell type in health and disease as well as performing therapeutic drug screens on a human genetic background. In particular, clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been failing. Two of the potential reasons are first, the species gap involved in proceeding from initial discoveries in rodent models to human studies, and second, an unsatisfying patient stratification, meaning subgrouping patients based on the disease severity due to the lack of phenotypic and genetic markers. iPS cells overcome this obstacles and will improve our understanding of disease subtypes in AD. They allow researchers conducting in depth characterization of neural cells from both familial and sporadic AD patients as well as preclinical screens on human cells. In this review, we briefly outline the status quo of iPS cell research in neurological diseases along with the general advantages and pitfalls of these models. We summarize how genome-editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 will allow researchers to reduce the problem of genomic variability inherent to human studies, followed by recent iPS cell studies relevant to AD. We then focus on current techniques for the differentiation of iPS cells into neural cell types that are relevant to AD research. Finally, we discuss how the generation of three-dimensional cell culture systems will be important for understanding AD phenotypes in a complex cellular milieu, and how both two- and three-dimensional iPS cell models can provide platforms for drug discovery and translational studies into the treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison E Mungenast
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sandra Siegert
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
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80
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Bowers M, Jessberger S. Linking adult hippocampal neurogenesis with human physiology and disease. Dev Dyn 2016; 245:702-9. [PMID: 26890418 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
We here review the existing evidence linking adult hippocampal neurogenesis and human brain function in physiology and disease. Furthermore, we aim to point out where evidence is missing, highlight current promising avenues of investigation, and suggest future tools and approaches to foster the link between life-long neurogenesis and human brain function. Developmental Dynamics 245:702-709, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Bowers
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Faculty of Medicine and Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Jessberger
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Faculty of Medicine and Science, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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81
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Ohlemacher SK, Sridhar A, Xiao Y, Hochstetler AE, Sarfarazi M, Cummins TR, Meyer JS. Stepwise Differentiation of Retinal Ganglion Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Enables Analysis of Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration. Stem Cells 2016; 34:1553-62. [PMID: 26996528 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, possess the unique ability to readily differentiate into any cell type of the body, including cells of the retina. Although previous studies have demonstrated the ability to differentiate hPSCs to a retinal lineage, the ability to derive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from hPSCs has been complicated by the lack of specific markers with which to identify these cells from a pluripotent source. In the current study, the definitive identification of hPSC-derived RGCs was accomplished by their directed, stepwise differentiation through an enriched retinal progenitor intermediary, with resultant RGCs expressing a full complement of associated features and proper functional characteristics. These results served as the basis for the establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient with a genetically inherited form of glaucoma, which results in damage and loss of RGCs. Patient-derived RGCs specifically exhibited a dramatic increase in apoptosis, similar to the targeted loss of RGCs in glaucoma, which was significantly rescued by the addition of candidate neuroprotective factors. Thus, the current study serves to establish a method by which to definitively acquire and identify RGCs from hPSCs and demonstrates the ability of hPSCs to serve as an effective in vitro model of disease progression. Moreover, iPSC-derived RGCs can be utilized for future drug screening approaches to identify targets for the treatment of glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. Stem Cells 2016;34:1553-1562.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Ohlemacher
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Akshayalakshmi Sridhar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yucheng Xiao
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Alexandra E Hochstetler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Mansoor Sarfarazi
- Molecular Ophthalmic Genetics Laboratory, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Theodore R Cummins
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.,Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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82
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Lopes C, Aubert S, Bourgois-Rocha F, Barnat M, Rego AC, Déglon N, Perrier AL, Humbert S. Dominant-Negative Effects of Adult-Onset Huntingtin Mutations Alter the Division of Human Embryonic Stem Cells-Derived Neural Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148680. [PMID: 26863614 PMCID: PMC4749329 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations of the huntingtin protein (HTT) gene underlie both adult-onset and juvenile forms of Huntington’s disease (HD). HTT modulates mitotic spindle orientation and cell fate in mouse cortical progenitors from the ventricular zone. Using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) characterized as carrying mutations associated with adult-onset disease during pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, we investigated the influence of human HTT and of an adult-onset HD mutation on mitotic spindle orientation in human neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from hESCs. The RNAi-mediated silencing of both HTT alleles in neural stem cells derived from hESCs disrupted spindle orientation and led to the mislocalization of dynein, the p150Glued subunit of dynactin and the large nuclear mitotic apparatus (NuMA) protein. We also investigated the effect of the adult-onset HD mutation on the role of HTT during spindle orientation in NSCs derived from HD-hESCs. By combining SNP-targeting allele-specific silencing and gain-of-function approaches, we showed that a 46-glutamine expansion in human HTT was sufficient for a dominant-negative effect on spindle orientation and changes in the distribution within the spindle pole and the cell cortex of dynein, p150Glued and NuMA in neural cells. Thus, neural derivatives of disease-specific human pluripotent stem cells constitute a relevant biological resource for exploring the impact of adult-onset HD mutations of the HTT gene on the division of neural progenitors, with potential applications in HD drug discovery targeting HTT-dynein-p150Glued complex interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Lopes
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Grenoble, France
- INSERM U836, Grenoble, France
- Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra (IIIUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Fany Bourgois-Rocha
- Inserm U861, I-STEM, AFM, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
- UEVE U861, I-STEM, AFM, Evry, France
| | - Monia Barnat
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Grenoble, France
- INSERM U836, Grenoble, France
- Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
| | - Ana Cristina Rego
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LNCM), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anselme L. Perrier
- Inserm U861, I-STEM, AFM, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
- UEVE U861, I-STEM, AFM, Evry, France
- * E-mail: (ALP); (SH)
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences, Grenoble, France
- INSERM U836, Grenoble, France
- Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France
- * E-mail: (ALP); (SH)
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83
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Golas MM, Sander B. Use of human stem cells in Huntington disease modeling and translational research. Exp Neurol 2016; 278:76-90. [PMID: 26826449 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a devastating neurological disorder caused by an extended CAG repeat in exon 1 of the gene that encodes the huntingtin (HTT) protein. HD pathology involves a loss of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and progressive neurodegeneration affects the striatum and other brain regions. Because HTT is involved in multiple cellular processes, the molecular mechanisms of HD pathogenesis should be investigated on multiple levels. On the cellular level, in vitro stem cell models, such as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from HD patients and HD embryonic stem cells (ESCs), have yielded progress. Approaches to differentiate functional MSNs from ESCs, iPSCs, and neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs) have been established, enabling MSN differentiation to be studied and disease phenotypes to be recapitulated. Isolation of target stem cells and precursor cells may also provide a resource for grafting. In animal models, transplantation of striatal precursors differentiated in vitro to the striatum has been reported to improve disease phenotype. Initial clinical trials examining intrastriatal transplantation of fetal neural tissue suggest a more favorable clinical course in a subset of HD patients, though shortcomings persist. Here, we review recent advances in the development of cellular HD models and approaches aimed at cell regeneration with human stem cells. We also describe how genome editing tools could be used to correct the HTT mutation in patient-specific stem cells. Finally, we discuss the potential and the remaining challenges of stem cell-based approaches in HD research and therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika M Golas
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Bjoern Sander
- Stereology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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84
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De Vry J, Vanmierlo T, Martínez-Martínez P, Losen M, Temel Y, Boere J, Kenis G, Steckler T, Steinbusch HW, Baets MD, Prickaerts J. TrkB in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens differentially modulates depression-like behavior in mice. Behav Brain Res 2016; 296:15-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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85
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Telezhkin V, Schnell C, Yarova P, Yung S, Cope E, Hughes A, Thompson BA, Sanders P, Geater C, Hancock JM, Joy S, Badder L, Connor-Robson N, Comella A, Straccia M, Bombau G, Brown JT, Canals JM, Randall AD, Allen ND, Kemp PJ. Forced cell cycle exit and modulation of GABAA, CREB, and GSK3β signaling promote functional maturation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2015; 310:C520-41. [PMID: 26718628 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00166.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although numerous protocols have been developed for differentiation of neurons from a variety of pluripotent stem cells, most have concentrated on being able to specify effectively appropriate neuronal subtypes and few have been designed to enhance or accelerate functional maturity. Of those that have, most employ time courses of functional maturation that are rather protracted, and none have fully characterized all aspects of neuronal function, from spontaneous action potential generation through to postsynaptic receptor maturation. Here, we describe a simple protocol that employs the sequential addition of just two supplemented media that have been formulated to separate the two key phases of neural differentiation, the neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, each characterized by different signaling requirements. Employing these media, this new protocol synchronized neurogenesis and enhanced the rate of maturation of pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursors. Neurons differentiated using this protocol exhibited large cell capacitance with relatively hyperpolarized resting membrane potentials; moreover, they exhibited augmented: 1) spontaneous electrical activity; 2) regenerative induced action potential train activity; 3) Na(+) current availability, and 4) synaptic currents. This was accomplished by rapid and uniform development of a mature, inhibitory GABAAreceptor phenotype that was demonstrated by Ca(2+) imaging and the ability of GABAAreceptor blockers to evoke seizurogenic network activity in multielectrode array recordings. Furthermore, since this protocol can exploit expanded and frozen prepatterned neural progenitors to deliver mature neurons within 21 days, it is both scalable and transferable to high-throughput platforms for the use in functional screens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Polina Yarova
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sun Yung
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Cope
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Alis Hughes
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Philip Sanders
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Charlene Geater
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Jane M Hancock
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; and
| | - Shona Joy
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Luned Badder
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrea Comella
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Straccia
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georgina Bombau
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jon T Brown
- Hatherly Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Josep M Canals
- Department of Cell Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrew D Randall
- School of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; and Hatherly Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas D Allen
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom;
| | - Paul J Kemp
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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86
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Liu L, Huang JS, Han C, Zhang GX, Xu XY, Shen Y, Li J, Jiang HY, Lin ZC, Xiong N, Wang T. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Huntington's Disease: Disease Modeling and the Potential for Cell-Based Therapy. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:6698-6708. [PMID: 26659595 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9601-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and behavioral abnormalities. It is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, resulting in progressive neuronal loss predominately in the striatum and cortex. Despite the discovery of the causative gene in 1993, the exact mechanisms underlying HD pathogenesis have yet to be elucidated. Treatments that slow or halt the disease process are currently unavailable. Recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies have transformed our ability to study disease in human neural cells. Here, we firstly review the progress made to model HD in vitro using patient-derived iPSCs, which reveal unique insights into illuminating molecular mechanisms and provide a novel human cell-based platform for drug discovery. We then highlight the promises and challenges for pluripotent stem cells that might be used as a therapeutic source for cell replacement therapy of the lost neurons in HD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Liu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jin-Sha Huang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Han
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Guo-Xin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiao-Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Shen
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hai-Yang Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhi-Cheng Lin
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and Mailman Neuroscience Research Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Nian Xiong
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Neurology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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87
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Modeling Huntington׳s disease with patient-derived neurons. Brain Res 2015; 1656:76-87. [PMID: 26459990 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Huntington׳s Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. While the gene was identified over two decades ago, it remains poorly understood why mutant HTT (mtHTT) is initially toxic to striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Models of HD using non-neuronal human patient cells and rodents exhibit some characteristic HD phenotypes. While these current models have contributed to the field, they are limited in disease manifestation and may vary in their response to treatments. As such, human HD patient MSNs for disease modeling could greatly expand the current understanding of HD and facilitate the search for a successful treatment. It is now possible to use pluripotent stem cells, which can generate any tissue type in the body, to study and potentially treat HD. This review covers disease modeling in vitro and, via chimeric animal generation, in vivo using human HD patient MSNs differentiated from embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. This includes an overview of the differentiation of pluripotent cells into MSNs, the established phenotypes found in cell-based models and transplantation studies using these cells. This review not only outlines the advancements in the rapidly progressing field of HD modeling using neurons derived from human pluripotent cells, but also it highlights several remaining controversial issues such as the 'ideal' series of pluripotent lines, the optimal cell types to use and the study of a primarily adult-onset disease in a developmental model. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Exploiting human neurons.
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88
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Zhang N, Bailus BJ, Ring KL, Ellerby LM. iPSC-based drug screening for Huntington's disease. Brain Res 2015; 1638:42-56. [PMID: 26428226 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene. The disease generally manifests in middle age with both physical and mental symptoms. There are no effective treatments or cures and death usually occurs 10-20 years after initial symptoms. Since the original identification of the Huntington disease associated gene, in 1993, a variety of models have been created and used to advance our understanding of HD. The most recent advances have utilized stem cell models derived from HD-patient induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offering a variety of screening and model options that were not previously available. The discovery and advancement of technology to make human iPSCs has allowed for a more thorough characterization of human HD on a cellular and developmental level. The interaction between the genome editing and the stem cell fields promises to further expand the variety of HD cellular models available for researchers. In this review, we will discuss the history of Huntington's disease models, common screening assays, currently available models and future directions for modeling HD using iPSCs-derived from HD patients. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: PSC and the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningzhe Zhang
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, United States
| | - Barbara J Bailus
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, United States
| | - Karen L Ring
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, United States
| | - Lisa M Ellerby
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, 8001 Redwood Blvd, Novato, CA 94945, United States.
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89
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Szlachcic WJ, Switonski PM, Krzyzosiak WJ, Figlerowicz M, Figiel M. Huntington disease iPSCs show early molecular changes in intracellular signaling, the expression of oxidative stress proteins and the p53 pathway. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:1047-57. [PMID: 26092128 PMCID: PMC4582098 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.019406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a brain disorder characterized by the late onset of motor and cognitive symptoms, even though the neurons in the brain begin to suffer dysfunction and degeneration long before symptoms appear. There is currently no cure. Several molecular and developmental effects of HD have been identified using neural stem cells (NSCs) and differentiated cells, such as neurons and astrocytes. Still, little is known regarding the molecular pathogenesis of HD in pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Therefore, we examined putative signaling pathways and processes involved in HD pathogenesis in pluripotent cells. We tested naïve mouse HD YAC128 iPSCs and two types of human HD iPSC that were generated from HD and juvenile-HD patients. Surprisingly, we found that a number of changes affecting cellular processes in HD were also present in undifferentiated pluripotent HD iPSCs, including the dysregulation of the MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways and the dysregulation of the expression of genes related to oxidative stress, such as Sod1. Interestingly, a common protein interactor of the huntingtin protein and the proteins in the above pathways is p53, and the expression of p53 was dysregulated in HD YAC128 iPSCs and human HD iPSCs. In summary, our findings demonstrate that multiple molecular pathways that are characteristically dysregulated in HD are already altered in undifferentiated pluripotent cells and that the pathogenesis of HD might begin during the early stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech J Szlachcic
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Pawel M Switonski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz J Krzyzosiak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Marek Figlerowicz
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
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