251
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Keskin I, Forsgren E, Lange DJ, Weber M, Birve A, Synofzik M, Gilthorpe JD, Andersen PM, Marklund SL. Effects of Cellular Pathway Disturbances on Misfolded Superoxide Dismutase-1 in Fibroblasts Derived from ALS Patients. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150133. [PMID: 26919046 PMCID: PMC4769150 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) are a common known cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The neurotoxicity of mutant SOD1s is most likely caused by misfolded molecular species, but disease pathogenesis is still not understood. Proposed mechanisms include impaired mitochondrial function, induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, reduction in the activities of the proteasome and autophagy, and the formation of neurotoxic aggregates. Here we examined whether perturbations in these cellular pathways in turn influence levels of misfolded SOD1 species, potentially amplifying neurotoxicity. For the study we used fibroblasts, which express SOD1 at physiological levels under regulation of the native promoter. The cells were derived from ALS patients expressing 9 different SOD1 mutants of widely variable molecular characteristics, as well as from patients carrying the GGGGCC-repeat-expansion in C9orf72 and from non-disease controls. A specific ELISA was used to quantify soluble, misfolded SOD1, and aggregated SOD1 was analysed by western blotting. Misfolded SOD1 was detected in all lines. Levels were found to be much lower in non-disease control and the non-SOD1 C9orf72 ALS lines. This enabled us to validate patient fibroblasts for use in subsequent perturbation studies. Mitochondrial inhibition, endoplasmic reticulum stress or autophagy inhibition did not affect soluble misfolded SOD1 and in most cases, detergent-resistant SOD1 aggregates were not detected. However, proteasome inhibition led to uniformly large increases in misfolded SOD1 levels in all cell lines and an increase in SOD1 aggregation in some. Thus the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is a principal determinant of misfolded SOD1 levels in cells derived both from patients and controls and a decline in activity with aging could be one of the factors behind the mid-to late-life onset of inherited ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isil Keskin
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Elin Forsgren
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Dale J. Lange
- Department of Neurology, Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromusucular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Anna Birve
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Tübingen, Germany
- German Research Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan D. Gilthorpe
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Peter M. Andersen
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Stefan L. Marklund
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Clinical Chemistry, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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252
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Abstract
Cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases are major health threats in many
developed countries. Recently, target tissues derived from human embryonic stem
(hES) cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), such as cardiomyocytes
(CMs) or neurons, have been actively mobilized for drug screening. Knowledge of
drug toxicity and efficacy obtained using stem cell-derived tissues could
parallel that obtained from human trials. Furthermore, iPSC disease models could
be advantageous in the development of personalized medicine in various parts of
disease sectors. To obtain the maximum benefit from iPSCs in disease modeling,
researchers are now focusing on aging, maturation, and metabolism to
recapitulate the pathological features seen in patients. Compared to pediatric
disease modeling, adult-onset disease modeling with iPSCs requires proper
maturation for full manifestation of pathological features. Herein, the success
of iPSC technology, focusing on patient-specific drug treatment,
maturation-based disease modeling, and alternative approaches to compensate for
the current limitations of patient iPSC modeling, will be further discussed.
[BMB Reports 2015; 48(5): 256-265]
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Affiliation(s)
- Changsung Kim
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747, Korea
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253
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Nizzardo M, Simone C, Rizzo F, Ulzi G, Ramirez A, Rizzuti M, Bordoni A, Bucchia M, Gatti S, Bresolin N, Comi GP, Corti S. Morpholino-mediated SOD1 reduction ameliorates an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease phenotype. Sci Rep 2016; 6:21301. [PMID: 26878886 PMCID: PMC4754711 DOI: 10.1038/srep21301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotoxicity due to the accumulation of mutant proteins is thought to drive pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) are linked to familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS); these mutations result in progressive motor neuron death through one or more acquired toxicities. Interestingly, SOD1 is not only responsible for fALS but may also play a significant role in sporadic ALS; therefore, SOD1 represents a promising therapeutic target. Here, we report slowed disease progression, improved neuromuscular function, and increased survival in an in vivo ALS model following therapeutic delivery of morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) designed to reduce the synthesis of human SOD1. Neuropathological analysis demonstrated increased motor neuron and axon numbers and a remarkable reduction in astrogliosis and microgliosis. To test this strategy in a human model, we treated human fALS induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons with MOs; these cells exhibited increased survival and reduced expression of apoptotic markers. Our data demonstrated the efficacy of MO-mediated therapy in mouse and human ALS models, setting the stage for human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Nizzardo
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - C. Simone
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - F. Rizzo
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - G. Ulzi
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - A. Ramirez
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - M. Rizzuti
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - A. Bordoni
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - M. Bucchia
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - S. Gatti
- Centro di Ricerche Chirurgiche Precliniche, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - N. Bresolin
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - G. P. Comi
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - S. Corti
- Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), University of Milan, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
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254
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Panchision DM. Concise Review: Progress and Challenges in Using Human Stem Cells for Biological and Therapeutics Discovery: Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Stem Cells 2016; 34:523-36. [PMID: 26840228 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In facing the daunting challenge of using human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells to study complex neural circuit disorders such as schizophrenia, mood and anxiety disorders, and autism spectrum disorders, a 2012 National Institute of Mental Health workshop produced a set of recommendations to advance basic research and engage industry in cell-based studies of neuropsychiatric disorders. This review describes progress in meeting these recommendations, including the development of novel tools, strides in recapitulating relevant cell and tissue types, insights into the genetic basis of these disorders that permit integration of risk-associated gene regulatory networks with cell/circuit phenotypes, and promising findings of patient-control differences using cell-based assays. However, numerous challenges are still being addressed, requiring further technological development, approaches to resolve disease heterogeneity, and collaborative structures for investigators of different disciplines. Additionally, since data obtained so far is on small sample sizes, replication in larger sample sets is needed. A number of individual success stories point to a path forward in developing assays to translate discovery science to therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Panchision
- Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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255
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The Use of Stem Cells to Model Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia: From Basic Research to Regenerative Medicine. Stem Cells Int 2016; 2016:9279516. [PMID: 26966440 PMCID: PMC4761393 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9279516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years several genes have linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as a spectrum disease; however little is known about what triggers their onset. With the ability to generate patient specific stem cell lines from somatic cells, it is possible to model disease without the need to transfect cells with exogenous DNA. These pluripotent stem cells have opened new avenues for identification of disease phenotypes and their relation to specific molecular pathways. Thus, as never before, compounds with potential applications for regenerative medicine can be specifically tailored in patient derived cultures. In this review, we discuss how patient specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been used to model ALS and FTD and the most recent drug screening targets for these diseases. We also discuss how an iPSC bank would improve the quality of the available cell lines and how it would increase knowledge about the ALS/FTD disease spectrum.
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256
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Clerc P, Lipnick S, Willett C. A look into the future of ALS research. Drug Discov Today 2016; 21:939-49. [PMID: 26861067 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Revised: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred as 'Lou Gehrig's Disease,' was first described in 1869 and the first disease-associated gene was discovered almost 20 years ago, the disease etiology is still not fully understood and treatment options are limited to one drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The slow translational progress suggests that current research models are not ideal to study such a complicated disease and need to be re-examined. Progress will require greater insight into human genes and biology involved in ALS susceptibility, as well as a deeper understanding of disease phenotype at the histological and molecular levels. Improving human disease outcome will require directing focus toward improved assessment technologies and innovative approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascaline Clerc
- The Humane Society of the United States, 700 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA.
| | - Scott Lipnick
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Department of Medicine, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Catherine Willett
- The Humane Society of the United States, 700 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
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257
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Avior Y, Sagi I, Benvenisty N. Pluripotent stem cells in disease modelling and drug discovery. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2016; 17:170-82. [DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2015.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 413] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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258
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Maeder ML, Gersbach CA. Genome-editing Technologies for Gene and Cell Therapy. Mol Ther 2016; 24:430-46. [PMID: 26755333 PMCID: PMC4786923 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2016.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 410] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy has historically been defined as the addition of new genes to human cells. However, the recent advent of genome-editing technologies has enabled a new paradigm in which the sequence of the human genome can be precisely manipulated to achieve a therapeutic effect. This includes the correction of mutations that cause disease, the addition of therapeutic genes to specific sites in the genome, and the removal of deleterious genes or genome sequences. This review presents the mechanisms of different genome-editing strategies and describes each of the common nuclease-based platforms, including zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), meganucleases, and the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We then summarize the progress made in applying genome editing to various areas of gene and cell therapy, including antiviral strategies, immunotherapies, and the treatment of monogenic hereditary disorders. The current challenges and future prospects for genome editing as a transformative technology for gene and cell therapy are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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259
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Perri ER, Thomas CJ, Parakh S, Spencer DM, Atkin JD. The Unfolded Protein Response and the Role of Protein Disulfide Isomerase in Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2016; 3:80. [PMID: 26779479 PMCID: PMC4705227 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2015.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance and regulation of proteostasis is a critical function for post-mitotic neurons and its dysregulation is increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Despite having different clinical manifestations, these disorders share similar pathology; an accumulation of misfolded proteins in neurons and subsequent disruption to cellular proteostasis. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important component of proteostasis, and when the accumulation of misfolded proteins occurs within the ER, this disturbs ER homeostasis, giving rise to ER stress. This triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), distinct signaling pathways that whilst initially protective, are pro-apoptotic if ER stress is prolonged. ER stress is increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, and emerging evidence highlights the complexity of the UPR in these disorders, with both protective and detrimental components being described. Protein Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) is an ER chaperone induced during ER stress that is responsible for the formation of disulfide bonds in proteins. Whilst initially considered to be protective, recent studies have revealed unconventional roles for PDI in neurodegenerative diseases, distinct from its normal function in the UPR and the ER, although these mechanisms remain poorly defined. However, specific aspects of PDI function may offer the potential to be exploited therapeutically in the future. This review will focus on the evidence linking ER stress and the UPR to neurodegenerative diseases, with particular emphasis on the emerging functions ascribed to PDI in these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Perri
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Colleen J Thomas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sonam Parakh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Human Science, Macquarie University Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Damian M Spencer
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityMelbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Human Science, Macquarie UniversitySydney, NSW, Australia
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260
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Tsubota A, Ichijo H, Homma K. Mislocalization, aggregation formation and defect in proteolysis in ALS. AIMS MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.3934/molsci.2016.2.246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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261
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Direct Lineage Reprogramming Reveals Disease-Specific Phenotypes of Motor Neurons from Human ALS Patients. Cell Rep 2015; 14:115-128. [PMID: 26725112 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 10/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Subtype-specific neurons obtained from adult humans will be critical to modeling neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we show that adult human skin fibroblasts can be directly and efficiently converted into highly pure motor neurons without passing through an induced pluripotent stem cell stage. These adult human induced motor neurons (hiMNs) exhibit the cytological and electrophysiological features of spinal motor neurons and form functional neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) with skeletal muscles. Importantly, hiMNs converted from ALS patient fibroblasts show disease-specific degeneration manifested through poor survival, soma shrinkage, hypoactivity, and an inability to form NMJs. A chemical screen revealed that the degenerative features of ALS hiMNs can be remarkably rescued by the small molecule kenpaullone. Taken together, our results define a direct and efficient strategy to obtain disease-relevant neuronal subtypes from adult human patients and reveal their promising value in disease modeling and drug identification.
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262
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Sivalingam J, Kenanov D, Han H, Nirmal AJ, Ng WH, Lee SS, Masilamani J, Phan TT, Maurer-Stroh S, Kon OL. Multidimensional Genome-wide Analyses Show Accurate FVIII Integration by ZFN in Primary Human Cells. Mol Ther 2015; 24:607-19. [PMID: 26689265 PMCID: PMC4786920 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2015.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Costly coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) replacement therapy is a barrier to optimal clinical management of hemophilia A. Therapy using FVIII-secreting autologous primary cells is potentially efficacious and more affordable. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFN) mediate transgene integration into the AAVS1 locus but comprehensive evaluation of off-target genome effects is currently lacking. In light of serious adverse effects in clinical trials which employed genome-integrating viral vectors, this study evaluated potential genotoxicity of ZFN-mediated transgenesis using different techniques. We employed deep sequencing of predicted off-target sites, copy number analysis, whole-genome sequencing, and RNA-seq in primary human umbilical cord-lining epithelial cells (CLECs) with AAVS1 ZFN-mediated FVIII transgene integration. We combined molecular features to enhance the accuracy and activity of ZFN-mediated transgenesis. Our data showed a low frequency of ZFN-associated indels, no detectable off-target transgene integrations or chromosomal rearrangements. ZFN-modified CLECs had very few dysregulated transcripts and no evidence of activated oncogenic pathways. We also showed AAVS1 ZFN activity and durable FVIII transgene secretion in primary human dermal fibroblasts, bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived stromal cells. Our study suggests that, with close attention to the molecular design of genome-modifying constructs, AAVS1 ZFN-mediated FVIII integration in several primary human cell types may be safe and efficacious.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaichandran Sivalingam
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.,Current address: Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Dimitar Kenanov
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Hao Han
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Ajit Johnson Nirmal
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Wai Har Ng
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Sze Sing Lee
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | | | - Toan Thang Phan
- CellResearch Corporation, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.,Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Sebastian Maurer-Stroh
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.,School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Oi Lian Kon
- Division of Medical Sciences, Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, Humphrey Oei Institute of Cancer Research, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Republic of Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
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263
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Hunsberger JG, Rao M, Kurtzberg J, Bulte JWM, Atala A, LaFerla FM, Greely HT, Sawa A, Gandy S, Schneider LS, Doraiswamy PM. Accelerating stem cell trials for Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Neurol 2015; 15:219-230. [PMID: 26704439 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(15)00332-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
At present, no effective cure or prophylaxis exists for Alzheimer's disease. Symptomatic treatments are modestly effective and offer only temporary benefit. Advances in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology have the potential to enable development of so-called disease-in-a-dish personalised models to study disease mechanisms and reveal new therapeutic approaches, and large panels of iPSCs enable rapid screening of potential drug candidates. Different cell types can also be produced for therapeutic use. In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration granted investigational new drug approval for the first phase 2A clinical trial of ischaemia-tolerant mesenchymal stem cells to treat Alzheimer's disease in the USA. Similar trials are either underway or being planned in Europe and Asia. Although safety and ethical concerns remain, we call for the acceleration of human stem cell-based translational research into the causes and potential treatments of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G Hunsberger
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Mahendra Rao
- New York Stem Cell Foundation, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joanne Kurtzberg
- Robertson Clinical and Translational Cell Therapy Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jeff W M Bulte
- Department of Radiology and Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Frank M LaFerla
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Henry T Greely
- Center for Law and the Biosciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sam Gandy
- Center for Cognitive Health and National Football League Neurological Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; James J Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Lon S Schneider
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - P Murali Doraiswamy
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Psychiatry Department, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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264
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Clark R, Blizzard C, Dickson T. Inhibitory dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: future therapeutic opportunities. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2015; 5:511-25. [DOI: 10.2217/nmt.15.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, motor neuron hyperexcitability and inhibitory dysfunction is emerging as a potential causative link in the dysfunction and degeneration of the motoneuronal circuitry that characterizes the disease. Interneurons, as key regulators of excitability, may mediate much of this imbalance, yet we know little about the way in which inhibitory deficits perturb excitability. In this review, we explore inhibitory control of excitability and the potential contribution of altered inhibition to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease processes and vulnerabilities, identifying important windows of therapeutic opportunity and potential interventions, specifically targeting inhibitory control at key disease stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary Clark
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Catherine Blizzard
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Tracey Dickson
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
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265
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Translational profiling identifies a cascade of damage initiated in motor neurons and spreading to glia in mutant SOD1-mediated ALS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E6993-7002. [PMID: 26621731 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1520639112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitous expression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-causing mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) provokes noncell autonomous paralytic disease. By combining ribosome affinity purification and high-throughput sequencing, a cascade of mutant SOD1-dependent, cell type-specific changes are now identified. Initial mutant-dependent damage is restricted to motor neurons and includes synapse and metabolic abnormalities, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and selective activation of the PRKR-like ER kinase (PERK) arm of the unfolded protein response. PERK activation correlates with what we identify as a naturally low level of ER chaperones in motor neurons. Early changes in astrocytes occur in genes that are involved in inflammation and metabolism and are targets of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and liver X receptor transcription factors. Dysregulation of myelination and lipid signaling pathways and activation of ETS transcription factors occur in oligodendrocytes only after disease initiation. Thus, pathogenesis involves a temporal cascade of cell type-selective damage initiating in motor neurons, with subsequent damage within glia driving disease propagation.
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266
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Kaus A, Sareen D. ALS Patient Stem Cells for Unveiling Disease Signatures of Motoneuron Susceptibility: Perspectives on the Deadly Mitochondria, ER Stress and Calcium Triad. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:448. [PMID: 26635528 PMCID: PMC4652136 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a largely sporadic progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motoneurons (MNs) whose specific etiology is incompletely understood. Mutations in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP/TDP-43) and C9orf72, have been identified in subsets of familial and sporadic patients. Key associated molecular and neuropathological features include ubiquitinated TDP-43 inclusions, stress granules, aggregated dipeptide proteins from mutant C9orf72 transcripts, altered mitochondrial ultrastructure, dysregulated calcium homeostasis, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and an unfolded protein response (UPR). Such impairments have been documented in ALS animal models; however, whether these mechanisms are initiating factors or later consequential events leading to MN vulnerability in ALS patients is debatable. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a valuable tool that could resolve this “chicken or egg” causality dilemma. Relevant systems for probing pathophysiologically affected cells from large numbers of ALS patients and discovering phenotypic disease signatures of early MN susceptibility are described. Performing unbiased ‘OMICS and high-throughput screening in relevant neural cells from a cohort of ALS patient iPSCs, and rescuing mitochondrial and ER stress impairments, can identify targeted therapeutics for increasing MN longevity in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjoscha Kaus
- Board of Governors-Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dhruv Sareen
- Board of Governors-Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, USA ; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, USA ; iPSC Core, The David and Janet Polak Stem Cell Laboratory, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Los Angeles, CA, USA
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267
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Kim KH, Liu J, Sells Galvin RJ, Dage JL, Egeland JA, Smith RC, Merchant KM, Paul SM. Transcriptomic Analysis of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Bipolar Disorder from an Old Order Amish Pedigree. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142693. [PMID: 26554713 PMCID: PMC4640865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts from patients with Type I bipolar disorder (BPD) and their unaffected siblings were obtained from an Old Order Amish pedigree with a high incidence of BPD and reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Established iPSCs were subsequently differentiated into neuroprogenitors (NPs) and then to neurons. Transcriptomic microarray analysis was conducted on RNA samples from iPSCs, NPs and neurons matured in culture for either 2 weeks (termed early neurons, E) or 4 weeks (termed late neurons, L). Global RNA profiling indicated that BPD and control iPSCs differentiated into NPs and neurons at a similar rate, enabling studies of differentially expressed genes in neurons from controls and BPD cases. Significant disease-associated differences in gene expression were observed only in L neurons. Specifically, 328 genes were differentially expressed between BPD and control L neurons including GAD1, glutamate decarboxylase 1 (2.5 fold) and SCN4B, the voltage gated type IV sodium channel beta subunit (-14.6 fold). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the up-regulation of GAD1 in BPD compared to control L neurons. Gene Ontology, GeneGo and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially regulated genes in L neurons suggest that alterations in RNA biosynthesis and metabolism, protein trafficking as well as receptor signaling pathways may play an important role in the pathophysiology of BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwi Hye Kim
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jiangang Liu
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Rachelle J. Sells Galvin
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey L. Dage
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Janice A. Egeland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rosamund C. Smith
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kalpana M. Merchant
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Steven M. Paul
- Mind and Brain Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, United States of America
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268
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Steinbeck JA, Jaiswal MK, Calder EL, Kishinevsky S, Weishaupt A, Toyka KV, Goldstein PA, Studer L. Functional Connectivity under Optogenetic Control Allows Modeling of Human Neuromuscular Disease. Cell Stem Cell 2015; 18:134-43. [PMID: 26549107 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Capturing the full potential of human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived neurons in disease modeling and regenerative medicine requires analysis in complex functional systems. Here we establish optogenetic control in human PSC-derived spinal motorneurons and show that co-culture of these cells with human myoblast-derived skeletal muscle builds a functional all-human neuromuscular junction that can be triggered to twitch upon light stimulation. To model neuromuscular disease we incubated these co-cultures with IgG from myasthenia gravis patients and active complement. Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disorder that selectively targets neuromuscular junctions. We saw a reversible reduction in the amplitude of muscle contractions, representing a surrogate marker for the characteristic loss of muscle strength seen in this disease. The ability to recapitulate key aspects of disease pathology and its symptomatic treatment suggests that this neuromuscular junction assay has significant potential for modeling of neuromuscular disease and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius A Steinbeck
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Manoj K Jaiswal
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sarah Kishinevsky
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andreas Weishaupt
- Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus V Toyka
- Department of Neurology, University of Wuerzburg, 97080 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Peter A Goldstein
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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269
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis models derived from human embryonic stem cells with different superoxide dismutase 1 mutations exhibit differential drug responses. Stem Cell Res 2015; 15:459-468. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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270
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Hayashi Y, Homma K, Ichijo H. SOD1 in neurotoxicity and its controversial roles in SOD1 mutation-negative ALS. Adv Biol Regul 2015; 60:95-104. [PMID: 26563614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2015.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a serious neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the selective death of motor neurons. While the fundamental cause of the disorder is still unclear, the first identified risk gene, Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), has led to the proposal of several mechanisms that are relevant to its pathogenesis. These include excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, ER stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, axonal transport disruption, prion-like propagation, and non-cell autonomous toxicity of neuroglia. Recent evidence suggests that the toxicity of the misfolded wild-type SOD1 (SOD1(WT)) is involved in the pathogenesis of sporadic cases. Yet to what extent SOD1 contributes to neurotoxicity in ALS cases generally is unknown. This review discusses the toxic mechanisms of mutant SOD1 (SOD1(mut)) and misfolded SOD1(WT) in the context of ALS as well as the potential implication of these mechanisms in SOD1 mutation-negative ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hayashi
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Kengo Homma
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hidenori Ichijo
- Laboratory of Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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271
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Haston KM, Finkbeiner S. Clinical Trials in a Dish: The Potential of Pluripotent Stem Cells to Develop Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2015; 56:489-510. [PMID: 26514199 PMCID: PMC4868344 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010715-103548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a leading cause of death. No disease-modifying therapies are available, and preclinical animal model data have routinely failed to translate into success for therapeutics. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) biology holds great promise for human in vitro disease modeling because these cells can give rise to any cell in the human brain and display phenotypes specific to neurodegenerative diseases previously identified in postmortem and clinical samples. Here, we explore the potential and caveats of iPSC technology as a platform for drug development and screening, and the future potential to use large cohorts of disease-bearing iPSCs to perform clinical trials in a dish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Haston
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California 94158;
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, San Francisco, California 94158;
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and the Hellman Family Foundation Program in Alzheimer's Disease Research, San Francisco, California 94158
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
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272
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Lee S, Huang EJ. Modeling ALS and FTD with iPSC-derived neurons. Brain Res 2015; 1656:88-97. [PMID: 26462653 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in genetics and neuropathology support the idea that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTD) are two ends of a disease spectrum. Although several animal models have been developed to investigate the pathogenesis and disease progression in ALS and FTD, there are significant limitations that hamper our ability to connect these models with the neurodegenerative processes in human diseases. With the technical breakthrough in reprogramming biology, it is now possible to generate patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and disease-relevant neuron subtypes. This review provides a comprehensive summary of studies that use iPSC-derived neurons to model ALS and FTD. We discuss the unique capabilities of iPSC-derived neurons that capture some key features of ALS and FTD, and underscore their potential roles in drug discovery. There are, however, several critical caveats that require improvements before iPSC-derived neurons can become highly effective disease models. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Exploiting human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebum Lee
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0502, United States
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0502, United States; Pathology Service 113B, San Francisco VA Medical Center, 505 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143-0502, United States.
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273
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Modeling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in pure human iPSc-derived motor neurons isolated by a novel FACS double selection technique. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 82:269-280. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 05/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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274
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Nestor MW, Phillips AW, Artimovich E, Nestor JE, Hussman JP, Blatt GJ. Human Inducible Pluripotent Stem Cells and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Emerging Technologies. Autism Res 2015; 9:513-35. [DOI: 10.1002/aur.1570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Nestor
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
| | - Andre W. Phillips
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
| | - Elena Artimovich
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
| | - Jonathan E. Nestor
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
| | - John P. Hussman
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
| | - Gene J. Blatt
- The Hussman Institute for Autism; 801 W. Baltimore St., Suite 301 Baltimore Maryland 21201
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275
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Abstract
Advances in genome engineering technologies have made the precise control over genome sequence and regulation possible across a variety of disciplines. These tools can expand our understanding of fundamental biological processes and create new opportunities for therapeutic designs. The rapid evolution of these methods has also catalyzed a new era of genomics that includes multiple approaches to functionally characterize and manipulate the regulation of genomic information. Here, we review the recent advances of the most widely adopted genome engineering platforms and their application to functional genomics. This includes engineered zinc finger proteins, TALEs/TALENs, and the CRISPR/Cas9 system as nucleases for genome editing, transcription factors for epigenome editing, and other emerging applications. We also present current and potential future applications of these tools, as well as their current limitations and areas for future advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac B Hilton
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA; Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA; Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
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276
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Liu Y, Deng W. Reverse engineering human neurodegenerative disease using pluripotent stem cell technology. Brain Res 2015; 1638:30-41. [PMID: 26423934 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Revised: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
With the technology of reprogramming somatic cells by introducing defined transcription factors that enables the generation of "induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)" with pluripotency comparable to that of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), it has become possible to use this technology to produce various cells and tissues that have been difficult to obtain from living bodies. This advancement is bringing forth rapid progress in iPSC-based disease modeling, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. More and more studies have demonstrated that phenotypes of adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders could be rather faithfully recapitulated in iPSC-derived neural cell cultures. Moreover, despite the adult-onset nature of the diseases, pathogenic phenotypes and cellular abnormalities often exist in early developmental stages, providing new "windows of opportunity" for understanding mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders and for discovering new medicines. The cell reprogramming technology enables a reverse engineering approach for modeling the cellular degenerative phenotypes of a wide range of human disorders. An excellent example is the study of the human neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using iPSCs. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs), culminating in muscle wasting and death from respiratory failure. The iPSC approach provides innovative cell culture platforms to serve as ALS patient-derived model systems. Researchers have converted iPSCs derived from ALS patients into MNs and various types of glial cells, all of which are involved in ALS, to study the disease. The iPSC technology could be used to determine the role of specific genetic factors to track down what's wrong in the neurodegenerative disease process in the "disease-in-a-dish" model. Meanwhile, parallel experiments of targeting the same specific genes in human ESCs could also be performed to control and to complement the iPSC-based approach for ALS disease modeling studies. Much knowledge has been generated from the study of both ALS iPSCs and ESCs. As these methods have advantages and disadvantages that should be balanced on experimental design in order for them to complement one another, combining the diverse methods would help build an expanded knowledge of ALS pathophysiology. The goals are to reverse engineer the human disease using ESCs and iPSCs, generate lineage reporter lines and in vitro disease models, target disease related genes, in order to better understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of differentiation regulation along neural (neuronal versus glial) lineages, to unravel the pathogenesis of the neurodegenerative disease, and to provide appropriate cell sources for replacement therapy. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: PSC and the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA; Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Wenbin Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, USA.
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277
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Hotta A, Yamanaka S. From Genomics to Gene Therapy: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Meet Genome Editing. Annu Rev Genet 2015; 49:47-70. [PMID: 26407033 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-112414-054926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The advent of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has opened up numerous avenues of opportunity for cell therapy, including the initiation in September 2014 of the first human clinical trial to treat dry age-related macular degeneration. In parallel, advances in genome-editing technologies by site-specific nucleases have dramatically improved our ability to edit endogenous genomic sequences at targeted sites of interest. In fact, clinical trials have already begun to implement this technology to control HIV infection. Genome editing in iPS cells is a powerful tool and enables researchers to investigate the intricacies of the human genome in a dish. In the near future, the groundwork laid by such an approach may expand the possibilities of gene therapy for treating congenital disorders. In this review, we summarize the exciting progress being made in the utilization of genomic editing technologies in pluripotent stem cells and discuss remaining challenges toward gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akitsu Hotta
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; .,Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamanaka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; .,Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, California 94158
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278
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Abstract
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a stress response of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to a disturbance in protein folding. The so-called ER stress sensors PERK, IRE1 and ATF6 play a central role in the initiation and regulation of the UPR. The accumulation of misfolded and aggregated proteins is a common characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. With the discovery of the basic machinery of the UPR, the idea was born that the UPR or part of its machinery could be involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion disease. Over the last decade, the UPR has been addressed in an increasing number of studies on neurodegeneration. The involvement of the UPR has been investigated in human neuropathology across different neurological diseases, as well as in cell and mouse models for neurodegeneration. Studies using different disease models display discrepancies on the role and function of the UPR during neurodegeneration, which can often be attributed to differences in methodology. In this review, we will address the importance of investigation of human brain material for the interpretation of the role of the UPR in neurological diseases. We will discuss evidence for UPR activation in neurodegenerative diseases, and the methodology to study UPR activation and its connection to brain pathology will be addressed. More recently, the UPR is recognized as a target for drug therapy for treatment and prevention of neurodegeneration, by inhibiting the function of specific mediators of the UPR. Several preclinical studies have shown a proof-of-concept for this approach targeting the machinery of UPR, in particular the PERK pathway, in different models for neurodegeneration and have yielded paradoxical results. The promises held by these observations will need further support by clarification of the observed differences between disease models, as well as increased insight obtained from human neuropathology.
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279
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Ng SY, Soh BS, Rodriguez-Muela N, Hendrickson DG, Price F, Rinn JL, Rubin LL. Genome-wide RNA-Seq of Human Motor Neurons Implicates Selective ER Stress Activation in Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Cell Stem Cell 2015; 17:569-84. [PMID: 26321202 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. Because this gene is expressed ubiquitously, it remains poorly understood why motor neurons (MNs) are one of the most affected cell types. To address this question, we carried out RNA sequencing studies using fixed, antibody-labeled, and purified MNs produced from control and SMA patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We found SMA-specific changes in MNs, including hyper-activation of the ER stress pathway. Functional studies demonstrated that inhibition of ER stress improves MN survival in vitro even in MNs expressing low SMN. In SMA mice, systemic delivery of an ER stress inhibitor that crosses the blood-brain barrier led to the preservation of spinal cord MNs. Therefore, our study implies that selective activation of ER stress underlies MN death in SMA. Moreover, the approach we have taken would be broadly applicable to the study of disease-prone human cells in heterogeneous cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Yan Ng
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Boon Seng Soh
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institute, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Natalia Rodriguez-Muela
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David G Hendrickson
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Feodor Price
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - John L Rinn
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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280
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Manfredi G, Kawamata H. Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum crosstalk in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 90:35-42. [PMID: 26282323 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Physical and functional interactions between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are crucial for cell life. These two organelles are intimately connected and collaborate to essential processes, such as calcium homeostasis and phospholipid biosynthesis. The connections between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum occur through structures named mitochondria associated membranes (MAMs), which contain lipid rafts and a large number of proteins, many of which serve multiple functions at different cellular sites. Growing evidence strongly suggests that alterations of ER-mitochondria interactions are involved in neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating and rapidly fatal motor neuron disease. Mutations in proteins that participate in ER-mitochondria interactions and MAM functions are increasingly being associated with genetic forms of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. This evidence strongly suggests that, rather than considering the two organelles separately, a better understanding of the disease process can derive from studying the alterations in their crosstalk. In this review we discuss normal and pathological ER-mitochondria interactions and the evidence that link them to ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Manfredi
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 401 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, United States.
| | - Hibiki Kawamata
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 401 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, United States.
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281
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Autophagy and Neurodegeneration: Insights from a Cultured Cell Model of ALS. Cells 2015; 4:354-86. [PMID: 26287246 PMCID: PMC4588041 DOI: 10.3390/cells4030354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy plays a major role in the elimination of cellular waste components, the renewal of intracellular proteins and the prevention of the build-up of redundant or defective material. It is fundamental for the maintenance of homeostasis and especially important in post-mitotic neuronal cells, which, without competent autophagy, accumulate protein aggregates and degenerate. Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with defective autophagy; however, whether altered protein turnover or accumulation of misfolded, aggregate-prone proteins is the primary insult in neurodegeneration has long been a matter of debate. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by selective degeneration of motor neurons. Most of the ALS cases occur in sporadic forms (SALS), while 10%–15% of the cases have a positive familial history (FALS). The accumulation in the cell of misfolded/abnormal proteins is a hallmark of both SALS and FALS, and altered protein degradation due to autophagy dysregulation has been proposed to contribute to ALS pathogenesis. In this review, we focus on the main molecular features of autophagy to provide a framework for discussion of our recent findings about the role in disease pathogenesis of the ALS-linked form of the VAPB gene product, a mutant protein that drives the generation of unusual cytoplasmic inclusions.
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282
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Shum C, Macedo SC, Warre-Cornish K, Cocks G, Price J, Srivastava DP. Utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to understand the actions of estrogens in human neurons. Horm Behav 2015; 74:228-42. [PMID: 26143621 PMCID: PMC4579404 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". Over recent years tremendous progress has been made towards understanding the molecular and cellular mechanism by which estrogens exert enhancing effects on cognition, and how they act as a neuroprotective or neurotrophic agent in disease. Currently, much of this work has been carried out in animal models with only a limited number of studies using native human tissue or cells. Recent advances in stem cell technology now make it possible to reprogram somatic cells from humans into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can subsequently be differentiated into neurons of specific lineages. Importantly, the reprogramming of cells allows for the generation of iPSCs that retain the genetic "makeup" of the donor. Therefore, it is possible to generate iPSC-derived neurons from patients diagnosed with specific diseases, that harbor the complex genetic background associated with the disorder. Here, we review the iPSC technology and how it's currently being used to model neural development and neurological diseases. Furthermore, we explore whether this cellular system could be used to understand the role of estrogens in human neurons, and present preliminary data in support of this. We further suggest that the use of iPSC technology offers a novel system to not only further understand estrogens' effects in human cells, but also to investigate the mechanism by which estrogens are beneficial in disease. Developing a greater understanding of these mechanisms in native human cells will also aid in the development of safer and more effective estrogen-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Shum
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sara C Macedo
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; Faculty of Engineering, Universidade do Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Katherine Warre-Cornish
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Graham Cocks
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Jack Price
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Deepak P Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Cell and Behaviour Unit, The James Black Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK.
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283
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Haidet-Phillips AM, Maragakis NJ. Neural and glial progenitor transplantation as a neuroprotective strategy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Brain Res 2015; 1628:343-350. [PMID: 26187754 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.06.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
ALS is a neurodegenerative disease with a prevalence rate of up to 7.4/100,000 and the overall risk of developing ALS over a lifetime is 1:400. Most patients die from respiratory failure following a course of progressive weakness. To date, only one traditional pharmaceutical agent-riluzole, has been shown to afford a benefit on survival but numerous pharmaceutical interventions have been studied in preclinical models of ALS without subsequent translation to patient efficacy. Despite the relative selectivity of motor neuron cell death, animal and tissue culture models of familial ALS suggest that non-neuronal cells significantly contribute to neuronal dysfunction and death. Early efforts to transplant stem cells had focused on motor neuron replacement. More practically for this aggressive neurodegenerative disease, recent studies, preclinical efforts, and early clinical trials have focused on the transplantation of neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, or glial progenitors. Using transgenic mouse or rat models of ALS, a number of studies have shown neuroprotection through a variety of different mechanisms that have included neurotrophic factor secretion, glutamate transporter regulation, and modulation of neuroinflammation, among others. However, given that cell replacement could involve a number of biologically relevant factors, identifying the key pathway(s) that may contribute to neuroprotection remains a challenge. Nevertheless, given the abundant data supporting the interplay between non-neuronal cell types and motor neuron disease propagation, the replacement of disease-carrying host cells by normal cells may be sufficient to confer neuroprotection. Key preclinical issues that currently are being addressed include the most appropriate methods and routes for delivery of cells to disease-relevant regions of the neuraxis, cell survival and migration, and tracking the cells following transplantation. Central to the initial development of stem cell transplantation into patients with ALS is the demonstration that transplanted cells lack tumorigenicity and have the appropriate biodistribution to ensure the safety of ALS patients receiving these therapies. Here, we review preclinical and clinical studies focusing on the transplantation of neural and glial progenitor cells as a promising neuroprotective therapy for ALS. The rationale for stem cell transplantation for neuroprotection, proof-of-concept animal studies, and current challenges facing translation of these therapies to the clinic is presented. Lastly, we discuss advancements on the horizon including induced pluripotent stem cell technology and developments for cellular tracking and detection post-transplantation. With the safe completion of the first-in-human Phase I clinical trial for intraspinal stem cell transplantation for ALS in the United States, the time is ripe for stem cell therapies to be translated to the clinic and excitingly, evaluated for neuroprotection for ALS. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Haidet-Phillips
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, 250.10 Rangos Building, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Nicholas J Maragakis
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, 250.10 Rangos Building, 855 North Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
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284
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Gratz SJ, Rubinstein CD, Harrison MM, Wildonger J, O'Connor-Giles KM. CRISPR-Cas9 Genome Editing in Drosophila. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 111:31.2.1-31.2.20. [PMID: 26131852 PMCID: PMC4506758 DOI: 10.1002/0471142727.mb3102s111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has transformed genome engineering of model organisms from possible to practical. CRISPR-Cas9 can be readily programmed to generate sequence-specific double-strand breaks that disrupt targeted loci when repaired by error-prone non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or to catalyze precise genome modification through homology-directed repair (HDR). Here we describe a streamlined approach for rapid and highly efficient engineering of the Drosophila genome via CRISPR-Cas9-mediated HDR. In this approach, transgenic flies expressing Cas9 are injected with plasmids to express guide RNAs (gRNAs) and positively marked donor templates. We detail target-site selection; gRNA plasmid generation; donor template design and construction; and the generation, identification, and molecular confirmation of engineered lines. We also present alternative approaches and highlight key considerations for experimental design. The approach outlined here can be used to rapidly and reliably generate a variety of engineered modifications, including genomic deletions and replacements, precise sequence edits, and incorporation of protein tags.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Gratz
- Genetics Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - C Dustin Rubinstein
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Melissa M Harrison
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Jill Wildonger
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Kate M O'Connor-Giles
- Genetics Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
- Corresponding author: Kate M. O'Connor-Giles
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285
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Kim YJ, Lee G. Cellular stage specific functional analysis of REX1: In human embryonic stem cells. Proteomics 2015; 15:2147-9. [PMID: 26058466 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201500208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
As transcription and translation are dynamic and can vary among the cell types and conditions, proteomics may reveal the tissue-specific functions of a protein, more relevant to its genuine functions on cellular mechanisms. The new proteome analysis by Son et al. [Proteomics 2015, 15, 2220-2229] identified the functions of the pluripotency marker protein, REX1 in hESCs, and unraveling its regulatory network orchestrating pluripotency. Compared to the previous transcriptome analysis that showed mechanisms irrelevant to pluripotency, Son et al. employed a proteome analysis determined convincing and meaningful mechanisms of REX. In addition to demonstrating the biological importance of REX1, this research by Son et al. is also a compelling example of the conceptual significance of connecting proteomics with stem cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Jun Kim
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gabsang Lee
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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286
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Glycosphingolipids are modulators of disease pathogenesis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:8100-5. [PMID: 26056266 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1508767112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent genetic evidence suggests that aberrant glycosphingolipid metabolism plays an important role in several neuromuscular diseases including hereditary spastic paraplegia, hereditary sensory neuropathy type 1, and non-5q spinal muscular atrophy. Here, we investigated whether altered glycosphingolipid metabolism is a modulator of disease course in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Levels of ceramide, glucosylceramide, galactocerebroside, lactosylceramide, globotriaosylceramide, and the gangliosides GM3 and GM1 were significantly elevated in spinal cords of ALS patients. Moreover, enzyme activities (glucocerebrosidase-1, glucocerebrosidase-2, hexosaminidase, galactosylceramidase, α-galactosidase, and β-galactosidase) mediating glycosphingolipid hydrolysis were also elevated up to threefold. Increased ceramide, glucosylceramide, GM3, and hexosaminidase activity were also found in SOD1(G93A) mice, a familial model of ALS. Inhibition of glucosylceramide synthesis accelerated disease course in SOD1(G93A) mice, whereas infusion of exogenous GM3 significantly slowed the onset of paralysis and increased survival. Our results suggest that glycosphingolipids are likely important participants in pathogenesis of ALS and merit further analysis as potential drug targets.
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287
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O'Brien LC, Keeney PM, Bennett JP. Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cells into Motor Neurons Stimulates Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Decreases Glycolytic Flux. Stem Cells Dev 2015; 24:1984-94. [PMID: 25892363 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2015.0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) in vitro offers a way to study cell types that are not accessible in living patients. Previous research suggests that hPSCs generate ATP through anaerobic glycolysis, in contrast to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in somatic cells; however, specialized cell types have not been assessed. To test if mitobiogenesis is increased during motor neuron differentiation, we differentiated human embryonic stem cell (hESC)- and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human neural stem cells (hNSCs) into motor neurons. After 21 days of motor neuron differentiation, cells increased mRNA and protein levels of genes expressed by postmitotic spinal motor neurons. Electrophysiological analysis revealed voltage-gated currents characteristic of excitable cells and action potential formation. Quantitative PCR revealed an increase in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α), an upstream regulator of transcription factors involved in mitobiogenesis, and several of its downstream targets in hESC-derived cultures. This correlated with an increase in protein expression of respiratory subunits, but no increase in protein reflecting mitochondrial mass in either cell type. Respiration analysis revealed a decrease in glycolytic flux in both cell types on day 21 (D21), suggesting a switch from glycolysis to OXPHOS. Collectively, our findings suggest that mitochondrial biogenesis, but not mitochondrial mass, is increased during differentiation of hNSCs into motor neurons. These findings help us to understand human motor neuron mitobiogenesis, a process impaired in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease characterized by death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C O'Brien
- 1 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia
| | - Paula M Keeney
- 2 VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia
| | - James P Bennett
- 1 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia.,2 VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia.,3 Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia.,4 Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia
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288
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Zou B, Mittal R, Grati M, Lu Z, Shu Y, Tao Y, Feng Y, Xie D, Kong W, Yang S, Chen ZY, Liu X. The application of genome editing in studying hearing loss. Hear Res 2015; 327:102-8. [PMID: 25987504 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2015] [Revised: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Targeted genome editing mediated by clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9) technology has emerged as one of the most powerful tools to study gene functions, and with potential to treat genetic disorders. Hearing loss is one of the most common sensory disorders, affecting approximately 1 in 500 newborns with no treatment. Mutations of inner ear genes contribute to the largest portion of genetic deafness. The simplicity and robustness of CRISPR/Cas9-directed genome editing in human cells and model organisms such as zebrafish, mice and primates make it a promising technology in hearing research. With CRISPR/Cas9 technology, functions of inner ear genes can be studied efficiently by the disruption of normal gene alleles through non-homologous-end-joining (NHEJ) mechanism. For genetic hearing loss, CRISPR/Cas9 has potential to repair gene mutations by homology-directed-repair (HDR) or to disrupt dominant mutations by NHEJ, which could restore hearing. Our recent work has shown CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing can be efficiently performed in the mammalian inner ear in vivo. Thus, application of CRISPR/Cas9 in hearing research will open up new avenues for understanding the pathology of genetic hearing loss and provide new routes in the development of treatment to restore hearing. In this review, we describe major methodologies currently used for genome editing. We will highlight applications of these technologies in studies of genetic disorders and discuss issues pertaining to applications of CRISPR/Cas9 in auditory systems implicated in genetic hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zou
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Rahul Mittal
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - M'hamed Grati
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Zhongmin Lu
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33146, USA
| | - Yilai Shu
- Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston 02114, USA; Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Tao
- Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston 02114, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Youg Feng
- Department of Otolaryngology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dinghua Xie
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Weijia Kong
- Department of Otolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiming Yang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zheng-Yi Chen
- Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School and Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston 02114, USA.
| | - Xuezhong Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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289
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Merkle FT, Neuhausser WM, Santos D, Valen E, Gagnon JA, Maas K, Sandoe J, Schier AF, Eggan K. Efficient CRISPR-Cas9-mediated generation of knockin human pluripotent stem cells lacking undesired mutations at the targeted locus. Cell Rep 2015; 11:875-883. [PMID: 25937281 PMCID: PMC5533178 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 system has the potential to revolutionize genome editing in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), but its advantages and pitfalls are still poorly understood. We systematically tested the ability of CRISPR-Cas9 to mediate reporter gene knockin at 16 distinct genomic sites in hPSCs. We observed efficient gene targeting but found that targeted clones carried an unexpectedly high frequency of insertion and deletion (indel) mutations at both alleles of the targeted gene. These indels were induced by Cas9 nuclease, as well as Cas9-D10A single or dual nickases, and often disrupted gene function. To overcome this problem, we designed strategies to physically destroy or separate CRISPR target sites at the targeted allele and developed a bioinformatic pipeline to identify and eliminate clones harboring deleterious indels at the other allele. This two-pronged approach enables the reliable generation of knockin hPSC reporter cell lines free of unwanted mutations at the targeted locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian T Merkle
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Werner M Neuhausser
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Boston IVF, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - David Santos
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Eivind Valen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - James A Gagnon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kristi Maas
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Boston IVF, Waltham, MA 02451, USA
| | - Jackson Sandoe
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alexander F Schier
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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290
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Abstract
Targeted genome editing using engineered nucleases can reliably generate defined genetic mutations, although the range of off-target lesions caused by these techniques is unclear. Recent papers in Cell Stem Cell perform high-coverage whole-genome sequencing to demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining correctly targeted pluripotent stem cell clones with minimal unintended modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengdar Q Tsai
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - J Keith Joung
- Molecular Pathology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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291
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Ichida JK, Kiskinis E. Probing disorders of the nervous system using reprogramming approaches. EMBO J 2015; 34:1456-77. [PMID: 25925386 PMCID: PMC4474524 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201591267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The groundbreaking technologies of induced pluripotency and lineage conversion have generated a genuine opportunity to address fundamental aspects of the diseases that affect the nervous system. These approaches have granted us unrestricted access to the brain and spinal cord of patients and have allowed for the study of disease in the context of human cells, expressing physiological levels of proteins and under each patient's unique genetic constellation. Along with this unprecedented opportunity have come significant challenges, particularly in relation to patient variability, experimental design and data interpretation. Nevertheless, significant progress has been achieved over the past few years both in our ability to create the various neural subtypes that comprise the nervous system and in our efforts to develop cellular models of disease that recapitulate clinical findings identified in patients. In this Review, we present tables listing the various human neural cell types that can be generated and the neurological disease modeling studies that have been reported, describe the current state of the field, highlight important breakthroughs and discuss the next steps and future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K Ichida
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad, CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- The Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology & Clinical Neurological Sciences and Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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292
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Corti S, Faravelli I, Cardano M, Conti L. Human pluripotent stem cells as tools for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disease modeling and drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:615-29. [PMID: 25891144 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1037737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although intensive efforts have been made, effective treatments for neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases have not been yet discovered. Possible reasons for this include the lack of appropriate disease models of human neurons and a limited understanding of the etiological and neurobiological mechanisms. Recent advances in pluripotent stem cell (PSC) research have now opened the path to the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) starting from somatic cells, thus offering an unlimited source of patient-specific disease-relevant neuronal cells. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors focus on the use of human PSC-derived cells in modeling neurological disorders and discovering of new drugs and provide their expert perspectives on the field. EXPERT OPINION The advent of human iPSC-based disease models has fuelled renewed enthusiasm and enormous expectations for insights of disease mechanisms and identification of more disease-relevant and novel molecular targets. Human PSCs offer a unique tool that is being profitably exploited for high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms. This process can lead to the identification and optimization of molecules/drugs and thus move forward new pharmacological therapies for a wide range of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions. It is predicted that improvements in the production of mature neuronal subtypes, from patient-specific human-induced pluripotent stem cells and their adaptation to culture, to HTS platforms will allow the increased exploitation of human pluripotent stem cells in drug discovery programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Corti
- University of Milan, Dino Ferrari Centre, Neuroscience Section, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Neurology Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico , via Francesco Sforza 35, Milan 20122 , Italy +39 02 55033817 ;
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293
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Hypothermic Preconditioning of Human Cortical Neurons Requires Proteostatic Priming. EBioMedicine 2015; 2:528-35. [PMID: 26287272 PMCID: PMC4534756 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 04/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypothermia is potently neuroprotective but poor mechanistic understanding has restricted its clinical use. Rodent studies indicate that hypothermia can elicit preconditioning, wherein a subtoxic cellular stress confers resistance to an otherwise lethal injury. The molecular basis of this preconditioning remains obscure. Here we explore molecular effects of cooling using functional cortical neurons differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hCNs). Mild-to-moderate hypothermia (28–32 °C) induces cold-shock protein expression and mild endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in hCNs, with full activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Chemical block of a principal UPR pathway mitigates the protective effect of cooling against oxidative stress, whilst pre-cooling neurons abrogates the toxic injury produced by the ER stressor tunicamycin. Cold-stress thus preconditions neurons by upregulating adaptive chaperone-driven pathways of the UPR in a manner that precipitates ER-hormesis. Our findings establish a novel arm of neurocryobiology that could reveal multiple therapeutic targets for acute and chronic neuronal injury. Clinically-relevant cooling induces archetypal cold-shock and mild endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in human neurons. Hypothermic neuronal ER-stress elicits an adaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) with ER-hormesis. Hypothermic preconditioning of the ER provides cross-tolerance to oxidative neuronal injury and requires an intact UPR.
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294
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de Boer AS, Koszka K, Kiskinis E, Suzuki N, Davis-Dusenbery BN, Eggan K. Genetic validation of a therapeutic target in a mouse model of ALS. Sci Transl Med 2015; 6:248ra104. [PMID: 25100738 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3009351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurons produced from stem cells have emerged as a tool to identify new therapeutic targets for neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, it remains unclear to what extent these new mechanistic insights will translate to animal models, an important step in the validation of new targets. Previously, we found that glia from mice carrying the SOD1G93A mutation, a model of ALS, were toxic to stem cell-derived human motor neurons. We use pharmacological and genetic approaches to demonstrate that the prostanoid receptor DP1 mediates this glial toxicity. Furthermore, we validate the importance of this mechanism for neural degeneration in vivo. Genetic ablation of DP1 in SOD1G93A mice extended life span, decreased microglial activation, and reduced motor neuron loss. Our findings suggest that blocking DP1 may be a therapeutic strategy in ALS and demonstrate that discoveries from stem cell models of disease can be corroborated in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sophie de Boer
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Kathryn Koszka
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Naoki Suzuki
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Brandi N Davis-Dusenbery
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Kevin Eggan
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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295
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Nityanandam A, Baldwin KK. Advances in reprogramming-based study of neurologic disorders. Stem Cells Dev 2015; 24:1265-83. [PMID: 25749371 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2015.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The technology to convert adult human non-neural cells into neural lineages, through induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), somatic cell nuclear transfer, and direct lineage reprogramming or transdifferentiation has progressed tremendously in recent years. Reprogramming-based approaches aimed at manipulating cellular identity have enormous potential for disease modeling, high-throughput drug screening, cell therapy, and personalized medicine. Human iPSC (hiPSC)-based cellular disease models have provided proof of principle evidence of the validity of this system. However, several challenges remain before patient-specific neurons produced by reprogramming can provide reliable insights into disease mechanisms or be efficiently applied to drug discovery and transplantation therapy. This review will first discuss limitations of currently available reprogramming-based methods in faithfully and reproducibly recapitulating disease pathology. Specifically, we will address issues such as culture heterogeneity, interline and inter-individual variability, and limitations of two-dimensional differentiation paradigms. Second, we will assess recent progress and the future prospects of reprogramming-based neurologic disease modeling. This includes three-dimensional disease modeling, advances in reprogramming technology, prescreening of hiPSCs and creating isogenic disease models using gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Nityanandam
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Kristin K Baldwin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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296
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Deterministic HOX patterning in human pluripotent stem cell-derived neuroectoderm. Stem Cell Reports 2015; 4:632-44. [PMID: 25843047 PMCID: PMC4400649 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2015.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Colinear HOX expression during hindbrain and spinal cord development diversifies and assigns regional neural phenotypes to discrete rhombomeric and vertebral domains. Despite the precision of HOX patterning in vivo, in vitro approaches for differentiating human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to posterior neural fates coarsely pattern HOX expression thereby generating cultures broadly specified to hindbrain or spinal cord regions. Here, we demonstrate that successive activation of fibroblast growth factor, Wnt/β-catenin, and growth differentiation factor signaling during hPSC differentiation generates stable, homogenous SOX2+/Brachyury+ neuromesoderm that exhibits progressive, full colinear HOX activation over 7 days. Switching to retinoic acid treatment at any point during this process halts colinear HOX activation and transitions the neuromesoderm into SOX2+/PAX6+ neuroectoderm with predictable, discrete HOX gene/protein profiles that can be further differentiated into region-specific cells, e.g., motor neurons. This fully defined approach significantly expands capabilities to derive regional neural phenotypes from diverse hindbrain and spinal cord domains. Deterministic HOX expression in hPSC-derived neuromesoderm progenitors (NMPs) Wnt/β-catenin, FGF, and GDF signaling regulate HOX activation in NMPs Retinoic acid (RA) transitions NMPs to neuroectoderm and halts HOX activation Neural cells can be patterned to any rostrocaudal hindbrain or spinal cord domain
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297
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Nieweg K, Andreyeva A, van Stegen B, Tanriöver G, Gottmann K. Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid-β induces synaptotoxicity in human iPS cell-derived neurons. Cell Death Dis 2015; 6:e1709. [PMID: 25837485 PMCID: PMC4650541 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2015.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons have been proposed to be a highly valuable cellular model for studying the pathomechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Studies employing patient-specific human iPSCs as models of familial and sporadic forms of AD described elevated levels of AD-related amyloid-β (Aβ). However, none of the present AD iPSC studies could recapitulate the synaptotoxic actions of Aβ, which are crucial early events in a cascade that eventually leads to vast brain degeneration. Here we established highly reproducible, human iPSC-derived cortical cultures as a cellular model to study the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ. We developed a highly efficient immunopurification procedure yielding immature neurons that express markers of deep layer cortical pyramidal neurons and GABAergic interneurons. Upon long-term cultivation, purified cells differentiated into mature neurons exhibiting the generation of action potentials and excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory GABAergic synapses. Most interestingly, these iPSC-derived human neurons were strongly susceptible to the synaptotoxic actions of Aβ. Application of Aβ for 8 days led to a reduction in the overall FM4–64 and vGlut1 staining of vesicles in neurites, indicating a loss of vesicle clusters. A selective analysis of presynaptic vesicle clusters on dendrites did not reveal a significant change, thus suggesting that Aβ impaired axonal vesicle clusters. In addition, electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings of AMPA receptor-mediated miniature EPSCs revealed an Aβ-induced reduction in amplitudes, indicating an impairment of postsynaptic AMPA receptors. A loss of postsynaptic AMPA receptor clusters was confirmed by immunocytochemical stainings for GluA1. Incubation with Aβ for 8 days did not result in a significant loss of neurites or cell death. In summary, we describe a highly reproducible cellular AD model based on human iPSC-derived cortical neurons that enables the mechanistic analysis of Aβ-induced synaptic pathomechanisms and the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Nieweg
- 1] Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany [2] Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Phillips University, Marburg, Germany
| | - A Andreyeva
- Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - B van Stegen
- Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - G Tanriöver
- Institute of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Phillips University, Marburg, Germany
| | - K Gottmann
- Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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298
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Sun Y, Florer J, Mayhew CN, Jia Z, Zhao Z, Xu K, Ran H, Liou B, Zhang W, Setchell KDR, Gu J, Grabowski GA. Properties of neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of Gaucher disease type 2 patient fibroblasts: potential role in neuropathology. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118771. [PMID: 25822147 PMCID: PMC4378893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is caused by insufficient activity of acid β-glucosidase (GCase) resulting from mutations in GBA1. To understand the pathogenesis of the neuronopathic GD, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from fibroblasts isolated from three GD type 2 (GD2) and 2 unaffected (normal and GD carrier) individuals. The iPSCs were converted to neural precursor cells (NPCs) which were further differentiated into neurons. Parental GD2 fibroblasts as well as iPSCs, NPCs, and neurons had similar degrees of GCase deficiency. Lipid analyses showed increases of glucosylsphingosine and glucosylceramide in the GD2 cells. In addition, GD2 neurons showed increased α-synuclein protein compared to control neurons. Whole cell patch-clamping of the GD2 and control iPSCs-derived neurons demonstrated excitation characteristics of neurons, but intriguingly, those from GD2 exhibited consistently less negative resting membrane potentials with various degree of reduction in action potential amplitudes, sodium and potassium currents. Culture of control neurons in the presence of the GCase inhibitor (conduritol B epoxide) recapitulated these findings, providing a functional link between decreased GCase activity in GD and abnormal neuronal electrophysiological properties. To our knowledge, this study is first to report abnormal electrophysiological properties in GD2 iPSC-derived neurons that may underlie the neuropathic phenotype in Gaucher disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jane Florer
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Christopher N. Mayhew
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Zhanfeng Jia
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhiying Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Kui Xu
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Huimin Ran
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Liou
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Wujuan Zhang
- Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Kenneth D. R. Setchell
- Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jianguo Gu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Gregory A. Grabowski
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Synageva BioPharma Corp., Lexington, Massachusetts, United States of America
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299
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Du ZW, Chen H, Liu H, Lu J, Qian K, Huang CTL, Zhong X, Fan F, Zhang SC. Generation and expansion of highly pure motor neuron progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6626. [PMID: 25806427 PMCID: PMC4375778 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 266] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have opened new opportunities for understanding human development, modelling disease processes and developing new therapeutics. However, these applications are hindered by the low efficiency and heterogeneity of cell types, such as motorneurons (MNs), differentiated from hPSCs as well as our inability to maintain the potency of lineage-committed progenitors. Here by using a combination of small molecules that regulate multiple signalling pathways, we develop a method to guide human embryonic stem cells to a near-pure population (>95%) of motor neuron progenitors (MNPs) in 12 days, and an enriched population (>90%) of functionally mature MNs in an additional 16 days. More importantly, the MNPs can be expanded for at least five passages so that a single MNP can be amplified to 1 × 10(4). This method is reproducible in human-induced pluripotent stem cells and is applied to model MN-degenerative diseases and in proof-of-principle drug-screening assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Wei Du
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Hong Chen
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Huisheng Liu
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jianfeng Lu
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Kun Qian
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | | | - Xiaofen Zhong
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Frank Fan
- Promega Corporation, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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300
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Li Y, Balasubramanian U, Cohen D, Zhang PW, Mosmiller E, Sattler R, Maragakis NJ, Rothstein JD. A comprehensive library of familial human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis induced pluripotent stem cells. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118266. [PMID: 25760436 PMCID: PMC4356618 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to paralysis of voluntary muscles. About 10% of all ALS cases are familial (fALS), among which 15-20% are linked to Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mutations, usually inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. To date only one FDA approved drug is available which increases survival moderately. Our understanding of ALS disease mechanisms is largely derived from rodent model studies, however due to the differences between rodents and humans, it is necessary to have humanized models for studies of disease pathogenesis as well as drug development. Therefore, we generated a comprehensive library of a total 22 of fALS patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. These cells were thoroughly characterized before being deposited into the library. The library of cells includes a variety of C9orf72 mutations, sod1 mutations, FUS, ANG and FIG4 mutations. Certain mutations are represented with more than one line, which allows for studies of variable genetic backgrounds. In addition, these iPSCs can be successfully differentiated to astroglia, a cell type known to play a critical role in ALS disease progression. This library represents a comprehensive resource that can be used for ALS disease modeling and the development of novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Umamahesw Balasubramanian
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Devon Cohen
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Ping-Wu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Mosmiller
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Ansari ALS Center for Stem Cell and Regeneration Research at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Rita Sattler
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Maragakis
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Ansari ALS Center for Stem Cell and Regeneration Research at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey D. Rothstein
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America
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