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Ozgun A, Lomboni DJ, Aylsworth A, Macdonald A, Staines WA, Martina M, Schlossmacher MG, Tauskela JS, Woulfe J, Variola F. Unraveling the assembloid: Real-time monitoring of dopaminergic neurites in an inter-organoid pathway connecting midbrain and striatal regions. Mater Today Bio 2024; 25:100992. [PMID: 38371467 PMCID: PMC10873721 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2024.100992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Modern in vitro technologies for preclinical research, including organ-on-a-chip, organoids- and assembloid-based systems, have rapidly emerged as pivotal tools for elucidating disease mechanisms and assessing the efficacy of putative therapeutics. In this context, advanced in vitro models of Parkinson's Disease (PD) offer the potential to accelerate drug discovery by enabling effective platforms that recapitulate both physiological and pathological attributes of the in vivo environment. Although these systems often aim at replicating the PD-associated loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons, only a few have modelled the degradation of dopaminergic pathways as a way to mimic the disruption of downstream regulation mechanisms that define the characteristic motor symptoms of the disease. To this end, assembloids have been successfully employed to recapitulate neuronal pathways between distinct brain regions. However, the investigation and characterization of these connections through neural tracing and electrophysiological analysis remain a technically challenging and time-consuming process. Here, we present a novel bioengineered platform consisting of surface-grown midbrain and striatal organoids at opposite sides of a self-assembled DA pathway. In particular, dopaminergic neurons and striatal GABAergic neurons spontaneously form DA connections across a microelectrode array (MEA), specifically integrated for the real-time monitoring of electrophysiological development and stimuli response. Calcium imaging data showed spiking synchronicity of the two organoids forming the inter-organoid pathways (IOPs) demonstrating that they are functionally connected. MEA recordings confirm a more robust response to the DA neurotoxin 6-OHDA compared to midbrain organoids alone, thereby validating the potential of this technology to generate highly tractable, easily extractable real-time functional readouts to investigate the dysfunctional dopaminergic network of PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alp Ozgun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - David J. Lomboni
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Amy Aylsworth
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Allison Macdonald
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - William A. Staines
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Marzia Martina
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Michael G. Schlossmacher
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Joseph S. Tauskela
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - John Woulfe
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Pathology, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Fabio Variola
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Biomedical Engineering (OCIBME), Ottawa, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Canada
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2
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Damiani D, Baggiani M, Della Vecchia S, Naef V, Santorelli FM. Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Preclinical Cellular Model for Studying Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2615. [PMID: 38473862 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) comprise a family of degenerative diseases mostly hitting descending axons of corticospinal neurons. Depending on the gene and mutation involved, the disease could present as a pure form with limb spasticity, or a complex form associated with cerebellar and/or cortical signs such as ataxia, dysarthria, epilepsy, and intellectual disability. The progressive nature of HSPs invariably leads patients to require walking canes or wheelchairs over time. Despite several attempts to ameliorate the life quality of patients that have been tested, current therapeutical approaches are just symptomatic, as no cure is available. Progress in research in the last two decades has identified a vast number of genes involved in HSP etiology, using cellular and animal models generated on purpose. Although unanimously considered invaluable tools for basic research, those systems are rarely predictive for the establishment of a therapeutic approach. The advent of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells allowed instead the direct study of morphological and molecular properties of the patient's affected neurons generated upon in vitro differentiation. In this review, we revisited all the present literature recently published regarding the use of iPS cells to differentiate HSP patient-specific neurons. Most studies have defined patient-derived neurons as a reliable model to faithfully mimic HSP in vitro, discovering original findings through immunological and -omics approaches, and providing a platform to screen novel or repurposed drugs. Thereby, one of the biggest hopes of current HSP research regards the use of patient-derived iPS cells to expand basic knowledge on the disease, while simultaneously establishing new therapeutic treatments for both generalized and personalized approaches in daily medical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devid Damiani
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Matteo Baggiani
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefania Della Vecchia
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Pisa, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini, 6, 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Valentina Naef
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Santorelli
- Molecular Medicine for Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Via dei Giacinti 2, 56128 Pisa, Italy
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3
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Stuber A, Cavaccini A, Manole A, Burdina A, Massoud Y, Patriarchi T, Karayannis T, Nakatsuka N. Interfacing Aptamer-Modified Nanopipettes with Neuronal Media and Ex Vivo Brain Tissue. ACS MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AU 2024; 4:92-103. [PMID: 38404490 PMCID: PMC10885324 DOI: 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.3c00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Aptamer-functionalized biosensors exhibit high selectivity for monitoring neurotransmitters in complex environments. We translated nanoscale aptamer-modified nanopipette sensors to detect endogenous dopamine release in vitro and ex vivo. These sensors employ quartz nanopipettes with nanoscale pores (ca. 10 nm diameter) that are functionalized with aptamers that enable the selective capture of dopamine through target-specific conformational changes. The dynamic behavior of aptamer structures upon dopamine binding leads to the rearrangement of surface charge within the nanopore, resulting in measurable changes in ionic current. To assess sensor performance in real time, we designed a fluidic platform to characterize the temporal dynamics of nanopipette sensors. We then conducted differential biosensing by deploying control sensors modified with nonspecific DNA alongside dopamine-specific sensors in biological milieu. Our results confirm the functionality of aptamer-modified nanopipettes for direct measurements in undiluted complex fluids, specifically in the culture media of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, sensor implantation and repeated measurements in acute brain slices was possible, likely owing to the protected sensing area inside nanoscale DNA-filled orifices, minimizing exposure to nonspecific interferents and preventing clogging. Further, differential recordings of endogenous dopamine released through electrical stimulation in the dorsolateral striatum demonstrate the potential of aptamer-modified nanopipettes for ex vivo recordings with unprecedented spatial resolution and reduced tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Stuber
- Laboratory
of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Anna Cavaccini
- Laboratory
of Neural Circuit Assembly, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Neuroscience
Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Andreea Manole
- iXCells
Biotechnologies, Inc., San Diego, California 92131, United States
| | - Anna Burdina
- Laboratory
of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Yassine Massoud
- Laboratory
of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich CH-8092, Switzerland
| | - Tommaso Patriarchi
- Neuroscience
Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Institute
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University
of Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Theofanis Karayannis
- Laboratory
of Neural Circuit Assembly, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
- Neuroscience
Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Nako Nakatsuka
- Laboratory
of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich CH-8092, Switzerland
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4
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Rosety I, Zagare A, Saraiva C, Nickels S, Antony P, Almeida C, Glaab E, Halder R, Velychko S, Rauen T, Schöler HR, Bolognin S, Sauter T, Jarazo J, Krüger R, Schwamborn JC. Impaired neuron differentiation in GBA-associated Parkinson's disease is linked to cell cycle defects in organoids. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:166. [PMID: 38110400 PMCID: PMC10728202 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease (PD) etiology are only partially understood despite intensive research conducted in the field. Recent evidence suggests that early neurodevelopmental defects might play a role in cellular susceptibility to neurodegeneration. To study the early developmental contribution of GBA mutations in PD we used patient-derived iPSCs carrying a heterozygous N370S mutation in the GBA gene. Patient-specific midbrain organoids displayed GBA-PD relevant phenotypes such as reduction of GCase activity, autophagy impairment, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Genome-scale metabolic (GEM) modeling predicted changes in lipid metabolism which were validated with lipidomics analysis, showing significant differences in the lipidome of GBA-PD. In addition, patient-specific midbrain organoids exhibited a decrease in the number and complexity of dopaminergic neurons. This was accompanied by an increase in the neural progenitor population showing signs of oxidative stress-induced damage and premature cellular senescence. These results provide insights into how GBA mutations may lead to neurodevelopmental defects thereby predisposing to PD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Rosety
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- OrganoTherapeutics SARL-S, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alise Zagare
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Claudia Saraiva
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Sarah Nickels
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Paul Antony
- Translational Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Catarina Almeida
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Enrico Glaab
- Biomedical Data Science group, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Rashi Halder
- Systems Ecology Group, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Sergiy Velychko
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, MPG White Paper Group - Animal Testing in the Max Planck Society, Muenster, Germany
| | - Thomas Rauen
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, MPG White Paper Group - Animal Testing in the Max Planck Society, Muenster, Germany
| | - Hans R Schöler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, MPG White Paper Group - Animal Testing in the Max Planck Society, Muenster, Germany
| | - Silvia Bolognin
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Thomas Sauter
- Department of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, 4367, Luxembourg
| | - Javier Jarazo
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- OrganoTherapeutics SARL-S, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Rejko Krüger
- Translational Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Transversial Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 1 A-B rue Thomas Ediison, L-1445, Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Jens C Schwamborn
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
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5
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Maimaitili M, Chen M, Febbraro F, Ucuncu E, Kelly R, Niclis JC, Christiansen JR, Mermet-Joret N, Niculescu D, Lauritsen J, Iannielli A, Klæstrup IH, Jensen UB, Qvist P, Nabavi S, Broccoli V, Nykjær A, Romero-Ramos M, Denham M. Enhanced production of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons from lineage-restricted human undifferentiated stem cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7871. [PMID: 38052784 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43471-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Current differentiation protocols for generating mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons from human pluripotent stem cells result in grafts containing only a small proportion of mesDA neurons when transplanted in vivo. In this study, we develop lineage-restricted undifferentiated stem cells (LR-USCs) from pluripotent stem cells, which enhances their potential for differentiating into caudal midbrain floor plate progenitors and mesDA neurons. Using a ventral midbrain protocol, 69% of LR-USCs become bona fide caudal midbrain floor plate progenitors, compared to only 25% of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Importantly, LR-USCs generate significantly more mesDA neurons under midbrain and hindbrain conditions in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that midbrain-patterned LR-USC progenitors transplanted into 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats restore function in a clinically relevant non-pharmacological behavioral test, whereas midbrain-patterned hESC-derived progenitors do not. This strategy demonstrates how lineage restriction can prevent the development of undesirable lineages and enhance the conditions necessary for mesDA neuron generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyesier Maimaitili
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Muwan Chen
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Fabia Febbraro
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ekin Ucuncu
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Rachel Kelly
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Noëmie Mermet-Joret
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center of Excellence PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Dragos Niculescu
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center of Excellence PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Johanne Lauritsen
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Angelo Iannielli
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, 20129, Milan, Italy
| | - Ida H Klæstrup
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Uffe Birk Jensen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Per Qvist
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, iPSYCH, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, CGPM, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sadegh Nabavi
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center of Excellence PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Stem Cell and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, 20129, Milan, Italy
| | - Anders Nykjær
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center of Excellence PROMEMO, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marina Romero-Ramos
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mark Denham
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C, Aarhus, Denmark.
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6
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Chen Z, Zhao G. First-in-human transplantation of autologous induced neural stem cell-derived dopaminergic precursors to treat Parkinson's disease. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:2700-2703. [PMID: 37919161 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiguo Chen
- Cell Therapy Center, Beijing Institute of Geriatrics, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, and Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases (Ministry of Education), Beijing 100053, China; Center of Neural Injury and Repair, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China; Center of Parkinson's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100069, China.
| | - Guoguang Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Clinical Research Center for Epilepsy Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China; Beijing Municipal Geriatric Medical Research Center, Beijing 100053, China.
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7
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Tao Y, Li X, Dong Q, Kong L, Petersen AJ, Yan Y, Xu K, Zima S, Li Y, Schmidt DK, Ayala M, Mathivanan S, Sousa AMM, Chang Q, Zhang SC. Generation of locus coeruleus norepinephrine neurons from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Biotechnol 2023:10.1038/s41587-023-01977-4. [PMID: 37974010 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01977-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Central norepinephrine (NE) neurons, located mainly in the locus coeruleus (LC), are implicated in diverse psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and are an emerging target for drug discovery. To facilitate their study, we developed a method to generate 40-60% human LC-NE neurons from human pluripotent stem cells. The approach depends on our identification of ACTIVIN A in regulating LC-NE transcription factors in dorsal rhombomere 1 (r1) progenitors. In vitro generated human LC-NE neurons display extensive axonal arborization; release and uptake NE; and exhibit pacemaker activity, calcium oscillation and chemoreceptor activity in response to CO2. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis at multiple timepoints confirmed NE cell identity and revealed the differentiation trajectory from hindbrain progenitors to NE neurons via an ASCL1-expressing precursor stage. LC-NE neurons engineered with an NE sensor reliably reported extracellular levels of NE. The availability of functional human LC-NE neurons enables investigation of their roles in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and provides a tool for therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Tao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Xueyan Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Qiping Dong
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Linghai Kong
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Yuanwei Yan
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Seth Zima
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yanru Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Melvin Ayala
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Andre M M Sousa
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Qiang Chang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
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8
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Moon H, Kim B, Kwon I, Oh Y. Challenges involved in cell therapy for Parkinson's disease using human pluripotent stem cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1288168. [PMID: 37886394 PMCID: PMC10598731 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1288168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide a valuable tool for studying human neural development and neurodegenerative diseases. The investigation of hPSC-based cell therapy, involving the differentiation of hPSCs into target cells and their transplantation into affected regions, is of particular interest. One neurodegenerative disease that is being extensively studied for hPSC-based cell therapy is Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common among humans. Various research groups are focused on differentiating hPSCs into ventral midbrain dopaminergic (vmDA) progenitors, which have the potential to further differentiate into neurons closely resembling DA neurons found in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) after transplantation, providing a promising treatment option for PD. In vivo experiments, where hPSC-derived vmDA progenitor cells were transplanted into the striatum or SNpc of animal PD models, the transplanted cells demonstrated stable engraftment and resulted in behavioral recovery in the transplanted animals. Several differentiation protocols have been developed for this specific cell therapy. However, the lack of a reliable live-cell lineage identification method presents a significant obstacle in confirming the precise lineage of the differentiated cells intended for transplantation, as well as identifying potential contamination by non-vmDA progenitors. This deficiency increases the risk of adverse effects such as dyskinesias and tumorigenicity, highlighting the importance of addressing this issue before proceeding with transplantation. Ensuring the differentiation of hPSCs into the target cell lineage is a crucial step to guarantee precise therapeutic effects in cell therapy. To underscore the significance of lineage identification, this review focuses on the differentiation protocols of hPSC-derived vmDA progenitors developed by various research groups for PD treatment. Moreover, in vivo experimental results following transplantation were carefully analyzed. The encouraging outcomes from these experiments demonstrate the potential efficacy and safety of hPSC-derived vmDA progenitors for PD cell therapy. Additionally, the results of clinical trials involving the use of hPSC-derived vmDA progenitors for PD treatment were briefly reviewed, shedding light on the progress and challenges faced in translating this promising therapy into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heechang Moon
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bokwang Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Inbeom Kwon
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yohan Oh
- Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hanyang Institute of Advanced BioConvergence, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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9
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Chen M, Niclis JC, Denham M. Protocol for generating reproducible miniaturized controlled midbrain organoids. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102451. [PMID: 37481727 PMCID: PMC10382973 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we present a protocol for generating miniaturized controlled midbrain organoids (MiCOs) of reproducible size and cellular composition, without a necrotic center. We describe steps for maintaining and passaging human pluripotent stem cells, generating MiCOs using AggreWell™400, and maintaining them in an EB-Disk360on an orbital shaker, eliminating the need for Matrigel or a spinner flask and preventing organoid fusion. We then detail organoid collection for different endpoint analysis. This protocol is suitable for compound screening and disease modeling studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muwan Chen
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C Aarhus, Denmark.
| | | | - Mark Denham
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience (DANDRITE), Nordic EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000C Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000C Aarhus, Denmark.
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10
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Fares MB, Alijevic O, Johne S, Overk C, Hashimoto M, Kondylis A, Adame A, Dulize R, Peric D, Nury C, Battey J, Guedj E, Sierro N, Mc Hugh D, Rockenstein E, Kim C, Rissman RA, Hoeng J, Peitsch MC, Masliah E, Mathis C. Nicotine-mediated effects in neuronal and mouse models of synucleinopathy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1239009. [PMID: 37719154 PMCID: PMC10501483 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1239009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation, transmission, and contribution to neurotoxicity represent central mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease. The plant alkaloid "nicotine" was reported to attenuate α-Syn aggregation in different models, but its precise mode of action remains unclear. Methods In this study, we investigated the effect of 2-week chronic nicotine treatment on α-Syn aggregation, neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and motor deficits in D-line α-Syn transgenic mice. We also established a novel humanized neuronal model of α-Syn aggregation and toxicity based on treatment of dopaminergic neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) with α-Syn preformed fibrils (PFF) and applied this model to investigate the effects of nicotine and other compounds and their modes of action. Results and discussion Overall, our results showed that nicotine attenuated α-Syn-provoked neuropathology in both models. Moreover, when investigating the role of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) signaling in nicotine's neuroprotective effects in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons, we observed that while α4-specific antagonists reduced the nicotine-induced calcium response, α4 agonists (e.g., AZD1446 and anatabine) mediated similar neuroprotective responses against α-Syn PFF-provoked neurodegeneration. Our results show that nicotine attenuates α-Syn-provoked neuropathology in vivo and in a humanized neuronal model of synucleinopathy and that activation of α4β2 nicotinic receptors might mediate these neuroprotective effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Omar Alijevic
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie Johne
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Cassia Overk
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Makoto Hashimoto
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Anthony Adame
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Remi Dulize
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Dariusz Peric
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Nury
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - James Battey
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Emmanuel Guedj
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Sierro
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Damian Mc Hugh
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Edward Rockenstein
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Changyoun Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Robert A. Rissman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Julia Hoeng
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | | | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Carole Mathis
- PMI R&D, Philip Morris Products S.A., Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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11
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Toh HSY, Choo XY, Sun AX. Midbrain organoids-development and applications in Parkinson's disease. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 2:kvad009. [PMID: 38596240 PMCID: PMC10913847 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvad009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Human brain development is spatially and temporally complex. Insufficient access to human brain tissue and inadequacy of animal models has limited the study of brain development and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent advancements of brain organoid technology have created novel opportunities to model human-specific neurodevelopment and brain diseases. In this review, we discuss the use of brain organoids to model the midbrain and Parkinson's disease. We critically evaluate the extent of recapitulation of PD pathology by organoids and discuss areas of future development that may lead to the model to become a next-generation, personalized therapeutic strategy for PD and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary S Y Toh
- Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore
| | - Xin Yi Choo
- Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore
| | - Alfred Xuyang Sun
- Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore
- National Neuroscience Institute, 11 Jln Tan Tock Seng, Singapore
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12
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Yeon GB, Jeon BM, Yoo SH, Kim D, Oh SS, Park S, Shin WH, Kim HW, Na D, Kim DW, Kim DS. Differentiation of astrocytes with characteristics of ventral midbrain from human embryonic stem cells. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:1890-1906. [PMID: 37067644 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10536-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Molecular and functional diversity among region-specific astrocytes is of great interest in basic neuroscience and the study of neurological diseases. In this study, we present the generation and characterization of astrocytes from human embryonic stem cells with the characteristics of the ventral midbrain (VM). Fine modulation of WNT and SHH signaling during neural differentiation induced neural precursor cells (NPCs) with high expression of EN1 and NKX6.1, but less expression of FOXA2. Overexpression of nuclear factor IB in NPCs induced astrocytes, thereby maintaining the expression of region-specific genes acquired in the NPC stage. When cocultured with dopaminergic (DA) precursors or DA neurons, astrocytes with VM characteristics (VM-iASTs) promoted the differentiation and survival of DA neurons better than those that were not regionally specified. Transcriptomic analysis showed that VM-iASTs were more closely related to human primary midbrain astrocytes than to cortical astrocytes, and revealed the upregulation of WNT1 and WNT5A, which supports their VM identity and explains their superior activity in DA neurons. Taken together, we hope that VM-iASTs can serve to improve ongoing DA precursor transplantation for Parkinson's disease, and that their transcriptomic data provide a valuable resource for investigating regional diversity in human astrocyte populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyu-Bum Yeon
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-Min Jeon
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo Hyun Yoo
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongyun Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Soo Oh
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghyun Park
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ho Shin
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, 141 Gajeong-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Wook Kim
- Department of Bio-Integrated Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, Sejong University, 209 Neungdong-Ro, Gwangjin-Gu, Seoul, 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Dokyun Na
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-Ro, Dongjak-Gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Wook Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Brain Korea 21 PLUS Program for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Severance Biomedical Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dae-Sung Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Animal Molecular Biotechnology, Korea University, 145 Anam-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Guro Hospital, 97 Gurodong-Gil, Guro-Gu, Seoul, 08308, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Nie L, Yao D, Chen S, Wang J, Pan C, Wu D, Liu N, Tang Z. Directional induction of neural stem cells, a new therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic stroke. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:215. [PMID: 37393356 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01532-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the limited capacity of the adult mammalian brain to self-repair and regenerate, neurological diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders and stroke, characterized by irreversible cellular damage are often considered as refractory diseases. Neural stem cells (NSCs) play a unique role in the treatment of neurological diseases for their abilities to self-renew and form different neural lineage cells, such as neurons and glial cells. With the increasing understanding of neurodevelopment and advances in stem cell technology, NSCs can be obtained from different sources and directed to differentiate into a specific neural lineage cell phenotype purposefully, making it possible to replace specific cells lost in some neurological diseases, which provides new approaches to treat neurodegenerative diseases as well as stroke. In this review, we outline the advances in generating several neuronal lineage subtypes from different sources of NSCs. We further summarize the therapeutic effects and possible therapeutic mechanisms of these fated specific NSCs in neurological disease models, with special emphasis on Parkinson's disease and ischemic stroke. Finally, from the perspective of clinical translation, we compare the strengths and weaknesses of different sources of NSCs and different methods of directed differentiation, and propose future research directions for directed differentiation of NSCs in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luwei Nie
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Dabao Yao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Shiling Chen
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Pan
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Dongcheng Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Wuhan Hamilton Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhouping Tang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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14
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Yao X, Zhan L, Yan Z, Li J, Kong L, Wang X, Xiao H, Jiang H, Huang C, Ouyang Y, Qian Y, Fan C. Non-electric bioelectrical analog strategy by a biophysical-driven nano-micro spatial anisotropic scaffold for regulating stem cell niche and tissue regeneration in a neuronal therapy. Bioact Mater 2023; 20:319-338. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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15
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Yeap YJ, Teddy TJW, Lee MJ, Goh M, Lim KL. From 2D to 3D: Development of Monolayer Dopaminergic Neuronal and Midbrain Organoid Cultures for Parkinson's Disease Modeling and Regenerative Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032523. [PMID: 36768843 PMCID: PMC9917335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized pathologically by the loss of A9-specific dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of the midbrain. Despite intensive research, the etiology of PD is currently unresolved, and the disease remains incurable. This, in part, is due to the lack of an experimental disease model that could faithfully recapitulate the features of human PD. However, the recent advent of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has allowed PD models to be created from patient-derived cells. Indeed, DA neurons from PD patients are now routinely established in many laboratories as monolayers as well as 3D organoid cultures that serve as useful toolboxes for understanding the mechanism underlying PD and also for drug discovery. At the same time, the iPSC technology also provides unprecedented opportunity for autologous cell-based therapy for the PD patient to be performed using the patient's own cells as starting materials. In this review, we provide an update on the molecular processes underpinning the development and differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into midbrain DA neurons in both 2D and 3D cultures, as well as the latest advancements in using these cells for drug discovery and regenerative medicine. For the novice entering the field, the cornucopia of differentiation protocols reported for the generation of midbrain DA neurons may seem daunting. Here, we have distilled the essence of the different approaches and summarized the main factors driving DA neuronal differentiation, with the view to provide a useful guide to newcomers who are interested in developing iPSC-based models of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Jie Yeap
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
| | - Tng J. W. Teddy
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme (IGP-Neuroscience), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Mok Jung Lee
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
| | - Micaela Goh
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
| | - Kah Leong Lim
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore 308433, Singapore
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Anatomy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan 030001, China
- Correspondence:
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16
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Cha Y, Park TY, Leblanc P, Kim KS. Current Status and Future Perspectives on Stem Cell-Based Therapies for Parkinson's Disease. J Mov Disord 2023; 16:22-41. [PMID: 36628428 PMCID: PMC9978267 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.22141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease, affecting 1%-2% of the population over the age of 65. As the population ages, it is anticipated that the burden on society will significantly escalate. Although symptom reduction by currently available pharmacological and/or surgical treatments improves the quality of life of many PD patients, there are no treatments that can slow down, halt, or reverse disease progression. Because the loss of a specific cell type, midbrain dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, is the main cause of motor dysfunction in PD, it is considered a promising target for cell replacement therapy. Indeed, numerous preclinical and clinical studies using fetal cell transplantation have provided proof of concept that cell replacement therapy may be a viable therapeutic approach for PD. However, the use of human fetal cells remains fraught with controversy due to fundamental ethical, practical, and clinical limitations. Groundbreaking work on human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including human embryonic stem cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells, coupled with extensive basic research in the stem cell field offers promising potential for hPSC-based cell replacement to become a realistic treatment regimen for PD once several major issues can be successfully addressed. In this review, we will discuss the prospects and challenges of hPSC-based cell therapy for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Cha
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Tae-Yoon Park
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Pierre Leblanc
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kwang-Soo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
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17
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Luo HM, Xu J, Huang DX, Chen YQ, Liu YZ, Li YJ, Chen H. Mitochondrial dysfunction of induced pluripotent stem cells-based neurodegenerative disease modeling and therapeutic strategy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1030390. [DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1030390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are disorders in which neurons are lost owing to various factors, resulting in a series of dysfunctions. Their rising prevalence and irreversibility have brought physical pain to patients and economic pressure to both individuals and society. However, the pathogenesis of NDDs has not yet been fully elucidated, hampering the use of precise medication. Induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSC) modeling provides a new method for drug discovery, and exploring the early pathological mechanisms including mitochondrial dysfunction, which is not only an early but a prominent pathological feature of NDDs. In this review, we summarize the iPSC modeling approach of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as outline typical mitochondrial dysfunction and recapitulate corresponding therapeutic strategies.
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18
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Chen X, Saiyin H, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li X, Ji R, Ma L. Human striatal organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells recapitulate striatal development and compartments. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001868. [PMID: 36395338 PMCID: PMC9714809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The striatum links neuronal circuits in the human brain, and its malfunction causes neuronal disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD). A human striatum model that recapitulates fetal striatal development is vital to decoding the pathogenesis of striatum-related neurological disorders and developing therapeutic strategies. Here, we developed a method to construct human striatal organoids (hStrOs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including hStrOs-derived assembloids. Our hStrOs partially replicated the fetal striatum and formed striosome and matrix-like compartments in vitro. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed distinct striatal lineages in hStrOs, diverging from dorsal forebrain fate. Using hStrOs-derived assembloids, we replicated the striatal targeting projections from different brain parts. Furthermore, hStrOs can serve as hosts for striatal neuronal allografts to test allograft neuronal survival and functional integration. Our hStrOs are suitable for studying striatal development and related disorders, characterizing the neural circuitry between different brain regions, and testing therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Hexige Saiyin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yuqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xuan Li
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, P.R. China
| | - Rong Ji
- Department of Neurology, Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Lixiang Ma
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- * E-mail:
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19
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Li H, Jiang H, Li H, Li L, Yan Z, Feng J. Generation of human A9 dopaminergic pacemakers from induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4407-4418. [PMID: 35610351 PMCID: PMC9684358 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01628-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The degeneration of nigral (A9) dopaminergic (DA) neurons causes motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). We use small-molecule compounds to direct the differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to A9 DA neurons that share many important properties with their in vivo counterparts. The method generates a large percentage of TH+ neurons that express appropriate A9 markers, such as GIRK2 and ALDH1A1, but mostly not the A10 marker CALBINDIN. Functionally, they exhibit autonomous pacemaking based on L-type voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels and show autoreceptor-dependent regulation of dopamine release. When transplanted in the striatum of 6-OHDA-lesioned athymic rats, the human A9 DA neurons manifest robust survival and axon outgrowth, and ameliorate motor deficits in the rat PD model. The ability to generate patient-specific A9 DA autonomous pacemakers will significantly improve PD research and facilitate the development of disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Houbo Jiang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Hanqin Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Li Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
| | - Jian Feng
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
- Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA.
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de Luzy I, Pavan C, Moriarty N, Hunt C, Vandenhoven Z, Khanna A, Niclis J, Gantner C, Thompson L, Parish C. Identifying the optimal developmental age of human pluripotent stem cell-derived midbrain dopaminergic progenitors for transplantation in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease. Exp Neurol 2022; 358:114219. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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21
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Ahrabi B, Tabatabaei Mirakabad FS, Niknazar S, Payvandi AA, Ahmady Roozbahany N, Ahrabi M, Torkamani SD, Abbaszadeh HA. Photobiomodulation Therapy and Cell Therapy Improved Parkinson's Diseases by Neuro-regeneration and Tremor Inhibition. J Lasers Med Sci 2022; 13:e28. [PMID: 36743130 PMCID: PMC9841383 DOI: 10.34172/jlms.2022.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive and severe neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). The most prominent features of this disease are cell reduction in the substantia nigra and accumulation of α-synuclein, especially in the brainstem, spinal cord, and cortical areas. In addition to drug-based treatment, other therapies such as surgery, cell therapy, and laser therapy can be considered. In this study, articles on cell therapy and laser therapy for PD have been collected to evaluate the improvement of motor function, cell differentiation, and dopaminergic cell proliferation. Methods: Articles were collected from four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science from 2010 to 2022. The keywords were "photobiomodulation", "low-level light therapy", "Low-level laser therapy", "near-infrared light", "Parkinson's disease", "Parkinsonism", and "stem cell therapy". About 100 related articles were included in the study. Results: The results of the studies showed that cell therapy and laser therapy are useful in the treatment of PD, and despite their limitations, they can be useful in improving PD. Conclusion: Concomitant use of cell therapy and photobiomodulation therapy can improve the symptoms of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnaz Ahrabi
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Somayeh Niknazar
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Payvandi
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mahnaz Ahrabi
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shaysteh Dordshaikh Torkamani
- Department of Anatomical Sciences and Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hojjat Allah Abbaszadeh
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Correspondence to Hojjat-Allah Abbaszadeh, Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center and Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, school of medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. P.O. Box: 19395-4719. Tel: +98-21-23872555;
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22
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Xu P, He H, Gao Q, Zhou Y, Wu Z, Zhang X, Sun L, Hu G, Guan Q, You Z, Zhang X, Zheng W, Xiong M, Chen Y. Human midbrain dopaminergic neuronal differentiation markers predict cell therapy outcome in a Parkinson's disease model. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:156768. [PMID: 35700056 PMCID: PMC9282930 DOI: 10.1172/jci156768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based replacement therapy holds great promise in treating Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the heterogeneity of hPSC-derived donor cells and the low yield of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons after transplantation hinder its broad clinical application. Here, we depicted the single-cell molecular landscape during mDA neuron differentiation. We found that this process recapitulated the development of multiple but adjacent fetal brain regions including ventral midbrain, isthmus, and ventral hindbrain, resulting in heterogenous donor cell population. We reconstructed the differentiation trajectory of mDA lineage and identified CLSTN2 and PTPRO as specific surface markers of mDA progenitors, which were predictive of mDA neuron differentiation and could facilitate highly enriched mDA neurons (up to 80%) following progenitor sorting and transplantation. Marker sorted progenitors exhibited higher therapeutic potency in correcting motor deficits of PD mice. Different marker sorted grafts had a strikingly consistent cellular composition, in which mDA neurons were enriched, while off-target neuron types were mostly depleted, suggesting stable graft outcomes. Our study provides a better understanding of cellular heterogeneity during mDA neuron differentiation, and establishes a strategy to generate highly purified donor cells to achieve stable and predictable therapeutic outcomes, raising the prospect of hPSC-based PD cell replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peibo Xu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui He
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinqin Gao
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingying Zhou
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziyan Wu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Linyu Sun
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Hu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Guan
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiwen You
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Zhang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenping Zheng
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Man Xiong
- Institute State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuejun Chen
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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23
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Tang XY, Wu S, Wang D, Chu C, Hong Y, Tao M, Hu H, Xu M, Guo X, Liu Y. Human organoids in basic research and clinical applications. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:168. [PMID: 35610212 PMCID: PMC9127490 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Organoids are three-dimensional (3D) miniature structures cultured in vitro produced from either human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) or adult stem cells (AdSCs) derived from healthy individuals or patients that recapitulate the cellular heterogeneity, structure, and functions of human organs. The advent of human 3D organoid systems is now possible to allow remarkably detailed observation of stem cell morphogens, maintenance and differentiation resemble primary tissues, enhancing the potential to study both human physiology and developmental stage. As they are similar to their original organs and carry human genetic information, organoids derived from patient hold great promise for biomedical research and preclinical drug testing and is currently used for personalized, regenerative medicine, gene repair and transplantation therapy. In recent decades, researchers have succeeded in generating various types of organoids mimicking in vivo organs. Herein, we provide an update on current in vitro differentiation technologies of brain, retinal, kidney, liver, lung, gastrointestinal, cardiac, vascularized and multi-lineage organoids, discuss the differences between PSC- and AdSC-derived organoids, summarize the potential applications of stem cell-derived organoids systems in the laboratory and clinic, and outline the current challenges for the application of organoids, which would deepen the understanding of mechanisms of human development and enhance further utility of organoids in basic research and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Tang
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shanshan Wu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Da Wang
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chu Chu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Hong
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengdan Tao
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Hu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Min Xu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine; Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine; Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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24
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Brot S, Thamrin NP, Bonnet ML, Francheteau M, Patrigeon M, Belnoue L, Gaillard A. Long-Term Evaluation of Intranigral Transplantation of Human iPSC-Derived Dopamine Neurons in a Parkinson's Disease Mouse Model. Cells 2022; 11:cells11101596. [PMID: 35626637 PMCID: PMC9140181 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). One strategy for treating PD is transplantation of DA neuroblasts. Significant advances have been made in generating midbrain DA neurons from human pluripotent stem cells. Before these cells can be routinely used in clinical trials, extensive preclinical safety studies are required. One of the main issues to be addressed is the long-term therapeutic effectiveness of these cells. In most transplantation studies using human cells, the maturation of DA neurons has been analyzed over a relatively short period not exceeding 6 months. In present study, we generated midbrain DA neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and grafted these neurons into the SNpc in an animal model of PD. Graft survival and maturation were analyzed from 1 to 12 months post-transplantation (mpt). We observed long-term survival and functionality of the grafted neurons. However, at 12 mpt, we observed a decrease in the proportion of SNpc DA neuron subtype compared with that at 6 mpt. In addition, at 12 mpt, grafts still contained immature neurons. Our results suggest that longer-term evaluation of the maturation of neurons derived from human stem cells is mandatory for the safe application of cell therapy for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Brot
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
| | - Nabila Pyrenina Thamrin
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
| | - Marie-Laure Bonnet
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
- CHU Poitiers, 86022 Poitiers, France
| | - Maureen Francheteau
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
| | - Maëlig Patrigeon
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
| | - Laure Belnoue
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
- CHU Poitiers, 86022 Poitiers, France
| | - Afsaneh Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Expérimentales et Cliniques, Université de Poitiers, INSERM 1084, 86022 Poitiers, France; (S.B.); (N.P.T.); (M.-L.B.); (M.F.); (M.P.); (L.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-54-945-3873
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25
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Rakovic A, Voß D, Vulinovic F, Meier B, Hellberg AK, Nau C, Klein C, Leipold E. Electrophysiological Properties of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Correlate With Expression of Tyrosine Hydroxylase. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:817198. [PMID: 35401116 PMCID: PMC8983830 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.817198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based generation of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive (TH+) dopaminergic neurons (DNs) is a powerful method for creating patient-specific in vitro models to elucidate mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease (PD) at the cellular and molecular level and to perform drug screening. However, currently available differentiation paradigms result in highly heterogeneous cell populations, often yielding a disappointing fraction (<50%) of the PD-relevant TH+ DNs. To facilitate the targeted analysis of this cell population and to characterize their electrophysiological properties, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 technology and generated an mCherry-based human TH reporter iPSC line. Subsequently, reporter iPSCs were subjected to dopaminergic differentiation using either a “floor plate protocol” generating DNs directly from iPSCs or an alternative method involving iPSC-derived neuronal precursors (NPC-derived DNs). To identify the strategy with the highest conversion efficiency to mature neurons, both cultures were examined for a period of 8 weeks after triggering neuronal differentiation by means of immunochemistry and single-cell electrophysiology. We confirmed that mCherry expression correlated with the expression of endogenous TH and that genetic editing did neither affect the differentiation process nor the endogenous TH expression in iPSC- and NPC-derived DNs. Although both cultures yielded identical proportions of TH+ cells (≈30%), whole-cell patch-clamp experiments revealed that iPSC-derived DNs gave rise to larger currents mediated by voltage-gated sodium and potassium channels, showed a higher degree of synaptic activity, and fired trains of mature spontaneous action potentials more frequently compared to NPC-derived DNs already after 2 weeks in differentiation. Moreover, spontaneous action potential firing was more frequently detected in TH+ neurons compared to the TH– cells, providing direct evidence that these two neuronal subpopulations exhibit different intrinsic electrophysiological properties. In summary, the data reveal substantial differences in the electrophysiological properties of iPSC-derived TH+ and TH– neuronal cell populations and that the “floor plate protocol” is particularly efficient in generating electrophysiologically mature TH+ DNs, which are the most vulnerable neuronal subtype in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dorothea Voß
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Franca Vulinovic
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Britta Meier
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ann-Katrin Hellberg
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carla Nau
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christine Klein
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Enrico Leipold
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- *Correspondence: Enrico Leipold,
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26
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Miranda CC, Akenhead ML, Silva TP, Derr MA, Vemuri MC, Cabral JMS, Fernandes TG. A Dynamic 3D Aggregate-Based System for the Successful Expansion and Neural Induction of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:838217. [PMID: 35308123 PMCID: PMC8928726 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.838217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The demand for large cell numbers for cellular therapies and drug screening applications requires the development of scalable platforms capable of generating high-quality populations of tissue-specific cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). Here, we studied the ability of Gibco StemScale PSC Suspension Medium to promote the efficient expansion of hPSC cultures as aggregates grown in suspension. We tested human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) growth in 6-well plates (on orbital shaker platforms) and single-use vertical-wheel bioreactors for a total of three consecutive passages. Up to a 9-fold increase in cell number was observed over 5 days per passage, with a cumulative fold change up to 600 in 15 days. Additionally, we compared neural induction of hiPSCs by using a dual SMAD inhibition protocol with a commercially available neural induction medium, which can potentially yield more than a 30-fold change, including neural progenitor induction and expansion. This system can also be adapted toward the generation of floor plate progenitors, which yields up to an 80-fold change in cell number and generates FOXA2-positive populations. In summary, we developed platforms for hiPSC expansion and neural induction into different brain regions that provide scalability toward producing clinically relevant cell numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia C. Miranda
- Department of Bioengineering and iBB – Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Michael L. Akenhead
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cell Biology, Life Sciences Solutions, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Teresa P. Silva
- Department of Bioengineering and iBB – Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Michael A. Derr
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cell Biology, Life Sciences Solutions, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Mohan C. Vemuri
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Cell Biology, Life Sciences Solutions, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Joaquim M. S. Cabral
- Department of Bioengineering and iBB – Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tiago G. Fernandes
- Department of Bioengineering and iBB – Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB-Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Tiago G. Fernandes,
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27
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Spotting-based differentiation of functional dopaminergic progenitors from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:890-909. [PMID: 35140411 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00673-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
To fully realize the potential of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for both therapeutic and research purposes, it is critical to follow an efficient and reliable in vitro differentiation method that is based on optimal physical, chemical and developmental cues. This highly reproducible protocol describes how to grow hPSCs such as human induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells in a physically confined area ('spot') and efficiently differentiate them into a highly enriched population of healthy and functional midbrain dopamine progenitors (mDAPs) and midbrain dopamine neurons (mDANs). The protocol takes 28 d, during which cells first grow and differentiate in spots for 14 d and then are replated and further differentiated for a further 14 d as a monolayer culture. We describe how to produce mDAPs, control the quality of cells and cryopreserve mDAPs without loss of viability. Previously we showed that mDANs generated by this 'spotting'-based method exhibit gene expression and (electro)physiological properties typical of A9 mDANs lost in Parkinson's disease brains and can rescue motor defects when transplanted into the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. This protocol is scalable for production of mDAPs under good manufacturing practice conditions and was also previously successfully used to generate cells for the first autologous cell replacement therapy of a patient with Parkinson's disease without the need for immune suppression. We anticipate this protocol could also be readily adapted to use spotting-based culture to further optimize the differentiation of hPSC to alternative differentiated cell types.
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28
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Zeng X, Qin H. Stem Cell Transplantation for Parkinson’s Disease: Current Challenges and Perspectives. Aging Dis 2022; 13:1652-1663. [DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.0312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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29
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Chang CY, Ting HC, Liu CA, Su HL, Chiou TW, Harn HJ, Lin SZ, Ho TJ. Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Into Specific Neural Lineages. Cell Transplant 2021; 30:9636897211017829. [PMID: 34665040 PMCID: PMC8529300 DOI: 10.1177/09636897211017829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are sources of several somatic cell
types for human developmental studies, in vitro disease modeling, and
cell transplantation therapy. Improving strategies of derivation of
high-purity specific neural and glial lineages from hPSCs is critical
for application to the study and therapy of the nervous system. Here,
we will focus on the principles behind establishment of neuron and
glia differentiation methods according to developmental studies. We
will also highlight the limitations and challenges associated with the
differentiation of several “difficult” neural lineages and delay in
neuronal maturation and functional integration. To overcome these
challenges, we will introduce strategies and novel technologies aimed
at improving the differentiation of various neural lineages to expand
the application potential of hPSCs to the study of the nervous
system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Chang
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.,Neuroscience Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Chien Ting
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ann Liu
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.,Neuroscience Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Lin Su
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Pathology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Jung Ho
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.,Integration Center of Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.,School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
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30
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Rossignoli G, Krämer K, Lugarà E, Alrashidi H, Pope S, De La Fuente Barrigon C, Barwick K, Bisello G, Ng J, Counsell J, Lignani G, Heales SJR, Bertoldi M, Barral S, Kurian MA. Aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency: a patient-derived neuronal model for precision therapies. Brain 2021; 144:2443-2456. [PMID: 33734312 PMCID: PMC8418346 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency is a complex inherited neurological disorder of monoamine synthesis which results in dopamine and serotonin deficiency. The majority of affected individuals have variable, though often severe cognitive and motor delay, with a complex movement disorder and high risk of premature mortality. For most, standard pharmacological treatment provides only limited clinical benefit. Promising gene therapy approaches are emerging, though may not be either suitable or easily accessible for all patients. To characterize the underlying disease pathophysiology and guide precision therapies, we generated a patient-derived midbrain dopaminergic neuronal model of AADC deficiency from induced pluripotent stem cells. The neuronal model recapitulates key disease features, including absent AADC enzyme activity and dysregulated dopamine metabolism. We observed developmental defects affecting synaptic maturation and neuronal electrical properties, which were improved by lentiviral gene therapy. Bioinformatic and biochemical analyses on recombinant AADC predicted that the activity of one variant could be improved by l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) administration; this hypothesis was corroborated in the patient-derived neuronal model, where l-DOPA treatment leads to amelioration of dopamine metabolites. Our study has shown that patient-derived disease modelling provides further insight into the neurodevelopmental sequelae of AADC deficiency, as well as a robust platform to investigate and develop personalized therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Rossignoli
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Biological Chemistry, NBM Department, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Karolin Krämer
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Eleonora Lugarà
- Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Haya Alrashidi
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Simon Pope
- Neurometabolic Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | | | - Katy Barwick
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Giovanni Bisello
- Biological Chemistry, NBM Department, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Joanne Ng
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA-Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London WC1E 6HU, UK
| | - John Counsell
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Gabriele Lignani
- Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Simon J R Heales
- Neurometabolic Unit, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Centre for Inborn Errors of Metabolism, GOS Institute of Child Health, UniversCity College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mariarita Bertoldi
- Biological Chemistry, NBM Department, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Prof Mariarita Bertoldi Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences Biological Chemistry Section, Room 1.24 Strada le Grazie 8, 37134 Verona, Italy E-mail:
| | - Serena Barral
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Developmental Neurosciences, GOS Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Correspondence to: Prof Manju Kurian Zayed Centre for Research UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health 20 Guilford St, London WC1N 1DZ, UK E-mail:
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31
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Telias M, Ben-Yosef D. Pharmacological Manipulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Human Neural Precursor Cells Alters Their Differentiation Potential and Neuronal Yield. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:680018. [PMID: 34421534 PMCID: PMC8371257 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.680018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a master-regulator of cell fate during embryonic and adult neurogenesis and is therefore a major pharmacological target in basic and clinical research. Chemical manipulation of Wnt signaling during in vitro neuronal differentiation of stem cells can alter both the quantity and the quality of the derived neurons. Accordingly, the use of Wnt activators and blockers has become an integral part of differentiation protocols applied to stem cells in recent years. Here, we investigated the effects of the glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitor CHIR99021, which upregulates β-catenin agonizing Wnt; and the tankyrase-1/2 inhibitor XAV939, which downregulates β-catenin antagonizing Wnt. Both drugs and their potential neurogenic and anti-neurogenic effects were studied using stable lines human neural precursor cells (hNPCs), derived from embryonic stem cells, which can be induced to generate mature neurons by chemically-defined conditions. We found that Wnt-agonism by CHIR99021 promotes induction of neural differentiation, while also reducing cell proliferation and survival. This effect was not synergistic with those of pro-neural growth factors during long-term neuronal differentiation. Conversely, antagonism of Wnt by XAV939 consistently prevented neuronal progression of hNPCs. We show here how these two drugs can be used to manipulate cell fate and how self-renewing hNPCs can be used as reliable human in vitro drug-screening platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Telias
- Wolfe PGD-SC Lab, Racine IVF Unit, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Medical School, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dalit Ben-Yosef
- Wolfe PGD-SC Lab, Racine IVF Unit, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Medical School, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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32
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Brazdis RM, Alecu JE, Marsch D, Dahms A, Simmnacher K, Lörentz S, Brendler A, Schneider Y, Marxreiter F, Roybon L, Winner B, Xiang W, Prots I. Demonstration of brain region-specific neuronal vulnerability in human iPSC-based model of familial Parkinson's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:1180-1191. [PMID: 32160287 PMCID: PMC7206857 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by protein inclusions mostly composed of aggregated forms of α-synuclein (α-Syn) and by the progressive degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDANs), resulting in motor symptoms. While other brain regions also undergo pathologic changes in PD, the relevance of α-Syn aggregation for the preferential loss of mDANs in PD pathology is not completely understood yet. To elucidate the mechanisms of the brain region-specific neuronal vulnerability in PD, we modeled human PD using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from familial PD cases with a duplication (Dupl) of the α-Syn gene (SNCA) locus. Human iPSCs from PD Dupl patients and a control individual were differentiated into mDANs and cortical projection neurons (CPNs). SNCA dosage increase did not influence the differentiation efficiency of mDANs and CPNs. However, elevated α-Syn pathology, as revealed by enhanced α-Syn insolubility and phosphorylation, was determined in PD-derived mDANs compared with PD CPNs. PD-derived mDANs exhibited higher levels of reactive oxygen species and protein nitration levels compared with CPNs, which might underlie elevated α-Syn pathology observed in mDANs. Finally, increased neuronal death was observed in PD-derived mDANs compared to PD CPNs and to control mDANs and CPNs. Our results reveal, for the first time, a higher α-Syn pathology, oxidative stress level, and neuronal death rate in human PD mDANs compared with PD CPNs from the same patient. The finding implies the contribution of pathogenic α-Syn, probably induced by oxidative stress, to selective vulnerability of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons in human PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razvan-Marius Brazdis
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Julian E Alecu
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Daniel Marsch
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer-Center), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Annika Dahms
- Institute of Biochemistry (Emil-Fischer-Center), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Katrin Simmnacher
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Sandra Lörentz
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Anna Brendler
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Yanni Schneider
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Franz Marxreiter
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Laurent Roybon
- Stem Cell Laboratory for CNS Disease Modeling, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund 22184, Sweden
| | - Beate Winner
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Wei Xiang
- Department of Molecular Neurology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Iryna Prots
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen 91054, Germany
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33
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Yoo JE, Lee DR, Park S, Shin HR, Lee KG, Kim DS, Jo MY, Eom JH, Cho MS, Hwang DY, Kim DW. Trophoblast glycoprotein is a marker for efficient sorting of ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic precursors derived from human pluripotent stem cells. NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE 2021; 7:61. [PMID: 34282148 PMCID: PMC8289854 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-021-00204-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Successful cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD) requires large numbers of homogeneous ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic (vmDA) precursors. Enrichment of vmDA precursors via cell sorting is required to ensure high safety and efficacy of the cell therapy. Here, using LMX1A-eGFP knock-in reporter human embryonic stem cells, we discovered a novel surface antigen, trophoblast glycoprotein (TPBG), which was preferentially expressed in vmDA precursors. TPBG-targeted cell sorting enriched FOXA2+LMX1A+ vmDA precursors and helped attain efficient behavioral recovery of rodent PD models with increased numbers of TH+, NURR1+, and PITX3+ vmDA neurons in the grafts. Additionally, fewer proliferating cells were detected in TPBG+ cell-derived grafts than in TPBG− cell-derived grafts. Our approach is an efficient way to obtain enriched bona fide vmDA precursors, which could open a new avenue for effective PD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong-Eun Yoo
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dongjin R Lee
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sanghyun Park
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Severance Biomedical Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hye-Rim Shin
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kun Gu Lee
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Sungnam, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
| | - Dae-Sung Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | | | | | - Dong-Youn Hwang
- Department of Biomedical Science, CHA University, Sungnam, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
| | - Dong-Wook Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. .,Severance Biomedical Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. .,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Program for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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34
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Ng YH, Chanda S, Janas JA, Yang N, Kokubu Y, Südhof TC, Wernig M. Efficient generation of dopaminergic induced neuronal cells with midbrain characteristics. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1763-1776. [PMID: 34171286 PMCID: PMC8282497 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The differentiation of pluripotent stem cells can be accomplished by sequential activation of signaling pathways or through transcription factor programming. Multistep differentiation imitates embryonic development to obtain authentic cell types, but it suffers from asynchronous differentiation with variable efficiency. Transcription factor programming induces synchronous and efficient differentiation with higher reproducibility but may not always yield authentic cell types. We systematically explored the generation of dopaminergic induced neuronal cells from mouse and human pluripotent stem cells. We found that the proneural factor Ascl1 in combination with mesencephalic factors Lmx1a and Nurr1 induce peripheral dopaminergic neurons. Co-delivery of additional midbrain transcription factors En1, FoxA2, and Pitx3 resulted in facile and robust generation of functional dopaminergic neurons of midbrain character. Our results suggest that more complex combinations of transcription factors may be needed for proper regional specification of induced neuronal cells generated by direct lineage induction. Ascl1 alone can induce tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive ES-iN cells Ascl1 alone, or with Nurr1 and Lmx1a, induce peripheral TH-positive cells WNT1 and neurotrophic factors increase TH-positive iN cells in culture A 6-factor combination induces TH-positive dopamine iN cells of central identity
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Han Ng
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Soham Chanda
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Justyna A Janas
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nan Yang
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yuko Kokubu
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Thomas C Südhof
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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35
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Lin M, Mackie PM, Shaerzadeh F, Gamble-George J, Miller DR, Martyniuk CJ, Khoshbouei H. In Parkinson's patient-derived dopamine neurons, the triplication of α-synuclein locus induces distinctive firing pattern by impeding D2 receptor autoinhibition. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:107. [PMID: 34099060 PMCID: PMC8185945 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01203-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathophysiological changes in dopamine neurons precede their demise and contribute to the early phases of Parkinson's disease (PD). Intracellular pathological inclusions of the protein α-synuclein within dopaminergic neurons are a cardinal feature of PD, but the mechanisms by which α-synuclein contributes to dopaminergic neuron vulnerability remain unknown. The inaccessibility to diseased tissue has been a limitation in studying progression of pathophysiology prior to degeneration of dopamine neurons. To address these issues, we differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a PD patient carrying the α-synuclein triplication mutation (AST) and an unaffected first-degree relative (NAS) into dopaminergic neurons. In human-like dopamine neurons α-synuclein overexpression reduced the functional availability of D2 receptors, resulting in a stark dysregulation in firing activity, dopamine release, and neuronal morphology. We back-translated these findings into primary mouse neurons overexpressing α-synuclein and found a similar phenotype, supporting the causal role for α-synuclein. Importantly, application of D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole, restored the altered firing activity of AST-derived dopaminergic neurons to normal levels. These results provide novel insights into the pre-degenerative pathophysiological neuro-phenotype induced by α-synuclein overexpression and introduce a potential mechanism for the long-established clinical efficacy of D2 receptor agonists in the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Phillip M Mackie
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Fatima Shaerzadeh
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | | | - Douglas R Miller
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Chris J Martyniuk
- Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida Genetics Institute, Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Habibeh Khoshbouei
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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36
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Kim TW, Piao J, Koo SY, Kriks S, Chung SY, Betel D, Socci ND, Choi SJ, Zabierowski S, Dubose BN, Hill EJ, Mosharov EV, Irion S, Tomishima MJ, Tabar V, Studer L. Biphasic Activation of WNT Signaling Facilitates the Derivation of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons from hESCs for Translational Use. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:343-355.e5. [PMID: 33545081 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells show considerable promise for applications in regenerative medicine, including the development of cell replacement paradigms for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Protocols have been developed to generate authentic midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons capable of reversing dopamine-related deficits in animal models of Parkinson's disease. However, the generation of mDA neurons at clinical scale suitable for human application remains an important challenge. Here, we present an mDA neuron derivation protocol based on a two-step WNT signaling activation strategy that improves expression of midbrain markers, such as Engrailed-1 (EN1), while minimizing expression of contaminating posterior (hindbrain) and anterior (diencephalic) lineage markers. The resulting neurons exhibit molecular, biochemical, and electrophysiological properties of mDA neurons. Cryopreserved mDA neuron precursors can be successfully transplanted into 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA) lesioned rats to induce recovery of amphetamine-induced rotation behavior. The protocol presented here is the basis for clinical-grade mDA neuron production and preclinical safety and efficacy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Wan Kim
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jinghua Piao
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neurosurgery and Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - So Yeon Koo
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program of Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sonja Kriks
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sun Young Chung
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Doron Betel
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas D Socci
- Bioinformatics Core, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Se Joon Choi
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Susan Zabierowski
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; SKI Stem Cell Research Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brittany N Dubose
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; SKI Stem Cell Research Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ellen J Hill
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; SKI Stem Cell Research Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugene V Mosharov
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stefan Irion
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mark J Tomishima
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; SKI Stem Cell Research Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Viviane Tabar
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neurosurgery and Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Lorenz Studer
- Center for Stem Cell Biology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Developmental Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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37
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Neuhof A, Tian Y, Reska A, Falkenburger BH, Gründer S. Large Acid-Evoked Currents, Mediated by ASIC1a, Accompany Differentiation in Human Dopaminergic Neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:668008. [PMID: 33986647 PMCID: PMC8110905 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.668008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are proton-gated Na+ channels. They contribute to synaptic transmission, neuronal differentiation and neurodegeneration. ASICs have been mainly characterized in neurons from mice or rats and our knowledge of their properties in human neurons is scarce. Here, we functionally characterized ASICs in differentiating LUHMES cells, a human mesencephalic cell line with characteristics of dopaminergic neurons. We find that LUHMES cells express functional ASICs, predominantly homomeric ASIC1a. Expression starts early during differentiation with a striking surge in current amplitude at days 4-6 of differentiation, a time point where-based on published data-LUHMES cells start expressing synaptic markers. Peak ASIC expression therefore coincides with a critical period of LUHMES cell differentiation. It was associated with increased excitability, but not paralleled by an increase in ASIC1 mRNA or protein. In differentiating as well as in terminally differentiated LUHMES cells, ASIC activation by slight acidification elicited large currents, action potentials and a rise in cytosolic Ca2+. Applying the ASIC pore blocker diminazene during differentiation reduced the length of neurites, consistent with the hypothesis that ASICs play a critical role in LUHMES cell differentiation. In summary, our study establishes LUHMES cells as a valuable model to study the role of ASICs for neuronal differentiation and potentially also cell death in a human cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neuhof
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yuemin Tian
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anna Reska
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Gründer
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Physiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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38
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Autologous transplant therapy alleviates motor and depressive behaviors in parkinsonian monkeys. Nat Med 2021; 27:632-639. [PMID: 33649496 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01257-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons in the midbrain underlies the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Supplement of DA via L-DOPA alleviates motor symptoms but does not prevent the progressive loss of DA neurons. A large body of experimental studies, including those in nonhuman primates, demonstrates that transplantation of fetal mesencephalic tissues improves motor symptoms in animals, which culminated in open-label and double-blinded clinical trials of fetal tissue transplantation for PD1. Unfortunately, the outcomes are mixed, primarily due to the undefined and unstandardized donor tissues1,2. Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells enables standardized and autologous transplantation therapy for PD. However, its efficacy, especially in primates, remains unclear. Here we show that over a 2-year period without immunosuppression, PD monkeys receiving autologous, but not allogenic, transplantation exhibited recovery from motor and depressive signs. These behavioral improvements were accompanied by robust grafts with extensive DA neuron axon growth as well as strong DA activity in positron emission tomography (PET). Mathematical modeling reveals correlations between the number of surviving DA neurons with PET signal intensity and behavior recovery regardless autologous or allogeneic transplant, suggesting a predictive power of PET and motor behaviors for surviving DA neuron number.
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39
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Evaluation of TH-Cre knock-in cell lines for detection and specific targeting of stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06006. [PMID: 33532642 PMCID: PMC7821040 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The focal and progressive degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in ventral midbrain has made Parkinson's disease (PD) a particularly interesting target of cell-based therapies. However, ethical issues and limited tissue availability have so far hindered the widespread use of human fetal tissue in cell-replacement therapy. DA neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) offer unprecedented opportunities to access a renewable source of cells suitable for PD therapeutic applications. To better understand the development and functional properties of stem-cell derived DA neurons, we generated targeted hPSC lines with the gene coding for Cre recombinase knocked into the TH locus. When combined with flexed GFP, they serve as reporter cell lines able to identify and isolate TH+ neurons in vitro and after transplantation in vivo. These TH-Cre lines provide a valuable genetic tool to manipulate DA neurons useful for the design of more precise DA differentiation protocols and the study of these cells after transplantation in pre-clinical animal models of PD.
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40
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Xiao Z, Lei T, Liu Y, Yang Y, Bi W, Du H. The potential therapy with dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in Parkinson's disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:5. [PMID: 33407864 PMCID: PMC7789713 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-020-01957-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, is caused by the loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra resulting in a series of motor or non-motor disorders. Current treatment methods are unable to stop the progression of PD and may bring certain side effects. Cell replacement therapy has brought new hope for the treatment of PD. Recently, human dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells have received extensive attention. Currently, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) are considered to have strong potential for the treatment of these neurodegenerative diseases. These cells are considered to be ideal cell sources for the treatment of PD on account of their unique characteristics, such as neural crest origin, immune rejection, and lack of ethical issues. In this review, we briefly describe the research investigating cell therapy for PD and discuss the application and progress of DPSCs and SHED in the treatment of PD. This review offers significant and comprehensive guidance for further clinical research on PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuangzhuang Xiao
- 112 Lab, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 XueYuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Tong Lei
- 112 Lab, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 XueYuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- Kangyanbao (Beijing) Stem Cell Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, 102600, China
| | - Yanjie Yang
- 112 Lab, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 XueYuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Wangyu Bi
- 112 Lab, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 XueYuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hongwu Du
- 112 Lab, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 XueYuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, China.
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Mahajani S, Bähr M, Kügler S. Patterning inconsistencies restrict the true potential of dopaminergic neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:692-693. [PMID: 33063729 PMCID: PMC8067935 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.295316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sameehan Mahajani
- Department of Neurology; Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain at Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Current affiliation: Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mathias Bähr
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen; Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain at Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kügler
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen; Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain at Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Akiyama T, Sato S, Ko SBH, Sano O, Sato S, Saito M, Nagai H, Ko MSH, Iwata H. Synthetic mRNA-based differentiation method enables early detection of Parkinson's phenotypes in neurons derived from Gaucher disease-induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2020; 10:572-581. [PMID: 33342090 PMCID: PMC7980209 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.20-0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease, the most prevalent metabolic storage disorder, is caused by mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene GBA1, which lead to the accumulation of glucosylceramide (GlcCer) in affected cells. Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1), although defined as a nonneuronopathic subtype, is accompanied by an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. To gain insights into the association of progressive accumulation of GlcCer and the Parkinson's disease phenotypes, we generated dopaminergic (DA) neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a GD1 patient and a healthy donor control, and measured GlcCer accumulation by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry. We tested two DA neuron differentiation methods: a well‐established method that mimics a step‐wise developmental process from iPSCs to neural progenitor cells, and to DA neurons; and a synthetic mRNA‐based method that overexpresses a transcription factor in iPSCs. GD1‐specific accumulation of GlcCer was detected after 60 days of differentiation by the former method, whereas it was detected after only 10 days by the latter method. With this synthetic mRNA‐based rapid differentiation method, we found that the metabolic defect in GD1 patient cells can be rescued by the overexpression of wild‐type GBA1 or the treatment with an inhibitor for GlcCer synthesis. Furthermore, we detected the increased phosphorylation of α‐synuclein, a biomarker for Parkinson's disease, in DA neurons derived from a GD1 patient, which was significantly decreased by the overexpression of wild‐type GBA1. These results suggest that synthetic mRNA‐based method accelerates the analyses of the pathological mechanisms of Parkinson's disease in GD1 patients and possibly facilitates drug discovery processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiko Akiyama
- Department of Systems Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Saeko Sato
- Department of Systems Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeru B H Ko
- Department of Systems Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Sano
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Sho Sato
- DMPK Laboratories, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Masayo Saito
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Nagai
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Minoru S H Ko
- Department of Systems Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidehisa Iwata
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
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43
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Drummond NJ, Singh Dolt K, Canham MA, Kilbride P, Morris GJ, Kunath T. Cryopreservation of Human Midbrain Dopaminergic Neural Progenitor Cells Poised for Neuronal Differentiation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:578907. [PMID: 33224948 PMCID: PMC7674628 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.578907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons by directing cells through a floor plate progenitor stage. The developmental identity of mDA neurons produced using floor plate protocols is similar to substantia nigra neurons, and this has improved the ability to model Parkinson's disease (PD) in a dish. Combined with the unlimited growth potential of pluripotent stem cells, mDA neural progenitor cell production can provide a scalable source of human dopaminergic (DA) neurons for diverse applications. However, due to the complexity and length of the protocols and inherent differences between cell lines, considerable variability of the final population of neurons is often observed. One solution to this problem is to cryopreserve committed mDA neural progenitor cells in a ready-to-use format. Creating a bank of cryopreserved mDA neural progenitor cells poised for neuronal differentiation could significantly improve reproducibility and facilitate collaborations. Here we have compared six (6) different commercial cryopreservation media and different freezing conditions for mDA neural progenitor cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines. Significant differences in cell recovery were observed at 24 h post-thawing, but no differences were observed immediately upon thawing. The presence of ROCK inhibitors improved cell recovery at 24 h for all cryopreservation media tested. A faster cooling rate of 1-2°C/min was significantly better than 0.5°C/min for all conditions tested, while rapid thawing at 37°C was not always superior to slow thawing at 4°C. Importantly, cryopreservation of mDA neural progenitor cells did not alter their potential to resume differentiation into mDA neurons. Banks of cryopreserved committed mDA neural progenitor cells provide a method to generate human DA neurons with reduced batch-to-batch variability, and establish a mechanism to share lineage-primed cells for collaborative research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J. Drummond
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Karamjit Singh Dolt
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Maurice A. Canham
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Tilo Kunath
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Tilo Kunath,
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Xiong M, Tao Y, Gao Q, Feng B, Yan W, Zhou Y, Kotsonis TA, Yuan T, You Z, Wu Z, Xi J, Haberman A, Graham J, Block J, Zhou W, Chen Y, Zhang SC. Human Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Repair Circuits and Restore Neural Function. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 28:112-126.e6. [PMID: 32966778 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Although cell transplantation can rescue motor defects in Parkinson's disease (PD) models, whether and how grafts functionally repair damaged neural circuitry in the adult brain is not known. We transplanted hESC-derived midbrain dopamine (mDA) or cortical glutamate neurons into the substantia nigra or striatum of a mouse PD model and found extensive graft integration with host circuitry. Axonal pathfinding toward the dorsal striatum was determined by the identity of the grafted neurons, and anatomical presynaptic inputs were largely dependent on graft location, whereas inhibitory versus excitatory input was dictated by the identity of grafted neurons. hESC-derived mDA neurons display A9 characteristics and restore functionality of the reconstructed nigrostriatal circuit to mediate improvements in motor function. These results indicate similarity in cell-type-specific pre- and post-synaptic integration between transplant-reconstructed circuit and endogenous neural networks, highlighting the capacity of hPSC-derived neuron subtypes for specific circuit repair and functional restoration in the adult brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Xiong
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Yezheng Tao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Program in Neuroscience & Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Qinqin Gao
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ban Feng
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingying Zhou
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Thomas A Kotsonis
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Tingli Yuan
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhiwen You
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ziyan Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jiajie Xi
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | | | - Julia Graham
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Jasper Block
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Fudan University, 399 Wanyuan Road, Shanghai 201102, China
| | - Yuejun Chen
- Institute of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Program in Neuroscience & Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 169857 Singapore, Singapore
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Takahashi J. iPS cell-based therapy for Parkinson's disease: A Kyoto trial. Regen Ther 2020; 13:18-22. [PMID: 33490319 PMCID: PMC7794047 DOI: 10.1016/j.reth.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Following intensive efforts since their discovery little more than 10 years ago, cell replacement therapy using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells is now becoming reality. However, there remain several obstacles in the translation of basic research to clinical application, obstacles known as the “Valley of Death”. With regards to regenerative medicine using iPS cells for Parkinson's disease, we have developed a method for the 1) efficient induction of dopaminergic neurons from human iPS cells and 2) sorting dopaminergic progenitor cells using a floor plate marker, CORIN. The grafted CORIN+ cells survived well and functioned as midbrain dopaminergic neurons in the Parkinson's disease model rats and monkeys, and showed minimal risk of tumor formation. Based on these results, we performed a pre-clinical study using a clinical-grade iPS cell line and finally started a clinical trial to treat Parkinson's disease patients in August 2018. Here, I discuss the key issues to crossing the Valley of Death: scientific rationale, pre-clinical study, and clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Takahashi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
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Gaggi G, Di Credico A, Izzicupo P, Alviano F, Di Mauro M, Di Baldassarre A, Ghinassi B. Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Unveil an Unexpected Differentiation Potential toward the Dopaminergic Neuronal Lineage. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186589. [PMID: 32916865 PMCID: PMC7555006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons represents the cause of many neurodegenerative diseases, with increasing incidence worldwide. The replacement of dead cells with new healthy ones may represent an appealing therapeutic approach to these pathologies, but currently, only pluripotent stem cells can generate dopaminergic neurons with high efficiency. However, with the use of these cells arises safety and/or ethical issues. Human mesenchymal stromal cells (hFM-MSCs) are perinatal stem cells that can be easily isolated from the amniochorionic membrane after delivery. Generally considered multipotent, their real differentiative potential is not completely elucidated. The aim of this study was to analyze their stemness characteristics and to evaluate whether they may overcome their mesenchymal fate, generating dopaminergic neurons. We demonstrated that hFM-MSCs expressed embryonal genes OCT4, NANOG, SOX2, KLF4, OVOL1, and ESG1, suggesting they have some features of pluripotency. Moreover, hFM-MSCs that underwent a dopaminergic differentiation protocol gradually increased the transcription of dopaminergic markers LMX1b, NURR1, PITX3, and DAT. We finally obtained a homogeneous population of cells resembling the morphology of primary midbrain dopaminergic neurons that expressed the functional dopaminergic markers TH, DAT, and Nurr1. In conclusion, our results suggested that hFM-MSCs retain the expression of pluripotency genes and are able to differentiate not only into mesodermal cells, but also into neuroectodermal dopaminergic neuron-like cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Gaggi
- Human Anatomy and Cell Differentiation Lab, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.C.); (P.I.); (B.G.)
| | - Andrea Di Credico
- Human Anatomy and Cell Differentiation Lab, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.C.); (P.I.); (B.G.)
| | - Pascal Izzicupo
- Human Anatomy and Cell Differentiation Lab, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.C.); (P.I.); (B.G.)
| | - Francesco Alviano
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Speciality Medicine, Unit of Histology, Embriology and Applied Biology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Michele Di Mauro
- Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Unit, Heart and Vascular Centre, Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), 6202 Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Angela Di Baldassarre
- Human Anatomy and Cell Differentiation Lab, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.C.); (P.I.); (B.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Barbara Ghinassi
- Human Anatomy and Cell Differentiation Lab, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, University “G. D’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (G.G.); (A.D.C.); (P.I.); (B.G.)
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47
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Takahashi J. Preclinical evaluation of patient-derived cells shows promise for Parkinson's disease. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:601-603. [PMID: 31929191 DOI: 10.1172/jci134031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain projecting to the striatum, which leads to motor dysfunctions, such as bradykinesia (slowed movement), rigidity, and tremors. To replace the lost cells, the transplantation of DA neurons derived from embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has been considered. In this issue of the JCI, Song et al. report on their development of an iPSC induction and differentiation protocol that can promote the realization of autologous transplantation to treat PD patients with their own cells.
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Siddu A, David LS, Lauinger N, Chen X, Saint-Pierre M, Alpaugh M, Durcan T, Cicchetti F. Beneficial effects of cysteamine in Thy1-α-Syn mice and induced pluripotent stem cells with a SNCA gene triplication. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 145:105042. [PMID: 32798729 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of publications have reported that cysteamine has significant therapeutic effects on several aspects of Parkinson's disease (PD)-related pathology but none of these studies have evaluated its impact on pathological forms of α-Synuclein (α-Syn), one of the main hallmarks of PD. We therefore tested the efficacy of cysteamine on the Thy1-α-Syn mouse model which over-expresses full-length human wild-type α-Syn. Two-month (early stage disease) and 6-month old (late stage disease) mice and littermate controls were treated daily with cysteamine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) to assess the protective and restorative properties of this compound. After 6 weeks of treatment, animals were tested using a battery of motor tests. Cysteamine-treated transgenic mice displayed significant improvements in motor performance as compared to saline-treated transgenic littermates. Post-mortem readouts revealed a reduction in fibrillation, phosphorylation and total levels of overexpresed human α-Syn. To determine if such outcomes extended to human cells, the benefits of cysteamine were additionally tested using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treated neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a PD patient harbouring a triplication of the SNCA gene. SNCA neurons treated with cysteamine exhibited significantly more intact/healthy neurites than cells treated with 6-OHDA alone. Additionally, SNCA neurons treated with cysteamine in the absence of 6-OHDA showed a trend towards lower total α-Syn levels. Overall, our in vivo and in vitro findings suggest that cysteamine can act as a disease-modifying molecule by enhancing -the survival of dopaminergic neurons and reducing pathological forms of α-Syn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Siddu
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Linda Suzanne David
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Nadine Lauinger
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Xiuqing Chen
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Martine Saint-Pierre
- Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Melanie Alpaugh
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Thomas Durcan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Francesca Cicchetti
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Axe Neurosciences, 2705 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Université Laval, 1050, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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Kim TW, Koo SY, Studer L. Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies for Parkinson Disease: Present Challenges and Future Opportunities. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:729. [PMID: 32903681 PMCID: PMC7438741 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In Parkinson's disease (PD), there are currently no effective therapies to prevent or slow down disease progression. Cell replacement therapy using human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived dopamine neurons holds considerable promise. It presents a novel, regenerative strategy, building on the extensive history of fetal tissue grafts and capturing the potential of hPSCs to serve as a scalable and standardized cell source. Progress in establishing protocols for the direct differentiation to midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons from hPSC have catalyzed the development of cell-based therapies for PD. Consequently, several groups have derived clinical-grade mDA neuron precursors under clinical good manufacture practice condition, which are progressing toward clinical testing in PD patients. Here we will review the current status of the field, discuss the remaining key challenges, and highlight future areas for further improvements of hPSC-based technologies in the clinical translation to PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Wan Kim
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States.,Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - So Yeon Koo
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States.,Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program of Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States.,Developmental Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, United States
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50
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Zammit M, Tao Y, Olsen ME, Metzger J, Vermilyea SC, Bjornson K, Slesarev M, Block WF, Fuchs K, Phillips S, Bondarenko V, Zhang SC, Emborg ME, Christian BT. [ 18F]FEPPA PET imaging for monitoring CD68-positive microglia/macrophage neuroinflammation in nonhuman primates. EJNMMI Res 2020; 10:93. [PMID: 32761399 PMCID: PMC7410886 DOI: 10.1186/s13550-020-00683-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to examine whether the translocator protein 18-kDa (TSPO) PET ligand [18F]FEPPA has the sensitivity for detecting changes in CD68-positive microglial/macrophage activation in hemiparkinsonian rhesus macaques treated with allogeneic grafts of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived midbrain dopaminergic neurons (iPSC-mDA). METHODS In vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with [18F]FEPPA was used in conjunction with postmortem CD68 immunostaining to evaluate neuroinflammation in the brains of hemiparkinsonian rhesus macaques (n = 6) that received allogeneic iPSC-mDA grafts in the putamen ipsilateral to MPTP administration. RESULTS Based on assessment of radiotracer uptake and confirmed by visual inspection of the imaging data, nonhuman primates with allogeneic grafts showed increased [18F]FEPPA binding at the graft sites relative to the contralateral putamen. From PET asymmetry analysis of the images, the mean asymmetry index of the monkeys was AI = - 0.085 ± 0.018. Evaluation and scoring of CD68 immunoreactivity by an investigator blind to the treatment identified significantly more neuroinflammation in the grafted areas of the putamen compared to the contralateral putamen (p = 0.0004). [18F]FEPPA PET AI showed a positive correlation with CD68 immunoreactivity AI ratings in the monkeys (Spearman's ρ = 0.94; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION These findings reveal that [18F]FEPPA PET is an effective marker for detecting increased CD68-positive microglial/macrophage activation and demonstrates sufficient sensitivity to detect changes in neuroinflammation in vivo following allogeneic cell engraftment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Zammit
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Yunlong Tao
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Miles E Olsen
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jeanette Metzger
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Scott C Vermilyea
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kathryn Bjornson
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Maxim Slesarev
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Walter F Block
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kerri Fuchs
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Sean Phillips
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Viktorya Bondarenko
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Marina E Emborg
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Preclinical Parkinson's Research Program, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA.
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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