1
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Xu Z, Guo Y, Xiang K, Xiao D, Xiang M. Rapid and efficient generation of a transplantable population of functional retinal ganglion cells from fibroblasts. Cell Prolif 2024; 57:e13550. [PMID: 37740641 PMCID: PMC10849786 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13550] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma and other optic neuropathies lead to progressive and irreversible vision loss by damaging retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons. Cell replacement therapy is a potential promising treatment. However, current methods to obtain RGCs have inherent limitations, including time-consuming procedures, inefficient yields and complex protocols, which hinder their practical application. Here, we have developed a straightforward, rapid and efficient approach for directly inducing RGCs from mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) using a combination of triple transcription factors (TFs): ASCL1, BRN3B and PAX6 (ABP). We showed that on the 6th day following ABP induction, neurons with molecular characteristics of RGCs were observed, and more than 60% of induced neurons became iRGCs (induced retinal ganglion cells) in the end. Transplanted iRGCs had the ability to survive and appropriately integrate into the RGC layer of mouse retinal explants and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-damaged retinas. Moreover, they exhibited electrophysiological properties typical of RGCs, and were able to regrow dendrites and axons and form synaptic connections with host retinal cells. Together, we have established a rapid and efficient approach to acquire functional RGCs for potential cell replacement therapy to treat glaucoma and other optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihui Xu
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceGuangzhouChina
| | - Yanan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceGuangzhouChina
| | - Kangjian Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceGuangzhouChina
| | - Dongchang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceGuangzhouChina
| | - Mengqing Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of OphthalmologyZhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat‐sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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2
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Wong DCS, Harvey JP, Jurkute N, Thomasy SM, Moosajee M, Yu-Wai-Man P, Gilhooley MJ. OPA1 Dominant Optic Atrophy: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Targets. J Neuroophthalmol 2023; 43:464-474. [PMID: 37974363 PMCID: PMC10645107 DOI: 10.1097/wno.0000000000001830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David C. S. Wong
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Joshua P. Harvey
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Neringa Jurkute
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Sara M. Thomasy
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Mariya Moosajee
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Yu-Wai-Man
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J. Gilhooley
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCSW, PY-W-M), John van Geest Center for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridge Eye Unit (DCSW, PY-W-M), Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, NJ, MM, PY-W-M, MJG), London, United Kingdom; Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science (SMT), School of Medicine, U.C. Davis, Sacramento, California; Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (SMT), School of Veterinary Medicine, U.C. Davis, California; Great Ormond Street Hospital (MM), London, United Kingdom; and The Francis Crick Institute (MM), London, United Kingdom
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3
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Agarwal D, Dash N, Mazo KW, Chopra M, Avila MP, Patel A, Wong RM, Jia C, Do H, Cheng J, Chiang C, Jurlina SL, Roshan M, Perry MW, Rho JM, Broyer R, Lee CD, Weinreb RN, Gavrilovici C, Oesch NW, Welsbie DS, Wahlin KJ. Human retinal ganglion cell neurons generated by synchronous BMP inhibition and transcription factor mediated reprogramming. NPJ Regen Med 2023; 8:55. [PMID: 37773257 PMCID: PMC10541876 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-023-00327-x] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In optic neuropathies, including glaucoma, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) die. Cell transplantation and endogenous regeneration offer strategies for retinal repair, however, developmental programs required for this to succeed are incompletely understood. To address this, we explored cellular reprogramming with transcription factor (TF) regulators of RGC development which were integrated into human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) as inducible gene cassettes. When the pioneer factor NEUROG2 was combined with RGC-expressed TFs (ATOH7, ISL1, and POU4F2) some conversion was observed and when pre-patterned by BMP inhibition, RGC-like induced neurons (RGC-iNs) were generated with high efficiency in just under a week. These exhibited transcriptional profiles that were reminiscent of RGCs and exhibited electrophysiological properties, including AMPA-mediated synaptic transmission. Additionally, we demonstrated that small molecule inhibitors of DLK/LZK and GCK-IV can block neuronal death in two pharmacological axon injury models. Combining developmental patterning with RGC-specific TFs thus provided valuable insight into strategies for cell replacement and neuroprotection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devansh Agarwal
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Dash
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kevin W Mazo
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Manan Chopra
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maria P Avila
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Amit Patel
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ryan M Wong
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cairang Jia
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hope Do
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jie Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Colette Chiang
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shawna L Jurlina
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mona Roshan
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael W Perry
- Department of Biological Sciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jong M Rho
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Risa Broyer
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Cassidy D Lee
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert N Weinreb
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Nicholas W Oesch
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Derek S Welsbie
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Karl J Wahlin
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology & the Shiley Eye Institute, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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4
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Wong NK, Yip SP, Huang CL. Establishing Functional Retina in a Dish: Progress and Promises of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based Retinal Neuron Differentiation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13652. [PMID: 37686457 PMCID: PMC10487913 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The human eye plays a critical role in vision perception, but various retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can lead to vision loss or blindness. Although progress has been made in understanding retinal development and in clinical research, current treatments remain inadequate for curing or reversing these degenerative conditions. Animal models have limited relevance to humans, and obtaining human eye tissue samples is challenging due to ethical and legal considerations. Consequently, researchers have turned to stem cell-based approaches, specifically induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to generate distinct retinal cell populations and develop cell replacement therapies. iPSCs offer a novel platform for studying the key stages of human retinogenesis and disease-specific mechanisms. Stem cell technology has facilitated the production of diverse retinal cell types, including retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and photoreceptors, and the development of retinal organoids has emerged as a valuable in vitro tool for investigating retinal neuron differentiation and modeling retinal diseases. This review focuses on the protocols, culture conditions, and techniques employed in differentiating retinal neurons from iPSCs. Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of molecular and functional validation of the differentiated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nonthaphat Kent Wong
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shea Ping Yip
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chien-Ling Huang
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China;
- Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR), Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, China
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5
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Lavekar SS, Harkin J, Hernandez M, Gomes C, Patil S, Huang KC, Puntambekar SS, Lamb BT, Meyer JS. Development of a three-dimensional organoid model to explore early retinal phenotypes associated with Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13827. [PMID: 37620502 PMCID: PMC10449801 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40382-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, resulting in synaptic loss and neurodegeneration. The retina is an extension of the central nervous system within the eye, sharing many structural similarities with the brain, and previous studies have observed AD-related phenotypes within the retina. Three-dimensional retinal organoids differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can effectively model some of the earliest manifestations of disease states, yet early AD-associated phenotypes have not yet been examined. Thus, the current study focused upon the differentiation of hPSCs into retinal organoids for the analysis of early AD-associated alterations. Results demonstrated the robust differentiation of retinal organoids from both familial AD and unaffected control cell lines, with familial AD retinal organoids exhibiting a significant increase in the Aβ42:Aβ40 ratio as well as phosphorylated Tau protein, characteristic of AD pathology. Further, transcriptional analyses demonstrated the differential expression of many genes and cellular pathways, including those associated with synaptic dysfunction. Taken together, the current study demonstrates the ability of retinal organoids to serve as a powerful model for the identification of some of the earliest retinal alterations associated with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sailee S Lavekar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Jade Harkin
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Melody Hernandez
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Cátia Gomes
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Shruti Patil
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Kang-Chieh Huang
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Shweta S Puntambekar
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Bruce T Lamb
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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6
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Subramani M, Van Hook MJ, Ahmad I. Reproducible generation of human retinal ganglion cells from banked retinal progenitor cells: analysis of target recognition and IGF-1-mediated axon regeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1214104. [PMID: 37519299 PMCID: PMC10373790 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1214104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The selective degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a common feature in glaucoma, a complex group of diseases, leading to irreversible vision loss. Stem cell-based glaucoma disease modeling, cell replacement, and axon regeneration are viable approaches to understand mechanisms underlying glaucomatous degeneration for neuroprotection, ex vivo stem cell therapy, and therapeutic regeneration. These approaches require direct and facile generation of human RGCs (hRGCs) from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we demonstrate a method for rapid generation of hRGCs from banked human pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal progenitor cells (hRPCs) by recapitulating the developmental mechanism. The resulting hRGCs are stable, functional, and transplantable and have the potential for target recognition, demonstrating their suitability for both ex vivo stem cell approaches to glaucomatous degeneration and disease modeling. Additionally, we demonstrate that hRGCs derived from banked hRPCs are capable of regenerating their axons through an evolutionarily conserved mechanism involving insulin-like growth factor 1 and the mTOR axis, demonstrating their potential to identify and characterize the underlying mechanism(s) that can be targeted for therapeutic regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Iqbal Ahmad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States
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7
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Surma M, Anbarasu K, Dutta S, Olivera Perez LJ, Huang KC, Meyer JS, Das A. Enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis promotes neuroprotection in human pluripotent stem cell derived retinal ganglion cells. Commun Biol 2023; 6:218. [PMID: 36828933 PMCID: PMC9957998 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04576-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunctions are widely afflicted in central nervous system (CNS) disorders with minimal understanding on how to improve mitochondrial homeostasis to promote neuroprotection. Here we have used human stem cell differentiated retinal ganglion cells (hRGCs) of the CNS, which are highly sensitive towards mitochondrial dysfunctions due to their unique structure and function, to identify mechanisms for improving mitochondrial quality control (MQC). We show that hRGCs are efficient in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis through rapid degradation and biogenesis of mitochondria under acute damage. Using a glaucomatous Optineurin mutant (E50K) stem cell line, we show that at basal level mutant hRGCs possess less mitochondrial mass and suffer mitochondrial swelling due to excess ATP production load. Activation of mitochondrial biogenesis through pharmacological inhibition of the Tank binding kinase 1 (TBK1) restores energy homeostasis, mitigates mitochondrial swelling with neuroprotection against acute mitochondrial damage for glaucomatous E50K hRGCs, revealing a novel neuroprotection mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Surma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Kavitha Anbarasu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Sayanta Dutta
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | | | - Kang-Chieh Huang
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Arupratan Das
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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8
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Tao Y, Zhang Q, Meng M, Huang J. A bibliometric analysis of the application of stem cells in glaucoma research from 1999 to 2022. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1081898. [PMID: 36743419 PMCID: PMC9889543 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1081898] [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: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease of the retina, is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Stem cells have therapeutic potential for glaucoma. However, few bibliometric studies have been published in this field. Concerning a visual map, this article aims to characterize the research context, cooperation relationship, hotspots, and trends concerning the application of stem cells in glaucoma research. Methods: Publications focusing on stem cell research and glaucoma were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Microsoft Excel, and Scimago Graphica were used to map the contributions of countries or regions, authors, organizations, and journals. Journal Impact Factor data were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. We analyzed the tendencies, hotspots, and knowledge networks using VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Results: We analyzed 518 articles published from 1999 through 2022. In the first decade, the number of articles in this field increased slowly, and there was a marked acceleration in publication frequency after 2010. The United States, China, and England were the main contributors. Yiqin Du was the most prolific author, and among the top 10 prolific writers, Keith R. Martin's work was cited most frequently. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Experimental Eye Research, and Cornea published the most articles in this domain. The three most commonly co-cited journals were Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Experimental Eye Research, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The Central South University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute were highly prolific institutions in this research area. Our keywords analysis with VOSviewer suggested directions of future research and yielded the following recent key themes, extracellular vesicles, exosomes, mitochondria, growth factors, oxidative stress, and ocular diseases. Four co-cited references had a citation burst duration until 2022. Conclusion: With improvements in overall quality of life and demographic transitions toward population aging, research and clinical focus on eye care has increased, with glaucoma as a key area of emphasis. This study added to our understanding of the global landscape and Frontier hotspots in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Tao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ming Meng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jufang Huang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
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9
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Huang KC, Gomes C, Meyer JS. Retinal Ganglion Cells in a Dish: Current Strategies and Recommended Best Practices for Effective In Vitro Modeling of Development and Disease. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2023; 281:83-102. [PMID: 36907969 PMCID: PMC10497719 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
The ability to derive retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provides an extraordinary opportunity to study the development of RGCs as well as cellular mechanisms underlying their degeneration in optic neuropathies. In the past several years, multiple approaches have been established that allow for the generation of RGCs from hPSCs, with these methods greatly improved in more recent studies to yield mature RGCs that more faithfully recapitulate phenotypes within the eye. Nevertheless, numerous differences still remain between hPSC-RGCs and those found within the human eye, with these differences likely explained at least in part due to the environment in which hPSC-RGCs are grown. With the ultimate goal of generating hPSC-RGCs that most closely resemble those within the retina for proper studies of retinal development, disease modeling, as well as cellular replacement, we review within this manuscript the current effective approaches for the differentiation of hPSC-RGCs, as well as how they have been applied for the investigation of RGC neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma. Furthermore, we provide our opinions on the characteristics of RGCs necessary for their use as effective in vitro disease models and importantly, how these current systems should be improved to more accurately reflect disease states. The establishment of characteristics in differentiated hPSC-RGCs that more effectively mimic RGCs within the retina will not only enable their use as effective models of RGC development, but will also create a better disease model for the identification of mechanisms underlying the neurodegeneration of RGCs in disease states such as glaucoma, further facilitating the development of therapeutic approaches to rescue RGCs from degeneration in disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Chieh Huang
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Cátia Gomes
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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10
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Li M, Gao L, Zhao L, Zou T, Xu H. Toward the next generation of vascularized human neural organoids. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:31-54. [PMID: 35993813 DOI: 10.1002/med.21922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Thanks to progress in the development of three-dimensional (3D) culture technologies, human central nervous system (CNS) development and diseases have been gradually deciphered by using organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Selforganized neural organoids (NOs) have been used to mimic morphogenesis and functions of specific organs in vitro. Many NOs have been reproduced in vitro, such as those mimicking the human brain, retina, and spinal cord. However, NOs fail to capitulate to the maturation and complexity of in vivo neural tissues. The persistent issues with current NO cultivation protocols are inadequate oxygen supply and nutrient diffusion due to the absence of vascular networks. In vivo, the developing CNS is interpenetrated by vasculature that not only supplies oxygen and nutrients but also provides a structural template for neuronal growth. To address these deficiencies, recent studies have begun to couple NO culture with bioengineering techniques and methodologies, including genetic engineering, coculture, multidifferentiation, microfluidics and 3D bioprinting, and transplantation, which might promote NO maturation and create more functional NOs. These cutting-edge methods could generate an ever more reliable NO model in vitro for deciphering the codes of human CNS development, disease progression, and translational application. In this review, we will summarize recent technological advances in culture strategies to generate vascularized NOs (vNOs), with a special focus on cerebral- and retinal-organoid models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Li
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
| | - Lixiong Gao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Third Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Zou
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
| | - Haiwei Xu
- Southwest Hospital/Southwest Eye Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing, China.,Key Lab of Visual Damage and Regeneration & Restoration of Chongqing, Chongqing, China
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11
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Chien Y, Hsiao YJ, Chou SJ, Lin TY, Yarmishyn AA, Lai WY, Lee MS, Lin YY, Lin TW, Hwang DK, Lin TC, Chiou SH, Chen SJ, Yang YP. Nanoparticles-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 gene therapy in inherited retinal diseases: applications, challenges, and emerging opportunities. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:511. [DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01717-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractInherited Retinal Diseases (IRDs) are considered one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. However, the majority of them still lack a safe and effective treatment due to their complexity and genetic heterogeneity. Recently, gene therapy is gaining importance as an efficient strategy to address IRDs which were previously considered incurable. The development of the clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has strongly empowered the field of gene therapy. However, successful gene modifications rely on the efficient delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 components into the complex three-dimensional (3D) architecture of the human retinal tissue. Intriguing findings in the field of nanoparticles (NPs) meet all the criteria required for CRISPR-Cas9 delivery and have made a great contribution toward its therapeutic applications. In addition, exploiting induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology and in vitro 3D retinal organoids paved the way for prospective clinical trials of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in treating IRDs. This review highlights important advances in NP-based gene therapy, the CRISPR-Cas9 system, and iPSC-derived retinal organoids with a focus on IRDs. Collectively, these studies establish a multidisciplinary approach by integrating nanomedicine and stem cell technologies and demonstrate the utility of retina organoids in developing effective therapies for IRDs.
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12
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Pham JH, Johnson GA, Rangan RS, Amankwa CE, Acharya S, Stankowska DL. Neuroprotection of Rodent and Human Retinal Ganglion Cells In Vitro/Ex Vivo by the Hybrid Small Molecule SA-2. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233741. [PMID: 36497005 PMCID: PMC9735605 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of the hybrid antioxidant-nitric oxide donating compound SA-2 in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration models were evaluated. The in vitro trophic factor (TF) deprivation model in primary rat RGCs and ex vivo human retinal explants were used to mimic glaucomatous neurodegeneration. Cell survival was assessed after treatment with vehicle or SA-2. In separate experiments, tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) and endothelin-3 (ET-3) were used in ex vivo rat retinal explants and primary rat RGCs, respectively, to induce oxidative damage. Mitochondrial and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed following treatments. In the TF deprivation model, SA-2 treatment produced a significant decrease in apoptotic and dead cell counts in primary RGCs and a significant increase in RGC survival in ex vivo human retinal explants. In the oxidative stress-induced models, a significant decrease in the production of ROS was observed in the SA-2-treated group compared to the vehicle-treated group. Compound SA-2 was neuroprotective against various glaucomatous insults in the rat and human RGCs by reducing apoptosis and decreasing ROS levels. Amelioration of mitochondrial and cellular oxidative stress by SA-2 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing neurodegeneration in glaucomatous RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H. Pham
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Gretchen A. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Rajiv S. Rangan
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Charles E. Amankwa
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
| | - Suchismita Acharya
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- Correspondence: (S.A.); (D.L.S.)
| | - Dorota L. Stankowska
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- The North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA
- Correspondence: (S.A.); (D.L.S.)
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13
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Das A, Imanishi Y. Drug Discovery Strategies for Inherited Retinal Degenerations. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1338. [PMID: 36138817 PMCID: PMC9495580 DOI: 10.3390/biology11091338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Inherited retinal degeneration is a group of blinding disorders afflicting more than 1 in 4000 worldwide. These disorders frequently cause the death of photoreceptor cells or retinal ganglion cells. In a subset of these disorders, photoreceptor cell death is a secondary consequence of retinal pigment epithelial cell dysfunction or degeneration. This manuscript reviews current efforts in identifying targets and developing small molecule-based therapies for these devastating neuronal degenerations, for which no cures exist. Photoreceptors and retinal ganglion cells are metabolically demanding owing to their unique structures and functional properties. Modulations of metabolic pathways, which are disrupted in most inherited retinal degenerations, serve as promising therapeutic strategies. In monogenic disorders, great insights were previously obtained regarding targets associated with the defective pathways, including phototransduction, visual cycle, and mitophagy. In addition to these target-based drug discoveries, we will discuss how phenotypic screening can be harnessed to discover beneficial molecules without prior knowledge of their mechanisms of action. Because of major anatomical and biological differences, it has frequently been challenging to model human inherited retinal degeneration conditions using small animals such as rodents. Recent advances in stem cell-based techniques are opening new avenues to obtain pure populations of human retinal ganglion cells and retinal organoids with photoreceptor cells. We will discuss concurrent ideas of utilizing stem-cell-based disease models for drug discovery and preclinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arupratan Das
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yoshikazu Imanishi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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14
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Chew SH, Martinez C, Chirco KR, Kandoi S, Lamba DA. Timed Notch Inhibition Drives Photoreceptor Fate Specification in Human Retinal Organoids. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:12. [PMID: 36129723 PMCID: PMC9513742 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.10.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Transplanting photoreceptors from human pluripotent stem cell–derived retinal organoids have the potential to reverse vision loss in affected individuals. However, transplantable photoreceptors are only a subset of all cells in the organoids. Hence, the goal of our current study was to accelerate and synchronize photoreceptor differentiation in retinal organoids by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway at different developmental time-points using a small molecule, PF-03084014 (PF). Methods Human induced pluripotent stem cell– and human embryonic stem cells–derived retinal organoids were treated with 10 µM PF for 3 days starting at day 45 (D45), D60, D90, and D120 of differentiation. Organoids were collected at post-treatment days 14, 28, and 42 and analyzed for progenitor and photoreceptor markers and Notch pathway inhibition by immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative PCR, and bulk RNA sequencing (n = 3–5 organoids from three independent experiments). Results Retinal organoids collected after treatment showed a decrease in progenitor markers (KI67, VSX2, PAX6, and LHX2) and an increase in differentiated pan-photoreceptor markers (OTX2, CRX, and RCVRN) at all organoid stages except D120. PF-treated organoids at D45 and D60 exhibited an increase in cone photoreceptor markers (RXRG and ARR3). PF treatment at D90 revealed an increase in cone and rod photoreceptors markers (ARR3, NRL, and NR2E3). Bulk RNA sequencing analysis mirrored the immunohistochemistry data and quantitative PCR confirmed Notch effector inhibition. Conclusions Timing the Notch pathway inhibition in human retinal organoids to align with progenitor competency stages can yield an enriched population of early cone or rod photoreceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shereen H Chew
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, California, United States.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Cassandra Martinez
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, California, United States.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Kathleen R Chirco
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, California, United States.,Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, United States
| | - Sangeetha Kandoi
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, California, United States.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, California, United States
| | - Deepak A Lamba
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, California, United States.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California San Francisco, California, United States
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15
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Lechner J, Medina RJ, Lois N, Stitt AW. Advances in cell therapies using stem cells/progenitors as a novel approach for neurovascular repair of the diabetic retina. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:388. [PMID: 35907890 PMCID: PMC9338609 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-03073-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy, a major complication of diabetes mellitus, is a leading cause of sigh-loss in working age adults. Progressive loss of integrity of the retinal neurovascular unit is a central element in the disease pathogenesis. Retinal ischemia and inflammatory processes drive interrelated pathologies such as blood retinal barrier disruption, fluid accumulation, gliosis, neuronal loss and/or aberrant neovascularisation. Current treatment options are somewhat limited to late-stages of the disease where there is already significant damage to the retinal architecture arising from degenerative, edematous and proliferative pathology. New preventive and interventional treatments to target early vasodegenerative and neurodegenerative stages of the disease are needed to ensure avoidance of sight-loss. MAIN BODY Historically, diabetic retinopathy has been considered a primarily microvascular disease of the retina and clinically it is classified based on the presence and severity of vascular lesions. It is now known that neurodegeneration plays a significant role during the pathogenesis. Loss of neurons has been documented at early stages in pre-clinical models as well as in individuals with diabetes and, in some, even prior to the onset of clinically overt diabetic retinopathy. Recent studies suggest that some patients have a primarily neurodegenerative phenotype. Retinal pigment epithelial cells and the choroid are also affected during the disease pathogenesis and these tissues may also need to be addressed by new regenerative treatments. Most stem cell research for diabetic retinopathy to date has focused on addressing vasculopathy. Pre-clinical and clinical studies aiming to restore damaged vasculature using vasoactive progenitors including mesenchymal stromal/stem cells, adipose stem cells, CD34+ cells, endothelial colony forming cells and induced pluripotent stem cell derived endothelial cells are discussed in this review. Stem cells that could replace dying neurons such as retinal progenitor cells, pluripotent stem cell derived photoreceptors and ganglion cells as well as Müller stem cells are also discussed. Finally, challenges of stem cell therapies relevant to diabetic retinopathy are considered. CONCLUSION Stem cell therapies hold great potential to replace dying cells during early and even late stages of diabetic retinopathy. However, due to the presence of different phenotypes, selecting the most suitable stem cell product for individual patients will be crucial for successful treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Lechner
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
| | - Reinhold J Medina
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Noemi Lois
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Alan W Stitt
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
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16
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Gomes C, VanderWall KB, Pan Y, Lu X, Lavekar SS, Huang KC, Fligor CM, Harkin J, Zhang C, Cummins TR, Meyer JS. Astrocytes modulate neurodegenerative phenotypes associated with glaucoma in OPTN(E50K) human stem cell-derived retinal ganglion cells. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1636-1649. [PMID: 35714595 PMCID: PMC9287669 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a primary characteristic of glaucoma, astrocytes also contribute to their neurodegeneration in disease states. Although studies often explore cell-autonomous aspects of RGC neurodegeneration, a more comprehensive model of glaucoma should take into consideration interactions between astrocytes and RGCs. To explore this concept, RGCs and astrocytes were differentiated from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) with a glaucoma-associated OPTN(E50K) mutation along with corresponding isogenic controls. Initial results indicated significant changes in OPTN(E50K) astrocytes, including evidence of autophagy dysfunction. Subsequently, co-culture experiments demonstrated that OPTN(E50K) astrocytes led to neurodegenerative properties in otherwise healthy RGCs, while healthy astrocytes rescued some neurodegenerative features in OPTN(E50K) RGCs. These results are the first to identify disease phenotypes in OPTN(E50K) astrocytes, including how their modulation of RGCs is affected. Moreover, these results support the concept that astrocytes could offer a promising target for therapeutic intervention in glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cátia Gomes
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kirstin B VanderWall
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yanling Pan
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Lu
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sailee S Lavekar
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kang-Chieh Huang
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Clarisse M Fligor
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jade Harkin
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Theodore R Cummins
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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17
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Singh P, Bahr T, Zhao X, Hu P, Daadi M, Huang T, Bai Y. Creating Cell Model 2.0 Using Patient Samples Carrying a Pathogenic Mitochondrial DNA Mutation: iPSC Approach for LHON. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2549:219-231. [PMID: 34669166 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2021_384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy is the most prevalent mitochondrial neurological disease caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA encoded respiratory complex I subunits. Although the genetic origin for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy was identified about 30 years ago, the underlying pathogenesis is still unclear primarily due to the lack of a relevant system or cell model. Current models are limited to lymphoblasts, fibroblasts, or cybrid cell lines. As the disease phenotype is limited to retinal ganglion cells, induced pluripotent stem cells will serve as an excellent model for studying this tissue-specific disease, elucidating its underlying molecular mechanisms, and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Here, we describe a detailed protocol for the generation of retinal ganglion cells, and also cardiomyocytes for proof of iPSC pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Singh
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Tyler Bahr
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Xiaoxu Zhao
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Peiqing Hu
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Marcel Daadi
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - TaoSheng Huang
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Yidong Bai
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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18
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Daniszewski M, Senabouth A, Liang HH, Han X, Lidgerwood GE, Hernández D, Sivakumaran P, Clarke JE, Lim SY, Lees JG, Rooney L, Gulluyan L, Souzeau E, Graham SL, Chan CL, Nguyen U, Farbehi N, Gnanasambandapillai V, McCloy RA, Clarke L, Kearns LS, Mackey DA, Craig JE, MacGregor S, Powell JE, Pébay A, Hewitt AW. Retinal ganglion cell-specific genetic regulation in primary open-angle glaucoma. CELL GENOMICS 2022; 2:100142. [PMID: 36778138 PMCID: PMC9903700 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2022.100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
To assess the transcriptomic profile of disease-specific cell populations, fibroblasts from patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) were reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) before being differentiated into retinal organoids and compared with those from healthy individuals. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of a total of 247,520 cells and identified cluster-specific molecular signatures. Comparing the gene expression profile between cases and controls, we identified novel genetic associations for this blinding disease. Expression quantitative trait mapping identified a total of 4,443 significant loci across all cell types, 312 of which are specific to the retinal ganglion cell subpopulations, which ultimately degenerate in POAG. Transcriptome-wide association analysis identified genes at loci previously associated with POAG, and analysis, conditional on disease status, implicated 97 statistically significant retinal ganglion cell-specific expression quantitative trait loci. This work highlights the power of large-scale iPSC studies to uncover context-specific profiles for a genetically complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Daniszewski
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Anne Senabouth
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Helena H. Liang
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Xikun Han
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Grace E. Lidgerwood
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Damián Hernández
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Priyadharshini Sivakumaran
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Jordan E. Clarke
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Shiang Y. Lim
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,O’Brien Institute Department of St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Jarmon G. Lees
- O’Brien Institute Department of St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia,Department of Medicine, St Vincent’s Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Louise Rooney
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Lerna Gulluyan
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Emmanuelle Souzeau
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Stuart L. Graham
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Chia-Ling Chan
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Uyen Nguyen
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Nona Farbehi
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Vikkitharan Gnanasambandapillai
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Rachael A. McCloy
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Linda Clarke
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - Lisa S. Kearns
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
| | - David A. Mackey
- Lions Eye Institute, Centre for Vision Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia,School of Medicine, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia
| | - Jamie E. Craig
- Department of Ophthalmology, Flinders University, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Stuart MacGregor
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Joseph E. Powell
- Garvan Weizmann Centre for Cellular Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia,UNSW Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia,Corresponding author
| | - Alice Pébay
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia,Corresponding author
| | - Alex W. Hewitt
- Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia,School of Medicine, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia,Corresponding author
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Koyilot MC, Natarajan P, Hunt CR, Sivarajkumar S, Roy R, Joglekar S, Pandita S, Tong CW, Marakkar S, Subramanian L, Yadav SS, Cherian AV, Pandita TK, Shameer K, Yadav KK. Breakthroughs and Applications of Organ-on-a-Chip Technology. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111828. [PMID: 35681523 PMCID: PMC9180073 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Organ-on-a-chip (OOAC) is an emerging technology based on microfluid platforms and in vitro cell culture that has a promising future in the healthcare industry. The numerous advantages of OOAC over conventional systems make it highly popular. The chip is an innovative combination of novel technologies, including lab-on-a-chip, microfluidics, biomaterials, and tissue engineering. This paper begins by analyzing the need for the development of OOAC followed by a brief introduction to the technology. Later sections discuss and review the various types of OOACs and the fabrication materials used. The implementation of artificial intelligence in the system makes it more advanced, thereby helping to provide a more accurate diagnosis as well as convenient data management. We introduce selected OOAC projects, including applications to organ/disease modelling, pharmacology, personalized medicine, and dentistry. Finally, we point out certain challenges that need to be surmounted in order to further develop and upgrade the current systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mufeeda C. Koyilot
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Priyadarshini Natarajan
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Clayton R. Hunt
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Sonish Sivarajkumar
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Romy Roy
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Shreeram Joglekar
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Shruti Pandita
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA;
| | - Carl W. Tong
- School of Engineering Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Shamsudheen Marakkar
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | | | - Shalini S. Yadav
- Department of Immunology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Anoop V. Cherian
- Molecular Robotics, Cochin 682033, India; (M.C.K.); (P.N.); (S.S.); (R.R.); (S.J.); (S.M.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Tej K. Pandita
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Center for Genomic and Precision Medicine, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: (T.K.P.); (K.S.); (K.K.Y.)
| | - Khader Shameer
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Correspondence: (T.K.P.); (K.S.); (K.K.Y.)
| | - Kamlesh K. Yadav
- School of Engineering Medicine, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
- Center for Genomic and Precision Medicine, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Correspondence: (T.K.P.); (K.S.); (K.K.Y.)
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20
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Harvey JP, Sladen PE, Yu-Wai-Man P, Cheetham ME. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Inherited Optic Neuropathies-Disease Modeling and Therapeutic Development. J Neuroophthalmol 2022; 42:35-44. [PMID: 34629400 DOI: 10.1097/wno.0000000000001375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inherited optic neuropathies (IONs) cause progressive irreversible visual loss in children and young adults. There are limited disease-modifying treatments, and most patients progress to become severely visually impaired, fulfilling the legal criteria for blind registration. The seminal discovery of the technique for reprogramming somatic nondividing cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has opened several exciting opportunities in the field of ION research and treatment. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A systematic review of the literature was conducted with PubMed using the following search terms: autosomal dominant optic atrophy, ADOA, dominant optic atrophy, DOA, Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, LHON, optic atrophy, induced pluripotent stem cell, iPSC, iPSC derived, iPS, stem cell, retinal ganglion cell, and RGC. Clinical trials were identified on the ClinicalTrials.gov website. RESULTS This review article is focused on disease modeling and the therapeutic strategies being explored with iPSC technologies for the 2 most common IONs, namely, dominant optic atrophy and Leber hereditary optic neuropathy. The rationale and translational advances for cell-based and gene-based therapies are explored, as well as opportunities for neuroprotection and drug screening. CONCLUSIONS iPSCs offer an elegant, patient-focused solution to the investigation of the genetic defects and disease mechanisms underpinning IONs. Furthermore, this group of disorders is uniquely amenable to both the disease modeling capability and the therapeutic potential that iPSCs offer. This fast-moving area will remain at the forefront of both basic and translational ION research in the coming years, with the potential to accelerate the development of effective therapies for patients affected with these blinding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Paul Harvey
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (JPH, PES, PY-W-M, MC), London, United Kingdom; Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (JPH, PY-W-M), London, United Kingdom; Department of Clinical Neurosciences (PY-W-M), Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; and Department of Clinical Neurosciences (PY-W-M), John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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21
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Li J, Lu J, Chen G, Li D. Andrographolide protects retinal ganglion cells in rats with glaucoma by regulating the bcl-2/bax/caspase-3 signaling pathway. WORLD JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/wjtcm.wjtcm_50_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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22
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Kang EYC, Liu PK, Wen YT, Quinn PMJ, Levi SR, Wang NK, Tsai RK. Role of Oxidative Stress in Ocular Diseases Associated with Retinal Ganglion Cells Degeneration. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:1948. [PMID: 34943051 PMCID: PMC8750806 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10121948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular diseases associated with retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration is the most common neurodegenerative disorder that causes irreversible blindness worldwide. It is characterized by visual field defects and progressive optic nerve atrophy. The underlying pathophysiology and mechanisms of RGC degeneration in several ocular diseases remain largely unknown. RGCs are a population of central nervous system neurons, with their soma located in the retina and long axons that extend through the optic nerve to form distal terminals and connections in the brain. Because of this unique cytoarchitecture and highly compartmentalized energy demand, RGCs are highly mitochondrial-dependent for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Recently, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction have been found to be the principal mechanisms in RGC degeneration as well as in other neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review the role of oxidative stress in several ocular diseases associated with RGC degenerations, including glaucoma, hereditary optic atrophy, inflammatory optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, traumatic optic neuropathy, and drug toxicity. We also review experimental approaches using cell and animal models for research on the underlying mechanisms of RGC degeneration. Lastly, we discuss the application of antioxidants as a potential future therapy for the ocular diseases associated with RGC degenerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Yu-Chuan Kang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Kang Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan;
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yao-Tseng Wen
- Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97403, Taiwan;
| | - Peter M. J. Quinn
- Jonas Children’s Vision Care, and Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; (P.M.J.Q.); (S.R.L.)
| | - Sarah R. Levi
- Jonas Children’s Vision Care, and Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; (P.M.J.Q.); (S.R.L.)
| | - Nan-Kai Wang
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rong-Kung Tsai
- Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97403, Taiwan;
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97403, Taiwan
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Zhang X, Wang W, Jin ZB. Retinal organoids as models for development and diseases. CELL REGENERATION (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 10:33. [PMID: 34719743 PMCID: PMC8557999 DOI: 10.1186/s13619-021-00097-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal organoids (ROs) has brought remarkable opportunities for developmental studies while also presenting new therapeutic avenues for retinal diseases. With a clear understanding of how well these models mimic native retinas, such preclinical models may be crucial tools that are widely used for the more efficient translation of studies into novel treatment strategies for retinal diseases. Genetic modifications or patient-derived ROs can allow these models to simulate the physical microenvironments of the actual disease process. However, we are currently at the beginning of the three-dimensional (3D) RO era, and a general quantitative technology for analyzing ROs derived from numerous differentiation protocols is still missing. Continued efforts to improve the efficiency and stability of differentiation, as well as understanding the disparity between the artificial retina and the native retina and advancing the current treatment strategies, will be essential in ensuring that these scientific advances can benefit patients with retinal disease. Herein, we briefly discuss RO differentiation protocols, the current applications of RO as a disease model and the treatments for retinal diseases by using RO modeling, to have a clear view of the role of current ROs in retinal development and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Science Key Laboratory, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Fan J, Liu J, Liu J, Chen C, Koutalos Y, Crosson CE. Evidence for ceramide induced cytotoxicity in retinal ganglion cells. Exp Eye Res 2021; 211:108762. [PMID: 34499916 PMCID: PMC8511283 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2021.108762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Ceramides are bioactive compounds that play important roles in regulating cellular responses to extracellular stimuli and stress. Previous studies have shown that ceramides contribute to retinal degeneration associated with ischemic and ocular hypertensive stress. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) is one of the major enzymes responsible for the stress-induced generation of ceramides. The goals of this study are to investigate the effects of ceramides on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and of ASMase inhibition in ocular hypertensive mice. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived RGCs and primary cultures of human optic nerve head astrocytes were used to characterize the response to C2-ceramide. Microbead-induced ocular hypertension in the ASMase heterozygote mouse model was used to confirm the physiological relevance of in vitro studies. In mice, RGC function and morphology were assessed with pattern ERG (pERG) and immunofluorescence. The addition of C2-ceramide to iPSC-derived RGCs produced a significant concentration- and time-dependent reduction in cell numbers when compared to control cultures. While the addition of C2-ceramide to astrocytes did not affect viability, it resulted in a 2.6-fold increase in TNF-α secretion. The addition of TNF-α or conditioned media from C2-ceramide-treated astrocytes to RGC cultures significantly reduced cell numbers by 56.1 ± 8.4% and 24.7 ± 4.8%, respectively. This cytotoxic response to astrocyte-conditioned media was blocked by TNF-α antibody. In ASMase heterozygote mice, functional and morphological analyses of ocular hypertensive eyes reveal significantly less RGC degeneration when compared with hypertensive eyes from wild-type mice. These results provide evidence that ceramides can induce RGC cell death by acting directly, as well as indirectly via the secretion of TNF-α from optic nerve head astrocytes. In vivo studies in mice provide evidence that ceramides derived through the activity of ASMase contribute to ocular hypertensive injury. Together these results support the importance of ceramides in the pathogenesis of ocular hypertensive injury to the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Fan
- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology, 167 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Jiali Liu
- Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, 274 Middle Zhijiang Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, 200071, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology, 167 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Chunhe Chen
- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology, 167 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Yiannis Koutalos
- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology, 167 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Craig E Crosson
- Storm Eye Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology, 167 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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25
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Andreazzoli M, Barravecchia I, De Cesari C, Angeloni D, Demontis GC. Inducible Pluripotent Stem Cells to Model and Treat Inherited Degenerative Diseases of the Outer Retina: 3D-Organoids Limitations and Bioengineering Solutions. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092489. [PMID: 34572137 PMCID: PMC8471616 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal degenerations (IRD) affecting either photoreceptors or pigment epithelial cells cause progressive visual loss and severe disability, up to complete blindness. Retinal organoids (ROs) technologies opened up the development of human inducible pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) for disease modeling and replacement therapies. However, hiPSC-derived ROs applications to IRD presently display limited maturation and functionality, with most photoreceptors lacking well-developed outer segments (OS) and light responsiveness comparable to their adult retinal counterparts. In this review, we address for the first time the microenvironment where OS mature, i.e., the subretinal space (SRS), and discuss SRS role in photoreceptors metabolic reprogramming required for OS generation. We also address bioengineering issues to improve culture systems proficiency to promote OS maturation in hiPSC-derived ROs. This issue is crucial, as satisfying the demanding metabolic needs of photoreceptors may unleash hiPSC-derived ROs full potential for disease modeling, drug development, and replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ivana Barravecchia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | | | - Debora Angeloni
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Gian Carlo Demontis
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
- Correspondence: (M.A.); (G.C.D.)
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26
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Risner ML, Pasini S, Chamling X, McGrady NR, Goldberg JL, Zack DJ, Calkins DJ. Intrinsic Morphologic and Physiologic Development of Human Derived Retinal Ganglion Cells In Vitro. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:1. [PMID: 34383881 PMCID: PMC8362626 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.10.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Human retinal ganglion cells (hRGC) derived from human pluripotent stem cells are promising candidates to model, protect, and replace degenerating RGCs. Here, we examined intrinsic morphologic and physiologic development of hRGCs. Methods We used CRISPR-Cas9 to selectively express tdTomato under the RGC-specific promoter, BRN3B. Human pluripotent stem cells were chemically differentiated into hRGCs and cultured up to 7 weeks. We measured soma area, neurite complexity, synaptic protein, axon-related messenger RNA and protein, and voltage-dependent responses. Results Soma area, neurite complexity, and postsynaptic density protein 95 increased over time. Soma area and neurite complexity increased proportionally week to week, and this relationship was dynamic, strengthening between 2 and 3 weeks and diminishing by 4 weeks. Postsynaptic density 95 localization was dependent on culture duration. After 1 to 2 weeks, postsynaptic density 95 localized within somas but redistributed along neurites after 3 to 4 weeks. Axon initial segment scaffolding protein, Ankyrin G, expression also increased over time, and by 7 weeks, Ankyrin G often localized within putative axons. Voltage-gated inward currents progressively developed, but outward currents matured by 4 weeks. Current-induced spike generation increased over time but limited by depolarization block. Conclusions Human RGCs develop up to 7 weeks after culture. Thus, the state of hRGC maturation should be accounted for in designing models and treatments for optic neuropathies. Translational Relevance We characterized hRGC morphologic and physiologic development towards identifying key time points when hRGCs express mechanisms that may be harnessed to enhance the efficacy of neuroprotective and cell replacement therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Risner
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Silvia Pasini
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Xitiz Chamling
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nolan R McGrady
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Goldberg
- Byers Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Donald J Zack
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David J Calkins
- Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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27
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Wagstaff EL, Heredero Berzal A, Boon CJF, Quinn PMJ, ten Asbroek ALMA, Bergen AA. The Role of Small Molecules and Their Effect on the Molecular Mechanisms of Early Retinal Organoid Development. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7081. [PMID: 34209272 PMCID: PMC8268497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Early in vivo embryonic retinal development is a well-documented and evolutionary conserved process. The specification towards eye development is temporally controlled by consecutive activation or inhibition of multiple key signaling pathways, such as the Wnt and hedgehog signaling pathways. Recently, with the use of retinal organoids, researchers aim to manipulate these pathways to achieve better human representative models for retinal development and disease. To achieve this, a plethora of different small molecules and signaling factors have been used at various time points and concentrations in retinal organoid differentiations, with varying success. Additions differ from protocol to protocol, but their usefulness or efficiency has not yet been systematically reviewed. Interestingly, many of these small molecules affect the same and/or multiple pathways, leading to reduced reproducibility and high variability between studies. In this review, we make an inventory of the key signaling pathways involved in early retinogenesis and their effect on the development of the early retina in vitro. Further, we provide a comprehensive overview of the small molecules and signaling factors that are added to retinal organoid differentiation protocols, documenting the molecular and functional effects of these additions. Lastly, we comparatively evaluate several of these factors using our established retinal organoid methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie L. Wagstaff
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA), 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Andrea Heredero Berzal
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA), 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.H.B.); (C.J.F.B.)
| | - Camiel J. F. Boon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA), 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.H.B.); (C.J.F.B.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter M. J. Quinn
- Jonas Children’s Vision Care and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center—New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | | | - Arthur A. Bergen
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA), 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Department of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA), 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (A.H.B.); (C.J.F.B.)
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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28
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Restoration of vision in patients blinded by advanced optic neuropathies requires technologies that can either 1) salvage damaged and prevent further degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), or 2) replace lost RGCs. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Review of scientific literature. RESULTS In this article, we discuss the different barriers to cell-replacement based strategies for optic nerve regeneration and provide an update regarding what progress that has been made to overcome them. We also provide an update on current stem cell-based therapies for optic nerve regeneration. CONCLUSIONS As neuro-regenerative and cell-transplantation based strategies for optic nerve regeneration continue to be refined, researchers and clinicians will need to work together to determine who will be a good candidate for such therapies.
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29
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Retinal Ganglion Cell Transplantation: Approaches for Overcoming Challenges to Functional Integration. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061426. [PMID: 34200991 PMCID: PMC8228580 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As part of the central nervous system, mammalian retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) lack significant regenerative capacity. Glaucoma causes progressive and irreversible vision loss by damaging RGCs and their axons, which compose the optic nerve. To functionally restore vision, lost RGCs must be replaced. Despite tremendous advancements in experimental models of optic neuropathy that have elucidated pathways to induce endogenous RGC neuroprotection and axon regeneration, obstacles to achieving functional visual recovery through exogenous RGC transplantation remain. Key challenges include poor graft survival, low donor neuron localization to the host retina, and inadequate dendritogenesis and synaptogenesis with afferent amacrine and bipolar cells. In this review, we summarize the current state of experimental RGC transplantation, and we propose a set of standard approaches to quantifying and reporting experimental outcomes in order to guide a collective effort to advance the field toward functional RGC replacement and optic nerve regeneration.
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30
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Peron C, Maresca A, Cavaliere A, Iannielli A, Broccoli V, Carelli V, Di Meo I, Tiranti V. Exploiting hiPSCs in Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON): Present Achievements and Future Perspectives. Front Neurol 2021; 12:648916. [PMID: 34168607 PMCID: PMC8217617 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.648916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
More than 30 years after discovering Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) as the first maternally inherited disease associated with homoplasmic mtDNA mutations, we still struggle to achieve effective therapies. LHON is characterized by selective degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and is the most frequent mitochondrial disease, which leads young people to blindness, in particular males. Despite that causative mutations are present in all tissues, only a specific cell type is affected. Our deep understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms in LHON is hampered by the lack of appropriate models since investigations have been traditionally performed in non-neuronal cells. Effective in-vitro models of LHON are now emerging, casting promise to speed our understanding of pathophysiology and test therapeutic strategies to accelerate translation into clinic. We here review the potentials of these new models and their impact on the future of LHON patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Peron
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Maresca
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavaliere
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Iannielli
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Valerio Carelli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, Bologna, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences-DIBINEM, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ivano Di Meo
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Tiranti
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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31
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Zhou X, Rui Y, Peng J, Wang Y, He Y, Wang C, Peng M, Zhang X, Xia X, Song W. Transplantation of reprogrammed peripheral blood cells differentiates into retinal ganglion cells in the mouse eye with NMDA-induced injury. J Cell Physiol 2021; 236:8099-8109. [PMID: 34101182 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.30464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The generation of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) holds significant implications for replacement therapy in treating optic neuropathies such as glaucoma. Stem-cell-based therapy targeted at replacing and replenishing retinal ganglion cells is progressing at a fast pace. However, clinical application necessitates an efficient and robust approach for cell manufacturing. Here, we examine whether the embryo body derived from human peripheral blood-derived iPSC can localize into the host retina and differentiate into retinal ganglion cells after transplantation into a glaucoma injury model. Human peripheral blood T cells were isolated and reprogrammed into an induced pluripotent stem cell (TiPSC) line using Sendai virus transduction carrying transcription factors Sox2, Klf4, c-Myc, and Oct4. TiPSCs were differentiated into RGC using neural basal culture. For in vivo studies, embryo bodies derived from TiPSCs (TiPSC-EB) were injected into the vitreous cavity of N-Methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA)-treated mice 2 weeks before sacrifice and retinal dissection. Induced pluripotent stem cells generated from human peripheral blood T cells display stem cell morphology and pluripotency markers. Furthermore, RGC-like cells differentiated from TiPSC exhibit extending axons and RGC marker TUJ1. When transplanted intravitreally into NMDA-treated mice, embryo bodies derived from TiPSC survived, migrated, and incorporated into the retina's GCL layer. In addition, TiPSC-EB transplants were able to differentiate into TUJ1 positive RGC-like cells. Retinal ganglion cells can be differentiated using human peripheral blood cells derived iPSC. Transplantation of embryo body derived from TiPSCs into a glaucoma mouse model could incorporate into host GCL and differentiate into RGC-like cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuezhi Zhou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yuhua Rui
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jingjie Peng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yujue Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ye He
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Manjuan Peng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Weitao Song
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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32
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Sayyad Z, Vishwakarma S, Dave TV, Naik MN, Radha V, Kaur I, Swarup G. Human primary retinal cells as an in-vitro model for investigating defective signalling caused by OPTN mutants associated with glaucoma. Neurochem Int 2021; 148:105075. [PMID: 34023378 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Studies carried out on the pathogenesis of glaucoma using murine cell lines and animal models require to be validated in human cells. Therefore, we explored the possibility of using human primary retinal cells (hPRCs) in culture as a model for molecular studies and testing of potential therapeutic drugs. For this purpose, central retinal tissue, obtained from the enucleated eyes of patients with anterior staphyloma, was digested with trypsin and grown in a medium containing supplements (basic fibroblast growth factor and fetal bovine serum). hPRCs at passage 1 and 2, show expression of either GFAP, a glial cell marker, or β-III tubulin, a retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-specific marker. But at passages 3-5 nearly all of hPRCs express several RGC-specific markers (Brn3 proteins, Thy-1, β-III tubulin, RBPMS and NeuN) but not GFAP. Expression of these markers indicated that these cells may have functional properties of RGCs. As RGCs are sensitive to glaucoma-associated mutants of OPTN, we analysed the survival of hPRCs upon overexpression of OPTN mutants. Glaucoma-associated mutants, E50K-OPTN and M98K-OPTN, induced significantly higher cell death in hPRCs compared to WT-OPTN, whereas an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated mutant, E478G-OPTN, did not. TBK1 inhibitor Amlexanox protected hPRCs from E50K-OPTN and M98K-OPTN induced cell death. M98K-OPTN induced cell death was suppressed by inhibitors of CaMKKβ and AMPK in hPRCs as well as in 661W, a mouse cell line that expresses several markers of RGCs and RGC precursor cells. Our results suggest that hPRCs under appropriate culture condition show RGC-like properties. These cells can be used to explore the molecular mechanisms of cell death relevant for glaucoma pathogenesis and for testing of cytoprotective compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuberwasim Sayyad
- CSIR- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Sushma Vishwakarma
- Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Tarjani Vivek Dave
- Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Milind N Naik
- Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India
| | - Vegesna Radha
- CSIR- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, India
| | - Inderjeet Kaur
- Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.
| | - Ghanshyam Swarup
- CSIR- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, India.
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33
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Zhang X, Mandric I, Nguyen KH, Nguyen TTT, Pellegrini M, Grove JCR, Barnes S, Yang XJ. Single Cell Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal the Impact of bHLH Factors on Human Retinal Organoid Development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:653305. [PMID: 34055784 PMCID: PMC8155690 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.653305] [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] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The developing retina expresses multiple bHLH transcription factors. Their precise functions and interactions in uncommitted retinal progenitors remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we investigate the roles of bHLH factors ATOH7 and Neurog2 in human ES cell-derived retinal organoids. Single cell transcriptome analyses identify three states of proliferating retinal progenitors: pre-neurogenic, neurogenic, and cell cycle-exiting progenitors. Each shows different expression profile of bHLH factors. The cell cycle-exiting progenitors feed into a postmitotic heterozygous neuroblast pool that gives rise to early born neuronal lineages. Elevating ATOH7 or Neurog2 expression accelerates the transition from the pre-neurogenic to the neurogenic state, and expands the exiting progenitor and neuroblast populations. In addition, ATOH7 and Neurog2 significantly, yet differentially, enhance retinal ganglion cell and cone photoreceptor production. Moreover, single cell transcriptome analyses reveal that ATOH7 and Neurog2 each assert positive autoregulation, and both suppress key bHLH factors associated with the pre-neurogenic and states and elevate bHLH factors expressed by exiting progenitors and differentiating neuroblasts. This study thus provides novel insight regarding how ATOH7 and Neurog2 impact human retinal progenitor behaviors and neuroblast fate choices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangmei Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Igor Mandric
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Kevin H Nguyen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Thao T T Nguyen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - James C R Grove
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Steven Barnes
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Doheny Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Xian-Jie Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Singh D, Chen X, Xia T, Ghiassi-Nejad M, Tainsh L, Adelman RA, Rizzolo LJ. Partially Differentiated Neuroretinal Cells Promote Maturation of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 61:9. [PMID: 33151282 PMCID: PMC7671856 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.13.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Many studies have demonstrated the ability of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to foster the maturation of the developing retina. Few studies have examined the reciprocal effects of developing retina on the RPE. Methods RPE isolated from human fetal RPE or differentiated from human stem cells was cultured on Transwell filter inserts. Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) were differentiated from human stem cells and cultured on a planar scaffold composed of gelatin, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and laminin-521. Cultures were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Results RPCs initially differentiated into several retina-like cell types that segregated from one another and formed loosely organized layers or zones. With time, the presumptive photoreceptor and ganglion cell layers persisted, but the intervening zone became dominated by cells that expressed glial markers with no evidence of bipolar cells or interneurons. Co-culture of this underdeveloped retinoid with the RPE resulted in a thickened layer of recoverin-positive cells but did not prevent the loss of interneuron markers in the intervening zone. Although photoreceptor inner and outer segments were not observed, immunoblots revealed that co-culture increased expression of rhodopsin and red/green opsin. Co-culture of the RPE with this underdeveloped retinal culture increased the TER of the RPE and the expression of RPE signature genes. Conclusions These studies indicated that an immature neurosensory retina can foster maturation of the RPE; however, the ability of RPE alone to foster maturation of the neurosensory retina is limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Singh
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Tina Xia
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Maryam Ghiassi-Nejad
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Laurel Tainsh
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Ron A Adelman
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
| | - Lawrence J Rizzolo
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States
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35
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Vielle A, Park YK, Secora C, Vergara MN. Organoids for the Study of Retinal Development and Developmental Abnormalities. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:667880. [PMID: 34025363 PMCID: PMC8131530 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.667880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The cumulative knowledge of retina development has been instrumental in the generation of retinal organoid systems from pluripotent stem cells; and these three-dimensional organoid models, in turn, have provided unprecedented opportunities for retinal research and translational applications, including the ability to model disease in a human setting and to apply these models to the development and validation of therapeutic drugs. In this review article, we examine how retinal organoids can also contribute to our understanding of retinal developmental mechanisms, how this knowledge can be applied to modeling developmental abnormalities, and highlight some of the avenues that remain to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Vielle
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Program, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.,Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Yuna K Park
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Program, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Conner Secora
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Program, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.,Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, Aurora, CO, United States.,Master of Science in Modern Human Anatomy Program, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - M Natalia Vergara
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Program, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States.,Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, Aurora, CO, United States
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36
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The role of PGS/PCL scaffolds in promoting differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into retinal ganglion cells. Acta Biomater 2021; 126:238-248. [PMID: 33771718 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The stem cell-based retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) replacement therapy offers a potential to restore vision in progressive optic neuropathies including glaucoma by replacing degenerated RGCs and by simulating axonal regeneration. Injured optic nerve axons do not regenerate owing to the limited intrinsic capacity of the neurons and the inhibitory environment at the injury site. Polymeric tissue scaffolds are able to modulate the physical environment while providing structural support for transplanted cells, however, their application specific to the RGC generation has been far from conclusive. The successful generation of clinically safe and functional RGCs that can appropriately integrate into the hosts' retinas still remain largely unresolved. Our study reports on a process that enables generation of RGCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) that is simple, straightforward and repeatable and, investigates the influence of the aligned poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold on this differentiation process. Our findings demonstrate that PGS/PCL scaffold promotes differentiation of hESCs into RGC-like cells possibly by the simulation of cell active environmental signalling and, facilitates the growth of RGCs neurites along their lengths. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Glaucoma can lead to the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), with consequential vision loss. RGCs are incapable of self-renewal, replacement of diseased RGCs with healthy cells has been a goal to restore vision in glaucoma patients. In this regard, stem cell RGC replacement therapy has been shown to improve vision in animal models of glaucoma, which could be facilitated by using tissue-engineered polymeric scaffolds. In this study, we generated homogenous stem cell-derived RGCs via a straightforward differentiation protocol and evaluated the effects of PGS/PCL scaffold on RGCs differentiation and growth of RGCs neurites. Our study contributes to the knowledge on how biomaterial scaffolds are able to support the regeneration of RGC neurites (i.e., axons or dendrites) as a part of a possible future clinical therapy for the treatment of glaucoma.
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Ahmad Mulyadi Lai HI, Chou SJ, Chien Y, Tsai PH, Chien CS, Hsu CC, Jheng YC, Wang ML, Chiou SH, Chou YB, Hwang DK, Lin TC, Chen SJ, Yang YP. Expression of Endogenous Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Organoids. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1320. [PMID: 33525682 PMCID: PMC7865454 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was identified as the main host cell receptor for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its subsequent infection. In some coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, it has been reported that the nervous tissues and the eyes were also affected. However, evidence supporting that the retina is a target tissue for SARS-CoV-2 infection is still lacking. This present study aimed to investigate whether ACE2 expression plays a role in human retinal neurons during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived retinal organoids and monolayer cultures derived from dissociated retinal organoids were generated. To validate the potential entry of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the retina, we showed that hiPSC-derived retinal organoids and monolayer cultures endogenously express ACE2 and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) on the mRNA level. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed the protein expression of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in retinal organoids and monolayer cultures. Furthermore, using the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus spike protein with GFP expression system, we found that retinal organoids and monolayer cultures can potentially be infected by the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus. Collectively, our findings highlighted the potential of iPSC-derived retinal organoids as the models for ACE2 receptor-based SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henkie Isahwan Ahmad Mulyadi Lai
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (H.I.A.M.L.); (S.-J.C.); (P.-H.T.); (C.-S.C.); (S.-H.C.)
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Selangor, Shah Alam 40000, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shih-Jie Chou
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (H.I.A.M.L.); (S.-J.C.); (P.-H.T.); (C.-S.C.); (S.-H.C.)
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
| | - Yueh Chien
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
| | - Ping-Hsing Tsai
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (H.I.A.M.L.); (S.-J.C.); (P.-H.T.); (C.-S.C.); (S.-H.C.)
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
| | - Chian-Shiu Chien
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (H.I.A.M.L.); (S.-J.C.); (P.-H.T.); (C.-S.C.); (S.-H.C.)
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
| | - Chih-Chien Hsu
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Chun Jheng
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
- Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Mong-Lien Wang
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Institute of Food Safety and Health Risk Assessment, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Hwa Chiou
- Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (H.I.A.M.L.); (S.-J.C.); (P.-H.T.); (C.-S.C.); (S.-H.C.)
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Bai Chou
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - De-Kuang Hwang
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Tai-Chi Lin
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Chen
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ping Yang
- Division of Basic Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (Y.C.); (Y.-C.J.); (M.-L.W.)
- School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; (C.-C.H.); (Y.-B.C.); (D.-K.H.)
- Institute of Food Safety and Health Risk Assessment, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
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Hereditary Optic Neuropathies: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Based 2D/3D Approaches. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12010112. [PMID: 33477675 PMCID: PMC7831942 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010112] [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: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited optic neuropathies share visual impairment due to the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) as the hallmark of the disease. This group of genetic disorders are caused by mutations in nuclear genes or in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). An impaired mitochondrial function is the underlying mechanism of these diseases. Currently, optic neuropathies lack an effective treatment, and the implementation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology would entail a huge step forward. The generation of iPSC-derived RGCs would allow faithfully modeling these disorders, and these RGCs would represent an appealing platform for drug screening as well, paving the way for a proper therapy. Here, we review the ongoing two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) approaches based on iPSCs and their applications, taking into account the more innovative technologies, which include tissue engineering or microfluidics.
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Wareham LK, Risner ML, Calkins DJ. Protect, Repair, and Regenerate: Towards Restoring Vision in Glaucoma. CURRENT OPHTHALMOLOGY REPORTS 2020; 8:301-310. [PMID: 33269115 PMCID: PMC7686214 DOI: 10.1007/s40135-020-00259-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We summarize recent advances in strategies that aim to restore optic nerve function and vision in glaucoma through protective, reparative, and regenerative avenues. RECENT FINDINGS Neuroprotection relies on identification of early retinal ganglion cell dysfunction, which could prove challenging in the clinic. Cell replacement therapies show promise in restoring lost vision, but some hurdles remain in restoring visual circuitry in the retina and central connections in the brain. SUMMARY Identification and manipulation of intrinsic and extrinsic cellular mechanisms that promote axon regeneration in both resident and transplanted RGCs will drive future advances in vision restoration. Understanding the roles of multiple cell types in the retina that act in concert to promote RGC survival will aid efforts to promote neuronal health and restoration. Effective RGC transplantation, fine tuning axon guidance and growth, and synaptogenesis of transplanted and resident RGCs are still areas that require more research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K. Wareham
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
| | - Michael L. Risner
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
| | - David J. Calkins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA7100 MCN, 1161 21st Ave S., Nashville, TN 37232 USA
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40
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Rabesandratana O, Chaffiol A, Mialot A, Slembrouck-Brec A, Joffrois C, Nanteau C, Rodrigues A, Gagliardi G, Reichman S, Sahel JA, Chédotal A, Duebel J, Goureau O, Orieux G. Generation of a Transplantable Population of Human iPSC-Derived Retinal Ganglion Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:585675. [PMID: 33195235 PMCID: PMC7652757 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.585675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Optic neuropathies are a major cause of visual impairment due to retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration. Human induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a powerful tool for studying both human RGC development and RGC-related pathological mechanisms. Because RGC loss can be massive before the diagnosis of visual impairment, cell replacement is one of the most encouraging strategies. The present work describes the generation of functional RGCs from iPSCs based on innovative 3D/2D stepwise differentiation protocol. We demonstrate that targeting the cell surface marker THY1 is an effective strategy to select transplantable RGCs. By generating a fluorescent GFP reporter iPSC line to follow transplanted cells, we provide evidence that THY1-positive RGCs injected into the vitreous of mice with optic neuropathy can survive up to 1 month, intermingled with the host RGC layer. These data support the usefulness of iPSC-derived RGC exploration as a potential future therapeutic strategy for optic nerve regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Antoine Chaffiol
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Mialot
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Corentin Joffrois
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Céline Nanteau
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Amélie Rodrigues
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Sacha Reichman
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - José-Alain Sahel
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France.,CHNO des Quinze-Vingts, INSERM-DHOS CIC 1423, Paris, France.,Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jens Duebel
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Goureau
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Gael Orieux
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
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Pereiro X, Miltner AM, La Torre A, Vecino E. Effects of Adult Müller Cells and Their Conditioned Media on the Survival of Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Ganglion Cells. Cells 2020; 9:E1759. [PMID: 32708020 PMCID: PMC7465792 DOI: 10.3390/cells9081759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal neurons, particularly retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), are susceptible to the degenerative damage caused by different inherited conditions and environmental insults, leading to irreversible vision loss and, ultimately, blindness. Numerous strategies are being tested in different models of degeneration to restore vision and, in recent years, stem cell technologies have offered novel avenues to obtain donor cells for replacement therapies. To date, stem cell-based transplantation in the retina has been attempted as treatment for photoreceptor degeneration, but the same tools could potentially be applied to other retinal cell types, including RGCs. However, RGC-like cells are not an abundant cell type in stem cell-derived cultures and, often, these cells degenerate over time in vitro. To overcome this limitation, we have taken advantage of the neuroprotective properties of Müller glia (one of the main glial cell types in the retina) and we have examined whether Müller glia and the factors they secrete could promote RGC-like cell survival in organoid cultures. Accordingly, stem cell-derived RGC-like cells were co-cultured with adult Müller cells or Müller cell-conditioned media was added to the cultures. Remarkably, RGC-like cell survival was substantially enhanced in both culture conditions, and we also observed a significant increase in their neurite length. Interestingly, Atoh7, a transcription factor required for RGC development, was up-regulated in stem cell-derived organoids exposed to conditioned media, suggesting that Müller cells may also enhance the survival of retinal progenitors and/or postmitotic precursor cells. In conclusion, Müller cells and the factors they release promote organoid-derived RGC-like cell survival, neuritogenesis, and possibly neuronal maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xandra Pereiro
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, 48940 Vizcaya, Spain;
| | - Adam M. Miltner
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (A.M.M.); (A.L.T.)
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (A.M.M.); (A.L.T.)
| | - Elena Vecino
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, 48940 Vizcaya, Spain;
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Dual SMAD inhibition and Wnt inhibition enable efficient and reproducible differentiations of induced pluripotent stem cells into retinal ganglion cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11828. [PMID: 32678240 PMCID: PMC7366935 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68811-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies that share common biological and clinical characteristics including irreversible changes to the optic nerve and visual field loss caused by the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The loss of RGCs manifests as characteristic cupping or optic nerve degeneration, resulting in visual field loss in patients with Glaucoma. Published studies on in vitro RGC differentiation from stem cells utilized classical RGC signaling pathways mimicking retinal development in vivo. Although many strategies allowed for the generation of RGCs, increased variability between experiments and lower yield hampered the cross comparison between individual lines and between experiments. To address this critical need, we developed a reproducible chemically defined in vitro methodology for generating retinal progenitor cell (RPC) populations from iPSCs, that are efficiently directed towards RGC lineage. Using this method, we reproducibly differentiated iPSCs into RGCs with greater than 80% purity, without any genetic modifications. We used small molecules and peptide modulators to inhibit BMP, TGF-β (SMAD), and canonical Wnt pathways that reduced variability between iPSC lines and yielded functional and mature iPSC-RGCs. Using CD90.2 antibody and Magnetic Activated Cell Sorter (MACS) technique, we successfully purified Thy-1 positive RGCs with nearly 95% purity.
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43
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Hua ZQ, Liu H, Wang N, Jin ZB. Towards stem cell-based neuronal regeneration for glaucoma. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 257:99-118. [PMID: 32988476 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease as a leading cause of global blindness. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis and optic nerve damage are the main pathological changes. Patients have elevated intraocular pressure and progressive visual field loss. Unfortunately, current treatments for glaucoma merely stay at delaying the disease progression. As a promising treatment, stem cell-based neuronal regeneration therapy holds potential for glaucoma, thereby great efforts have been paid on it. RGC regeneration and transplantation are key approaches for the future treatment of glaucoma. A line of studies have shown that a variety of cells can be used to regenerate RGCs, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). In this review, we overview the current progress on the regeneration of pluripotent stem cell-derived RGCs and outlook the perspective and challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Qi Hua
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration, Institute of Stem Cell Research, The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration, Institute of Stem Cell Research, The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ningli Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing, China.
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44
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Brighi C, Cordella F, Chiriatti L, Soloperto A, Di Angelantonio S. Retinal and Brain Organoids: Bridging the Gap Between in vivo Physiology and in vitro Micro-Physiology for the Study of Alzheimer's Diseases. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:655. [PMID: 32625060 PMCID: PMC7311765 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in tissue engineering has led to increasingly complex approaches to investigate human neurodegenerative diseases in vitro, such as Alzheimer's disease, aiming to provide more functional and physiological models for the study of their pathogenesis, and possibly the identification of novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical and retinal organoids represent a novel class of in vitro three-dimensional models capable to recapitulate with a high similarity the structure and the complexity of the native brain and retinal tissues, thus providing a framework for better mimicking in a dish the patient's disease features. This review aims to discuss progress made over the years in the field of in vitro three-dimensional cell culture systems, and the benefits and disadvantages related to a possible application of organoids for the study of neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease, providing a promising breakthrough toward a personalized medicine approach and the reduction in the use of humanized animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Brighi
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Cordella
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Chiriatti
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Di Angelantonio
- Center for Life Nanoscience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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45
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VanderWall KB, Huang KC, Pan Y, Lavekar SS, Fligor CM, Allsop AR, Lentsch KA, Dang P, Zhang C, Tseng HC, Cummins TR, Meyer JS. Retinal Ganglion Cells With a Glaucoma OPTN(E50K) Mutation Exhibit Neurodegenerative Phenotypes when Derived from Three-Dimensional Retinal Organoids. Stem Cell Reports 2020; 15:52-66. [PMID: 32531194 PMCID: PMC7363877 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) serve as the connection between the eye and the brain, with this connection disrupted in glaucoma. Numerous cellular mechanisms have been associated with glaucomatous neurodegeneration, and useful cellular models of glaucoma allow for the precise analysis of degenerative phenotypes. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) serve as powerful tools for studying human disease, particularly cellular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Thus, efforts focused upon hPSCs with an E50K mutation in the Optineurin (OPTN) gene, a leading cause of inherited forms of glaucoma. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing introduced the OPTN(E50K) mutation into existing lines of hPSCs, as well as generating isogenic controls from patient-derived lines. RGCs differentiated from OPTN(E50K) hPSCs exhibited numerous neurodegenerative deficits, including neurite retraction, autophagy dysfunction, apoptosis, and increased excitability. These results demonstrate the utility of OPTN(E50K) RGCs as an in vitro model of neurodegeneration, with the opportunity to develop novel therapeutic approaches for glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirstin B VanderWall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Kang-Chieh Huang
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yanling Pan
- Indiana BioMedical Gateway Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sailee S Lavekar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Clarisse M Fligor
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Anna R Allsop
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Kelly A Lentsch
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Pengtao Dang
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Henry C Tseng
- Duke Eye Center and Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Theodore R Cummins
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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46
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Behtaj S, Öchsner A, Anissimov YG, Rybachuk M. Retinal Tissue Bioengineering, Materials and Methods for the Treatment of Glaucoma. Tissue Eng Regen Med 2020; 17:253-269. [PMID: 32390117 PMCID: PMC7260329 DOI: 10.1007/s13770-020-00254-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glaucoma, a characteristic type of optic nerve degeneration in the posterior pole of the eye, is a common cause of irreversible vision loss and the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. As an optic neuropathy, glaucoma is identified by increasing degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), with consequential vision loss. Current treatments only postpone the development of retinal degeneration, and there are as yet no treatments available for this disability. Recent studies have shown that replacing lost or damaged RGCs with healthy RGCs or RGC precursors, supported by appropriately designed bio-material scaffolds, could facilitate the development and enhancement of connections to ganglion cells and optic nerve axons. The consequence may be an improved retinal regeneration. This technique could also offer the possibility for retinal regeneration in treating other forms of optic nerve ailments through RGC replacement. METHODS In this brief review, we describe the innovations and recent developments in retinal regenerative medicine such as retinal organoids and gene therapy which are specific to glaucoma treatment and focus on the selection of appropriate bio-engineering principles, biomaterials and cell therapies that are presently employed in this growing research area. RESULTS Identification of optimal sources of cells, improving cell survival, functional integration upon transplantation, and developing techniques to deliver cells into the retinal space without provoking immune responses are the main challenges in retinal cell replacement therapies. CONCLUSION The restoration of visual function in glaucoma patients by the RGC replacement therapies requires appropriate protocols and biotechnology methods. Tissue-engineered scaffolds, the generation of retinal organoids, and gene therapy may help to overcome some of the challenges in the generation of clinically safe RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Behtaj
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Engineering Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, West Creek Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cell Science Research Centre, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Andreas Öchsner
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, Kanalstrasse 33, 73728, Esslingen, Germany
| | - Yuri G Anissimov
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, West Creek Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, 119146, Russia
| | - Maksym Rybachuk
- Queensland Micro- and Nanotechnology Centre, Griffith University, West Creek Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia.
- School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia.
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47
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Artero-Castro A, Rodriguez-Jimenez FJ, Jendelova P, VanderWall KB, Meyer JS, Erceg S. Glaucoma as a Neurodegenerative Disease Caused by Intrinsic Vulnerability Factors. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 193:101817. [PMID: 32360241 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma, one of the most common causes of blindness in developing countries today, involves a progressive loss of neural cells in the optic nerve that leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. Increased intraocular pressure (IOP) presents as a major risk factor for glaucoma, although there exist cases of glaucoma patients with normal IOP that exhibit damage to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the optic nerve. However, treatment approaches have maintained their focus on modifying IOP due to a lack of other modifiable risks factors. Traditional concepts in glaucoma involve the neuronal environment and external effects as a source of causative factors; however, studies have yet to investigate whether the molecular profile of RGCs in glaucoma patients makes them more vulnerable and/or susceptible to external damage. Our hypothesis states that molecular changes at the whole cell, gene expression, and electrophysiological level of the neurons can contribute to their degeneration. Herein, we briefly describe different types of glaucoma and any similarities to different molecular and cellular features of neurodegeneration. To test our hypothesis, we describe human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) as a reliable cellular tool to model neurodegenerative aspects of glaucoma to reveal the multiple pathological molecular mechanisms underlying disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Artero-Castro
- Stem Cells Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Research Center "Principe Felipe", Valencia, Spain.
| | | | - Pavla Jendelova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Neuroregeneration, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Kirstin B VanderWall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Jason S Meyer
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Slaven Erceg
- Stem Cells Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Research Center "Principe Felipe", Valencia, Spain; National Stem Cell Bank-Valencia Node, Platform for Proteomics, Genotyping and Cell Lines, PRB3,ISCIII, Research Center "Principe Felipe", Valencia, Spain; Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Department of Neuroregeneration, Prague, Czech Republic.
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48
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Mouse γ-Synuclein Promoter-Mediated Gene Expression and Editing in Mammalian Retinal Ganglion Cells. J Neurosci 2020; 40:3896-3914. [PMID: 32300046 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0102-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Optic neuropathies are a group of optic nerve (ON) diseases caused by various insults including glaucoma, inflammation, ischemia, trauma, and genetic deficits, which are characterized by retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and ON degeneration. An increasing number of genes involved in RGC intrinsic signaling have been found to be promising neural repair targets that can potentially be modulated directly by gene therapy, if we can achieve RGC specific gene targeting. To address this challenge, we first used adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer to perform a low-throughput in vivo screening in both male and female mouse eyes and identified the mouse γ-synuclein (mSncg) promoter, which specifically and potently sustained transgene expression in mouse RGCs and also works in human RGCs. We further demonstrated that gene therapy that combines AAV-mSncg promoter with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene editing can knock down pro-degenerative genes in RGCs and provide effective neuroprotection in optic neuropathies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Here, we present an RGC-specific promoter, mouse γ-synuclein (mSncg) promoter, and perform extensive characterization and proof-of-concept studies of mSncg promoter-mediated gene expression and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene editing in RGCs in vivo To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating in vivo neuroprotection of injured RGCs and optic nerve (ON) by AAV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 inhibition of genes that are critical for neurodegeneration. It represents a powerful tool to achieve RGC-specific gene modulation, and also opens up a promising gene therapy strategy for optic neuropathies, the most common form of eye diseases that cause irreversible blindness.
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49
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D'Costa K, Kosic M, Lam A, Moradipour A, Zhao Y, Radisic M. Biomaterials and Culture Systems for Development of Organoid and Organ-on-a-Chip Models. Ann Biomed Eng 2020; 48:2002-2027. [PMID: 32285341 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-020-02498-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The development of novel 3D tissue culture systems has enabled the in vitro study of in vivo processes, thereby overcoming many of the limitations of previous 2D tissue culture systems. Advances in biomaterials, including the discovery of novel synthetic polymers has allowed for the generation of physiologically relevant in vitro 3D culture models. A large number of 3D culture systems, aided by novel organ-on-a-chip and bioreactor technologies have been developed to improve reproducibility and scalability of in vitro organ models. The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the increasing number of protocols to generate iPSC-derived cell types has allowed for the generation of novel 3D models with minimal ethical limitations. The production of iPSC-derived 3D cultures has revolutionized the field of developmental biology and in particular, the study of fetal brain development. Furthermore, physiologically relevant 3D cultures generated from PSCs or adult stem cells (ASCs) have greatly advanced in vitro disease modelling and drug discovery. This review focuses on advances in 3D culture systems over the past years to model fetal development, disease pathology and support drug discovery in vitro, with a specific focus on the enabling role of biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katya D'Costa
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Milena Kosic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Angus Lam
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Azeen Moradipour
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yimu Zhao
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Milica Radisic
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. .,Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Toronto General Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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50
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Shrestha R, Wen YT, Tsai RK. Induced pluripotent stem cells and derivative photoreceptor precursors as therapeutic cells for retinal degenerations. Tzu Chi Med J 2020; 32:101-112. [PMID: 32269941 PMCID: PMC7137374 DOI: 10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_147_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 07/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The visual impairment associated with inherited retinal degeneration and age-related degeneration of photoreceptors is causing substantial challenges in finding effective therapies. However, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived therapeutic cells such as photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells provide the ultimate options in the rescue of lost photoreceptors to improve the visual function in end-stage degeneration. Retinal cells derived from iPSC are therapeutic cells that could be promising in the field of cell replacement therapy and regenerative medicine. This review presents an overview of the photoreceptor degeneration, methods of iPSC generation, iPSC in retinal disease modeling, summarizes the photoreceptor differentiation protocols, and challenges remained with photoreceptor cell replacement for the treatment of retinal diseases. Thus, the burden and increased incidence of visual impairment emphasizes the need of novel therapy, where iPSC-derived photoreceptor and RPE cells proved to be promising for curing the retinal dysfunction and act as renovation in approach to improve visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupendra Shrestha
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.,Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Tseng Wen
- Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Kung Tsai
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.,Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan
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