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Park S, Oh HN, Kim WK. Human coculture model of astrocytes and SH-SY5Y cells to test the neurotoxicity of chemicals. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 269:115912. [PMID: 38181562 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we established a coculture model comprising human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes, faithfully replicating the human brain environment for in vitro neurotoxicity assessment. We optimized the cell differentiation duration and cell ratios to obtain images conducive to neurite outgrowth evaluation. Subsequently, the neurotoxic effects in the coculture and monoculture of SH-SY5Y cells were confirmed using neurotoxic agents such as acrylamide (ACR) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Disparities in the neurotoxic impacts of ACR and H2O2 within the coculture were mirrored in the expression of genes associated with early neuronal injury. Notably, the reduction in neurite outgrowth induced by neurotoxic agents revealed the coculture's lower sensitivity compared to monocultures. Furthermore, the coculture system exhibited distinct effects of test agents on nerve damage and manifested protective influences on nerve cells. The proposed methodology holds promise for large-scale chemical neurotoxicity screening through neurite change measurements. This in vitro coculture model, accounting for cell interactions, emerges as a valuable tool in toxicity testing, offering insights into the potential effects of chemicals within the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungmin Park
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea
| | - Ha-Na Oh
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea
| | - Woo-Keun Kim
- Department of Predictive Toxicology, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Daejeon 34114, South Korea; Human and Environmental Toxicology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, South Korea.
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2
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Davidsen N, Lauvås AJ, Myhre O, Ropstad E, Carpi D, Gyves EMD, Berntsen HF, Dirven H, Paulsen RE, Bal-Price A, Pistollato F. Exposure to human relevant mixtures of halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) alters neurodevelopmental processes in human neural stem cells undergoing differentiation. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 100:17-34. [PMID: 33333158 PMCID: PMC7992035 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are known to cause cancer, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and interfere with reproduction and development. Concerns have been raised about the impact of POPs upon brain development and possibly neurodevelopmental disorders. The developing brain is a particularly vulnerable organ due to dynamic and complex neurodevelopmental processes occurring early in life. However, very few studies have reported on the effects of POP mixtures at human relevant exposures, and their impact on key neurodevelopmental processes using human in vitro test systems. Aiming to reduce this knowledge gap, we exposed mixed neuronal/glial cultures differentiated from neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to reconstructed mixtures of 29 different POPs using concentrations comparable to Scandinavian human blood levels. Effects of the POP mixtures on neuronal proliferation, differentiation and synaptogenesis were evaluated using in vitro assays anchored to common key events identified in the existing developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). The present study showed that mixtures of POPs (in particular brominated and chlorinated compounds) at human relevant concentrations increased proliferation of NSCs and decreased synapse number. Based on a mathematical modelling, synaptogenesis and neurite outgrowth seem to be the most sensitive DNT in vitro endpoints. Our results indicate that prenatal exposure to POPs may affect human brain development, potentially contributing to recently observed learning and memory deficits in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichlas Davidsen
- Department of Environmental Health, Section for Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Jacobsen Lauvås
- Department of Environmental Health, Section for Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Oddvar Myhre
- Department of Environmental Health, Section for Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Donatella Carpi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Hanne Friis Berntsen
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway; National Institute of Occupational Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hubert Dirven
- Department of Environmental Health, Section for Toxicology and Risk Assessment, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ragnhild E Paulsen
- Section for Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Bal-Price
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
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3
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Ooka M, Lynch C, Xia M. Application of In Vitro Metabolism Activation in High-Throughput Screening. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218182. [PMID: 33142951 PMCID: PMC7663506 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In vitro methods which incorporate metabolic capability into the assays allow us to assess the activity of metabolites from their parent compounds. These methods can be applied into high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms, thereby increasing the speed to identify compounds that become active via the metabolism process. HTS was originally used in the pharmaceutical industry and now is also used in academic settings to evaluate biological activity and/or toxicity of chemicals. Although most chemicals are metabolized in our body, many HTS assays lack the capability to determine compound activity via metabolism. To overcome this problem, several in vitro metabolic methods have been applied to an HTS format. In this review, we describe in vitro metabolism methods and their application in HTS assays, as well as discuss the future perspectives of HTS with metabolic activity. Each in vitro metabolism method has advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the S9 mix has a full set of liver metabolic enzymes, but it displays high cytotoxicity in cell-based assays. In vitro metabolism requires liver fractions or the use of other metabolically capable systems, including primary hepatocytes or recombinant enzymes. Several newly developed in vitro metabolic methods, including HepaRG cells, three-dimensional (3D) cell models, and organ-on-a-chip technology, will also be discussed. These newly developed in vitro metabolism approaches offer significant progress in dissecting biological processes, developing drugs, and making toxicology studies quicker and more efficient.
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4
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Di Consiglio E, Pistollato F, Mendoza-De Gyves E, Bal-Price A, Testai E. Integrating biokinetics and in vitro studies to evaluate developmental neurotoxicity induced by chlorpyrifos in human iPSC-derived neural stem cells undergoing differentiation towards neuronal and glial cells. Reprod Toxicol 2020; 98:174-188. [PMID: 33011216 PMCID: PMC7772889 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2020.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human iPSC-derived NSCs undergoing differentiation possess some metabolic competence. CPF entered the cells and was biotrasformed into its two main metabolites (CPFO and TCP). After repeated exposure, very limited bioaccumulation of CPF was observed. Treatment with CPF decreased neurite outgrowth, synapse number and electrical activity. Treatment with CPF increased BDNF levels and the percentage of astrocytes.
For some complex toxicological endpoints, chemical safety assessment has conventionally relied on animal testing. Apart from the ethical issues, also scientific considerations have been raised concerning the traditional approach, highlighting the importance for considering real life exposure scenario. Implementation of flexible testing strategies, integrating multiple sources of information, including in vitro reliable test methods and in vitro biokinetics, would enhance the relevance of the obtained results. Such an approach could be pivotal in the evaluation of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT), especially when applied to human cell-based models, mimicking key neurodevelopmental processes, relevant to human brain development. Here, we integrated the kinetic behaviour with the toxicodynamic alterations of chlorpyrifos (CPF), such as in vitro endpoints specific for DNT evaluation, after repeated exposure during differentiation of human neural stem cells into a mixed culture of neurons and astrocytes. The upregulation of some cytochrome P450 and glutathione S-transferase genes during neuronal differentiation and the formation of the two major CPF metabolites (due to bioactivation and detoxification) supported the metabolic competence of the used in vitro model. The alterations in the number of synapses, neurite outgrowth, brain derived neurotrophic factor, the proportion of neurons and astrocytes, as well as spontaneous electrical activity correlated well with the CPF ability to enter the cells and be bioactivated to CPF-oxon. Overall, our results confirm that combining in vitro biokinetics and assays to evaluate effects on neurodevelopmental endpoints in human cells should be regarded as a key strategy for a quantitative characterization of DNT effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Di Consiglio
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Environment and Health Department, Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Models Unit, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Anna Bal-Price
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | - Emanuela Testai
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Environment and Health Department, Mechanisms, Biomarkers and Models Unit, Rome, Italy
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Leonurine promotes neurite outgrowth and neurotrophic activity by modulating the GR/SGK1 signaling pathway in cultured PC12 cells. Neuroreport 2019; 30:247-254. [PMID: 30694908 PMCID: PMC6392205 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder that affects almost 10% of children and adolescents worldwide. Numerous synthetic chemical antidepressants used to treat depression have adverse side effects. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches for depression treatment are urgently needed. Leonurus cardiaca has recently been shown to be effective for the treatment of nervous system diseases such as depression, but its mechanism is not clear. In this study, we aimed to reveal the mechanism underlying leonurine’s antidepressant activity. Leonurine was used to treat corticosterone-induced PC12 cells to examine its effect on neurite outgrowth and neurotrophic factors after treatment with the inhibitor of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and serum-inducible and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SGK1). Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assays were used to evaluate the viability of cells. High content analysis was used to detect cell area, total neurite length, maximum neurite length, and expression of GR, SGK1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophic factor-3 (NT-3), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2). The results showed that leonurine increased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, with the maximal prosurvival effect at 60 μM. Leonurine increased cell area, total neurite length, and maximum neurite length of corticosterone-induced PC12 cells, increased the expression of GR, BDNF, NT-3, and BCL-2, and decreased the expression of SGK1. After treatment with GR inhibitor RU486, the expressions of GR, BDNF, NT-3, and BCL-2 were significantly decreased and SGK1 was increased. In contrast, treatment with GSK650394 had the opposite effect of RU486. Our data indicate that leonurine promotes neurite outgrowth and neurotrophic activity in cultured PC12 cells, and its potential mechanism may involve the GR/SGK1 signaling pathway.
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Mata G, Radojević M, Fernandez-Lozano C, Smal I, Werij N, Morales M, Meijering E, Rubio J. Automated Neuron Detection in High-Content Fluorescence Microscopy Images Using Machine Learning. Neuroinformatics 2019; 17:253-269. [PMID: 30215167 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-018-9399-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The study of neuronal morphology in relation to function, and the development of effective medicines to positively impact this relationship in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, increasingly involves image-based high-content screening and analysis. The first critical step toward fully automated high-content image analyses in such studies is to detect all neuronal cells and distinguish them from possible non-neuronal cells or artifacts in the images. Here we investigate the performance of well-established machine learning techniques for this purpose. These include support vector machines, random forests, k-nearest neighbors, and generalized linear model classifiers, operating on an extensive set of image features extracted using the compound hierarchy of algorithms representing morphology, and the scale-invariant feature transform. We present experiments on a dataset of rat hippocampal neurons from our own studies to find the most suitable classifier(s) and subset(s) of features in the common practical setting where there is very limited annotated data for training. The results indicate that a random forests classifier using the right feature subset ranks best for the considered task, although its performance is not statistically significantly better than some support vector machine based classification models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gadea Mata
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain.
| | - Miroslav Radojević
- Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Carlos Fernandez-Lozano
- Department of Computer Science, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Ihor Smal
- Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Niels Werij
- Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Miguel Morales
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Biophysics Institute, CSIC-UPV/EHU, Campus Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa, Spain
| | - Erik Meijering
- Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics and Radiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Julio Rubio
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain
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Papariello A, Newell-Litwa K. Human-Derived Brain Models: Windows into Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Drug Therapies. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2019; 18:79-88. [PMID: 31090445 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2019.922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-derived neurons and brain organoids have revolutionized our ability to model brain development in a dish. In this review, we discuss the potential for human brain models to advance drug discovery for complex neuropsychiatric disorders. First, we address the advantages of human brain models to screen for new drugs capable of altering CNS activity. Next, we propose an experimental pipeline for using human-derived neurons and brain organoids to rapidly assess drug impact on key events in brain development, including neurite extension, synapse formation, and neural activity. The experimental pipeline begins with automated high content imaging for analysis of neurites, synapses, and neuronal viability. Following morphological examination, multi-well microelectrode array technology examines neural activity in response to drug treatment. These techniques can be combined with high throughput sequencing and mass spectrometry to assess associated transcriptional and proteomic changes. These combined technologies provide a foundation for neuropsychiatric drug discovery and future clinical assessment of patient-specific drug responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Papariello
- Graduate Program of Pharmacology and Toxicology, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina
| | - Karen Newell-Litwa
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina
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8
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Pistollato F, Canovas-Jorda D, Zagoura D, Bal-Price A. Nrf2 pathway activation upon rotenone treatment in human iPSC-derived neural stem cells undergoing differentiation towards neurons and astrocytes. Neurochem Int 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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9
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Tang G, Liu X, Ma N, Huang X, Wu ZL, Zhang W, Wang Y, Zhao BX, Wang ZY, Ip FCF, Ip NY, Ye WC, Shi L, Chen WM. Design and Synthesis of Dimeric Securinine Analogues with Neuritogenic Activities. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:1442-1451. [PMID: 27467236 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurite outgrowth is crucial during neuronal development and regeneration, and strategies that aim at promoting neuritogenesis are beneficial for reconstructing synaptic connections after neuronal degeneration and injury. Using a bivalent analogue strategy as a successful approach, the current study identifies a series of novel dimeric securinine analogues as potent neurite outgrowth enhancers. Compounds 13, 14, 17-19, and 21-23, with different lengths of carbon chain of N,N-dialkyl substituting diacid amide linker between two securinine molecules at C-15 position, exhibited notable positive effects on both neuronal differentiation and neurite extension of neuronal cells. Compound 14, one of the most active compounds, was used as a representative compound for mechanistic studies. Its action on neurite outgrowth was through phosphorylation/activation of multiple signaling molecules including Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt. These findings collectively identify a new group of beneficial compounds for neuritogenesis, and may provide insights on drug discovery of neural repair and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Fanny C. F. Ip
- Division
of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience and
Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon,
Hong Kong, China
| | - Nancy Y. Ip
- Division
of Life Science, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience and
Molecular Neuroscience Center, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon,
Hong Kong, China
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10
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A natural diarylheptanoid promotes neuronal differentiation via activating ERK and PI3K-Akt dependent pathways. Neuroscience 2015; 303:389-401. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2015] [Revised: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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11
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Pistollato F, Louisse J, Scelfo B, Mennecozzi M, Accordi B, Basso G, Gaspar JA, Zagoura D, Barilari M, Palosaari T, Sachinidis A, Bremer-Hoffmann S. Development of a pluripotent stem cell derived neuronal model to identify chemically induced pathway perturbations in relation to neurotoxicity: effects of CREB pathway inhibition. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2014; 280:378-88. [PMID: 25150140 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2014.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
According to the advocated paradigm shift in toxicology, acquisition of knowledge on the mechanisms underlying the toxicity of chemicals, such as perturbations of biological pathways, is of primary interest. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), such as human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), offer a unique opportunity to derive physiologically relevant human cell types to measure molecular and cellular effects of such pathway modulations. Here we compared the neuronal differentiation propensity of hESCs and hiPSCs with the aim to develop novel hiPSC-based tools for measuring pathway perturbation in relation to molecular and cellular effects in vitro. Among other fundamental pathways, also, the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) pathway was activated in our neuronal models and gave us the opportunity to study time-dependent effects elicited by chemical perturbations of the CREB pathway in relation to cellular effects. We show that the inhibition of the CREB pathway, using 2-naphthol-AS-E-phosphate (KG-501), induced an inhibition of neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis, as well as a decrease of MAP2(+) neuronal cells. These data indicate that a CREB pathway inhibition can be related to molecular and cellular effects that may be relevant for neurotoxicity testing, and, thus, qualify the use of our hiPSC-derived neuronal model for studying chemical-induced neurotoxicity resulting from pathway perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jochem Louisse
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Bibiana Scelfo
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Milena Mennecozzi
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Benedetta Accordi
- Oncohematology Laboratory, Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Basso
- Oncohematology Laboratory, Department of Woman and Child Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - John Antonydas Gaspar
- Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dimitra Zagoura
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Manuela Barilari
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Taina Palosaari
- Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP), JRC, Ispra, Italy
| | - Agapios Sachinidis
- Center of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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A human pluripotent carcinoma stem cell-based model for in vitro developmental neurotoxicity testing: effects of methylmercury, lead and aluminum evaluated by gene expression studies. Int J Dev Neurosci 2013; 31:679-91. [PMID: 23501475 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2013.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2012] [Revised: 01/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The major advantage of the neuronal cell culture models derived from human stem cells is their ability to replicate the crucial stages of neurodevelopment such as the commitment of human stem cells to the neuronal lineage and their subsequent stages of differentiation into neuronal and glial-like cell. In these studies we used mixed neuronal/glial culture derived from the NTERA-2 (NT-2) cell line, which has been established from human pluripotent testicular embryonal carcinoma cells. After characterization of the different stages of cell differentiation into neuronal- and glial-like phenotype toxicity studies were performed to evaluate whether this model would be suitable for developmental neurotoxicity studies. The cells were exposed during the differentiation process to non-cytotoxic concentrations of methylmercury chloride, lead chloride and aluminum nitrate for two weeks. The toxicity was then evaluated by measuring the mRNA levels of cell specific markers (neuronal and glial). The results obtained suggest that lead chloride and aluminum nitrate at low concentrations were toxic primarily to astrocytes and at the higher concentrations it also induced neurotoxicity. In contrast, MetHgCl was toxic for both cell types, neuronal and glial, as mRNA specific for astrocytes and neuronal markers were affected. The results obtained suggest that a neuronal mixed culture derived from human NT2 precursor cells is a suitable model for developmental neurotoxicity studies and gene expression could be used as a sensitive endpoint for initial screening of potential neurotoxic compounds.
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13
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Compagnucci C, Di Siena S, Bustamante MB, Di Giacomo D, Di Tommaso M, Maccarrone M, Grimaldi P, Sette C. Type-1 (CB1) cannabinoid receptor promotes neuronal differentiation and maturation of neural stem cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54271. [PMID: 23372698 PMCID: PMC3553153 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) are self-renewing cells that can differentiate into multiple neural lineages and repopulate regions of the brain after injury. We have investigated the role of endocannabinoids (eCBs), endogenous cues that modulate neuronal functions including neurogenesis, and their receptors CB(1) and CB(2) in mouse NSCs. Real-time PCR and Western blot analyses indicated that CB(1) is present at higher levels than CB(2) in NSCs. The eCB anandamide (AEA) or the CB(1)-specific agonist ACEA enhanced NSC differentiation into neurons, but not astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, whereas the CB(2)-specific agonist JWH133 was ineffective. Conversely, the effect of AEA was inhibited by CB(1), but not CB(2), antagonist, corroborating the specificity of the response. CB(1) activation also enhanced maturation of neurons, as indicated by morphometric analysis of neurites. CB(1) stimulation caused long-term inhibition of the ERK1/2 pathway. Consistently, pharmacological inhibition of the ERK1/2 pathway recapitulated the effects exerted by CB(1) activation on neuronal differentiation and maturation. Lastly, gene array profiling showed that CB(1) activation augmented the expression of genes involved in neuronal differentiation while decreasing that of stemness genes. These results highlight the role of CB(1) in the regulation of NSC fate and suggest that its activation may represent a pro-neuronal differentiation signal.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Arachidonic Acids/pharmacology
- Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists/pharmacology
- Cannabinoids/pharmacology
- Cell Differentiation/drug effects
- Embryo, Mammalian
- Endocannabinoids/pharmacology
- Gene Expression/drug effects
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Microarray Analysis
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/genetics
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/metabolism
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/antagonists & inhibitors
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/genetics
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/metabolism
- Neural Stem Cells/cytology
- Neural Stem Cells/drug effects
- Neural Stem Cells/metabolism
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Polyunsaturated Alkamides/pharmacology
- Primary Cell Culture
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/genetics
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Compagnucci
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Di Siena
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Blaire Bustamante
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Giacomo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Monia Di Tommaso
- Laboratory of Lipid Neurochemistry, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Laboratory of Lipid Neurochemistry, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Paola Grimaldi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Anatomy, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Neuroembryology, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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