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Teo F, Kok CYL, Tan MJ, Je HS. Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived microglia for the study of brain disorders. A comprehensive review of existing protocols. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2024; 16:497-508. [PMID: 38655500 PMCID: PMC11035045 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia, resident immune cells of the brain that originate from the yolk sac, play a critical role in maintaining brain homeostasis by monitoring and phagocytosing pathogens and cellular debris in the central nervous system (CNS). While they share characteristics with myeloid cells, they are distinct from macrophages. In response to injury, microglia release pro-inflammatory factors and contribute to brain homeostasis through activities such as synapse pruning and neurogenesis. To better understand their role in neurological disorders, the generation of in vitro models of human microglia has become essential. These models, derived from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), provide a controlled environment to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The incorporation or generation of microglia into three-dimensional (3D) organoid cultures provides a more physiologically relevant environment that offers further opportunities to study microglial dynamics and disease modeling. This review describes several protocols that have been recently developed for the generation of human-induced microglia. Importantly, it highlights the promise of these in vitro models in advancing our understanding of brain disorders and facilitating personalized drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fionicca Teo
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Catherine Yen Li Kok
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Mao-Jia Tan
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - H. Shawn Je
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
- Advanced Bioimaging Centre, SingHealth, Academia, 20 College Road, Singapore 169856, Singapore
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Gajewski MP, Barger SW. Design, synthesis, and characterization of novel system x C- transport inhibitors: inhibition of microglial glutamate release and neurotoxicity. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:292. [PMID: 38057869 PMCID: PMC10702053 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02972-x] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation appears to involve some degree of excitotoxicity promulgated by microglia, which release glutamate via the system xC- (SxC-) cystine-glutamate antiporter. With the aim of mitigating this source of neuronal stress and toxicity, we have developed a panel of inhibitors of the SxC- antiporter. The compounds were based on L-tyrosine, as elements of its structure align with those of glutamate, a primary physiological substrate of the SxC- antiporter. In addition to 3,5-dibromotyrosine, ten compounds were synthesized via amidation of that parent molecule with a selection of acyl halides. These agents were tested for the ability to inhibit release of glutamate from microglia activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an activity exhibited by eight of the compounds. To confirm that the compounds were inhibitors of SxC-, two of them were further tested for the ability to inhibit cystine uptake. Finally, these agents were shown to protect primary cortical neurons from the toxicity exhibited by activated microglia. These agents may hold promise in reducing the neurodegenerative effects of neuroinflammation in conditions, such as encephalitis, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz P Gajewski
- Department of Physical and Earth Sciences, Arkansas Tech University, McEver Building, 1701 N Boulder Ave, Russellville, AR, 72801, USA.
| | - Steven W Barger
- Departments of Geriatrics and Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR, USA
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3
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Is depression the missing link between inflammatory mediators and cancer? Pharmacol Ther 2022; 240:108293. [PMID: 36216210 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Patients with cancer are at greater risk of developing depression in comparison to the general population and this is associated with serious adverse effects, such as poorer quality of life, worse prognosis and higher mortality. Although the relationship between depression and cancer is now well established, a common underlying pathophysiological mechanism between the two conditions is yet to be elucidated. Existing theories of depression, based on monoamine neurotransmitter system dysfunction, are insufficient as explanations of the disorder. Recent advances have implicated neuroinflammatory mechanisms in the etiology of depression and it has been demonstrated that inflammation at a peripheral level may be mirrored centrally in astrocytes and microglia serving to promote chronic levels of inflammation in the brain. Three major routes to depression in cancer in which proinflammatory mediators are implicated, seem likely. Activation of the kynurenine pathway involving cytokines, increases tryptophan catabolism, resulting in diminished levels of serotonin which is widely acknowledged as being the hallmark of depression. It also results in neurotoxic effects on brain regions thought to be involved in the evolution of major depression. Proinflammatory mediators also play a crucial role in impairing regulatory glucocorticoid mediated feedback of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is activated by stress and considered to be involved in both depression and cancer. The third route is via the glutamatergic pathway, whereby glutamate excitotoxicity may lead to depression associated with cancer. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these dysregulated and other newly emerging pathways may provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting, serving to improve the care of cancer patients.
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Aktories P, Petry P, Kierdorf K. Microglia in a Dish—Which Techniques Are on the Menu for Functional Studies? Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:908315. [PMID: 35722614 PMCID: PMC9204042 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.908315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglia build the first line of defense in the central nervous system (CNS) and play central roles during development and homeostasis. Indeed, they serve a plethora of diverse functions in the CNS of which many are not yet fully described and more are still to be discovered. Research of the last decades unraveled an implication of microglia in nearly every neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory disease, making it even more challenging to elucidate molecular mechanisms behind microglial functions and to modulate aberrant microglial behavior. To understand microglial functions and the underlying signaling machinery, many attempts were made to employ functional in vitro studies of microglia. However, the range of available cell culture models is wide and they come with different advantages and disadvantages for functional assays. Here we aim to provide a condensed summary of common microglia in vitro systems and discuss their potentials and shortcomings for functional studies in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Aktories
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Philippe Petry
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Kierdorf
- Institute of Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Katrin Kierdorf
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Mahmood A, Miron VE. Microglia as therapeutic targets for central nervous system remyelination. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2022; 63:102188. [PMID: 35219055 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Failed remyelination underpins neurodegeneration and central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction with aging and progression of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Existing therapies have shown limited efficacy in halting disease progression in humans, highlighting the need to identify pro-remyelination treatments. Microglia are CNS-resident macrophages with critical roles in the regulation of remyelination, representing a promising therapeutic target. However, there are currently no therapeutics which specifically target microglia. Recent studies have revealed that microglia are a heterogenous population with distinct transcriptional states in health and disease conditions, including during remyelination, suggesting functional differences between states. Here, we discuss the potential contributions of different microglia states to degenerative and regenerative processes, examine the potential to target microglia in a state-specific manner to promote remyelination and consider the key issues to be addressed before such therapies can be clinically applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayisha Mahmood
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Chancellor's Building, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Veronique E Miron
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Chancellor's Building, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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Garcia-Leon JA, Caceres-Palomo L, Sanchez-Mejias E, Mejias-Ortega M, Nuñez-Diaz C, Fernandez-Valenzuela JJ, Sanchez-Varo R, Davila JC, Vitorica J, Gutierrez A. Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Cells as a Relevant Platform for Drug Screening in Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186867. [PMID: 32962164 PMCID: PMC7558359 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular amyloid-beta deposition and intraneuronal Tau-laden neurofibrillary tangles are prime features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The pathology of AD is very complex and still not fully understood, since different neural cell types are involved in the disease. Although neuronal function is clearly deteriorated in AD patients, recently, an increasing number of evidences have pointed towards glial cell dysfunction as one of the main causative phenomena implicated in AD pathogenesis. The complex disease pathology together with the lack of reliable disease models have precluded the development of effective therapies able to counteract disease progression. The discovery and implementation of human pluripotent stem cell technology represents an important opportunity in this field, as this system allows the generation of patient-derived cells to be used for disease modeling and therapeutic target identification and as a platform to be employed in drug discovery programs. In this review, we discuss the current studies using human pluripotent stem cells focused on AD, providing convincing evidences that this system is an excellent opportunity to advance in the comprehension of AD pathology, which will be translated to the development of the still missing effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Garcia-Leon
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: (J.A.G.-L.); (A.G.); Tel.: +34-952131935 (J.A.G.-L.); +34-952133344 (A.G.)
| | - Laura Caceres-Palomo
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Elisabeth Sanchez-Mejias
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Marina Mejias-Ortega
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Cristina Nuñez-Diaz
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Juan Jose Fernandez-Valenzuela
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raquel Sanchez-Varo
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Jose Carlos Davila
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Javier Vitorica
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
- Departamento Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS)-Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocio/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Antonia Gutierrez
- Departamento Biologia Celular, Genetica y Fisiologia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga-IBIMA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain; (L.C.-P.); (E.S.-M.); (M.M.-O.); (C.N.-D.); (J.J.F.-V.); (R.S.-V.); (J.C.D.)
- Centro de Investigacion Biomedica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain;
- Correspondence: (J.A.G.-L.); (A.G.); Tel.: +34-952131935 (J.A.G.-L.); +34-952133344 (A.G.)
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Chen Q, Konrad C, Sandhu D, Roychoudhury D, Schwartz BI, Cheng RR, Bredvik K, Kawamata H, Calder EL, Studer L, Fischer SM, Manfredi G, Gross SS. Accelerated transsulfuration metabolically defines a discrete subclass of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 144:105025. [PMID: 32745521 PMCID: PMC7491150 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a disease characterized by progressive paralysis and death. Most ALS-cases are sporadic (sALS) and patient heterogeneity poses challenges for effective therapies. Applying metabolite profiling on 77-sALS patient-derived-fibroblasts and 43-controls, we found ~25% of sALS cases (termed sALS-1) are characterized by transsulfuration pathway upregulation, where methionine-derived-homocysteine is channeled into cysteine for glutathione synthesis. sALS-1 fibroblasts selectively exhibited a growth defect under oxidative conditions, fully-rescued by N-acetylcysteine (NAC). [U–13C]-glucose tracing showed transsulfuration pathway activation with accelerated glucose flux into the Krebs cycle. We established a four-metabolite support vector machine model predicting sALS-1 metabotype with 97.5% accuracy. Both sALS-1 metabotype and growth phenotype were validated in an independent cohort of sALS cases. Importantly, plasma metabolite profiling identified a system-wide cysteine metabolism perturbation as a hallmark of sALS-1. Findings reveal that sALS patients can be stratified into distinct metabotypes with differential sensitivity to metabolic stress, providing novel insights for personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuying Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Csaba Konrad
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Davinder Sandhu
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Roger R Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kirsten Bredvik
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hibiki Kawamata
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Giovanni Manfredi
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Steven S Gross
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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