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Muzzi L, Di Lisa D, Falappa M, Pepe S, Maccione A, Pastorino L, Martinoia S, Frega M. Human-Derived Cortical Neurospheroids Coupled to Passive, High-Density and 3D MEAs: A Valid Platform for Functional Tests. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:bioengineering10040449. [PMID: 37106636 PMCID: PMC10136157 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10040449] [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: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
With the advent of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and differentiation protocols, methods to create in-vitro human-derived neuronal networks have been proposed. Although monolayer cultures represent a valid model, adding three-dimensionality (3D) would make them more representative of an in-vivo environment. Thus, human-derived 3D structures are becoming increasingly used for in-vitro disease modeling. Achieving control over the final cell composition and investigating the exhibited electrophysiological activity is still a challenge. Thence, methodologies to create 3D structures with controlled cellular density and composition and platforms capable of measuring and characterizing the functional aspects of these samples are needed. Here, we propose a method to rapidly generate neurospheroids of human origin with control over cell composition that can be used for functional investigations. We show a characterization of the electrophysiological activity exhibited by the neurospheroids by using micro-electrode arrays (MEAs) with different types (i.e., passive, C-MOS, and 3D) and number of electrodes. Neurospheroids grown in free culture and transferred on MEAs exhibited functional activity that can be chemically and electrically modulated. Our results indicate that this model holds great potential for an in-depth study of signal transmission to drug screening and disease modeling and offers a platform for in-vitro functional testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Muzzi
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Donatella Di Lisa
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Matteo Falappa
- 3Brain AG, 8808 Pfäffikon, Switzerland
- Corticale Srl., 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Sara Pepe
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Laura Pastorino
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Sergio Martinoia
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genoa, 16145 Genoa, Italy
| | - Monica Frega
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Pfrieger FW. The Niemann-Pick type diseases – A synopsis of inborn errors in sphingolipid and cholesterol metabolism. Prog Lipid Res 2023; 90:101225. [PMID: 37003582 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2023.101225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Disturbances of lipid homeostasis in cells provoke human diseases. The elucidation of the underlying mechanisms and the development of efficient therapies represent formidable challenges for biomedical research. Exemplary cases are two rare, autosomal recessive, and ultimately fatal lysosomal diseases historically named "Niemann-Pick" honoring the physicians, whose pioneering observations led to their discovery. Acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD) and Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPCD) are caused by specific variants of the sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase 1 (SMPD1) and NPC intracellular cholesterol transporter 1 (NPC1) or NPC intracellular cholesterol transporter 2 (NPC2) genes that perturb homeostasis of two key membrane components, sphingomyelin and cholesterol, respectively. Patients with severe forms of these diseases present visceral and neurologic symptoms and succumb to premature death. This synopsis traces the tortuous discovery of the Niemann-Pick diseases, highlights important advances with respect to genetic culprits and cellular mechanisms, and exposes efforts to improve diagnosis and to explore new therapeutic approaches.
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Feng X, Yang F, Rabenstein M, Wang Z, Frech MJ, Wree A, Bräuer AU, Witt M, Gläser A, Hermann A, Rolfs A, Luo J. Stimulation of mGluR1/5 Improves Defective Internalization of AMPA Receptors in NPC1 Mutant Mouse. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:1465-1480. [PMID: 31599924 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is characterized by neurodegeneration caused by cholesterol accumulation in the late endosome/lysosome. In this study, a defective basal and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-stimulated internalization of GluR2-containing AMPA receptors in NPC1-/- cortical neurons was detected. Our results show that the amount of cholesterol and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1/5) in lipid rafts of NPC1-/- cortical tissue and neurons are decreased and their downstream signals of p-ERK are defective, which are restored by a rebalance of cholesterol homeostasis through β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) treatment. Application of 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG)-a mGluR1/5 agonist-and β-CD markedly increases the internalization of AMPA receptors and decreases over-influx of calcium in NPC1-/- neurons, respectively. Furthermore, the defective phosphorylated GluR2 and protein kinase C signals are ameliorated by the treatment with DHPG and β-CD, respectively, suggesting an involvement of them in internalization dysfunction. Taken together, our data imply that abnormal internalization of AMPA receptors is a critical mechanism for neuronal dysfunction and the correction of dysfunctional mGluR1/5 is a potential therapeutic strategy for NPC1 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Feng
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Fan Yang
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Michael Rabenstein
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Zhen Wang
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Moritz J Frech
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany.,Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Andreas Wree
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany.,Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany
| | - Anja U Bräuer
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany.,Research Group Anatomy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg 26129, Germany.,Research Center for Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky University, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
| | - Martin Witt
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany
| | - Anne Gläser
- Institute of Anatomy, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18055, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany.,Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | | | - Jiankai Luo
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany.,Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, Rostock 18147, Germany
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Carbone BE, Abouleish M, Watters KE, Vogel S, Ribic A, Schroeder OHU, Bader BM, Biederer T. Synaptic Connectivity and Cortical Maturation Are Promoted by the ω-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:226-240. [PMID: 31034037 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain development is likely impacted by micronutrients. This is supported by the effects of the ω-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during early neuronal differentiation, when it increases neurite growth. Aiming to delineate DHA roles in postnatal stages, we selected the visual cortex due to its stereotypic maturation. Immunohistochemistry showed that young mice that received dietary DHA from birth exhibited more abundant presynaptic and postsynaptic specializations. DHA also increased density and size of synapses in a dose-dependent manner in cultured neurons. In addition, dendritic arbors of neurons treated with DHA were more complex. In agreement with improved connectivity, DHA enhanced physiological parameters of network maturation in vitro, including bursting strength and oscillatory behavior. Aiming to analyze functional maturation of the cortex, we performed in vivo electrophysiological recordings from awake mice to measure responses to patterned visual inputs. Dietary DHA robustly promoted the developmental increase in visual acuity, without altering light sensitivity. The visual acuity of DHA-supplemented animals continued to improve even after their cortex had matured and DHA abolished the acuity plateau. Our findings show that the ω-3 fatty acid DHA promotes synaptic connectivity and cortical processing. These results provide evidence that micronutrients can support the maturation of neuronal networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice E Carbone
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malik Abouleish
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine E Watters
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seth Vogel
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Völkner C, Liedtke M, Hermann A, Frech MJ. Pluripotent Stem Cells for Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery in Niemann-Pick Type C1. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E710. [PMID: 33445799 PMCID: PMC7828283 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The lysosomal storage disorders Niemann-Pick disease Type C1 (NPC1) and Type C2 (NPC2) are rare diseases caused by mutations in the NPC1 or NPC2 gene. Both NPC1 and NPC2 are proteins responsible for the exit of cholesterol from late endosomes and lysosomes (LE/LY). Consequently, mutations in one of the two proteins lead to the accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in LE/LY, displaying a disease hallmark. A total of 95% of cases are due to a deficiency of NPC1 and only 5% are caused by NPC2 deficiency. Clinical manifestations include neurological symptoms and systemic symptoms, such as hepatosplenomegaly and pulmonary manifestations, the latter being particularly pronounced in NPC2 patients. NPC1 and NPC2 are rare diseases with the described neurovisceral clinical picture, but studies with human primary patient-derived neurons and hepatocytes are hardly feasible. Obviously, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their derivatives are an excellent alternative for indispensable studies with these affected cell types to study the multisystemic disease NPC1. Here, we present a review focusing on studies that have used iPSCs for disease modeling and drug discovery in NPC1 and draw a comparison to commonly used NPC1 models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Völkner
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (C.V.); (M.L.); (A.H.)
| | - Maik Liedtke
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (C.V.); (M.L.); (A.H.)
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (C.V.); (M.L.); (A.H.)
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Moritz J. Frech
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany; (C.V.); (M.L.); (A.H.)
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
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Negri J, Menon V, Young-Pearse TL. Assessment of Spontaneous Neuronal Activity In Vitro Using Multi-Well Multi-Electrode Arrays: Implications for Assay Development. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0080-19.2019. [PMID: 31896559 PMCID: PMC6984810 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0080-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) are being more widely used by researchers as an instrument platform for monitoring prolonged, non-destructive recordings of spontaneously firing neurons in vitro for applications in modeling Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, and many other diseases of the human CNS. With the more widespread use of these instruments, there is a need to examine the prior art of studies utilizing MEAs and delineate best practices for data acquisition and analysis to avoid errors in interpretation of the resultant data. Using a dataset of recordings from primary rat (Rattus norvegicus) cortical cultures, methods and statistical power for discerning changes in neuronal activity on the array level are examined. Further, a method for unsupervised spike sorting is implemented, allowing for the resolution of action potential incidents down to the single neuron level. Following implementation of spike sorting, the dynamics of firing frequency across populations of individual neurons and networks are examined longitudinally. Finally, the ability to detect a frequency independent phenotype, the change in action potential amplitude, is demonstrated through the use of pore-forming neurotoxin treatments. Taken together, this study provides guidance and tools for users wishing to incorporate multi-well MEA usage into their studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Negri
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
- Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Division of Medical Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
| | - Vilas Menon
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Tracy L Young-Pearse
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115
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