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Bansal P, Banda EC, Glatt-Deeley HR, Stoddard CE, Linsley JW, Arora N, Deleschaux C, Ahern DT, Kondaveeti Y, Massey RE, Nicouleau M, Wang S, Sabariego-Navarro M, Dierssen M, Finkbeiner S, Pinter SF. A dynamic in vitro model of Down syndrome neurogenesis with trisomy 21 gene dosage correction. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj0385. [PMID: 38848354 PMCID: PMC11160455 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj0385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Excess gene dosage from chromosome 21 (chr21) causes Down syndrome (DS), spanning developmental and acute phenotypes in terminal cell types. Which phenotypes remain amenable to intervention after development is unknown. To address this question in a model of DS neurogenesis, we derived trisomy 21 (T21) human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) alongside, otherwise, isogenic euploid controls from mosaic DS fibroblasts and equipped one chr21 copy with an inducible XIST transgene. Monoallelic chr21 silencing by XIST is near-complete and irreversible in iPSCs. Differential expression reveals that T21 neural lineages and iPSCs share suppressed translation and mitochondrial pathways and activate cellular stress responses. When XIST is induced before the neural progenitor stage, T21 dosage correction suppresses a pronounced skew toward astrogenesis in neural differentiation. Because our transgene remains inducible in postmitotic T21 neurons and astrocytes, we demonstrate that XIST efficiently represses genes even after terminal differentiation, which will empower exploration of cell type-specific T21 phenotypes that remain responsive to chr21 dosage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakhar Bansal
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Erin C. Banda
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Heather R. Glatt-Deeley
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Christopher E. Stoddard
- Cell and Genome Engineering Core, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Jeremy W. Linsley
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Neha Arora
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cécile Deleschaux
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Darcy T. Ahern
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Yuvabharath Kondaveeti
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Rachael E. Massey
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Michael Nicouleau
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Shijie Wang
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Miguel Sabariego-Navarro
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
- Human Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital Del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Programs, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stefan F. Pinter
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Developmental Biology, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UCONN Health, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
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2
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Aksit MA, Yu B, Roelen BAJ, Migeon BR. Silencing XIST on the future active X: Searching human and bovine preimplantation embryos for the repressor. Eur J Hum Genet 2024; 32:399-406. [PMID: 35585273 PMCID: PMC10999447 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-022-01115-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
X inactivation is the means of equalizing the dosage of X chromosomal genes in male and female eutherian mammals, so that only one X is active in each cell. The XIST locus (in cis) on each additional X chromosome initiates the transcriptional silence of that chromosome, making it an inactive X. How the active X in both males and females is protected from inactivation by its own XIST locus is not well understood in any mammal. Previous studies of autosomal duplications suggest that gene(s) on the short arm of human chromosome 19 repress XIST on the active X. Here, we examine the time of transcription of some candidate genes in preimplantation embryos using single-cell RNA sequencing data from human embryos and qRT-PCR from bovine embryos. The candidate genes assayed are those transcribed from 19p13.3-13.2, which are widely expressed and can remodel chromatin. Our results confirm that XIST is expressed at low levels from the future active X in embryos of both sexes; they also show that the XIST locus is repressed in both sexes when pluripotency factors are being upregulated, during the 4-8 cell and morula stages in human and bovine embryos - well before the early blastocyst (E5) when XIST on the inactive X in females starts to be upregulated. Our data suggest a role for DNMT1, UHRF1, SAFB and SAFB2 in XIST repression; they also exclude XACT and other 19p candidate genes and provide the transcriptional timing for some genes not previously assayed in human or bovine preimplantation embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melis A Aksit
- McKusick Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bo Yu
- Farm Animal Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, and Utrecht University, 3584CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bernard A J Roelen
- Embryology, Anatomy and Physiology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara R Migeon
- McKusick Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- The Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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3
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Gupta K, Czerminski JT, Lawrence JB. Trisomy silencing by XIST: translational prospects and challenges. Hum Genet 2024:10.1007/s00439-024-02651-8. [PMID: 38459355 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-024-02651-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
XIST RNA is heavily studied for its role in fundamental epigenetics and X-chromosome inactivation; however, the translational potential of this singular RNA has been much less explored. This article combines elements of a review on XIST biology with our perspective on the translational prospects and challenges of XIST transgenics. We first briefly review aspects of XIST RNA basic biology that are key to its translational relevance, and then discuss recent efforts to develop translational utility of XIST for chromosome dosage disorders, particularly Down syndrome (DS). Remarkably, it was shown in vitro that expression of an XIST transgene inserted into one chromosome 21 can comprehensively silence that chromosome and "dosage compensate" Trisomy 21, the cause of DS. Here we summarize recent findings and discuss potential paths whereby ability to induce "trisomy silencing" can advance translational research for new therapeutic strategies. Despite its common nature, the underlying biology for various aspects of DS, including cell types and pathways impacted (and when), is poorly understood. Recent studies show that an inducible iPSC system to dosage-correct chromosome 21 can provide a powerful approach to unravel the cells and pathways directly impacted, and the developmental timing, information key to design pharmacotherapeutics. In addition, we discuss prospects of a more far-reaching and challenging possibility that XIST itself could be developed into a therapeutic agent, for targeted cellular "chromosome therapy". A few rare case studies of imbalanced X;autosome translocations indicate that natural XIST can rescue an otherwise lethal trisomy. The potential efficacy of XIST transgenes later in development faces substantial biological and technical challenges, although recent findings are encouraging, and technology is rapidly evolving. Hence, it is compelling to consider the transformative possibility that XIST-mediated chromosome therapy may ultimately be developed, for specific pathologies seen in DS, or other duplication disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khusali Gupta
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Jan T Czerminski
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
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4
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Noort RJ, Zhu H, Flemmer RT, Moore CS, Belbin TJ, Esseltine JL. Apically localized PANX1 impacts neuroepithelial expansion in human cerebral organoids. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:22. [PMID: 38212304 PMCID: PMC10784521 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01774-7] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional paracrine signaling through Pannexin 1 (PANX1) channels is linked to several adult neurological pathologies and emerging evidence suggests that PANX1 plays an important role in human brain development. It remains unclear how early PANX1 influences brain development, or how loss of PANX1 alters the developing human brain. Using a cerebral organoid model of early human brain development, we find that PANX1 is expressed at all stages of organoid development from neural induction through to neuroepithelial expansion and maturation. Interestingly, PANX1 cellular distribution and subcellular localization changes dramatically throughout cerebral organoid development. During neural induction, PANX1 becomes concentrated at the apical membrane domain of neural rosettes where it co-localizes with several apical membrane adhesion molecules. During neuroepithelial expansion, PANX1-/- organoids are significantly smaller than control and exhibit significant gene expression changes related to cell adhesion, WNT signaling and non-coding RNAs. As cerebral organoids mature, PANX1 expression is significantly upregulated and is primarily localized to neuronal populations outside of the ventricular-like zones. Ultimately, PANX1 protein can be detected in all layers of a 21-22 post conception week human fetal cerebral cortex. Together, these results show that PANX1 is dynamically expressed by numerous cell types throughout embryonic and early fetal stages of human corticogenesis and loss of PANX1 compromises neuroepithelial expansion due to dysregulation of cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion, perturbed intracellular signaling, and changes to gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Noort
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Hanrui Zhu
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Robert T Flemmer
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Craig S Moore
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Thomas J Belbin
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
- Discipline of Oncology, Faculty of sp. Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada
| | - Jessica L Esseltine
- Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, A1B 3V6, NL, Canada.
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Moyano Rodriguez Y, Borensztein M. X-chromosome inactivation: a historic topic that's still hot. Development 2023; 150:dev202072. [PMID: 37997921 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The last edition of the X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) meeting was held as an EMBO workshop in Berlin on 19-22 June 2023. The conference took place at the Harnack-haus in the Dahlem district, birthplace of the first modern research campus, where notable scientists such as Lise Meitner, Hans Krebs and, briefly, Albert Einstein conducted their research. This special edition, also accessible online, was organized by Rafael Galupa (Centre for Integrative Biology of Toulouse, France), Joost Gribnau (Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands), Claire Rougeulle (Université Paris Cité/CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate Center, Paris, France), Edda Schulz (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany) and James Turner (The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK). Originally scheduled for 2021, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Mary Lyon's hypothesis on X-chromosome inactivation in mammals and the 30th anniversary of XIST/Xist discovery, the meeting had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven years after the latest XCI meeting in London, the enthusiasm and expectations of the community were at their highest, bringing together over 160 scientists from around the world to share and discuss their research. Eighty posters and more than 40 talks were presented at this event, in a collegial and collaborative atmosphere. A historical session and several breakout discussions were also organized, as well as the now traditional boat trip, all thanks to great organization. Here, we debrief readers on this fantastic conference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maud Borensztein
- IGMM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, 34090 Montpellier, France
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6
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Truong MA, Cané-Gasull P, Lens SMA. Modeling specific aneuploidies: from karyotype manipulations to biological insights. Chromosome Res 2023; 31:25. [PMID: 37640903 PMCID: PMC10462580 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-023-09735-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
An abnormal chromosome number, or aneuploidy, underlies developmental disorders and is a common feature of cancer, with different cancer types exhibiting distinct patterns of chromosomal gains and losses. To understand how specific aneuploidies emerge in certain tissues and how they contribute to disease development, various methods have been developed to alter the karyotype of mammalian cells and mice. In this review, we provide an overview of both classic and novel strategies for inducing or selecting specific chromosomal gains and losses in human and murine cell systems. We highlight how these customized aneuploidy models helped expanding our knowledge of the consequences of specific aneuploidies to (cancer) cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- My Anh Truong
- Oncode Institute and Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paula Cané-Gasull
- Oncode Institute and Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne M A Lens
- Oncode Institute and Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584, CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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7
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Valledor M, Byron M, Dumas B, Carone DM, Hall LL, Lawrence JB. Early chromosome condensation by XIST builds A-repeat RNA density that facilitates gene silencing. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112686. [PMID: 37384527 PMCID: PMC10461597 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112686] [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: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
XIST RNA triggers chromosome-wide gene silencing and condenses an active chromosome into a Barr body. Here, we use inducible human XIST to examine early steps in the process, showing that XIST modifies cytoarchitecture before widespread gene silencing. In just 2-4 h, barely visible transcripts populate the large "sparse zone" surrounding the smaller "dense zone"; importantly, density zones exhibit different chromatin impacts. Sparse transcripts immediately trigger immunofluorescence for H2AK119ub and CIZ1, a matrix protein. H3K27me3 appears hours later in the dense zone, which enlarges with chromosome condensation. Genes examined are silenced after compaction of the RNA/DNA territory. Insights into this come from the findings that the A-repeat alone can silence genes and rapidly, but only where dense RNA supports sustained histone deacetylation. We propose that sparse XIST RNA quickly impacts architectural elements to condense the largely non-coding chromosome, coalescing RNA density that facilitates an unstable, A-repeat-dependent step required for gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melvys Valledor
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Meg Byron
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Brett Dumas
- Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Dawn M Carone
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Lisa L Hall
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
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Peng L, Baradar AA, Aguado J, Wolvetang E. Cellular senescence and premature aging in Down Syndrome. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 212:111824. [PMID: 37236373 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, resulting in cognitive impairment, physical abnormalities, and an increased risk of age-related co-morbidities. Individuals with DS exhibit accelerated aging, which has been attributed to several cellular mechanisms, including cellular senescence, a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest that is associated with aging and age-related diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence may play a key role in the pathogenesis of DS and the development of age-related disorders in this population. Importantly, cellular senescence may be a potential therapeutic target in alleviating age-related DS pathology. Here, we discuss the importance of focusing on cellular senescence to understand accelerated aging in DS. We review the current state of knowledge regarding cellular senescence and other hallmarks of aging in DS, including its putative contribution to cognitive impairment, multi-organ dysfunction, and premature aging phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianli Peng
- Australian Institute for Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alireza A Baradar
- Australian Institute for Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Julio Aguado
- Australian Institute for Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Ernst Wolvetang
- Australian Institute for Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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9
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Transition from Animal-Based to Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)-Based Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Opportunities and Challenges. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040538. [PMID: 36831205 PMCID: PMC9954744 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) arise from the disruption of highly coordinated mechanisms underlying brain development, which results in impaired sensory, motor and/or cognitive functions. Although rodent models have offered very relevant insights to the field, the translation of findings to clinics, particularly regarding therapeutic approaches for these diseases, remains challenging. Part of the explanation for this failure may be the genetic differences-some targets not being conserved between species-and, most importantly, the differences in regulation of gene expression. This prompts the use of human-derived models to study NDDS. The generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hIPSCs) added a new suitable alternative to overcome species limitations, allowing for the study of human neuronal development while maintaining the genetic background of the donor patient. Several hIPSC models of NDDs already proved their worth by mimicking several pathological phenotypes found in humans. In this review, we highlight the utility of hIPSCs to pave new paths for NDD research and development of new therapeutic tools, summarize the challenges and advances of hIPSC-culture and neuronal differentiation protocols and discuss the best way to take advantage of these models, illustrating this with examples of success for some NDDs.
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10
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Czerminski JT, King OD, Lawrence JB. Large-scale organoid study suggests effects of trisomy 21 on early fetal neurodevelopment are more subtle than variability between isogenic lines and experiments. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:972201. [PMID: 36817096 PMCID: PMC9935940 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.972201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examines cortical organoids generated from a panel of isogenic trisomic and disomic iPSC lines (subclones) as a model of early fetal brain development in Down syndrome (DS). An initial experiment comparing organoids from one trisomic and one disomic line showed many genome-wide transcriptomic differences and modest differences in cell-type proportions, suggesting there may be a neurodevelopmental phenotype that is due to trisomy of chr21. To better control for multiple sources of variation, we undertook a highly robust study of ∼1,200 organoids using an expanded panel of six all-isogenic lines, three disomic, and three trisomic. The power of this experimental design was indicated by strong detection of the ∼1.5-fold difference in chr21 genes. However, the numerous expression differences in non-chr21 genes seen in the smaller experiment fell away, and the differences in cell-type representation between lines did not correlate with trisomy 21. Results suggest that the initial smaller experiment picked up differences between small organoid samples and individual isogenic lines, which "averaged out" in the larger panel of isogenic lines. Our results indicate that even when organoid and batch variability are better controlled for, variation between isogenic cell lines (even subclones) may obscure, or be conflated with, subtle neurodevelopmental phenotypes that may be present in ∼2nd trimester DS brain development. Interestingly, despite this variability between organoid batches and lines, and the "fetal stage" of these organoids, an increase in secreted Aβ40 peptide levels-an Alzheimer-related cellular phenotype-was more strongly associated with trisomy 21 status than were neurodevelopmental shifts in cell-type composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan T. Czerminski
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Oliver D. King
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Jeanne B. Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States,Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Jeanne B. Lawrence,
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11
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Lorenzon N, Musoles-Lleó J, Turrisi F, Gomis-González M, De La Torre R, Dierssen M. State-of-the-art therapy for Down syndrome. Dev Med Child Neurol 2023. [PMID: 36692980 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade, an important effort was made in the field of Down syndrome to find new interventions that improve cognition. These therapies have added to the traditional symptomatic treatments and to the drugs for treating Alzheimer disease in the general population repurposed for Down syndrome. Defining next-generation therapeutics will involve biomarker-based therapeutic decision-making, and preventive and multimodal interventions. However, translation of specific findings into effective therapeutic strategies has been disappointingly slow and has failed in many cases at the clinical level, leading to reduced credibility of mouse studies. This is aggravated by a tendency to favour large-magnitude effects and highly significant findings, leading to high expectations but also to a biased view of the complex pathophysiology of Down syndrome. Here, we review some of the most recent and promising strategies for ameliorating the cognitive state of individuals with Down syndrome. We studied the landscape of preclinical and clinical studies and conducted a thorough literature search on PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov for articles published between June 2012 and August 2022 on therapies for ameliorating cognitive function in individuals with Down syndrome. We critically assess current therapeutic approaches, why therapies fail in clinical trials in Down syndrome, and what could be the path forward. We discuss some intrinsic difficulties for translational research, and the need for a framework that improves the detection of drug efficacy to avoid discarding compounds too early from the companies' pipelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Lorenzon
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juanluis Musoles-Lleó
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Federica Turrisi
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Gomis-González
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael De La Torre
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Barcelona, Spain
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12
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Sharma V, Nehra S, Do LH, Ghosh A, Deshpande AJ, Singhal N. Biphasic cell cycle defect causes impaired neurogenesis in down syndrome. Front Genet 2022; 13:1007519. [PMID: 36313423 PMCID: PMC9596798 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1007519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired neurogenesis in Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by reduced neurons, increased glial cells, and delayed cortical lamination. However, the underlying cause for impaired neurogenesis in DS is not clear. Using both human and mouse iPSCs, we demonstrate that DS impaired neurogenesis is due to biphasic cell cycle dysregulation during the generation of neural progenitors from iPSCs named the “neurogenic stage” of neurogenesis. Upon neural induction, DS cells showed reduced proliferation during the early phase followed by increased proliferation in the late phase of the neurogenic stage compared to control cells. While reduced proliferation in the early phase causes reduced neural progenitor pool, increased proliferation in the late phase leads to delayed post mitotic neuron generation in DS. RNAseq analysis of late-phase DS progenitor cells revealed upregulation of S phase-promoting regulators, Notch, Wnt, Interferon pathways, and REST, and downregulation of several genes of the BAF chromatin remodeling complex. NFIB and POU3F4, neurogenic genes activated by the interaction of PAX6 and the BAF complex, were downregulated in DS cells. ChIPseq analysis of late-phase neural progenitors revealed aberrant PAX6 binding with reduced promoter occupancy in DS cells. Together, these data indicate that impaired neurogenesis in DS is due to biphasic cell cycle dysregulation during the neurogenic stage of neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Long H. Do
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Anwesha Ghosh
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Nishant Singhal
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
- *Correspondence: Nishant Singhal,
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13
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Moon JE, Lawrence JB. Chromosome silencing in vitro reveals trisomy 21 causes cell-autonomous deficits in angiogenesis and early dysregulation in Notch signaling. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111174. [PMID: 35947952 PMCID: PMC9505374 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of Down syndrome (DS), little is known regarding the specific cell pathologies that underlie this multi-system disorder. To understand which cell types and pathways are more directly affected by trisomy 21 (T21), we used an inducible-XIST system to silence one chromosome 21 in vitro. T21 caused the dysregulation of Notch signaling in iPSCs, potentially affecting cell-type programming. Further analyses identified dysregulation of pathways important for two cell types: neurogenesis and angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is essential to many bodily systems, yet is understudied in DS; therefore, we focused next on whether T21 affects endothelial cells. An in vitro assay for microvasculature formation revealed a cellular pathology involving delayed tube formation in response to angiogenic signals. Parallel transcriptomic analysis of endothelia further showed deficits in angiogenesis regulators. Results indicate a direct cell-autonomous impact of T21 on endothelial function, highlighting the importance of angiogenesis, with wide-reaching implications for development and disease progression. Moon and Lawrence examine the immediate effects of trisomy 21 silencing and find angiogenesis and neurogenesis pathways, including Notch signaling, affected as early as pluripotency. In endothelial cells, functional analyses show that trisomy delays the angiogenic response for microvessel formation and transcriptomics show a parallel impact on angiogenic regulators and signal-response and cytoskeleton processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Moon
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
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14
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Bencivenga D, Stampone E, Vastante A, Barahmeh M, Della Ragione F, Borriello A. An Unanticipated Modulation of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors: The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081346. [PMID: 35456025 PMCID: PMC9028986 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now definitively established that a large part of the human genome is transcribed. However, only a scarce percentage of the transcriptome (about 1.2%) consists of RNAs that are translated into proteins, while the large majority of transcripts include a variety of RNA families with different dimensions and functions. Within this heterogeneous RNA world, a significant fraction consists of sequences with a length of more than 200 bases that form the so-called long non-coding RNA family. The functions of long non-coding RNAs range from the regulation of gene transcription to the changes in DNA topology and nucleosome modification and structural organization, to paraspeckle formation and cellular organelles maturation. This review is focused on the role of long non-coding RNAs as regulators of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors’ (CDKIs) levels and activities. Cyclin-dependent kinases are enzymes necessary for the tuned progression of the cell division cycle. The control of their activity takes place at various levels. Among these, interaction with CDKIs is a vital mechanism. Through CDKI modulation, long non-coding RNAs implement control over cellular physiology and are associated with numerous pathologies. However, although there are robust data in the literature, the role of long non-coding RNAs in the modulation of CDKIs appears to still be underestimated, as well as their importance in cell proliferation control.
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15
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Sun X, Kato H, Sato H, Han X, Hirofuji Y, Kato TA, Sakai Y, Ohga S, Fukumoto S, Masuda K. Dopamine‐related oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in dopaminergic neurons differentiated from deciduous teeth‐derived stem cells of children with Down syndrome. FASEB Bioadv 2022; 4:454-467. [PMID: 35812076 PMCID: PMC9254221 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2021-00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is one of the common genetic disorders caused by the trisomy of human chromosome 21 (HSA21). Mitochondrial dysfunction and redox imbalance play important roles in DS pathology, and altered dopaminergic regulation has been demonstrated in the brain of individuals with DS. However, the pathological association of these elements is not yet fully understood. In this study, we analyzed dopaminergic neurons (DNs) differentiated from deciduous teeth‐derived stem cells of children with DS or healthy control children. As previously observed in the analysis of a single case of DS, compared to controls, patient‐derived DNs (DS‐DNs) displayed shorter neurite outgrowth and fewer branches, as well as downregulated vesicular monoamine transporter 2 and upregulated dopamine transporter 1, both of which are key regulators of dopamine homeostasis in DNs. In agreement with these expression profiles, DS‐DNs accumulated dopamine intracellularly and had increased levels of cellular and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). DS‐DNs showed downregulation of non‐canonical Notch ligand, delta‐like 1, which may contribute to dopamine accumulation and increased ROS levels through DAT1 upregulation. Furthermore, DS‐DNs showed mitochondrial dysfunction in consistent with lower expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC‐1α) and upregulation of a HSA21‐encoded negative regulator of PGC‐1α, nuclear receptor‐interacting protein 1. These results suggest that dysregulated dopamine homeostasis may participate in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of the dopaminergic system in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Sun
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Hiroki Kato
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Oral Anatomy Kyushu University Graduate School of Dental Science Fukuoka Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sato
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Xu Han
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Yuta Hirofuji
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Takahiro A. Kato
- Department of Neuropsychiatry Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Yasunari Sakai
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Shouichi Ohga
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Satoshi Fukumoto
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
| | - Keiji Masuda
- Section of Oral Medicine for Children, Division of Oral Health, Growth and Development Faculty of Dental Science, Kyushu University Fukuoka Japan
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16
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Wu CI, Vinton EA, Pearse RV, Heo K, Aylward AJ, Hsieh YC, Bi Y, Adeleye S, Fancher S, Duong DM, Seyfried NT, Schwarz TL, Young-Pearse TL. APP and DYRK1A regulate axonal and synaptic vesicle protein networks and mediate Alzheimer's pathology in trisomy 21 neurons. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1970-1989. [PMID: 35194165 PMCID: PMC9133025 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01454-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Trisomy 21 (T21) causes Down syndrome and an early-onset form of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) along with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to investigate the contribution of chromosome 21 candidate genes to AD-relevant neuronal phenotypes. We utilized a direct neuronal differentiation protocol to bypass neurodevelopmental cell fate phenotypes caused by T21 followed by unbiased proteomics and western blotting to define the proteins dysregulated in T21 postmitotic neurons. We show that normalization of copy number of APP and DYRK1A each rescue elevated tau phosphorylation in T21 neurons, while reductions of RCAN1 and SYNJ1 do not. To determine the T21 alterations relevant to early-onset AD, we identified common pathways altered in familial Alzheimer's disease neurons and determined which of these were rescued by normalization of APP and DYRK1A copy number in T21 neurons. These studies identified disruptions in T21 neurons in both the axonal cytoskeletal network and presynaptic proteins that play critical roles in axonal transport and synaptic vesicle cycling. These alterations in the proteomic profiles have functional consequences: fAD and T21 neurons exhibit dysregulated axonal trafficking and T21 neurons display enhanced synaptic vesicle release. Taken together, our findings provide insights into the initial molecular alterations within neurons that ultimately lead to synaptic loss and axonal degeneration in Down syndrome and early-onset AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-I Wu
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Vinton
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard V Pearse
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keunjung Heo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aimee J Aylward
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yi-Chen Hsieh
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yan Bi
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sopefoluwa Adeleye
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seeley Fancher
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Duc M Duong
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Thomas L Schwarz
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tracy L Young-Pearse
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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17
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Cell models for Down syndrome-Alzheimer’s disease research. Neuronal Signal 2022; 6:NS20210054. [PMID: 35449591 PMCID: PMC8996251 DOI: 10.1042/ns20210054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal abnormality and leads to intellectual disability, increased risk of cardiac defects, and an altered immune response. Individuals with DS have an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21) and are more likely to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than the general population. Changes in expression of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21)-encoded genes, such as amyloid precursor protein (APP), play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD in DS (DS-AD). However, the mechanisms of DS-AD remain poorly understood. To date, several mouse models with an extra copy of genes syntenic to Hsa21 have been developed to characterise DS-AD-related phenotypes. Nonetheless, due to genetic and physiological differences between mouse and human, mouse models cannot faithfully recapitulate all features of DS-AD. Cells differentiated from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), isolated from individuals with genetic diseases, can be used to model disease-related cellular and molecular pathologies, including DS. In this review, we will discuss the limitations of mouse models of DS and how these can be addressed using recent advancements in modelling DS using human iPSCs and iPSC-mouse chimeras, and potential applications of iPSCs in preclinical studies for DS-AD.
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18
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LncRNA XIST facilitates hypoxia-induced myocardial cell injury through targeting miR-191-5p/TRAF3 axis. Mol Cell Biochem 2022; 477:1697-1707. [DOI: 10.1007/s11010-022-04385-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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19
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Liu Q, Wang Z, Jiang Y, Shao F, Ma Y, Zhu M, Luo Q, Bi Y, Cao L, Peng L, Zhou J, Zhao Z, Deng X, He TC, Wang S. Single-cell landscape analysis reveals distinct regression trajectories and novel prognostic biomarkers in primary neuroblastoma. Genes Dis 2022; 9:1624-1638. [PMID: 36157484 PMCID: PMC9485279 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2021.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB), which is the most common pediatric extracranial solid tumor, varies widely in its clinical presentation and outcome. NB has a unique ability to spontaneously differentiate and regress, suggesting a potential direction for therapeutic intervention. However, the underlying mechanisms of regression remain largely unknown, and more reliable prognostic biomarkers are needed for predicting trajectories for NB. We performed scRNA-seq analysis on 17 NB clinical samples and three peritumoral adrenal tissues. Primary NB displayed varied cell constitution, even among tumors of the same pathological subtype. Copy number variation patterns suggested that neuroendocrine cells represent the malignant cell type. Based on the differential expression of sets of related marker genes, a subgroup of neuroendocrine cells was identified and projected to differentiate into a subcluster of benign fibroblasts with highly expressed CCL2 and ZFP36, supporting a progressive pathway of spontaneous NB regression. We also identified prognostic markers (STMN2, TUBA1A, PAGE5, and ETV1) by evaluating intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Lastly, we determined that ITGB1 in M2-like macrophages was associated with favorable prognosis and may serve as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. In conclusion, our findings reveal novel mechanisms underlying regression and potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets of NB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Liu
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Zhenni Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Singleron Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211800, PR China
| | - Fengling Shao
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Yue Ma
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Mingzhao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China
| | - Qing Luo
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Yang Bi
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Lijian Cao
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Liang Peng
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Jianwu Zhou
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Xiaobin Deng
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
| | - Tong-Chuan He
- Molecular and Oncology Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing 400014, PR China
- Corresponding author. Department of Pediatric Surgical Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400014, PR China.
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20
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Bartesaghi R, Vicari S, Mobley WC. Prenatal and Postnatal Pharmacotherapy in Down Syndrome: The Search to Prevent or Ameliorate Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2022; 62:211-233. [PMID: 34990205 PMCID: PMC9632639 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-041521-103641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Those with Down syndrome (DS)-trisomy for chromosome 21-are routinely impacted by cognitive dysfunction and behavioral challenges in children and adults and Alzheimer's disease in older adults. No proven treatments specifically address these cognitive or behavioral changes. However, advances in the establishment of rodent models and human cell models promise to support development of such treatments. A research agenda that emphasizes the identification of overexpressed genes that contribute demonstrably to abnormalities in cognition and behavior in model systems constitutes a rational next step. Normalizing expression of such genes may usher in an era of successful treatments applicable across the life span for those with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Bartesaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy,Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165-00146 Rome, Italy
| | - William C. Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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21
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Liu Y, Chen X, Che Y, Li H, Zhang Z, Peng W, Yang J. LncRNAs as the Regulators of Brain Function and Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer’s Disease. Aging Dis 2022; 13:837-851. [PMID: 35656102 PMCID: PMC9116922 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.1119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and a serious threat to the health and safety of the elderly population. It has become an emerging public health problem and a major economic and social burden. However, there is currently no effective treatment for AD. Although the mechanism of AD pathogenesis has been investigated substantially, the full range of molecular factors that contribute to its development remain largely unclear. In recent years, accumulating evidence has revealed that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a type of non-coding RNA longer than 200 nucleotides, play important roles in multiple biological processes involved in AD pathogenesis. With the further exploration of genomics, the role of lncRNA in the pathogenesis of AD has been phenotypically or mechanistically studied. Herein, we systematically review the current knowledge about lncRNAs implicated in AD and elaborate on their main regulatory pathways, which may contribute to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and drugs for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Liu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yutong Che
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Hongli Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Zheyu Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Weijun Peng
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Inter-disciplinary Research Center of Language Intelligence and Cultural Heritages, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Weijun Peng (E-mail: ) and Ms. Jingjing Yang (), Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Jingjing Yang
- Teaching and Research Section of Clinical Nursing, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Weijun Peng (E-mail: ) and Ms. Jingjing Yang (), Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese & Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
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22
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Dierssen M, Herault Y, Helguera P, Martínez de Lagran M, Vazquez A, Christian B, Carmona-Iragui M, Wiseman F, Mobley W, Fisher EMC, Brault V, Esbensen A, Jacola LM, Potier MC, Hamlett ED, Abbeduto L, Del Hoyo Soriano L, Busciglio J, Iulita MF, Crispino J, Malinge S, Barone E, Perluigi M, Costanzo F, Delabar JM, Bartesaghi R, Dekker AD, De Deyn P, Fortea Ormaechea J, Shaw PA, Haydar TF, Sherman SL, Strydom A, Bhattacharyya A. Building the Future Therapies for Down Syndrome: The Third International Conference of the T21 Research Society. Mol Syndromol 2021; 12:202-218. [PMID: 34421499 DOI: 10.1159/000514437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Research focused on Down syndrome has increased in the last several years to advance understanding of the consequences of trisomy 21 (T21) on molecular and cellular processes and, ultimately, on individuals with Down syndrome. The Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS) is the premier scientific organization for researchers and clinicians studying Down syndrome. The Third International Conference of T21RS, held June 6-9, 2019, in Barcelona, Spain, brought together 429 scientists, families, and industry representatives to share the latest discoveries on underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of T21, define cognitive and behavioral challenges and better understand comorbidities associated with Down syndrome, including Alzheimer's disease and leukemia. Presentation of cutting-edge results in neuroscience, neurology, model systems, psychology, cancer, biomarkers and molecular and phar-ma-cological therapeutic approaches demonstrate the compelling interest and continuing advancement in all aspects of understanding and ameliorating conditions associated with T21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Dierssen
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yann Herault
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pablo Helguera
- Instituto Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET-UNC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria Martínez de Lagran
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Vazquez
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bradley Christian
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Maria Carmona-Iragui
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Frances Wiseman
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - William Mobley
- University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Veronique Brault
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anna Esbensen
- University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lisa M Jacola
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Marie Claude Potier
- Brain & Spine Institute (ICM), CNRS UMR7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Eric D Hamlett
- Medical University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sébastien Malinge
- Telethon Kids Institute - Cancer Centre, Nedlands, Washington, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Jean Maurice Delabar
- Brain & Spine Institute (ICM), CNRS UMR7225 - INSERM U1127 - UPMC Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | | | - Alain D Dekker
- University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter De Deyn
- University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Juan Fortea Ormaechea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
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23
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Keihani S, Kluever V, Fornasiero EF. Brain Long Noncoding RNAs: Multitask Regulators of Neuronal Differentiation and Function. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26133951. [PMID: 34203457 PMCID: PMC8272081 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The extraordinary cellular diversity and the complex connections established within different cells types render the nervous system of vertebrates one of the most sophisticated tissues found in living organisms. Such complexity is ensured by numerous regulatory mechanisms that provide tight spatiotemporal control, robustness and reliability. While the unusual abundance of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in nervous tissues was traditionally puzzling, it is becoming clear that these molecules have genuine regulatory functions in the brain and they are essential for neuronal physiology. The canonical view of RNA as predominantly a 'coding molecule' has been largely surpassed, together with the conception that lncRNAs only represent 'waste material' produced by cells as a side effect of pervasive transcription. Here we review a growing body of evidence showing that lncRNAs play key roles in several regulatory mechanisms of neurons and other brain cells. In particular, neuronal lncRNAs are crucial for orchestrating neurogenesis, for tuning neuronal differentiation and for the exact calibration of neuronal excitability. Moreover, their diversity and the association to neurodegenerative diseases render them particularly interesting as putative biomarkers for brain disease. Overall, we foresee that in the future a more systematic scrutiny of lncRNA functions will be instrumental for an exhaustive understanding of neuronal pathophysiology.
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24
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Kawatani K, Nambara T, Nawa N, Yoshimatsu H, Kusakabe H, Hirata K, Tanave A, Sumiyama K, Banno K, Taniguchi H, Arahori H, Ozono K, Kitabatake Y. A human isogenic iPSC-derived cell line panel identifies major regulators of aberrant astrocyte proliferation in Down syndrome. Commun Biol 2021; 4:730. [PMID: 34127780 PMCID: PMC8203796 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02242-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes exert adverse effects on the brains of individuals with Down syndrome (DS). Although a neurogenic-to-gliogenic shift in the fate-specification step has been reported, the mechanisms and key regulators underlying the accelerated proliferation of astrocyte precursor cells (APCs) in DS remain elusive. Here, we established a human isogenic cell line panel based on DS-specific induced pluripotent stem cells, the XIST-mediated transcriptional silencing system in trisomic chromosome 21, and genome/chromosome-editing technologies to eliminate phenotypic fluctuations caused by genetic variation. The transcriptional responses of genes observed upon XIST induction and/or downregulation are not uniform, and only a small subset of genes show a characteristic expression pattern, which is consistent with the proliferative phenotypes of DS APCs. Comparative analysis and experimental verification using gene modification reveal dose-dependent proliferation-promoting activity of DYRK1A and PIGP on DS APCs. Our collection of human isogenic cell lines provides a comprehensive set of cellular models for further DS investigations. Keiji Kawatani et al. developed a panel of Down syndrome (DS) isogenic astrocytes derived from iPSCs to observe the consequence of DS on astrocyte precursor proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression. Their results suggest a dose-dependent effect of DYRK1A and PIGP on DS-derived astrocyte precursor proliferation, and represent a valuable resource and cellular model for future DS research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Kawatani
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Nambara
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Nobutoshi Nawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hidetaka Yoshimatsu
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Haruna Kusakabe
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Katsuya Hirata
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Neonatal Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Izumi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Akira Tanave
- Laboratory for Mouse Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kenta Sumiyama
- Laboratory for Mouse Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kimihiko Banno
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Physiology II, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hitomi Arahori
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiichi Ozono
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasuji Kitabatake
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
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25
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Wang W, Min L, Qiu X, Wu X, Liu C, Ma J, Zhang D, Zhu L. Biological Function of Long Non-coding RNA (LncRNA) Xist. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:645647. [PMID: 34178980 PMCID: PMC8222981 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.645647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression in a variety of ways at epigenetic, chromatin remodeling, transcriptional, and translational levels. Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNA X-inactive specific transcript (lncRNA Xist) serves as an important regulator of cell growth and development. Despites its original roles in X-chromosome dosage compensation, lncRNA Xist also participates in the development of tumor and other human diseases by functioning as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). In this review, we comprehensively summarized recent progress in understanding the cellular functions of lncRNA Xist in mammalian cells and discussed current knowledge regarding the ceRNA network of lncRNA Xist in various diseases. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts that are more than 200 nt in length and without an apparent protein-coding capacity (Furlan and Rougeulle, 2016; Maduro et al., 2016). These RNAs are believed to be transcribed by the approximately 98-99% non-coding regions of the human genome (Derrien et al., 2012; Fu, 2014; Montalbano et al., 2017; Slack and Chinnaiyan, 2019), as well as a large variety of genomic regions, such as exonic, tronic, and intergenic regions. Hence, lncRNAs are also divided into eight categories: Intergenic lncRNAs, Intronic lncRNAs, Enhancer lncRNAs, Promoter lncRNAs, Natural antisense/sense lncRNAs, Small nucleolar RNA-ended lncRNAs (sno-lncRNAs), Bidirectional lncRNAs, and non-poly(A) lncRNAs (Ma et al., 2013; Devaux et al., 2015; St Laurent et al., 2015; Chen, 2016; Quinn and Chang, 2016; Richard and Eichhorn, 2018; Connerty et al., 2020). A range of evidence has suggested that lncRNAs function as key regulators in crucial cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion, by regulating the expression level of target genes via epigenomic, transcriptional, or post-transcriptional approaches (Cao et al., 2018). Moreover, lncRNAs detected in body fluids were also believed to serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of disease progression, and act as novel and potential drug targets for therapeutic exploitation in human disease (Jiang W. et al., 2018; Zhou et al., 2019a). Long non-coding RNA X-inactive specific transcript (lncRNA Xist) are a set of 15,000-20,000 nt sequences localized in the X chromosome inactivation center (XIC) of chromosome Xq13.2 (Brown et al., 1992; Debrand et al., 1998; Kay, 1998; Lee et al., 2013; da Rocha and Heard, 2017; Yang Z. et al., 2018; Brockdorff, 2019). Previous studies have indicated that lncRNA Xist regulate X chromosome inactivation (XCI), resulting in the inheritable silencing of one of the X-chromosomes during female cell development. Also, it serves a vital regulatory function in the whole spectrum of human disease (notably cancer) and can be used as a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and as a potential therapeutic target for human disease in the clinic (Liu et al., 2018b; Deng et al., 2019; Dinescu et al., 2019; Mutzel and Schulz, 2020; Patrat et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020a). In particular, lncRNA Xist have been demonstrated to be involved in the development of multiple types of tumors including brain tumor, Leukemia, lung cancer, breast cancer, and liver cancer, with the prominent examples outlined in Table 1. It was also believed that lncRNA Xist (Chaligne and Heard, 2014; Yang Z. et al., 2018) contributed to other diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis, inflammation, neuropathic pain, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and osteoarthritis chondrocytes, and more specific details can be found in Table 2. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA Xist on both chromosome dosage compensation and pathogenesis (especially cancer) processes, with a focus on the regulatory network of lncRNA Xist in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Dongyi Zhang
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
| | - Lingyun Zhu
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
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26
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Barros II, Leão V, Santis JO, Rosa RCA, Brotto DB, Storti CB, Siena ÁDD, Molfetta GA, Silva WA. Non-Syndromic Intellectual Disability and Its Pathways: A Long Noncoding RNA Perspective. Noncoding RNA 2021; 7:ncrna7010022. [PMID: 33799572 PMCID: PMC8005948 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna7010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-syndromic intellectual disability (NS-ID or idiopathic) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that represents a global health issue. Although many efforts have been made to characterize it and distinguish it from syndromic intellectual disability (S-ID), the highly heterogeneous aspect of this disorder makes it difficult to understand its etiology. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) comprise a large group of transcripts that can act through various mechanisms and be involved in important neurodevelopmental processes. In this sense, comprehending the roles they play in this intricate context is a valuable way of getting new insights about how NS-ID can arise and develop. In this review, we attempt to bring together knowledge available in the literature about lncRNAs involved with molecular and cellular pathways already described in intellectual disability and neural function, to better understand their relevance in NS-ID and the regulatory complexity of this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabela I. Barros
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Vitor Leão
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Jessica O. Santis
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Reginaldo C. A. Rosa
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Danielle B. Brotto
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Camila B. Storti
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Ádamo D. D. Siena
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Greice A. Molfetta
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
| | - Wilson A. Silva
- Department of Genetics at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14049-900, Brazil; (I.I.B.); (V.L.); (J.O.S.); (R.C.A.R.); (D.B.B.); (C.B.S.); (Á.D.D.S.); (G.A.M.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Stem Cell and Cell Therapy and Center for Cell Based Therapy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Rua Tenente Catão Roxo, 2501, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto 14051-140, Brazil
- Center for Integrative Systems Biology-CISBi, NAP/USP, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Rua Catão Roxo, 2501, Monte Alegre, Ribeirão Preto 14051-140, Brazil
- Department of Medicine at the Midwest State University of Paraná-UNICENTRO, and Guarapuava Institute for Cancer Research, Rua Fortim Atalaia, 1900, Cidade dos Lagos, Guarapuava 85100-000, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-16-3315-3293
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27
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Moscatelli M, Rougeulle C. [Latest insights on X-chromosome inactivation: When general principles should be revisited]. Med Sci (Paris) 2021; 37:152-158. [PMID: 33591258 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2020278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The inactivation of one of the two X chromosomes of female mammals is a vital process and a paradigm for epigenetic regulations. X-inactivation is triggered, early during embryo development, by the accumulation of a peculiar noncoding RNA, XIST, which interacts with a plethora of molecular complexes and ultimately protects the coated chromosome from the expression machinery. Once installed, the inactive state is locked by multiple layers of chromatin modifications, ensuring its stable perpetuation across cell divisions. However, recent discoveries made in various model organisms urge us to revisit some of the general principles of the X-inactivation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Moscatelli
- Université de Paris, Épigénétique et Destin Cellulaire, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Claire Rougeulle
- Université de Paris, Épigénétique et Destin Cellulaire, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
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28
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Rondal JA. From the lab to the people: major challenges in the biological treatment of Down syndrome. AIMS Neurosci 2021; 8:284-294. [PMID: 33709029 PMCID: PMC7940110 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2021015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) refers to a genetic condition due to the triplication of human chromosome 21. It is the most frequent autosomal trisomy. In recent years, experimental work has been conducted with the aim of removing or silencing the extra chromosome 21 (C21) in cells and normalizing genetic expression. This paper examines the feasibility of the move from laboratory studies to biologically treating “bone and flesh” people with DS. A chromosome or a gene therapy for humans is fraught with practical and ethical difficulties. To prevent DS completely, genome editing would have to be performed early on embryos in the womb. New in vitro findings point toward the possibility of epigenetic silencing the extra C21 in later embryonic or fetal life, or even postnatally for some aspects of neurogenesis. These possibilities are far beyond what is possible or allowed today. Another approach is through epigenetic regulation of the overexpression of particular genes in C21. Research with mouse modeling of DS is yielding promising results. Human applications have barely begun and are questioned on ethical grounds.
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29
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Migeon BR. Stochastic gene expression and chromosome interactions in protecting the human active X from silencing by XIST. Nucleus 2021; 12:1-5. [PMID: 33211621 PMCID: PMC7833733 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2020.1850981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals use X chromosome inactivation to compensate for the sex difference in numbers of X chromosomes. A relatively unexplored question is how the active X is protected from inactivation by its own XIST gene, the long non-coding RNA, which initiates silence of the inactive X. Previous studies of autosomal duplications show that human chromosome 19 plays a critical role in protecting the active X. I proposed that it genetically interacts with the X chromosome to repress XIST function on the future active X. Here, I show that the type of chromosome 19 duplication influences the outcome of the interaction: the presence of three chromosome 19s is tolerated whereas duplications affecting only one chromosome 19 are not. The different outcomes have mechanistic implications for how chromosome 19 interacts with the future active X, pointing to a role for stochastic gene expression and possibly physical interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara R Migeon
- Departments of Genetic Medicine and Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD, USA
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30
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Klein JA, Li Z, Rampam S, Cardini J, Ayoub A, Shaw P, Rachubinski AL, Espinosa JM, Zeldich E, Haydar TF. Sonic Hedgehog Pathway Modulation Normalizes Expression of Olig2 in Rostrally Patterned NPCs With Trisomy 21. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:794675. [PMID: 35058753 PMCID: PMC8763807 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.794675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The intellectual disability found in people with Down syndrome is associated with numerous changes in early brain development, including the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and the formation and maintenance of myelin in the brain. To study how early neural precursors are affected by trisomy 21, we differentiated two isogenic lines of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from people with Down syndrome into brain-like and spinal cord-like NPCs and promoted a transition towards oligodendroglial fate by activating the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway. In the spinal cord-like trisomic cells, we found no difference in expression of OLIG2 or NKX2.2, two transcription factors essential for commitment to the oligodendrocyte lineage. However, in the brain-like trisomic NPCs, OLIG2 is significantly upregulated and is associated with reduced expression of NKX2.2. We found that this gene dysregulation and block in NPC transition can be normalized by increasing the concentration of a SHH pathway agonist (SAG) during differentiation. These results underscore the importance of regional and cell type differences in gene expression in Down syndrome and demonstrate that modulation of SHH signaling in trisomic cells can rescue an early perturbed step in neural lineage specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A. Klein
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zhen Li
- Children’s National Medical Center, Center for Neuroscience Research, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Sanjeev Rampam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jack Cardini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amara Ayoub
- Children’s National Medical Center, Center for Neuroscience Research, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Patricia Shaw
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Angela L. Rachubinski
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Joaquin M. Espinosa
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Department of Pharmocology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Ella Zeldich
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Tarik F. Haydar Ella Zeldich
| | - Tarik F. Haydar
- Children’s National Medical Center, Center for Neuroscience Research, Washington, DC, United States
- *Correspondence: Tarik F. Haydar Ella Zeldich
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31
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Wong PK, Cheah FC, Syafruddin SE, Mohtar MA, Azmi N, Ng PY, Chua EW. CRISPR Gene-Editing Models Geared Toward Therapy for Hereditary and Developmental Neurological Disorders. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:592571. [PMID: 33791256 PMCID: PMC8006930 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.592571] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary or developmental neurological disorders (HNDs or DNDs) affect the quality of life and contribute to the high mortality rates among neonates. Most HNDs are incurable, and the search for new and effective treatments is hampered by challenges peculiar to the human brain, which is guarded by the near-impervious blood-brain barrier. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR), a gene-editing tool repurposed from bacterial defense systems against viruses, has been touted by some as a panacea for genetic diseases. CRISPR has expedited the research into HNDs, enabling the generation of in vitro and in vivo models to simulate the changes in human physiology caused by genetic variation. In this review, we describe the basic principles and workings of CRISPR and the modifications that have been made to broaden its applications. Then, we review important CRISPR-based studies that have opened new doors to the treatment of HNDs such as fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome. We also discuss how CRISPR can be used to generate research models to examine the effects of genetic variation and caffeine therapy on the developing brain. Several drawbacks of CRISPR may preclude its use at the clinics, particularly the vulnerability of neuronal cells to the adverse effect of gene editing, and the inefficiency of CRISPR delivery into the brain. In concluding the review, we offer some suggestions for enhancing the gene-editing efficacy of CRISPR and how it may be morphed into safe and effective therapy for HNDs and other brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poh Kuan Wong
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fook Choe Cheah
- Department of Paediatrics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - M Aiman Mohtar
- UKM Medical Molecular Biology Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Norazrina Azmi
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Pei Yuen Ng
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Eng Wee Chua
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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32
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Hayashi Y, Takami M, Matsuo-Takasaki M. Studying Abnormal Chromosomal Diseases Using Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:224. [PMID: 32922264 PMCID: PMC7456929 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal abnormality causes congenital and acquired intractable diseases. In general, there are no fundamental treatments for these diseases. To establish platforms to develop therapeutics for these diseases, patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are highly beneficial. To study abnormal chromosomal diseases, it is often hard to apply animal disease models because the chromosomal structures are variable among species. It is also difficult to apply simple genome editing technology in cells or individuals for abnormal chromosomes. Thus, these patient-derived iPSCs have advantages for developing disease models with multiple cell and tissue types, which are typically seen in the symptoms of abnormal chromosomal diseases. Here we review the studies of patient-derived iPSCs carrying abnormal chromosomes, focusing on pluripotent state and neural lineages. We also discuss the technological advances in chromosomal manipulations toward establishing experimental models and future therapeutics. Patient-derived iPSCs carrying chromosomal abnormality are valuable as cellular bioresources since they can indefinitely proliferate and provide various cell types. Also, these findings and technologies are important for future studies on elucidating pathogenesis, drug development, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy for abnormal chromosomal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Hayashi
- iPS Advanced Characterization and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Miho Takami
- iPS Advanced Characterization and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Mami Matsuo-Takasaki
- iPS Advanced Characterization and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
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Abstract
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Nature Reviews Genetics, we asked 12 leading researchers to reflect on the key challenges and opportunities faced by the field of genetics and genomics. Keeping their particular research area in mind, they take stock of the current state of play and emphasize the work that remains to be done over the next few years so that, ultimately, the benefits of genetic and genomic research can be felt by everyone. To celebrate the first 20 years of Nature Reviews Genetics, we asked 12 leading scientists to reflect on the key challenges and opportunities faced by the field of genetics and genomics. Amy L. McGuire is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. She has received numerous teaching awards at Baylor College of Medicine, was recognized by the Texas Executive Women as a Woman on the Move in 2016 and was invited to give a TedMed talk titled “There is No Genome for the Human Spirit” in 2014. In 2020, she was elected as a Hastings Center Fellow. Her research focuses on ethical and policy issues related to emerging technologies, with a particular focus on genomic research, personalized medicine and the clinical integration of novel neurotechnologies. Stacey Gabriel is the Senior Director of the Genomics Platform at the Broad Institute since 2012 and has led platform development, execution and operation since its founding. She is Chair of Institute Scientists and serves on the institute’s executive leadership team. She is widely recognized as a leader in genomic technology and project execution. She has led the Broad’s contributions to numerous flagship projects in human genetics, including the International HapMap Project, the 1000 Genomes Project, The Cancer Genome Atlas, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Exome Sequencing Project and the TOPMed programme. She is Principal Investigator of the Broad’s All of Us (AoU) Genomics Center and serves on the AoU Program Steering Committee. Sarah A. Tishkoff is the David and Lyn Silfen University Associate Professor in Genetics and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, and holds appointments in the School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences. She is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of an NIH Pioneer Award, a David and Lucile Packard Career Award, a Burroughs/Wellcome Fund Career Award and an American Society of Human Genetics Curt Stern Award. Her work focuses on genomic variation in Africa, human evolutionary history, the genetic basis of adaptation and phenotypic variation in Africa, and the genetic basis of susceptibility to infectious disease in Africa. Ambroise Wonkam is Professor of Medical Genetics, Director of GeneMAP (Genetic Medicine of African Populations Research Centre) and Deputy Dean Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa. He has successfully led numerous NIH- and Wellcome Trust-funded projects over the past decade to investigate clinical variability in sickle cell disease, hearing impairment genetics and the return of individual findings in genetic research in Africa. He won the competitive Clinical Genetics Society International Award for 2014 from the British Society of Genetic Medicine. He is president of the African Society of Human Genetics. Aravinda Chakravarti is Director of the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, the Muriel G. and George W. Singer Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine and the Indian National Science Academy. He has been a key participant in the Human Genome Project, the International HapMap Project and the 1000 Genomes Project. His research attempts to understand the molecular basis of multifactorial disease. He was awarded the 2013 William Allan Award by the American Society of Human Genetics and the 2018 Chen Award by the Human Genome Organization. Eileen E. M. Furlong is Head of the Genome Biology Department at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and a member of the EMBL Directorate. She is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Academia Europaea, and a European Research Council (ERC) advanced investigator. Her group dissects fundamental principles of how the genome is regulated and how it drives cell fate decisions during embryonic development, including how developmental enhancers are organized and function within the 3D nucleus. Her work combines genetics, (single-cell) genomics, imaging and computational approaches to understand these processes. Her research has advanced the development of genomic methods for use in complex multicellular organisms. Barbara Treutlein is Associate Professor of Quantitative Developmental Biology in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel, Switzerland. Her group uses and develops single-cell genomics approaches in combination with stem cell-based 2D and 3D culture systems to study how human organs develop and regenerate and how cell fate is regulated. For her work, Barbara has received multiple awards, including the Friedmund Neumann Prize of the Schering Foundation, the Dr. Susan Lim Award for Outstanding Young Investigator of the International Society of Stem Cell Research and the EMBO Young Investigator Award. Alexander Meissner is a scientific member of the Max Planck Society and currently Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany. He heads the Department of Genome Regulation and is a visiting scientist in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University. Before his move to the MPI, he was a tenured professor at Harvard University and a senior associate member of the Broad Institute, where he co-directed the epigenomics programme. In 2018, he was elected as an EMBO member. His laboratory uses genomic tools to study developmental and disease biology with a particular focus on epigenetic regulation. Howard Y. Chang is the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Genomics at Stanford University and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is a physician–scientist who has focused on deciphering the hidden information in the non-coding genome. His laboratory is best known for studies of long non-coding RNAs in gene regulation and development of new epigenomic technologies. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Núria López-Bigas is ICREA research Professor at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and Associate Professor at the University Pompeu Fabra. She obtained an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2015 and was elected as an EMBO member in 2016. Her work has been recognized with the prestigious Banc de Sabadell Award for Research in Biomedicine, the Catalan National Award for Young Research Talent and the Career Development Award from the Human Frontier Science Program. Her research focuses on the identification of cancer driver mutations, genes and pathways across tumour types and in understanding the mutational processes that lead to the accumulation of mutations in cancer cells. Eran Segal is Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science, heading a multidisciplinary laboratory with extensive experience in machine learning, computational biology and analysis of heterogeneous high-throughput genomic data. His research focuses on the microbiome, nutrition and genetics, and their effect on health and disease and aims to develop personalized medicine based on big data from human cohorts. He has published more than 150 publications and received several awards and honours for his work, including the Overton and the Michael Bruno awards. He was recently elected as an EMBO member and as a member of the Israel Young Academy. Jin-Soo Kim is Director of the Center for Genome Engineering in the Institute for Basic Science in Daejon, South Korea. He has received numerous awards, including the 2017 Asan Award in Medicine, the 2017 Yumin Award in Science and the 2019 Research Excellence Award (Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists). He was featured as one of ten Science Stars of East Asia in Nature (558, 502–510 (2018)) and has been recognized as a highly cited researcher by Clarivate Analytics since 2018. His work focuses on developing tools for genome editing in biomedical research.
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Ross PJ, Mok RSF, Smith BS, Rodrigues DC, Mufteev M, Scherer SW, Ellis J. Modeling neuronal consequences of autism-associated gene regulatory variants with human induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Autism 2020; 11:33. [PMID: 32398033 PMCID: PMC7218542 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00333-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic factors contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and although non-protein-coding regions of the genome are being increasingly implicated in ASD, the functional consequences of these variants remain largely uncharacterized. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) enable the production of personalized neurons that are genetically matched to people with ASD and can therefore be used to directly test the effects of genomic variation on neuronal gene expression, synapse function, and connectivity. The combined use of human pluripotent stem cells with genome editing to introduce or correct specific variants has proved to be a powerful approach for exploring the functional consequences of ASD-associated variants in protein-coding genes and, more recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we review recent studies that implicate lncRNAs, other non-coding mutations, and regulatory variants in ASD susceptibility. We also discuss experimental design considerations for using iPSCs and genome editing to study the role of the non-protein-coding genome in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Joel Ross
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada.
| | - Rebecca S F Mok
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brandon S Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
| | - Deivid C Rodrigues
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marat Mufteev
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Genetics & Genome Biology Program and The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James Ellis
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Ha M. Chromatin plasticity eXISTs in differentiated cells. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2020; 21:120-121. [PMID: 32001808 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-0221-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minju Ha
- Associate Editor, Nature Communications, .
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