A human neuron injury model for molecular studies of axonal regeneration

Loss of C9orf72 perturbs the Ran-GTPase gradient and nucleocytoplasmic transport, generating compositionally diverse Importin β-1 granules

A hexanucleotide (GGGGCC)_n repeat expansion in C9orf72 causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), eliciting toxic effects through generation of RNA foci, dipeptide repeat proteins, and/or loss of C9orf72 protein. Defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT) have been implicated as a pathogenic mechanism underlying repeat expansion toxicity. Here, we show that loss of C9orf72 disrupts the Ran-GTPase gradient and NCT in vitro and in vivo. NCT disruption in vivo is enhanced by the presence of compositionally different types of cytoplasmic Importin β-1 granule that exhibit neuronal subtype-specific properties. We show that the abundance of Importin β-1 granules is increased in the context of C9orf72 deficiency, disrupting interactions with nuclear pore complex proteins. These granules appear to associate with the nuclear envelope and are co-immunoreactive for G3BP1 and K63-ubiquitin. These findings link loss of C9orf72 protein to gain-of-function mechanisms and defects in NCT.

Enzyme-Free Dissociation of Neurospheres by a Microfluidic Chip-Based Method

Neurosphere assay is a common and robust method for identification of neural stem/progenitor cells, but obtaining large numbers of live single cells from dissociated neurospheres is difficult using nonenzymatic methods. Here, we present an enzyme-free method for high-efficiency neurosphere dissociation into single cells using microfluidic device technology. This method allows single cell dissociation of DC115 and KT98 cells with high cell viabilities (80-85 %), single-cell yield (91-95 %), and recovery (75-93 %).

Axon-soma communication in neuronal injury

The extensive lengths of neuronal processes necessitate efficient mechanisms for communication with the cell body. Neuronal regeneration after nerve injury requires new transcription; thus, long-distance retrograde signalling from axonal lesion sites to the soma and nucleus is required. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in elucidating the mechanistic basis of this system. This has included the discovery of a priming role for early calcium waves; confirmation of central roles for mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling effectors, the importin family of nucleocytoplasmic transport factors and molecular motors such as dynein; and demonstration of the importance of local translation as a key regulatory mechanism. These recent findings provide a coherent mechanistic framework for axon-soma communication in the injured nerve and shed light on the integration of cytoplasmic and nuclear transport in all eukaryotic cells.

Single-cell enzyme-free dissociation of neurospheres using a microfluidic chip

Obtaining single dissociated cells from neurospheres is difficult using nonenzymatic methods. In this paper we report the development of a microfluidic-chip-based approach that utilizes flow and microstructures to dissociate neurospheres. We show that this microfluidic-chip-based neurosphere-dissociation method can generate high yields of single cells from dissociated neurospheres of mouse KT98 and DC115 cell models (passage number, 3-8; diameter range, 40-250 μm): 90% and 95%, respectively. The microfluidic-chip-dissociated cells had high viabilities (80-85%) and the ability to regrow into neurospheres, demonstrating the applicability of this device to neurosphere assay applications. In addition, the dissociated cells retained their normal differentiation potentials, as shown by their capabilities to differentiate into three neural lineages (neurons, astroglia, and oligodendrocytes) when cultured in differentiation culture conditions. Since this microfluidic-chip-based method does not require the use of enzymatic reagents, the risk of contamination from exogenous substances could be reduced, making it an attractive tool for a wide range of applications where neurosphere dissociation is needed.

Simple generation of neurons from human embryonic stem cells using agarose multiwell dishes

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are potentially an unlimited source of neurons for study and therapy for human disease. Directed differentiation of hESC has been performed using many different methods, often via neural precursor intermediates generated from aggregates of hESC. We describe here a protocol based on commercially available reusable silicone micromolds and two small molecule growth factor inhibitors to simply and reproducibly generate human neurons from hESC. Hundreds of neurospheres were generated with a single pipettation of hESC into agarose multiwell plates made with the micromolds. This was followed by suspension culture with two medium changes, and plating of clumps cut from the neurospheres on laminin-coated coverslips. After two weeks of terminal differentiation, 90%+ of cells expressed neuronal proteins, and many of the neurons expressed markers of peripheral sensory neurons. The neurons made with this method underwent productive infection with the human-specific pathogenic virus varicella zoster, demonstrating the utility of the neurons for addressing clinically relevant research questions. This simple method should allow laboratories experienced in growing human pluripotent cells to easily generate neurons for studies of nerve cell biology and pathology.

Continuum modeling of a neuronal cell under blast loading

Traumatic brain injuries have recently been put under the spotlight as one of the most important causes of accidental brain dysfunctions. Significant experimental and modeling efforts are thus underway to study the associated biological, mechanical and physical mechanisms. In the field of cell mechanics, progress is also being made at the experimental and modeling levels to better characterize many of the cell functions, including differentiation, growth, migration and death. The work presented here aims to bridge both efforts by proposing a continuum model of a neuronal cell submitted to blast loading. In this approach, the cytoplasm, nucleus and membrane (plus cortex) are differentiated in a representative cell geometry, and different suitable material constitutive models are chosen for each one. The material parameters are calibrated against published experimental work on cell nanoindentation at multiple rates. The final cell model is ultimately subjected to blast loading within a complete computational framework of fluid-structure interaction. The results are compared to the nanoindentation simulation, and the specific effects of the blast wave on the pressure and shear levels at the interfaces are identified. As a conclusion, the presented model successfully captures some of the intrinsic intracellular phenomena occurring during the cellular deformation under blast loading that potentially lead to cell damage. It suggests, more particularly, that the localization of damage at the nucleus membrane is similar to what has already been observed at the overall cell membrane. This degree of damage is additionally predicted to be worsened by a longer blast positive phase duration. In conclusion, the proposed model ultimately provides a new three-dimensional computational tool to evaluate intracellular damage during blast loading.

Retrograde axonal transport of VZV: kinetic studies in hESC-derived neurons

Retrograde axonal transport of the neurotropic alphaherpesvirus Varicella zoster virus (VZV) from vesicles at the skin results in sensory neuron infection and establishment of latency. Reactivation from latency leads to painful herpes zoster. The lack of a suitable animal model of these processes for the highly human-restricted VZV has resulted in a dearth of knowledge regarding the axonal transport of VZV. We recently demonstrated VZV infection of distal axons, leading to subsequent capsid transport to the neuronal somata, and replication and release of infectious virus using a new model based on neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC). In the present study, we perform a kinetic analysis of the retrograde transport of green fluorescent protein-tagged ORF23 in VZV capsids using hESC-derived neurons compartmentalized microfluidic chambers and time-lapse video microscopy. The motion of the VZV was discontinuous, showing net retrograde movement with numerous short pauses and reversals in direction. Velocities measured were higher 1 h after infection than 6 h after infection, while run lengths were similar at both time points. The hESC-derived neuron model was also used to show that reduced neuronal spread by a VZV loss-of-function mutant for ORF7 is not due to the prevention of axonal infection and transport of the virus to the neuronal somata. hESC-derived neurons are, therefore, a powerful model for studying axonal transport of VZV and molecular characteristics of neuronal infection.

Varicella-zoster virus infects human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons and neurospheres but not pluripotent embryonic stem cells or early progenitors

Pluripotent human stem cells are a powerful tool for the generation of differentiated cells that can be used for the study of human disease. We recently demonstrated that neurons derived from pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can be infected by the highly host-restricted human alphaherpesvirus varicella-zoster virus (VZV), permitting the interaction of VZV with neurons to be readily evaluated in culture. In the present study, we examine whether pluripotent hESC and neural progenitors at intermediate stages of differentiation are permissive for VZV infection. We demonstrate here that VZV infection is blocked in naïve hESC. A block to VZV replication is also seen when a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) containing the VZV genome is transfected into hESC. In contrast, related alphaherpesviruses herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PrV) productively infect naïve hESC in a cell-free manner, and PrV replicates from a BAC transfected into hESC. Neurons differentiate from hESC via neural progenitor intermediates, as is the case in the embryo. The first in vitro stage at which permissiveness of hESC-derived neural precursors to VZV replication is observed is upon formation of "neurospheres," immediately after detachment from the inductive stromal feeder layer. These findings suggest that hESC may be useful in deciphering the yet enigmatic mechanisms of specificity of VZV infection and replication.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection of neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells: direct demonstration of axonal infection, transport of VZV, and productive neuronal infection

Study of the human neurotrophic herpesvirus varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and of its ability to infect neurons has been severely limited by strict viral human tropism and limited availability of human neurons for experimentation. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) can be differentiated to all the cell types of the body including neurons and are therefore a potentially unlimited source of human neurons to study their interactions with human neurotropic viruses. We report here reproducible infection of hESC-derived neurons by cell-associated green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing VZV. hESC-derived neurons expressed GFP within 2 days after incubation with mitotically inhibited MeWo cells infected with recombinant VZV expressing GFP as GFP fusions to VZV proteins or under an independent promoter. VZV infection was confirmed by immunostaining for immediate-early and viral capsid proteins. Infection of hESC-derived neurons was productive, resulting in release into the medium of infectious virions that appeared fully assembled when observed by electron microscopy. We also demonstrated, for the first time, VZV infection of axons and retrograde transport from axons to neuronal cell bodies using compartmented microfluidic chambers. The use of hESC-derived human neurons in conjunction with fluorescently tagged VZV shows great promise for the study of VZV neuronal infection and axonal transport and has potential for the establishment of a model for VZV latency in human neurons.