1
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Tong H, Yang T, Xu S, Li X, Liu L, Zhou G, Yang S, Yin S, Li XJ, Li S. Huntington's Disease: Complex Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3845. [PMID: 38612657 PMCID: PMC11011923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) arises from the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the production of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with a polyglutamine stretch in its N-terminus. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, mHTT forms aggregates and accumulates abnormally in neuronal nuclei and processes, leading to disruptions in multiple cellular functions. Although there is currently no effective curative treatment for HD, significant progress has been made in developing various therapeutic strategies to treat HD. In addition to drugs targeting the neuronal toxicity of mHTT, gene therapy approaches that aim to reduce the expression of the mutant HTT gene hold great promise for effective HD therapy. This review provides an overview of current HD treatments, discusses different therapeutic strategies, and aims to facilitate future therapeutic advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
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2
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D’Egidio F, Castelli V, Cimini A, d’Angelo M. Cell Rearrangement and Oxidant/Antioxidant Imbalance in Huntington's Disease. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:571. [PMID: 36978821 PMCID: PMC10045781 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG triplet repeat in the HTT gene, resulting in the production of an aberrant huntingtin (Htt) protein. The mutant protein accumulation is responsible for neuronal dysfunction and cell death. This is due to the involvement of oxidative damage, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and mitochondrial impairment. Neurons naturally adapt to bioenergetic alteration and oxidative stress in physiological conditions. However, this dynamic system is compromised when a neurodegenerative disorder occurs, resulting in changes in metabolism, alteration in calcium signaling, and impaired substrates transport. Thus, the aim of this review is to provide an overview of the cell's answer to the stress induced by HD, focusing on the role of oxidative stress and its balance with the antioxidant system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michele d’Angelo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
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3
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Ahamad S, Bhat SA. The Emerging Landscape of Small-Molecule Therapeutics for the Treatment of Huntington's Disease. J Med Chem 2022; 65:15993-16032. [PMID: 36490325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). The new insights into HD's cellular and molecular pathways have led to the identification of numerous potent small-molecule therapeutics for HD therapy. The field of HD-targeting small-molecule therapeutics is accelerating, and the approval of these therapeutics to combat HD may be expected in the near future. For instance, preclinical candidates such as naphthyridine-azaquinolone, AN1, AN2, CHDI-00484077, PRE084, EVP4593, and LOC14 have shown promise for further optimization to enter into HD clinical trials. This perspective aims to summarize the advent of small-molecule therapeutics at various stages of clinical development for HD therapy, emphasizing their structure and design, therapeutic effects, and specific mechanisms of action. Further, we have highlighted the key drivers involved in HD pathogenesis to provide insights into the basic principle for designing promising anti-HD therapeutic leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakir Ahamad
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh202002, India
| | - Shahnawaz A Bhat
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh202002, India
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4
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Datta D, Subburaju S, Kaye S, Baruah J, Choi YK, Nian Y, Khalili JS, Chung S, Elkhal A, Vasudevan A. Human forebrain endothelial cell therapy for psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:4864-4883. [PMID: 32661257 PMCID: PMC8162704 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0839-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Abnormalities of or reductions in GABAergic interneurons are implicated in the pathology of severe neuropsychiatric disorders, for which effective treatments are still elusive. Transplantation of human stem cell-derived interneurons is a promising cell-based therapy for treatment of these disorders. In mouse xenograft studies, human stem cell-derived-interneuron precursors could differentiate in vivo, but required a prolonged time of four to seven months to migrate from the graft site and integrate with the host tissue. This poses a serious roadblock for clinical translation of this approach. For transplantation to be effective, grafted neurons should migrate to affected areas at a faster rate. We have previously shown that endothelial cells of the periventricular vascular network are the natural substrates for GABAergic interneurons in the developing mouse forebrain, and provide valuable guidance cues for their long-distance migration. In addition, periventricular endothelial cells house a GABA signaling pathway with direct implications for psychiatric disease origin. In this study we translated this discovery into human, with significant therapeutic implications. We generated human periventricular endothelial cells, using human pluripotent stem cell technology, and extensively characterized its molecular, cellular, and functional properties. Co-culture of human periventricular endothelial cells with human interneurons significantly accelerated interneuron migration in vitro and led to faster migration and wider distribution of grafted interneurons in vivo, compared to neuron-only transplants. Furthermore, the co-transplantation strategy was able to rescue abnormal behavioral symptoms in a pre-clinical model of psychiatric disorder, within 1 month after transplantation. We anticipate this strategy to open new doors and facilitate exciting advances in angiogenesis-mediated treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debkanya Datta
- grid.280933.30000 0004 0452 8371Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA ,grid.240206.20000 0000 8795 072XDivision of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Sivan Subburaju
- grid.280933.30000 0004 0452 8371Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA ,grid.240206.20000 0000 8795 072XDivision of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Sarah Kaye
- grid.280933.30000 0004 0452 8371Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 USA ,grid.240206.20000 0000 8795 072XDivision of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Jugajyoti Baruah
- grid.280933.30000 0004 0452 8371Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA ,grid.240206.20000 0000 8795 072XDivision of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Yong Kee Choi
- grid.280933.30000 0004 0452 8371Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA ,grid.240206.20000 0000 8795 072XDivision of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Yeqi Nian
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA ,grid.62560.370000 0004 0378 8294Division of Transplantation, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 221 Longwood Avenue, EBRC 309, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | | | - Sangmi Chung
- grid.260917.b0000 0001 0728 151XDepartment of Cell biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595 USA
| | - Abdallah Elkhal
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA ,grid.62560.370000 0004 0378 8294Division of Transplantation, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, 221 Longwood Avenue, EBRC 309, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Anju Vasudevan
- Angiogenesis and Brain Development Laboratory, Huntington Medical Research Institutes (HMRI), 686 S Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91105, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. .,Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
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5
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Tabrizi SJ, Flower MD, Ross CA, Wild EJ. Huntington disease: new insights into molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic opportunities. Nat Rev Neurol 2020; 16:529-546. [PMID: 32796930 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-0389-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT) and involves a complex web of pathogenic mechanisms. Mutant HTT (mHTT) disrupts transcription, interferes with immune and mitochondrial function, and is aberrantly modified post-translationally. Evidence suggests that the mHTT RNA is toxic, and at the DNA level, somatic CAG repeat expansion in vulnerable cells influences the disease course. Genome-wide association studies have identified DNA repair pathways as modifiers of somatic instability and disease course in HD and other repeat expansion diseases. In animal models of HD, nucleocytoplasmic transport is disrupted and its restoration is neuroprotective. Novel cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma biomarkers are among the earliest detectable changes in individuals with premanifest HD and have the sensitivity to detect therapeutic benefit. Therapeutically, the first human trial of an HTT-lowering antisense oligonucleotide successfully, and safely, reduced the CSF concentration of mHTT in individuals with HD. A larger trial, powered to detect clinical efficacy, is underway, along with trials of other HTT-lowering approaches. In this Review, we discuss new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of HD and future therapeutic strategies, including the modulation of DNA repair and targeting the DNA mutation itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK. .,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK. .,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Michael D Flower
- Huntington's Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher A Ross
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington's Disease Centre, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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6
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Zhang X, Hu D, Shang Y, Qi X. Using induced pluripotent stem cell neuronal models to study neurodegenerative diseases. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165431. [PMID: 30898538 PMCID: PMC6751032 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Current application of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) technology in patient-specific models of neurodegenerative disorders recapitulate some of key phenotypes of diseases, representing disease-specific cellular modeling and providing a unique platform for therapeutics development. We review recent efforts toward advancing hiPSCs-derived neuronal cell types and highlight their potential use for the development of more complex in vitro models of neurodegenerative diseases by focusing on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We present evidence from previous works on the important phenotypic changes of various neuronal types in these neurological diseases. We also summarize efforts on conducting low- and high-throughput screening experiments with hiPSCs toward developing potential therapeutics for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Lastly, we discuss the limitations of hiPSCs culture system in studying neurodegenerative diseases and alternative strategies to overcome these hurdles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwen Zhang
- Center of Implant Dentistry, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110002, China; Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Di Hu
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Yutong Shang
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Xin Qi
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Center for Mitochondrial Diseases, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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Creus-Muncunill J, Ehrlich ME. Cell-Autonomous and Non-cell-Autonomous Pathogenic Mechanisms in Huntington's Disease: Insights from In Vitro and In Vivo Models. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:957-978. [PMID: 31529216 PMCID: PMC6985401 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00782-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by an expansion in the trinucleotide CAG repeat in exon-1 in the huntingtin gene, located on chromosome 4. When the number of trinucleotide CAG exceeds 40 repeats, disease invariably is manifested, characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. The huntingtin (Htt) protein and its mutant form (mutant huntingtin, mHtt) are ubiquitously expressed but although multiple brain regions are affected, the most vulnerable brain region is the striatum. Striatal medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) preferentially degenerate, followed by the cortical pyramidal neurons located in layers V and VI. Proposed HD pathogenic mechanisms include, but are not restricted to, excitotoxicity, neurotrophic support deficits, collapse of the protein degradation mechanisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional alterations, and disorders of myelin. Studies performed in cell type-specific and regionally selective HD mouse models implicate both MSN cell-autonomous properties and cell-cell interactions, particularly corticostriatal but also with non-neuronal cell types. Here, we review the intrinsic properties of MSNs that contribute to their selective vulnerability and in addition, we discuss how astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes, together with aberrant corticostriatal connectivity, contribute to HD pathophysiology. In addition, mHtt causes cell-autonomous dysfunction in cell types other than MSNs. These findings have implications in terms of therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing neuronal dysfunction and degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Creus-Muncunill
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Michelle E Ehrlich
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1468 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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TFEB-mediated activation of the lysosome-autophagy system affects the transduction efficiency of adeno-associated virus 2. Virology 2017; 510:1-8. [PMID: 28688268 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2017.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer is an appealing therapeutic option due to AAV's safety profile. Effective delivery of AAV's genetic cargo to the nucleus, however, requires evasion of host cell barriers, including cellular clearance mechanisms mediated by the lysosome-autophagy system. We used AAV serotype 2 to monitor the autophagic response to cellular internalization of AAV and to characterize the effect of AAV-induced activation of autophagy on transgene expression. We found AAV2 internalization to induce activation of transcription factor EB, a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, and upregulation of the lysosome-autophagy system. We showed that AAV2-induced activation of autophagy parallels a reduction in transgene expression, but also an increase in autophagic clearance of protein aggregates. These results can inform the design of AAV vectors with autophagy-modulating properties for applications ranging from the design of efficient gene delivery vectors to the treatment of diseases characterized by accumulation of autophagic cargo.
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9
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Huntington Disease as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Early Signs of the Disease in Stem Cells. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:3351-3371. [PMID: 28497201 PMCID: PMC5842500 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited disorder caused by a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which results in the HTT protein that contains an expanded polyglutamine tract. The adult form of HD exhibits a late onset of the fully symptomatic phase. However, there is also a long presymptomatic phase, which has been increasingly investigated and recognized as important for the disease development. Moreover, the juvenile form of HD, evoked by a higher number of CAG repeats, resembles a neurodevelopmental disorder and has recently been the focus of additional interest. Multiple lines of data, such as the developmental necessity of HTT, its role in the cell cycle and neurogenesis, and findings from pluripotent stem cells, suggest the existence of a neurodevelopmental component in HD pathogenesis. Therefore, we discuss the early molecular pathogenesis of HD in pluripotent and neural stem cells, with respect to the neurodevelopmental aspects of HD.
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Ahn S, Kim TG, Kim KS, Chung S. Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into Medial Ganglionic Eminence vs. Caudal Ganglionic Eminence cells. Methods 2016; 101:103-12. [PMID: 26364591 PMCID: PMC4786472 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Revised: 08/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) represent an opportunity to study human development in vitro, to model diseases in a dish, to screen drugs as well as to provide an unlimited and ethically unimpeded source of therapeutic cells. Cortical GABAergic interneurons, which are generated from Medial Ganglionic Eminence (MGE) cells and Caudal Ganglionic Eminence (CGE) cells during embryonic development, regulate cortical neural networks by providing inhibitory inputs. Their malfunction, resulting in failure to intricately regulate neural circuit balance, has been implicated in brain diseases, such as schizophrenia, autism and epilepsy. In this study, using combinatorial and temporal modulation of developmentally relevant dorsoventral and rostrocaudal signaling pathways, we efficiently generated MGE cells vs. CGE cells from human PSCs, which predominantly generate Parvalbumin-expressing or Somatostatin-expressing interneurons vs. Calretinin-expressing interneurons, respectively. Efficient generation of specific differentiated progenies of hPSCs as shown in this study will be a pivotal step to realize the full potential of hPSCs for regenerative medicine, developmental studies, disease modeling, bioassay, and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ahn
- Translational Stem Cell Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Tae-Gon Kim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Kwang-Soo Kim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Sangmi Chung
- Translational Stem Cell Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
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Park KM, Lee J, Hussein KH, Hong SH, Yang SR, Lee E, Woo HM. Generation of liver-specific TGF-α/c-Myc-overexpressing porcine induced pluripotent stem-like cells and blastocyst formation using nuclear transfer. J Vet Med Sci 2016; 78:709-13. [PMID: 26725870 PMCID: PMC4873867 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.15-0363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenic porcine induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are attractive cell sources for
the development of genetically engineered pig models, because they can be expanded without
senescence and have the potential for multiple gene manipulation. They are also useful
cell sources for disease modeling and treatment. However, the generation of transgenic
porcine iPS cells is rare, and their embryonic development after nuclear transfer (NT) has
not yet been reported. We report here the generation of liver-specific oncogenes
(TGF-α/c-Myc)-overexpressing porcine iPS (T/M iPS)-like cells. They
expressed stem cell characteristics and were differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells
that express oncogenes. We also confirmed that NT embryos derived from T/M iPS-like cells
successfully developed blastocysts in vitro. As an initial approach
toward porcine transgenic iPS cell generation and their developmental competence after NT,
this study provides foundations for the efficient generation of genetically modified
porcine iPS cells and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Mee Park
- Stem Cell Institute-KNU, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 200-701, Korea
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Sardiello M. Transcription factor EB: from master coordinator of lysosomal pathways to candidate therapeutic target in degenerative storage diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016; 1371:3-14. [PMID: 27299292 PMCID: PMC5032832 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The lysosome is the main catabolic hub of the cell. Owing to its role in fundamental processes such as autophagy, plasma membrane repair, mTOR signaling, and maintenance of cellular homeostasis, the lysosome has a profound influence on cellular metabolism and human health. Indeed, inefficient or impaired lysosomal function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of degenerative diseases affecting various organs and tissues, most notably the brain, liver, and muscle. The discovery of the coordinated lysosomal expression and regulation (CLEAR) genetic program and its master controller, transcription factor EB (TFEB), has provided an unprecedented tool to study and manipulate lysosomal function. Most lysosome-based processes-including macromolecule degradation, autophagy, lysosomal exocytosis, and proteostasis-are under the transcriptional control of TFEB. Interestingly, impaired TFEB signaling has been suggested to be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of several degenerative storage diseases. Preclinical studies based on TFEB exogenous expression to reinstate TFEB activity or promote CLEAR network-based lysosomal enhancement have highlighted TFEB as a candidate therapeutic target for the treatment of various degenerative storage diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Sardiello
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, and Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas
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13
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Kim TH, Yea CH, Chueng STD, Yin PTT, Conley B, Dardir K, Pak Y, Jung GY, Choi JW, Lee KB. Large-Scale Nanoelectrode Arrays to Monitor the Dopaminergic Differentiation of Human Neural Stem Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2015; 27:6356-62. [PMID: 26390254 PMCID: PMC4767621 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201502489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2015] [Revised: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A novel cell-based biosensing platform is developed using a combination of sequential laser interference lithography and electrochemical deposition methods. This enables the sensitive discrimination of dopaminergic cells from other types of neural cells in a completely nondestructive manner. This platform and detection strategy may become an effective noninvasive in situ monitoring tool that can be used to determine stem cell fate for various regenerative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Hyung Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
| | - Cheol-Heon Yea
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA). Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 121-742 (Republic of Korea)
| | - Sy-Tsong Dean Chueng
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
| | - Perry To-Tien Yin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
| | - Brian Conley
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
| | - Kholud Dardir
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
| | - Yusin Pak
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 500-712 (Republic of Korea)
| | - Gun Young Jung
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, 500-712 (Republic of Korea)
| | - Jeong-Woo Choi
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 121-742 (Republic of Korea), Fax: (+82) 2-3273-0331
| | - Ki-Bum Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA), Fax: (+1) 732-445-5312, http://kblee.rutgers.edu/. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (USA)
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Szlachcic WJ, Switonski PM, Krzyzosiak WJ, Figlerowicz M, Figiel M. Huntington disease iPSCs show early molecular changes in intracellular signaling, the expression of oxidative stress proteins and the p53 pathway. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:1047-57. [PMID: 26092128 PMCID: PMC4582098 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.019406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a brain disorder characterized by the late onset of motor and cognitive symptoms, even though the neurons in the brain begin to suffer dysfunction and degeneration long before symptoms appear. There is currently no cure. Several molecular and developmental effects of HD have been identified using neural stem cells (NSCs) and differentiated cells, such as neurons and astrocytes. Still, little is known regarding the molecular pathogenesis of HD in pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Therefore, we examined putative signaling pathways and processes involved in HD pathogenesis in pluripotent cells. We tested naïve mouse HD YAC128 iPSCs and two types of human HD iPSC that were generated from HD and juvenile-HD patients. Surprisingly, we found that a number of changes affecting cellular processes in HD were also present in undifferentiated pluripotent HD iPSCs, including the dysregulation of the MAPK and Wnt signaling pathways and the dysregulation of the expression of genes related to oxidative stress, such as Sod1. Interestingly, a common protein interactor of the huntingtin protein and the proteins in the above pathways is p53, and the expression of p53 was dysregulated in HD YAC128 iPSCs and human HD iPSCs. In summary, our findings demonstrate that multiple molecular pathways that are characteristically dysregulated in HD are already altered in undifferentiated pluripotent cells and that the pathogenesis of HD might begin during the early stages of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech J Szlachcic
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Pawel M Switonski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz J Krzyzosiak
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Marek Figlerowicz
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, Poznań 61-704, Poland
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15
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Kim TG, Yao R, Monnell T, Cho JH, Vasudevan A, Koh A, Peeyush KT, Moon M, Datta D, Bolshakov VY, Kim KS, Chung S. Efficient specification of interneurons from human pluripotent stem cells by dorsoventral and rostrocaudal modulation. Stem Cells 2015; 32:1789-804. [PMID: 24648391 DOI: 10.1002/stem.1704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 02/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons regulate cortical neural networks by providing inhibitory inputs, and their malfunction, resulting in failure to intricately regulate neural circuit balance, is implicated in brain diseases such as Schizophrenia, Autism, and Epilepsy. During early development, GABAergic interneuron progenitors arise from the ventral telencephalic area such as medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) and caudal ganglionic eminence (CGE) by the actions of secreted signaling molecules from nearby organizers, and migrate to their target sites where they form local synaptic connections. In this study, using combinatorial and temporal modulation of developmentally relevant dorsoventral and rostrocaudal signaling pathways (SHH, Wnt, and FGF8), we efficiently generated MGE cells from multiple human pluripotent stem cells. Most importantly, modulation of FGF8/FGF19 signaling efficiently directed MGE versus CGE differentiation. Human MGE cells spontaneously differentiated into Lhx6-expressing GABAergic interneurons and showed migratory properties. These human MGE-derived neurons generated GABA, fired action potentials, and displayed robust GABAergic postsynaptic activity. Transplantation into rodent brains results in well-contained neural grafts enriched with GABAergic interneurons that migrate in the host and mature to express somatostatin or parvalbumin. Thus, we propose that signaling modulation recapitulating normal developmental patterns efficiently generate human GABAergic interneurons. This strategy represents a novel tool in regenerative medicine, developmental studies, disease modeling, bioassay, and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Gon Kim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Program in Neuroscience, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Tidball AM, Bryan MR, Uhouse MA, Kumar KK, Aboud AA, Feist JE, Ess KC, Neely MD, Aschner M, Bowman AB. A novel manganese-dependent ATM-p53 signaling pathway is selectively impaired in patient-based neuroprogenitor and murine striatal models of Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 24:1929-44. [PMID: 25489053 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The essential micronutrient manganese is enriched in brain, especially in the basal ganglia. We sought to identify neuronal signaling pathways responsive to neurologically relevant manganese levels, as previous data suggested that alterations in striatal manganese handling occur in Huntington's disease (HD) models. We found that p53 phosphorylation at serine 15 is the most responsive cell signaling event to manganese exposure (of 18 tested) in human neuroprogenitors and a mouse striatal cell line. Manganese-dependent activation of p53 was severely diminished in HD cells. Inhibitors of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase decreased manganese-dependent phosphorylation of p53. Likewise, analysis of ATM autophosphorylation and additional ATM kinase targets, H2AX and CHK2, support a role for ATM in the activation of p53 by manganese and that a defect in this process occurs in HD. Furthermore, the deficit in Mn-dependent activation of ATM kinase in HD neuroprogenitors was highly selective, as DNA damage and oxidative injury, canonical activators of ATM, did not show similar deficits. We assessed cellular manganese handling to test for correlations with the ATM-p53 pathway, and we observed reduced Mn accumulation in HD human neuroprogenitors and HD mouse striatal cells at manganese exposures associated with altered p53 activation. To determine if this phenotype contributes to the deficit in manganese-dependent ATM activation, we used pharmacological manipulation to equalize manganese levels between HD and control mouse striatal cells and rescued the ATM-p53 signaling deficit. Collectively, our data demonstrate selective alterations in manganese biology in cellular models of HD manifest in ATM-p53 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Asad A Aboud
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute
| | | | - Kevin C Ess
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - M Diana Neely
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt Center in Molecular Toxicology
| | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Aaron B Bowman
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt Center in Molecular Toxicology, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
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17
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Hoffner G, Djian P. Polyglutamine Aggregation in Huntington Disease: Does Structure Determine Toxicity? Mol Neurobiol 2014; 52:1297-1314. [PMID: 25336039 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8932-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease is a dominantly inherited disease of the central nervous system. The mutational expansion of polyglutamine beyond a critical length produces a toxic gain of function in huntingtin and results in neuronal death. In the course of the disease, expanded huntingtin is proteolyzed, becomes abnormally folded, and accumulates in oligomers, fibrils, and microscopic inclusions. The aggregated forms of the expanded protein are structurally diverse. Structural heterogeneity may explain why polyglutamine-containing aggregates could paradoxically be either toxic or neuroprotective. When defined, the toxic structures could then specifically be targeted by prophylactic or therapeutic drugs aimed at inhibiting polyglutamine aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guylaine Hoffner
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cérébrale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Djian
- Laboratoire de Physiologie Cérébrale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006, Paris, France.
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18
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Preparation, Mass Diffusion, and Biocompatibility Analysis of Porous-Channel Controlled Calcium-Alginate-Gelatin Hybrid Microbeads for In Vitro Culture of NSCs. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2014; 173:838-50. [DOI: 10.1007/s12010-014-0874-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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19
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Song K, Yang Y, Li S, Wu M, Wu Y, Lim M, Liu T. In vitro culture and oxygen consumption of NSCs in size-controlled neurospheres of Ca-alginate/gelatin microbead. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2014; 40:197-203. [PMID: 24857483 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2014.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Revised: 01/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) forming neurospheres in a conventional culture tend to develop necrotic/apoptotic centers due to mass transport limitations. In this study, the internal pore structure of calcium-alginate/gelatin (CAG) microbeads was tuned and controlled to provide a suitable three-dimensional environment supporting NSC proliferation. Direct impact of three-dimensional space availability was quantified by oxygen consumption rates of NSCs and cells were cultured in three different methods: neurospheres, single cell suspension of NSCs, and encapsulated NSCs in microbeads. Our results showed that encapsulated NSCs in CAG microbeads maintained higher cell viability than in conventional culture. In addition, NSCs encapsulated in CAG microbeads preserved their original stemness and continued to express nestin, CNPase, GFAP and β-tubulin-III post-encapsulation. Oxygen consumption rates of encapsulated NSCs in CAG microbeads were the lowest as compared to the other two culture methods. The optimal cell density supporting high cell proliferation in CAG microbeads was found to be 1.5×10(5)cells/mL. The glucose consumption curve suggests that encapsulated NSCs in microbeads had a slower growth profile. This study presents an alternative method in hybrid microbead preparation to generate a highly favorable three-dimensional cell carrier for NSCs and was successfully applied for its effective in vitro expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kedong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Yanfei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Shixiao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Meiling Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yixing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Mayasari Lim
- Division of Bioengineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian R&D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
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20
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Hoffner G, Djian P. Monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric proteins in huntington disease and other diseases of polyglutamine expansion. Brain Sci 2014; 4:91-122. [PMID: 24961702 PMCID: PMC4066239 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci4010091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease and other diseases of polyglutamine expansion are each caused by a different protein bearing an excessively long polyglutamine sequence and are associated with neuronal death. Although these diseases affect largely different brain regions, they all share a number of characteristics, and, therefore, are likely to possess a common mechanism. In all of the diseases, the causative protein is proteolyzed, becomes abnormally folded and accumulates in oligomers and larger aggregates. The aggregated and possibly the monomeric expanded polyglutamine are likely to play a critical role in the pathogenesis and there is increasing evidence that the secondary structure of the protein influences its toxicity. We describe here, with special attention to huntingtin, the mechanisms of polyglutamine aggregation and the modulation of aggregation by the sequences flanking the polyglutamine. We give a comprehensive picture of the characteristics of monomeric and aggregated polyglutamine, including morphology, composition, seeding ability, secondary structure, and toxicity. The structural heterogeneity of aggregated polyglutamine may explain why polyglutamine-containing aggregates could paradoxically be either toxic or neuroprotective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guylaine Hoffner
- Génétique moléculaire et défense antivirale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France.
| | - Philippe Djian
- Génétique moléculaire et défense antivirale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France.
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21
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Guo X, Disatnik MH, Monbureau M, Shamloo M, Mochly-Rosen D, Qi X. Inhibition of mitochondrial fragmentation diminishes Huntington's disease-associated neurodegeneration. J Clin Invest 2013; 123:5371-88. [PMID: 24231356 DOI: 10.1172/jci70911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is the result of expression of a mutated Huntingtin protein (mtHtt), and is associated with a variety of cellular dysfunctions including excessive mitochondrial fission. Here, we tested whether inhibition of excessive mitochondrial fission prevents mtHtt-induced pathology. We developed a selective inhibitor (P110-TAT) of the mitochondrial fission protein dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1). We found that P110-TAT inhibited mtHtt-induced excessive mitochondrial fragmentation, improved mitochondrial function, and increased cell viability in HD cell culture models. P110-TAT treatment of fibroblasts from patients with HD and patients with HD with iPS cell-derived neurons reduced mitochondrial fragmentation and corrected mitochondrial dysfunction. P110-TAT treatment also reduced the extent of neurite shortening and cell death in iPS cell-derived neurons in patients with HD. Moreover, treatment of HD transgenic mice with P110-TAT reduced mitochondrial dysfunction, motor deficits, neuropathology, and mortality. We found that p53, a stress gene involved in HD pathogenesis, binds to DRP1 and mediates DRP1-induced mitochondrial and neuronal damage. Furthermore, P110-TAT treatment suppressed mtHtt-induced association of p53 with mitochondria in multiple HD models. These data indicate that inhibition of DRP1-dependent excessive mitochondrial fission with a P110-TAT-like inhibitor may prevent or slow the progression of HD.
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22
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Functions of huntingtin in germ layer specification and organogenesis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72698. [PMID: 23967334 PMCID: PMC3742581 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin protein (Htt). Although both Htt and the HD pathogenic mutation (mHtt) are implicated in early developmental events, their individual involvement has not been adequately explored. In order to better define the developmental functions and pathological consequences of the normal and mutant proteins, respectively, we employed embryonic stem cell (ESC) expansion, differentiation and induction experiments using huntingtin knock-out (KO) and mutant huntingtin knock-in (Q111) mouse ESC lines. In KO ESCs, we observed impairments in the spontaneous specification and survival of ectodermal and mesodermal lineages during embryoid body formation and under inductive conditions using retinoic acid and Wnt3A, respectively. Ablation of BAX improves cell survival, but failed to correct defects in germ layer specification. In addition, we observed ensuing impairments in the specification and maturation of neural, hepatic, pancreatic and cardiomyocyte lineages. These developmental deficits occurred in concert with alterations in Notch, Hes1 and STAT3 signaling pathways. Moreover, in Q111 ESCs, we observed differential developmental stage-specific alterations in lineage specification and maturation. We also observed changes in Notch/STAT3 expression and activation. Our observations underscore essential roles of Htt in the specification of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm, in the specification of neural and non-neural organ-specific lineages, as well as cell survival during early embryogenesis. Remarkably, these developmental events are differentially deregulated by mHtt, raising the possibility that HD-associated early developmental impairments may contribute not only to region-specific neurodegeneration, but also to non-neural co-morbidities.
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23
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Margulis BA, Vigont V, Lazarev VF, Kaznacheyeva EV, Guzhova IV. Pharmacological protein targets in polyglutamine diseases: mutant polypeptides and their interactors. FEBS Lett 2013; 587:1997-2007. [PMID: 23684638 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 05/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine diseases are a group of pathologies affecting different parts of the brain and causing dysfunction and atrophy of certain neural cell populations. These diseases stem from mutations in various cellular genes that result in the synthesis of proteins with extended polyglutamine tracts. In particular, this concerns huntingtin, ataxins, and androgen receptor. These mutant proteins can form oligomers, aggregates, and, finally, aggresomes with distinct functions and different degrees of cytotoxicity. In this review, we analyze the effects of different forms of polyQ proteins on other proteins and their functions, which are considered as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris A Margulis
- Institute of Cytology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Tikhoretsky pr., 4, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia
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24
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Su H, Wang L, Huang W, Qin D, Cai J, Yao X, Feng C, Li Z, Wang Y, So KF, Pan G, Wu W, Pei D. Immediate expression of Cdh2 is essential for efficient neural differentiation of mouse induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Res 2013; 10:338-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2012] [Revised: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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25
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Niclis JC, Pinar A, Haynes JM, Alsanie W, Jenny R, Dottori M, Cram DS. Characterization of forebrain neurons derived from late-onset Huntington's disease human embryonic stem cell lines. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:37. [PMID: 23576953 PMCID: PMC3617399 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon 1 of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Recently, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines carrying atypical and aggressive (CAG60+) HD variants have been generated and exhibit disparate molecular pathologies. Here we investigate two human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines carrying CAG37 and CAG51 typical late-onset repeat expansions in comparison to wildtype control lines during undifferentiated states and throughout forebrain neuronal differentiation. Pluripotent HD lines demonstrate growth, viability, pluripotent gene expression, mitochondrial activity and forebrain specification that is indistinguishable from control lines. Expression profiles of crucial genes known to be dysregulated in HD remain unperturbed in the presence of mutant protein and throughout differentiation; however, elevated glutamate-evoked responses were observed in HD CAG51 neurons. These findings suggest typical late-onset HD mutations do not alter pluripotent parameters or the capacity to generate forebrain neurons, but that such progeny may recapitulate hallmarks observed in established HD model systems. Such HD models will help further our understanding of the cascade of pathological events leading to disease onset and progression, while simultaneously facilitating the identification of candidate HD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C Niclis
- Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, Monash University Clayton, VIC, Australia ; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne Parkville, VIC, Australia
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26
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Rué L, López-Soop G, Gelpi E, Martínez-Vicente M, Alberch J, Pérez-Navarro E. Brain region- and age-dependent dysregulation of p62 and NBR1 in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 52:219-28. [PMID: 23295856 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2012] [Revised: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is characterized by the formation of protein aggregates, which can be degraded by macroautophagy. Here, we studied protein levels and intracellular distribution of p62 and NBR1, two macroautophagy cargo receptors, during disease progression. In R6/1 mice, p62 and NBR1 protein levels were decreased in all brain regions analyzed early in the disease, whereas at late stages they accumulated in the striatum and hippocampus, but not in the cortex. The accumulation of p62, but not NBR1, occurred in neuronal nuclei, where it co-localized with mutant huntingtin inclusions, both in R6/1 and Huntington's disease patients. Moreover, exportin-1 was selectively decreased in old R6/1 mice brain, and could worsen p62 nuclear accumulation. In conclusion, p62 interacts with mutant huntingtin and is retained in the nucleus along the progression of the disease, mostly in striatal and hippocampal neurons. Thus, cytoplasmic NBR1 might be important to maintain basal levels of selective macroautophagy in these neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rué
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Immunologia i Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
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27
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Kaye JA, Finkbeiner S. Modeling Huntington's disease with induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2013; 56:50-64. [PMID: 23459227 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2013.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Revised: 02/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) causes severe motor dysfunction, behavioral abnormalities, cognitive impairment and death. Investigations into its molecular pathology have primarily relied on murine tissues; however, the recent discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has opened new possibilities to model neurodegenerative disease using cells derived directly from patients, and therefore may provide a human-cell-based platform for unique insights into the pathogenesis of HD. Here, we will examine the practical implementation of iPSCs to study HD, such as approaches to differentiate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or iPSCs into medium spiny neurons, the cell type most susceptible in HD. We will explore the HD-related phenotypes identified in iPSCs and ESCs and review how brain development and neurogenesis may actually be altered early, before the onset of HD symptoms, which could inform the search for drugs that delay disease onset. Finally, we will speculate on the exciting possibility that ESCs or iPSCs might be used as therapeutics to restore or replace dying neurons in HD brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A Kaye
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, 1650 Owens Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
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28
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An in vitro perspective on the molecular mechanisms underlying mutant huntingtin protein toxicity. Cell Death Dis 2012; 3:e382. [PMID: 22932724 PMCID: PMC3434668 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2012.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder whose main hallmark is brain atrophy. However, several peripheral organs are considerably affected and their symptoms may, in fact, manifest before those resulting from brain pathology. HD is of genetic origin and caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The mutated protein has detrimental effects on cell survival, but whether the mutation leads to a gain of toxic function or a loss of function of the altered protein is still highly controversial. Most currently used in vitro models have been designed, to a large extent, to investigate the effects of the aggregation process in neuronal-like cells. However, as the pathology involves several other organs, new in vitro models are critically needed to take into account the deleterious effects of mutant huntingtin in peripheral tissues, and thus to identify new targets that could lead to more effective clinical interventions in the early course of the disease. This review aims to present current in vitro models of HD pathology and to discuss the knowledge that has been gained from these studies as well as the new in vitro tools that have been developed, which should reflect the more global view that we now have of the disease.
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29
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Cohen-Carmon D, Meshorer E. Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders: the chromatin connection. Nucleus 2012; 3:433-41. [PMID: 22892726 DOI: 10.4161/nucl.21481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ)-related diseases are dominant late-onset genetic disorders that are manifested by progressive neurodegeneration, leading to behavioral and physical impairments. An increased body of evidence suggests that chromatin structure and epigenetic regulation are involved in disease pathology. PolyQ diseases often display an aberrant transcriptional regulation due to the disrupted function of histone-modifying complexes and altered interactions of the polyQ-extended proteins with chromatin-related factors. In this review we describe recent findings relating to the role of chromatin in polyQ diseases. We discuss the involvement of epigenetic-related factors and chromatin structure in genomic instability of CAG repeats; we describe changes in the expression and regulation of chromatin-related enzymes and in the levels and patterns of histone modifications in disease state; we illustrate the potential beneficial effects of different histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for the treatment of polyQ diseases, and we end by describing the potential use of human pluripotent stem cells and their differentiated derivatives for modeling polyQ diseases in vitro. Taken together, these accumulating studies strongly suggest that disrupted chromatin regulation may be directly involved with the pathophysiology of polyQ-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorit Cohen-Carmon
- Department of Genetics, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem-Edmond J. Safra Campus, Jerusalem, Israel
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30
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Induced pluripotent stem cells to model and treat neurogenetic disorders. Neural Plast 2012; 2012:346053. [PMID: 22888453 PMCID: PMC3409544 DOI: 10.1155/2012/346053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2012] [Accepted: 05/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Remarkable advances in cellular reprogramming have made it possible to generate pluripotent stem cells from somatic cells, such as fibroblasts obtained from human skin biopsies. As a result, human diseases can now be investigated in relevant cell populations derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of patients. The rapid growth of iPSC technology has turned these cells into multipurpose basic and clinical research tools. In this paper, we highlight the roles of iPSC technology that are helping us to understand and potentially treat neurological diseases. Recent studies using iPSCs to model various neurogenetic disorders are summarized, and we discuss the therapeutic implications of iPSCs, including drug screening and cell therapy for neurogenetic disorders. Although iPSCs have been used in animal models with promising results to treat neurogenetic disorders, there are still many issues associated with reprogramming that must be addressed before iPSC technology can be fully exploited with translation to the clinic.
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Carter RL, Chan AW. Pluripotent stem cells models for Huntington's disease: prospects and challenges. J Genet Genomics 2012; 39:253-9. [PMID: 22749012 PMCID: PMC4075320 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2012.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2012] [Accepted: 04/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Pluripotent cellular models have shown great promise in the study of a number of neurological disorders. Several advantages of using a stem cell model include the potential for cells to derive disease relevant neuronal cell types, providing a system for researchers to monitor disease progression during neurogenesis, along with serving as a platform for drug discovery. A number of stem cell derived models have been employed to establish in vitro research models of Huntington's disease that can be used to investigate cellular pathology and screen for drug and cell-based therapies. Although some progress has been made, there are a number of challenges and limitations that must be overcome before the true potential of this research strategy is achieved. In this article we review current stem cell models that have been reported, as well as discuss the issues that impair these studies. We also highlight the prospective application of Huntington's disease stem cell models in the development of novel therapeutic strategies and advancement of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L. Carter
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd., N.E. Atlanta, GA 39329
- Genetic and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Anthony W.S. Chan
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, 954 Gatewood Rd., N.E. Atlanta, GA 39329
- Genetic and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, 615 Michael St., Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Ritch JJ, Valencia A, Alexander J, Sapp E, Gatune L, Sangrey GR, Sinha S, Scherber CM, Zeitlin S, Sadri-Vakili G, Irimia D, Difiglia M, Kegel KB. Multiple phenotypes in Huntington disease mouse neural stem cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2012; 50:70-81. [PMID: 22508027 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2012.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Revised: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem (NS) cells are a limitless resource, and thus superior to primary neurons for drug discovery provided they exhibit appropriate disease phenotypes. Here we established NS cells for cellular studies of Huntington's disease (HD). HD is a heritable neurodegenerative disease caused by a mutation resulting in an increased number of glutamines (Q) within a polyglutamine tract in Huntingtin (Htt). NS cells were isolated from embryonic wild-type (Htt(7Q/7Q)) and "knock-in" HD (Htt(140Q/140Q)) mice expressing full-length endogenous normal or mutant Htt. NS cells were also developed from mouse embryonic stem cells that were devoid of Htt (Htt(-/-)), or knock-in cells containing human exon1 with an N-terminal FLAG epitope tag and with 7Q or 140Q inserted into one of the mouse alleles (Htt(F7Q/7Q) and Htt(F140Q/7Q)). Compared to Htt(7Q/7Q) NS cells, HD Htt(140Q/140Q) NS cells showed significantly reduced levels of cholesterol, increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and impaired motility. The heterozygous Htt(F140Q/7Q) NS cells had increased ROS and decreased motility compared to Htt(F7Q/7Q). These phenotypes of HD NS cells replicate those seen in HD patients or in primary cell or in vivo models of HD. Huntingtin "knock-out" NS cells (Htt(-/-)) also had impaired motility, but in contrast to HD cells had increased cholesterol. In addition, Htt(140Q/140Q) NS cells had higher phospho-AKT/AKT ratios than Htt(7Q/7Q) NS cells in resting conditions and after BDNF stimulation, suggesting mutant htt affects AKT dependent growth factor signaling. Upon differentiation, the Htt(7Q/7Q) and Htt(140Q/140Q) generated numerous Beta(III)-Tubulin- and GABA-positive neurons; however, after 15 days the cellular architecture of the differentiated Htt(140Q/140Q) cultures changed compared to Htt(7Q/7Q) cultures and included a marked increase of GFAP-positive cells. Our findings suggest that NS cells expressing endogenous mutant Htt will be useful for study of mechanisms of HD and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Ritch
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, United States
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