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Allison RL, Ebert AD. ALS iPSC-derived microglia and motor neurons respond to astrocyte-targeted IL-10 and CCL2 modulation. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:530-542. [PMID: 38129120 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad209] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). The loss of MNs in ALS leads to muscle weakness and wasting, respiratory failure, and death often within two years of diagnosis. Glial cells in ALS show aberrant expression of pro-inflammatory and neurotoxic proteins associated with activation and have been proposed as ideal therapeutic targets. In this study, we examined astrocyte-targeted treatments to reduce glial activation and neuron pathology using cells differentiated from ALS patient-derived iPSC carrying SOD1 and C9ORF72 mutations. Specifically, we tested the ability of increasing interleukin 10 (IL-10) and reducing C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2/MCP-1) signaling targeted to astrocytes to reduce activation phenotypes in both astrocytes and microglia. Overall, we found IL10/CCL2NAb treated astrocytes to support anti-inflammatory phenotypes and reduce neurotoxicity, through different mechanisms in SOD1 and C9ORF72 cultures. We also found altered responses of microglia and motor neurons to astrocytic influences when cells were cultured together rather than in isolation. Together these data support IL-10 and CCL2 as non-mutation-specific therapeutic targets for ALS and highlight the role of glial-mediated pathology in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reilly L Allison
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
| | - Allison D Ebert
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, United States
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2
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Watts ME, Giadone RM, Ordureau A, Holton KM, Harper JW, Rubin LL. Analyzing the ER stress response in ALS patient derived motor neurons identifies druggable neuroprotective targets. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1327361. [PMID: 38314348 PMCID: PMC10834640 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1327361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative motor neuron (MN) disease with severely limited treatment options. Identification of effective treatments has been limited in part by the lack of predictive animal models for complex human disorders. Here, we utilized pharmacologic ER stressors to exacerbate underlying sensitivities conferred by ALS patient genetics in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons (MNs). In doing so, we found that thapsigargin and tunicamycin exposure recapitulated ALS-associated degeneration, and that we could rescue this degeneration via MAP4K4 inhibition (MAP4K4i). We subsequently identified mechanisms underlying MAP4K4i-mediated protection by performing phosphoproteomics on iPSC-derived MNs treated with ER stressors ±MAP4K4i. Through these analyses, we found JNK, PKC, and BRAF to be differentially modulated in MAP4K4i-protected MNs, and that inhibitors to these proteins could also rescue MN toxicity. Collectively, this study highlights the value of utilizing ER stressors in ALS patient MNs to identify novel druggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle E. Watts
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Richard M. Giadone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Alban Ordureau
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kristina M. Holton
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - J. Wade Harper
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lee L. Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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3
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Soumya BS, Shreenidhi VP, Agarwal A, Gandhirajan RK, Dharmarajan A, Warrier S. Unwinding the role of Wnt signaling cascade and molecular triggers of motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Cell Signal 2023; 110:110807. [PMID: 37463628 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.110807] [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: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative condition, triggered by various factors causing the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscle wasting, paralysis, and death. Multiple in vivo and in vitro models have been established to unravel the molecular events leading to the deterioration of motor neurons in ALS. The canonical and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway has been implicated to play a crucial role in the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. This review discusses the role of Wnt signaling in the reported causes of ALS such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy, and apoptosis. Mutations in ALS-associated genes such as SOD1, C9orf72, TDP43, FUS, and OPTN cause an imbalance in neuronal integrity and homeostasis leading to motor neuron demise. Wnt signaling is also observed to play a crucial role in the muscle sparing of oculomotor neurons. The non-canonical Wnt/Ca2+ pathway which regulates intrinsic electrophysiological properties and mobilizes calcium ions to maintain neuronal integrity has been found to be altered in the stem cell-derived ALS model. Thus, the interplay of dysregulated canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathways in multiple motor neuron disease models has shown that Wnt contributes to disease progression indicating it to be utilized as a potential target for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- B S Soumya
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560065, India
| | - V P Shreenidhi
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Apoorvaa Agarwal
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar Gandhirajan
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India
| | - Arun Dharmarajan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India; School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Life and Physical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia; Curtin Medical School, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sudha Warrier
- Division of Cancer Stem Cells and Cardiovascular Regeneration, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560065, India; Cuor Stem Cellutions Pvt Ltd, Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bangalore 560065, India; Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600116, India.
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4
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Lee A, Henderson R, Arachchige BJ, Robertson T, McCombe PA. Proteomic investigation of ALS motor cortex identifies known and novel pathogenetic mechanisms. J Neurol Sci 2023; 452:120753. [PMID: 37542825 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120753] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
The key pathological feature in ALS is death of motor neurones from the brain and spinal cord, but the molecular mechanisms underlying this degeneration remain unknown. Quantifying the motor cortex proteome in autopsy brain and comparing tissues from ALS cases and non-ALS controls is critical to understanding these mechanisms. We used Sequential Window Acquisition of All Theoretical Mass Spectra (SWATH-MS) to characterize the proteomes of the motor cortex from ALS cases (n = 8) and control subjects (n = 8). A total of 1427 proteins were identified at a critical local false discovery rate < 5%; 187 of these exhibited significant expression differences between ALS cases and controls. Of these, 91 proteins were significantly upregulated and 96 proteins were significantly downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these proteins are involved in molecular transport, protein trafficking, free radical scavenging, lipid metabolism, cell death and survival, nucleic acid metabolism, inflammatory response or amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism. Differentially expressed proteins were subjected to pathway analysis. This revealed abnormalities in pathways involving mitochondrial function, sirtuin signaling, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis, phagosome maturation, SNARE signaling, redox regulation and several others. Core analysis revealed mitochondrial dysfunction to be the top canonical pathway. The top-enriched networks involved JNK activation and inhibition of AKT signaling, suggesting that disruption of these signaling pathways could lead to demise of motor neurons in the ALS motor cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aven Lee
- Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Robert Henderson
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital (RBWH), Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Buddhika Jayakody Arachchige
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - Thomas Robertson
- Pathology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pamela Ann McCombe
- Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia; Wesley Medical Research, The Wesley Hospital, Auchenflower, QLD 4066, Australia.
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5
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Shi Y, Zhao Y, Lu L, Gao Q, Yu D, Sun M. CRISPR/Cas9: implication for modeling and therapy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1223777. [PMID: 37483353 PMCID: PMC10359984 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1223777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a deadly neurological disease with a complicated and variable pathophysiology yet to be fully understood. There is currently no effective treatment available to either slow or terminate it. However, recent advances in ALS genomics have linked genes to phenotypes, encouraging the creation of novel therapeutic approaches and giving researchers more tools to create efficient animal models. Genetically engineered rodent models replicating ALS disease pathology have a high predictive value for translational research. This review addresses the history of the evolution of gene editing tools, the most recent ALS disease models, and the application of CRISPR/Cas9 against ALS disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Shi
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Genetic Medicine of Shandong Health Commission, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Institute for Fetology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Institute for Fetology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Likui Lu
- Institute for Fetology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qinqin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Genetic Medicine of Shandong Health Commission, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Institute for Fetology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Dongyi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Genetic Medicine of Shandong Health Commission, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Miao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Genetic Medicine of Shandong Health Commission, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Institute for Fetology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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6
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Ziff OJ, Neeves J, Mitchell J, Tyzack G, Martinez-Ruiz C, Luisier R, Chakrabarti AM, McGranahan N, Litchfield K, Boulton SJ, Al-Chalabi A, Kelly G, Humphrey J, Patani R. Integrated transcriptome landscape of ALS identifies genome instability linked to TDP-43 pathology. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2176. [PMID: 37080969 PMCID: PMC10119258 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37630-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) causes motor neuron degeneration, with 97% of cases exhibiting TDP-43 proteinopathy. Elucidating pathomechanisms has been hampered by disease heterogeneity and difficulties accessing motor neurons. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons (iPSMNs) offer a solution; however, studies have typically been limited to underpowered cohorts. Here, we present a comprehensive compendium of 429 iPSMNs from 15 datasets, and 271 post-mortem spinal cord samples. Using reproducible bioinformatic workflows, we identify robust upregulation of p53 signalling in ALS in both iPSMNs and post-mortem spinal cord. p53 activation is greatest with C9orf72 repeat expansions but is weakest with SOD1 and FUS mutations. TDP-43 depletion potentiates p53 activation in both post-mortem neuronal nuclei and cell culture, thereby functionally linking p53 activation with TDP-43 depletion. ALS iPSMNs and post-mortem tissue display enrichment of splicing alterations, somatic mutations, and gene fusions, possibly contributing to the DNA damage response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Ziff
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Jacob Neeves
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jamie Mitchell
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Giulia Tyzack
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Carlos Martinez-Ruiz
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Raphaelle Luisier
- Genomics and Health Informatics Group, Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicholas McGranahan
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Kevin Litchfield
- Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, University College London Cancer Institute, London, UK
| | - Simon J Boulton
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Gavin Kelly
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jack Humphrey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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7
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Marshall KL, Rajbhandari L, Venkatesan A, Maragakis NJ, Farah MH. Enhanced axonal regeneration of ALS patient iPSC-derived motor neurons harboring SOD1 A4V mutation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5597. [PMID: 37020097 PMCID: PMC10076424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31720-7] [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: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons that leads to muscle weakness, paralysis, and death, but the effects of disease-causing mutations on axonal outgrowth of neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived motor neurons (hiPSC-MN) are poorly understood. The use of hiPSC-MN is a promising tool to develop more relevant models for target identification and drug development in ALS research, but questions remain concerning the effects of distinct disease-causing mutations on axon regeneration. Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) were the first to be discovered in ALS patients. Here, we investigated the effect of the SOD1A4V mutation on axonal regeneration of hiPSC-MNs, utilizing compartmentalized microfluidic devices, which are powerful tools for studying hiPSC-MN distal axons. Surprisingly, SOD1+/A4V hiPSC-MNs regenerated axons more quickly following axotomy than those expressing the native form of SOD1. Though initial axon regrowth was not significantly different following axotomy, enhanced regeneration was apparent at later time points, indicating an increased rate of outgrowth. This regeneration model could be used to identify factors that enhance the rate of human axon regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Marshall
- Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The John G. Rangos Sr. Building, Room 239, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Labchan Rajbhandari
- Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The John G. Rangos Sr. Building, Room 239, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Arun Venkatesan
- Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The John G. Rangos Sr. Building, Room 239, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Nicholas J Maragakis
- Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The John G. Rangos Sr. Building, Room 239, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mohamed H Farah
- Neuromuscular Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The John G. Rangos Sr. Building, Room 239, 855 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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FUS-ALS hiPSC-derived astrocytes impair human motor units through both gain-of-toxicity and loss-of-support mechanisms. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:5. [PMID: 36653804 PMCID: PMC9847053 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00591-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astrocytes play a crucial, yet not fully elucidated role in the selective motor neuron pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Among other responsibilities, astrocytes provide important neuronal homeostatic support, however this function is highly compromised in ALS. The establishment of fully human coculture systems can be used to further study the underlying mechanisms of the dysfunctional intercellular interplay, and has the potential to provide a platform for revealing novel therapeutic entry points. METHODS In this study, we characterised human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes from FUS-ALS patients, and incorporated these cells into a human motor unit microfluidics model to investigate the astrocytic effect on hiPSC-derived motor neuron network and functional neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) using immunocytochemistry and live-cell recordings. FUS-ALS cocultures were systematically compared to their CRISPR-Cas9 gene-edited isogenic control systems. RESULTS We observed a dysregulation of astrocyte homeostasis, which resulted in a FUS-ALS-mediated increase in reactivity and secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Upon coculture with motor neurons and myotubes, we detected a cytotoxic effect on motor neuron-neurite outgrowth, NMJ formation and functionality, which was improved or fully rescued by isogenic control astrocytes. We demonstrate that ALS astrocytes have both a gain-of-toxicity and loss-of-support function involving the WNT/β-catenin pathway, ultimately contributing to the disruption of motor neuron homeostasis, intercellular networks and NMJs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings shine light on a complex, yet highly important role of astrocytes in ALS, and provides further insight in to their pathological mechanisms.
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Castillo Bautista CM, Sterneckert J. Progress and challenges in directing the differentiation of human iPSCs into spinal motor neurons. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 10:1089970. [PMID: 36684437 PMCID: PMC9849822 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1089970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron (MN) diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy, cause progressive paralysis and, in many cases, death. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis is urgently needed to identify more effective therapies. However, studying MNs has been extremely difficult because they are inaccessible in the spinal cord. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can generate a theoretically limitless number of MNs from a specific patient, making them powerful tools for studying MN diseases. However, to reach their potential, iPSCs need to be directed to efficiently differentiate into functional MNs. Here, we review the reported differentiation protocols for spinal MNs, including induction with small molecules, expression of lineage-specific transcription factors, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional cultures, as well as the implementation of microfluidics devices and co-cultures with other cell types, including skeletal muscle. We will summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. In addition, we will provide insights into how to address some of the remaining challenges, including reproducibly obtaining mature and aged MNs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jared Sterneckert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany,*Correspondence: Jared Sterneckert,
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11
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Aslan A, Yuka SA. Stem Cell-Based Therapeutic Approaches in Genetic Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1436:19-53. [PMID: 36735185 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2023_761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Stem cells, which can self-renew and differentiate into different cell types, have become the keystone of regenerative medicine due to these properties. With the achievement of superior clinical results in the therapeutic approaches of different diseases, the applications of these cells in the treatment of genetic diseases have also come to the fore. Foremost, conventional approaches of stem cells to genetic diseases are the first approaches in this manner, and they have brought safety issues due to immune reactions caused by allogeneic transplantation. To eliminate these safety issues and phenotypic abnormalities caused by genetic defects, firstly, basic genetic engineering practices such as vectors or RNA modulators were combined with stem cell-based therapeutic approaches. However, due to challenges such as immune reactions and inability to target cells effectively in these applications, advanced molecular methods have been adopted in ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR/Cas genome editing nucleases, which allow modular designs in stem cell-based genetic diseases' therapeutic approaches. Current studies in genetic diseases are in the direction of creating permanent treatment regimens by genomic manipulation of stem cells with differentiation potential through genome editing tools. In this chapter, the stem cell-based therapeutic approaches of various vital genetic diseases were addressed wide range from conventional applications to genome editing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayça Aslan
- Department of Bioengineering, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Selcen Arı Yuka
- Department of Bioengineering, Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey.
- Health Biotechnology Joint Research and Application Center of Excellence, Istanbul, Turkey.
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12
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Kumar R, Malik Z, Singh M, Rachana R, Mani S, Ponnusamy K, Haider S. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Risk Genes and Suppressor. Curr Gene Ther 2023; 23:148-162. [PMID: 36366843 DOI: 10.2174/1566523223666221108113330] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to death by progressive paralysis and respiratory failure within 2-4 years of onset. About 90-95% of ALS cases are sporadic (sALS), and 5-10% are inherited through family (fALS). Though the mechanisms of the disease are still poorly understood, so far, approximately 40 genes have been reported as ALS causative genes. The mutations in some crucial genes, like SOD1, C9ORF72, FUS, and TDP-43, are majorly associated with ALS, resulting in ROS-associated oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, protein aggregation, altered RNA processing, axonal and vesicular trafficking dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Recent studies show that dysfunctional cellular pathways get restored as a result of the repair of a single pathway in ALS. In this review article, our aim is to identify putative targets for therapeutic development and the importance of a single suppressor to reduce multiple symptoms by focusing on important mutations and the phenotypic suppressors of dysfunctional cellular pathways in crucial genes as reported by other studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Zubbair Malik
- School of Computational and Integrative Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Manisha Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - R Rachana
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shalini Mani
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | | | - Shazia Haider
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Sec-62, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
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13
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Wang G, Xu Y, Wang Q, Chai Y, Sun X, Yang F, Zhang J, Wu M, Liao X, Yu X, Sheng X, Liu Z, Zhang J. Rare and undiagnosed diseases: From disease-causing gene identification to mechanism elucidation. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 2:918-928. [PMID: 38933382 PMCID: PMC11197726 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rare and undiagnosed diseases substantially decrease patient quality of life and have increasingly become a heavy burden on healthcare systems. Because of the challenges in disease-causing gene identification and mechanism elucidation, patients are often confronted with difficulty obtaining a precise diagnosis and treatment. Due to advances in sequencing and multiomics analysis approaches combined with patient-derived iPSC models and gene-editing platforms, substantial progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of rare and undiagnosed diseases. The aforementioned techniques also provide an operational basis for future precision medicine studies. In this review, we summarize recent progress in identifying disease-causing genes based on GWAS/WES/WGS-guided multiomics analysis approaches. In addition, we discuss recent advances in the elucidation of pathogenic mechanisms and treatment of diseases with state-of-the-art iPSC and organoid models, which are improved by cell maturation level and gene editing technology. The comprehensive strategies described above will generate a new paradigm of disease classification that will significantly promote the precision and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment for rare and undiagnosed diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China
| | - Yuyan Xu
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Qintao Wang
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yi Chai
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiangwei Sun
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fan Yang
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mengchen Wu
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xufeng Liao
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaomin Yu
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xin Sheng
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhihong Liu
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China
- National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Zhejiang Laboratory for Systems & Precision Medicine, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311121, China
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Center of Gene/Cell Engineering and Genome Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310058, China
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14
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De Plano LM, Calabrese G, Conoci S, Guglielmino SPP, Oddo S, Caccamo A. Applications of CRISPR-Cas9 in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158714. [PMID: 35955847 PMCID: PMC9368966 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease represent some of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders afflicting millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, there is a lack of efficacious treatments to cure or stop the progression of these disorders. While the causes of such a lack of therapies can be attributed to various reasons, the disappointing results of recent clinical trials suggest the need for novel and innovative approaches. Since its discovery, there has been a growing excitement around the potential for CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing to identify novel mechanistic insights into disease pathogenesis and to mediate accurate gene therapy. To this end, the literature is rich with experiments aimed at generating novel models of these disorders and offering proof-of-concept studies in preclinical animal models validating the great potential and versatility of this gene-editing system. In this review, we provide an overview of how the CRISPR-Cas9 systems have been used in these neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. De Plano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Giovanna Calabrese
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Sabrina Conoci
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore P. P. Guglielmino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Oddo
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Antonella Caccamo
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence:
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15
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Hawkins S, Namboori SC, Tariq A, Blaker C, Flaxman C, Dey NS, Henley P, Randall A, Rosa A, Stanton LW, Bhinge A. Upregulation of β-catenin due to loss of miR-139 contributes to motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Stem Cell Reports 2022; 17:1650-1665. [PMID: 35750046 PMCID: PMC9287677 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons (MNs). There are no effective treatments and patients usually die within 2-5 years of diagnosis. Emerging commonalities between familial and sporadic cases of this complex multifactorial disorder include disruption to RNA processing and cytoplasmic inclusion bodies containing TDP-43 and/or FUS protein aggregates. Both TDP-43 and FUS have been implicated in RNA processing functions, including microRNA biogenesis, transcription, and splicing. In this study, we explore the misexpression of microRNAs in an iPSC-based disease model of FUS ALS. We identify the downregulation of miR-139, an MN-enriched microRNA, in FUS and sporadic ALS MN. We discover that miR-139 downregulation leads to the activation of canonical WNT signaling and demonstrate that the WNT transcriptional mediator β-catenin is a major driver of MN degeneration in ALS. Our results highlight the importance of homeostatic RNA networks in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Hawkins
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Seema C Namboori
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Ammarah Tariq
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Catherine Blaker
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Christine Flaxman
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Nidhi S Dey
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Peter Henley
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Andrew Randall
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lawrence W Stanton
- Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Akshay Bhinge
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK; Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK.
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16
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Gene Therapy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132066. [PMID: 35805149 PMCID: PMC9265980 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene mutation, in 1993, as the first genetic abnormality in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), over 50 genes have been identified as either cause or modifier in ALS and ALS/frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum disease. Mutations in C9orf72, SOD1, TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP), and fused in sarcoma (FUS) genes are the four most common ones. During the last three decades, tremendous effort has been made worldwide to reveal biological pathways underlying the pathogenesis of these gene mutations in ALS/FTD. Accordingly, targeting etiologic genes (i.e., gene therapies) to suppress their toxic effects have been investigated widely. It includes four major strategies: (i) removal or inhibition of abnormal transcribed RNA using microRNA or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), (ii) degradation of abnormal mRNA using RNA interference (RNAi), (iii) decrease or inhibition of mutant proteins (e.g., using antibodies against misfolded proteins), and (iv) DNA genome editing with methods such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas). The promising results of these studies have led to the application of some of these strategies into ALS clinical trials, especially for C9orf72 and SOD1. In this paper, we will overview advances in gene therapy in ALS/FTD, focusing on C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP, and FUS genes.
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17
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Perciballi E, Bovio F, Rosati J, Arrigoni F, D’Anzi A, Lattante S, Gelati M, De Marchi F, Lombardi I, Ruotolo G, Forcella M, Mazzini L, D’Alfonso S, Corrado L, Sabatelli M, Conte A, De Gioia L, Martino S, Vescovi AL, Fusi P, Ferrari D. Characterization of the p.L145F and p.S135N Mutations in SOD1: Impact on the Metabolism of Fibroblasts Derived from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11050815. [PMID: 35624679 PMCID: PMC9137766 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11050815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of the upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). About 10% of patients have a family history (familial, fALS); however, most patients seem to develop the sporadic form of the disease (sALS). SOD1 (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase-1) is the first studied gene among the ones related to ALS. Mutant SOD1 can adopt multiple misfolded conformation, lose the correct coordination of metal binding, decrease structural stability, and form aggregates. For all these reasons, it is complicated to characterize the conformational alterations of the ALS-associated mutant SOD1, and how they relate to toxicity. In this work, we performed a multilayered study on fibroblasts derived from two ALS patients, namely SOD1L145F and SOD1S135N, carrying the p.L145F and the p.S135N missense variants, respectively. The patients showed diverse symptoms and disease progression in accordance with our bioinformatic analysis, which predicted the different effects of the two mutations in terms of protein structure. Interestingly, both mutations had an effect on the fibroblast energy metabolisms. However, while the SOD1L145F fibroblasts still relied more on oxidative phosphorylation, the SOD1S135N fibroblasts showed a metabolic shift toward glycolysis. Our study suggests that SOD1 mutations might lead to alterations in the energy metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Perciballi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Federica Bovio
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Jessica Rosati
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (J.R.); (A.D.); (G.R.)
| | - Federica Arrigoni
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Angela D’Anzi
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (J.R.); (A.D.); (G.R.)
| | - Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Gelati
- UPTA Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Fabiola De Marchi
- ALS Centre Maggiore della Carità Hospital and Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (F.D.M.); (L.M.)
| | - Ivan Lombardi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Giorgia Ruotolo
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (J.R.); (A.D.); (G.R.)
| | - Matilde Forcella
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- ALS Centre Maggiore della Carità Hospital and Università del Piemonte Orientale, 28100 Novara, Italy; (F.D.M.); (L.M.)
| | - Sandra D’Alfonso
- Department of Health Sciences, Center on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases (CAAD), UPO, University of Eastern Piedmont, 28100 Novara, Italy; (S.D.); (L.C.)
| | - Lucia Corrado
- Department of Health Sciences, Center on Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases (CAAD), UPO, University of Eastern Piedmont, 28100 Novara, Italy; (S.D.); (L.C.)
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (A.C.)
- Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Amelia Conte
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.S.); (A.C.)
- Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca De Gioia
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
| | - Sabata Martino
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06123 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Angelo Luigi Vescovi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
- Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale dei Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Paola Fusi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
- Correspondence: (P.F.); (D.F.); Tel.: +39-348-004-6641 (D.F.)
| | - Daniela Ferrari
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza, 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; (E.P.); (F.B.); (F.A.); (I.L.); (M.F.); (L.D.G.); (A.L.V.)
- Correspondence: (P.F.); (D.F.); Tel.: +39-348-004-6641 (D.F.)
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18
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Chavda V, Patel C, Modh D, Ertas YN, Sonak SS, Munshi NK, Anand K, Soni A, Pandey S. Therapeutic Approaches to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis from the Lab to the Clinic. Curr Drug Metab 2022; 23:200-222. [PMID: 35272595 DOI: 10.2174/1389200223666220310113110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a terminal neuro-degenerative disorder that is clinically recognized as a gradual degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons, with an average duration of 3 to 5 years from initiation of symptoms to death. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of the disease are multifactorial. Therefore, to find effective treatments, it is necessary to understand this heterogeneity underlying the progression of ALS. Recent developments in gene therapy have opened a new avenue to treat this condition, especially for the characterized genetic types. Gene therapy methods have been studied in a variety of pre-clinical settings and clinical trials, and they may be a promising path for developing an effective and safe ALS cure. A growing body of evidence demonstrates abnormalities in energy metabolism at the cellular and whole-body level in animal models and in people living with ALS. The use and incorporation of high-throughput "omics" methods has radically transformed our thought about ALS, strengthening our understanding of the disease's dynamic molecular architecture, differentiating distinct patient subtypes, and creating a reasonable basis for the identification of biomarkers and novel individualised treatments. Future clinical and laboratory trials would also focus on the diverse relationships between metabolism and ALS to address the issue of whether targeting deficient metabolism in ALS is an effective way to change disease progression. In this review, we focus on the detailed pathogenesis of ALS and highlight principal genes, i.e., SOD1, TDP-43, C9orf72, and FUS, targeted therapeutic approaches of ALS. An attempt is made to provide up-to-date information on clinical outcomes, including various biomarkers which are thought to be important players in early ALS detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Chavda
- Department of Pharmaceutic, L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad - 380009 (India)
| | - Chirag Patel
- Department of Pharmacology, L M College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad - 380009 (India)
| | - Dharti Modh
- Department of pharmaceutical chemistry, Poona college of pharmacy, Bharti vidhyapith, Pune - 411030 (India)
| | - Yavuz Nuri Ertas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering at Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- ERNAM - Nanotechnology Research and Application Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38039, Turkey
| | - Shreya S Sonak
- Department of pharmaceutical chemistry, Poona college of pharmacy, Bharti vidhyapith, Pune - 411030 (India)
| | - Nafisa K Munshi
- Department of pharmaceutical chemistry, Poona college of pharmacy, Bharti vidhyapith, Pune - 411030 (India)
| | - Krishna Anand
- Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences and National Health Laboratory Service, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Arun Soni
- Department of Pharmacology, SSR College of Pharmacy, Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli - 396230(India)
| | - Sonal Pandey
- Research and Development, Meril Diagnostic Pvt. Ltd, Vapi - 396191 (India)
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19
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Johns AE, Maragakis NJ. Exploring Motor Neuron Diseases Using iPSC Platforms. Stem Cells 2022; 40:2-13. [PMID: 35511862 PMCID: PMC9199844 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxab006] [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: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The degeneration of motor neurons is a pathological hallmark of motor neuron diseases (MNDs), but emerging evidence suggests that neuronal vulnerability extends well beyond this cell subtype. The ability to assess motor function in the clinic is limited to physical examination, electrophysiological measures, and tissue-based or neuroimaging techniques which lack the resolution to accurately assess neuronal dysfunction as the disease progresses. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are all MNDs with devastating clinical outcomes that contribute significantly to disease burden as patients are no longer able to carry out normal activities of daily living. The critical need to accurately assess the cause and progression of motor neuron dysfunction, especially in the early stages of those diseases, has motivated the use of human iPSC-derived motor neurons (hiPSC-MN) to study the neurobiological mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis and to generate platforms for therapeutic discovery and testing. As our understanding of MNDs has grown, so too has our need to develop more complex in vitro models which include hiPSC-MN co-cultured with relevant non-neuronal cells in 2D as well as in 3D organoid and spheroid systems. These more complex hiPSC-derived culture systems have led to the implementation of new technologies, including microfluidics, multielectrode array, and machine learning which offer novel insights into the functional correlates of these emerging model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Johns
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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20
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Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Subjects with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) during an Upper Limb Virtual Reality Task: A Prospective Control Trial. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:4439681. [PMID: 35187164 PMCID: PMC8850030 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4439681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease. As a result of the rapid progression and severity of the disease, people with ALS experience loss of functionality and independence. Furthermore, it has already been described presence of autonomic dysfunction. Despite the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of different diseases, the use of virtual reality environment as an intervention program for ALS patients is innovative. The benefits and limitations have not yet been proven. Our objective was to evaluate the autonomic function of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis throughout the virtual reality task. The analysis of autonomic function was completed before, during, and after the virtual reality task using the upper limbs; also, all steps lasted ten minutes in a sitting position. Heart rate variability (HRV) was taken via the Polar® RS800CX cardiofrequencymeter. The following questionnaire was enforced: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Different types of HRV were revealed for the groups, indicating that the ALS group has reduced HRV, with most of the representative indices of the sympathetic nervous system. Besides, the physiological process of reducing parasympathetic activity from rest to VR activity (vagal withdrawal), with reduction in HF (ms2) and an increase in HR from rest to activity, and a further increase throughout recovery, with withdrawal of sympathetic nervous system, occurs just for the control group (CG), with no alterations between rest, activity, and recovery in individuals with ALS. We could conclude that patients with ALS have the reduction of HRV with the sympathetic predominance when equated to the healthy CG. Besides that, the ALS individuals have no capability to adapt the autonomic nervous system when likened to the CG during therapy based on VR and their recovery.
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Patient-Specific iPSCs-Based Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Focus on Aberrant Calcium Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020624. [PMID: 35054808 PMCID: PMC8776084 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of cell reprogramming technologies became a breakthrough in the creation of new models of human diseases, including neurodegenerative pathologies. The iPSCs-based models allow for the studying of both hereditary and sporadic cases of pathologies and produce deep insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. The use of the cells most vulnerable to a particular pathology makes it possible to identify specific pathological mechanisms and greatly facilitates the task of selecting the most effective drugs. To date, a large number of studies on patient-specific models of neurodegenerative diseases has been accumulated. In this review, we focused on the alterations of such a ubiquitous and important intracellular regulatory pathway as calcium signaling. Here, we reviewed and analyzed the data obtained from iPSCs-based models of different neurodegenerative disorders that demonstrated aberrant calcium signaling.
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22
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Giacomelli E, Vahsen BF, Calder EL, Xu Y, Scaber J, Gray E, Dafinca R, Talbot K, Studer L. Human stem cell models of neurodegeneration: From basic science of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to clinical translation. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:11-35. [PMID: 34995492 PMCID: PMC8785905 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive cell loss leading to disruption of the structure and function of the central nervous system. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was among the first of these disorders modeled in patient-specific iPSCs, and recent findings have translated into some of the earliest iPSC-inspired clinical trials. Focusing on ALS as an example, we evaluate the status of modeling neurodegenerative diseases using iPSCs, including methods for deriving and using disease-relevant neuronal and glial lineages. We further highlight the remaining challenges in exploiting the full potential of iPSC technology for understanding and potentially treating neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Giacomelli
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Björn F Vahsen
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yinyan Xu
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), CAMS Oxford Institute (COI), Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Jakub Scaber
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ruxandra Dafinca
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
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23
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Grivennikov IA, Tarantul VZ. Genome Editing Technology for the Study and Correction of Neurodegenerative Diseases. NEUROCHEM J+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s181971242104005x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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24
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Ruffo P, Strafella C, Cascella R, Caputo V, Conforti FL, Andò S, Giardina E. Deregulation of ncRNA in Neurodegenerative Disease: Focus on circRNA, lncRNA and miRNA in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Genet 2021; 12:784996. [PMID: 34925464 PMCID: PMC8674781 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.784996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Parallel and massive sequencing of total RNA samples derived from different samples are possible thanks to the use of NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies. This allowed characterizing the transcriptomic profile of both cell and tissue populations, increasing the knowledge of the molecular pathological processes of complex diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Among the NDs, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs), and, to date, the diagnosis is often made by exclusion because there is no specific symptomatologic picture. For this reason, it is important to search for biomarkers that are clinically useful for carrying out a fast and accurate diagnosis of ALS. Thanks to various studies, it has been possible to propose several molecular mechanisms associated with the disease, some of which include the action of non-coding RNA, including circRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs which will be discussed in the present review. The evidence analyzed in this review highlights the importance of conducting studies to better characterize the different ncRNAs in the disease to use them as possible diagnostic, prognostic, and/or predictive biomarkers of ALS and other NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Ruffo
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Claudia Strafella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Cascella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Emiliano Giardina
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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25
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Li J, Lim RG, Kaye JA, Dardov V, Coyne AN, Wu J, Milani P, Cheng A, Thompson TG, Ornelas L, Frank A, Adam M, Banuelos MG, Casale M, Cox V, Escalante-Chong R, Daigle JG, Gomez E, Hayes L, Holewenski R, Lei S, Lenail A, Lima L, Mandefro B, Matlock A, Panther L, Patel-Murray NL, Pham J, Ramamoorthy D, Sachs K, Shelley B, Stocksdale J, Trost H, Wilhelm M, Venkatraman V, Wassie BT, Wyman S, Yang S, Van Eyk JE, Lloyd TE, Finkbeiner S, Fraenkel E, Rothstein JD, Sareen D, Svendsen CN, Thompson LM. An integrated multi-omic analysis of iPSC-derived motor neurons from C9ORF72 ALS patients. iScience 2021; 24:103221. [PMID: 34746695 PMCID: PMC8554488 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are challenging for systems biology because of the lack of reliable animal models or patient samples at early disease stages. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) could address these challenges. We investigated DNA, RNA, epigenetics, and proteins in iPSC-derived motor neurons from patients with ALS carrying hexanucleotide expansions in C9ORF72. Using integrative computational methods combining all omics datasets, we identified novel and known dysregulated pathways. We used a C9ORF72 Drosophila model to distinguish pathways contributing to disease phenotypes from compensatory ones and confirmed alterations in some pathways in postmortem spinal cord tissue of patients with ALS. A different differentiation protocol was used to derive a separate set of C9ORF72 and control motor neurons. Many individual -omics differed by protocol, but some core dysregulated pathways were consistent. This strategy of analyzing patient-specific neurons provides disease-related outcomes with small numbers of heterogeneous lines and reduces variation from single-omics to elucidate network-based signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Li
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ryan G. Lim
- UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Julia A. Kaye
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics and the Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Victoria Dardov
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, The Barbra Streisand Heart Center, The Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alyssa N. Coyne
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Pamela Milani
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Andrew Cheng
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | | | - Loren Ornelas
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Aaron Frank
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Miriam Adam
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Maria G. Banuelos
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Malcolm Casale
- UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Veerle Cox
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Renan Escalante-Chong
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - J. Gavin Daigle
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Emilda Gomez
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Lindsey Hayes
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Ronald Holewenski
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, The Barbra Streisand Heart Center, The Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Susan Lei
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Alex Lenail
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Leandro Lima
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics and the Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Berhan Mandefro
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Andrea Matlock
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, The Barbra Streisand Heart Center, The Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay Panther
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | | | - Jacqueline Pham
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Divya Ramamoorthy
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Karen Sachs
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Brandon Shelley
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Jennifer Stocksdale
- UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Hannah Trost
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Mark Wilhelm
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Vidya Venkatraman
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, The Barbra Streisand Heart Center, The Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brook T. Wassie
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stacia Wyman
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Stephanie Yang
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | | | - Jennifer E. Van Eyk
- Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, The Barbra Streisand Heart Center, The Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thomas E. Lloyd
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics and the Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Gladstone Institutes, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MA 212056, USA
| | - Dhruv Sareen
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Clive N. Svendsen
- The Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Leslie M. Thompson
- UCI MIND, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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26
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Namboori SC, Thomas P, Ames R, Hawkins S, Garrett LO, Willis CRG, Rosa A, Stanton LW, Bhinge A. Single-cell transcriptomics identifies master regulators of neurodegeneration in SOD1 ALS iPSC-derived motor neurons. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:3020-3035. [PMID: 34767750 PMCID: PMC8693652 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative condition characterized by the loss of motor neurons. We utilized single-cell transcriptomics to uncover dysfunctional pathways in degenerating motor neurons differentiated from SOD1 E100G ALS patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and respective isogenic controls. Differential gene expression and network analysis identified activation of developmental pathways and core transcriptional factors driving the ALS motor neuron gene dysregulation. Specifically, we identified activation of SMAD2, a downstream mediator of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling pathway as a key driver of SOD1 iPSC-derived motor neuron degeneration. Importantly, our analysis indicates that activation of TGFβ signaling may be a common mechanism shared between SOD1, FUS, C9ORF72, VCP, and sporadic ALS motor neurons. Our results demonstrate the utility of single-cell transcriptomics in mapping disease-relevant gene regulatory networks driving neurodegeneration in ALS motor neurons. We find that ALS-associated mutant SOD1 targets transcriptional networks that perturb motor neuron homeostasis. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of SOD1 E100G ALS iPSC-derived motor neurons Mapping an ALS-relevant transcriptional network Upregulation of developmental programs in familial and sporadic ALS motor neurons Inhibition of TGFβ pathway improves SOD1 ALS iPSC-derived motor neuron survival
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Affiliation(s)
- Seema C Namboori
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Patricia Thomas
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, Birmingham Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Ryan Ames
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Sophie Hawkins
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | | | - Craig R G Willis
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lawrence W Stanton
- Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Akshay Bhinge
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK; College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK.
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27
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Ting HC, Yang HI, Harn HJ, Chiu IM, Su HL, Li X, Chen MF, Ho TJ, Liu CA, Tsai YJ, Chiou TW, Lin SZ, Chang CY. Coactivation of GSK3β and IGF-1 Attenuates Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Nerve Fiber Cytopathies in SOD1 Mutant Patient-Derived Motor Neurons. Cells 2021; 10:cells10102773. [PMID: 34685754 PMCID: PMC8535155 DOI: 10.3390/cells10102773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disease that causes motor neuron (MN) degeneration and results in patient death within a few years. To recapitulate the cytopathies of ALS patients’ MNs, SOD1G85R mutant and corrected SOD1G85G isogenic-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines were established. Two SOD1 mutant ALS (SOD1G85R and SOD1D90A), two SOD1 mutant corrected (SOD1G85G and SOD1D90D), and one sporadic ALS iPSC lines were directed toward MNs. After receiving ~90% purity for MNs, we first demonstrated that SOD1G85R mutant ALS MNs recapitulated ALS-specific nerve fiber aggregates, similar to SOD1D90A ALS MNs in a previous study. Moreover, we found that both SOD1 mutant MNs showed ALS-specific neurite degenerations and neurotransmitter-induced calcium hyperresponsiveness. In a small compound test using these MNs, we demonstrated that gastrodin, a major ingredient of Gastrodia elata, showed therapeutic effects that decreased nerve fiber cytopathies and reverse neurotransmitter-induced hyperresponsiveness. The therapeutic effects of gastrodin applied not only to SOD1 ALS MNs but also to sporadic ALS MNs and SOD1G93A ALS mice. Moreover, we found that coactivation of the GSK3β and IGF-1 pathways was a mechanism involved in the therapeutic effects of gastrodin. Thus, the coordination of compounds that activate these two mechanisms could reduce nerve fiber cytopathies in SOD1 ALS MNs. Interestingly, the therapeutic role of GSK3β activation on SOD1 ALS MNs in the present study was in contrast to the role previously reported in research using cell line- or transgenic animal-based models. In conclusion, we identified in vitro ALS-specific nerve fiber and neurofunctional markers in MNs, which will be useful for drug screening, and we used an iPSC-based model to reveal novel therapeutic mechanisms (including GSK3β and IGF-1 activation) that may serve as potential targets for ALS therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Chien Ting
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
| | - Hui-I Yang
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan;
| | - Horng-Jyh Harn
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
- Department of Pathology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
| | - Ing-Ming Chiu
- Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan;
| | - Hong-Lin Su
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan;
| | - Xiang Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53705, USA;
| | - Mei-Fang Chen
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan;
| | - Tsung-Jung Ho
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan;
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- Integration Center of Traditional Chinese and Modern Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Ann Liu
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan;
- Neuroscience Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Jen Tsai
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
| | - Tzyy-Wen Chiou
- Department of Life Science, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97441, Taiwan;
| | - Shinn-Zong Lin
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien 97004, Taiwan;
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (S.-Z.L.); (C.-Y.C.); Tel.: +886-3-856-1825 (ext. 13201) (S.-Z.L.); +886-3-856-1825 (ext. 12106) (C.-Y.C.)
| | - Chia-Yu Chang
- Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien 97002, Taiwan; (H.-C.T.); (H.-I.Y.); (H.-J.H.); (C.-A.L.); (Y.-J.T.)
- Department of Medical Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan;
- Neuroscience Center, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien 97002, Taiwan
- Correspondence: (S.-Z.L.); (C.-Y.C.); Tel.: +886-3-856-1825 (ext. 13201) (S.-Z.L.); +886-3-856-1825 (ext. 12106) (C.-Y.C.)
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CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene correction ameliorates abnormal phenotypes in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:479. [PMID: 34535635 PMCID: PMC8448778 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01605-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3/Machado-Joseph disease (SCA3/MJD) is a progressive autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by abnormal CAG repeats in the exon 10 of ATXN3. The accumulation of the mutant ataxin-3 proteins carrying expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) leads to selective degeneration of neurons. Since the pathogenesis of SCA3 has not been fully elucidated, and no effective therapies have been identified, it is crucial to investigate the pathogenesis and seek new therapeutic strategies of SCA3. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be used as the ideal cell model for the molecular pathogenesis of polyQ diseases. Abnormal CAG expansions mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering technologies have shown promising potential for the treatment of polyQ diseases, including SCA3. In this study, SCA3-iPSCs can be corrected by the replacement of the abnormal CAG expansions (74 CAG) with normal repeats (17 CAG) using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated homologous recombination (HR) strategy. Besides, corrected SCA3-iPSCs retained pluripotent and normal karyotype, which can be differentiated into a neural stem cell (NSCs) and neuronal cells, and maintained electrophysiological characteristics. The expression of differentiation markers and electrophysiological characteristics were similar among the neuronal differentiation from normal control iPSCs (Ctrl-iPSCs), SCA3-iPSCs, and isogenic control SCA3-iPSCs. Furthermore, this study proved that the phenotypic abnormalities in SCA3 neurons, including aggregated IC2-polyQ protein, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and glutathione expressions, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, and lipid peroxidase malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, all were rescued in the corrected SCA3-NCs. For the first time, this study demonstrated the feasibility of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HR strategy to precisely repair SCA3-iPSCs, and reverse the corresponding abnormal disease phenotypes. In addition, the importance of genetic control using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated iPSCs for disease modeling. Our work may contribute to providing a potential ideal model for molecular mechanism research and autologous stem cell therapy of SCA3 or other polyQ diseases, and offer a good gene therapy strategy for future treatment.
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The Evolving Role of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Cerebral Organoids in Treating and Modeling Neurosurgical Diseases. World Neurosurg 2021; 155:171-179. [PMID: 34454068 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.08.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), as both direct therapeutics and building blocks for 3D in vitro models, has exhibited exciting potential in both helping to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms and treating diseases relevant to neurosurgery. Transplantation of IPSCs is being studied in neurological injuries and diseases, such as spinal cord injury and Parkinson's disease, whose clinical manifestations stem from underlying neuronal and/or axonal degeneration. Both animal models and clinical trials have shown that IPSCs have the ability to regenerate damaged neural tissue. Such evidence makes IPSCs a potentially promising therapeutic modality for patients who suffer from these neurological injuries/diseases. In addition, the cerebral organoid, a 3D assembly of IPSC aggregates that develops heterogeneous brain regions, has become the first in vitro model to closely recapitulate the complexity of the brain extracellular matrix, a 3-dimensional network of molecules that structurally and biochemically support neighboring cells. Cerebral organoids have become an exciting prospect for modeling and testing drug susceptibility of brain tumors, such as glioblastoma and metastatic brain cancer. As patient-derived organoid models are becoming more faithful to the brain, they are becoming an increasingly accurate substitute for patient clinical trials; such patient-less trials would protect the patient from potentially ineffective drugs, and speed up trial results and optimize cost. In this review, we aim to describe the role of IPSCs and cerebral organoids in treating and modeling diseases that are relevant to neurosurgery.
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Park HR, Yang EJ. Oxidative Stress as a Therapeutic Target in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Opportunities and Limitations. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11091546. [PMID: 34573888 PMCID: PMC8465946 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11091546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) and Lou Gehrig’s disease, is characterized by a loss of the lower motor neurons in the spinal cord and the upper motor neurons in the cerebral cortex. Due to the complex and multifactorial nature of the various risk factors and mechanisms that are related to motor neuronal degeneration, the pathological mechanisms of ALS are not fully understood. Oxidative stress is one of the known causes of ALS pathogenesis. This has been observed in patients as well as in cellular and animal models, and is known to induce mitochondrial dysfunction and the loss of motor neurons. Numerous therapeutic agents have been developed to inhibit oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. In this review, we describe the role of oxidative stress in ALS pathogenesis, and discuss several anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative agents as potential therapeutics for ALS. Although oxidative stress and antioxidant fields are meaningful approaches to delay disease progression and prolong the survival in ALS, it is necessary to investigate various animal models or humans with different subtypes of sporadic and familial ALS.
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Sahana TG, Zhang K. Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9080969. [PMID: 34440173 PMCID: PMC8394856 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9080969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal motor neuron degenerative disease. Multiple genetic and non-genetic risk factors are associated with disease pathogenesis, and several cellular processes, including protein homeostasis, RNA metabolism, vesicle transport, etc., are severely impaired in ALS conditions. Despite the heterogeneity of the disease manifestation and progression, ALS patients show protein aggregates in the motor cortex and spinal cord tissue, which is believed to be at least partially caused by aberrant phase separation and the formation of persistent stress granules. Consistent with this notion, many studies have implicated cellular stress, such as ER stress, DNA damage, oxidative stress, and growth factor depletion, in ALS conditions. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a fundamental mitogen/stress-activated signal transduction pathway that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, survival, and death. Here we summarize the fundamental role of MAPK in physiology and ALS pathogenesis. We also discuss pharmacological inhibitors targeting this pathway tested in pre-clinical models, suggesting their role as potential drug candidates.
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Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology holds promise for modeling neurodegenerative diseases. Traditional approaches for disease modeling using animal and cellular models require knowledge of disease mutations. However, many patients with neurodegenerative diseases do not have a known genetic cause. iPSCs offer a way to generate patient-specific models and study pathways of dysfunction in an in vitro setting in order to understand the causes and subtypes of neurodegeneration. Furthermore, iPSC-based models can be used to search for candidate therapeutics using high-throughput screening. Here we review how iPSC-based models are currently being used to further our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as discuss their challenges and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Li
- Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA;
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA; .,Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Steg LC, Shireby GL, Imm J, Davies JP, Franklin A, Flynn R, Namboori SC, Bhinge A, Jeffries AR, Burrage J, Neilson GWA, Walker EM, Perfect LW, Price J, McAlonan G, Srivastava DP, Bray NJ, Cope EL, Jones KM, Allen ND, Pishva E, Dempster EL, Lunnon K, Mill J, Hannon E. Novel epigenetic clock for fetal brain development predicts prenatal age for cellular stem cell models and derived neurons. Mol Brain 2021; 14:98. [PMID: 34174924 PMCID: PMC8236187 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00810-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and their differentiated neurons (iPSC-neurons) are a widely used cellular model in the research of the central nervous system. However, it is unknown how well they capture age-associated processes, particularly given that pluripotent cells are only present during the earliest stages of mammalian development. Epigenetic clocks utilize coordinated age-associated changes in DNA methylation to make predictions that correlate strongly with chronological age. It has been shown that the induction of pluripotency rejuvenates predicted epigenetic age. As existing clocks are not optimized for the study of brain development, we developed the fetal brain clock (FBC), a bespoke epigenetic clock trained in human prenatal brain samples in order to investigate more precisely the epigenetic age of iPSCs and iPSC-neurons. The FBC was tested in two independent validation cohorts across a total of 194 samples, confirming that the FBC outperforms other established epigenetic clocks in fetal brain cohorts. We applied the FBC to DNA methylation data from iPSCs and embryonic stem cells and their derived neuronal precursor cells and neurons, finding that these cell types are epigenetically characterized as having an early fetal age. Furthermore, while differentiation from iPSCs to neurons significantly increases epigenetic age, iPSC-neurons are still predicted as being fetal. Together our findings reiterate the need to better understand the limitations of existing epigenetic clocks for answering biological research questions and highlight a limitation of iPSC-neurons as a cellular model of age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard C Steg
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Gemma L Shireby
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Jennifer Imm
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Jonathan P Davies
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Alice Franklin
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Robert Flynn
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Seema C Namboori
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Akshay Bhinge
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Aaron R Jeffries
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Joe Burrage
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Grant W A Neilson
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Emma M Walker
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Leo W Perfect
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jack Price
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Grainne McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Deepak P Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nicholas J Bray
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Emma L Cope
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | | | - Ehsan Pishva
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Emma L Dempster
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Katie Lunnon
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Jonathan Mill
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK
| | - Eilis Hannon
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, RILD Building Level 3, Barrack Rd, Exeter, UK.
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Karpe Y, Chen Z, Li XJ. Stem Cell Models and Gene Targeting for Human Motor Neuron Diseases. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:565. [PMID: 34204831 PMCID: PMC8231537 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neurons are large projection neurons classified into upper and lower motor neurons responsible for controlling the movement of muscles. Degeneration of motor neurons results in progressive muscle weakness, which underlies several debilitating neurological disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSP), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). With the development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, human iPSCs can be derived from patients and further differentiated into motor neurons. Motor neuron disease models can also be generated by genetically modifying human pluripotent stem cells. The efficiency of gene targeting in human cells had been very low, but is greatly improved with recent gene editing technologies such as zinc-finger nucleases (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN), and CRISPR-Cas9. The combination of human stem cell-based models and gene editing tools provides unique paradigms to dissect pathogenic mechanisms and to explore therapeutics for these devastating diseases. Owing to the critical role of several genes in the etiology of motor neuron diseases, targeted gene therapies have been developed, including antisense oligonucleotides, viral-based gene delivery, and in situ gene editing. This review summarizes recent advancements in these areas and discusses future challenges toward the development of transformative medicines for motor neuron diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashashree Karpe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (Y.K.); (Z.C.)
| | - Zhenyu Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (Y.K.); (Z.C.)
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
| | - Xue-Jun Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (Y.K.); (Z.C.)
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
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Meunier J, Villar-Quiles RN, Duband-Goulet I, Ferreiro A. Inherited Defects of the ASC-1 Complex in Congenital Neuromuscular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116039. [PMID: 34204919 PMCID: PMC8199739 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116039] [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: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Defects in transcriptional and cell cycle regulation have emerged as novel pathophysiological mechanisms in congenital neuromuscular disease with the recent identification of mutations in the TRIP4 and ASCC1 genes, encoding, respectively, ASC-1 and ASCC1, two subunits of the ASC-1 (Activating Signal Cointegrator-1) complex. This complex is a poorly known transcriptional coregulator involved in transcriptional, post-transcriptional or translational activities. Inherited defects in components of the ASC-1 complex have been associated with several autosomal recessive phenotypes, including severe and mild forms of striated muscle disease (congenital myopathy with or without myocardial involvement), but also cases diagnosed of motor neuron disease (spinal muscular atrophy). Additionally, antenatal bone fractures were present in the reported patients with ASCC1 mutations. Functional studies revealed that the ASC-1 subunit is a novel regulator of cell cycle, proliferation and growth in muscle and non-muscular cells. In this review, we summarize and discuss the available data on the clinical and histopathological phenotypes associated with inherited defects of the ASC-1 complex proteins, the known genotype–phenotype correlations, the ASC-1 pathophysiological role, the puzzling question of motoneuron versus primary muscle involvement and potential future research avenues, illustrating the study of rare monogenic disorders as an interesting model paradigm to understand major physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Meunier
- Basic and Translational Myology Laboratory, UMR8251, University of Paris/National Center for Scientific Research, 75013 Paris, France; (J.M.); (R.-N.V.-Q.)
| | - Rocio-Nur Villar-Quiles
- Basic and Translational Myology Laboratory, UMR8251, University of Paris/National Center for Scientific Research, 75013 Paris, France; (J.M.); (R.-N.V.-Q.)
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP, Institute of Myology, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Duband-Goulet
- Basic and Translational Myology Laboratory, UMR8251, University of Paris/National Center for Scientific Research, 75013 Paris, France; (J.M.); (R.-N.V.-Q.)
- Correspondence: (I.D.-G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +33-1-5727-7965 (I.D.-G.); +33-1-5727-7959 (A.F.)
| | - Ana Ferreiro
- Basic and Translational Myology Laboratory, UMR8251, University of Paris/National Center for Scientific Research, 75013 Paris, France; (J.M.); (R.-N.V.-Q.)
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP, Institute of Myology, 75013 Paris, France
- Correspondence: (I.D.-G.); (A.F.); Tel.: +33-1-5727-7965 (I.D.-G.); +33-1-5727-7959 (A.F.)
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Zhao A, Pan Y, Cai S. Patient-Specific Cells for Modeling and Decoding Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Advances and Challenges. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2021; 16:482-502. [PMID: 31916190 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-019-09946-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Motor neuron loss or degeneration is the typical characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which often leads to weakness, paralysis, or even death. The underlying mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration and ALS progression remain elusive, and there is no effective treatment for ALS. The advances of stem cells and reprogramming techniques has made it possible to generate patient-specific motor neurons as cell models for studying disease mechanisms and drug discovery. This review comprehensively discusses recent approaches to generate motor neurons from stem cells and somatic cells and highlights the application of induced motor neurons to modeling ALS diseases, dissecting the pathogenesis, and screening new drugs. New perspectives are also discussed on generating patient-specific motor neuron subtypes that are affected by ALS or creating 3D spinal cord organoid models for better recapitulating and understanding ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andong Zhao
- Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yu Pan
- Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, The 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, The Affiliated Baoan Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518101, China.
| | - Sa Cai
- Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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Coccia E, Ahfeldt T. Towards physiologically relevant human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) models of Parkinson's disease. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:253. [PMID: 33926571 PMCID: PMC8082939 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02326-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The derivation of human embryonic stem cells followed by the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells and leaps in genome editing approaches have continuously fueled enthusiasm for the development of new models of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is characterized by the relative selective loss of dopaminergic neurons (DNs) in specific areas of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). While degeneration in late stages can be widespread, there is stereotypic early degeneration of these uniquely vulnerable neurons. Various causes of selective vulnerability have been investigated but much remains unclear. Most studies have sought to identify cell autonomous properties of the most vulnerable neurons. However, recent findings from genetic studies and model systems have added to our understanding of non-cell autonomous contributions including regional-specific neuro-immune interactions with astrocytes, resident or damage-activated microglia, neuro-glia cell metabolic interactions, involvement of endothelial cells, and damage to the vascular system. All of these contribute to specific vulnerability and, along with aging and environmental factors, might be integrated in a complex stressor-threshold model of neurodegeneration. In this forward-looking review, we synthesize recent advances in the field of PD modeling using human pluripotent stem cells, with an emphasis on organoid and complex co-culture models of the nigrostriatal niche, with emerging CRISPR applications to edit or perturb expression of causal PD genes and associated risk factors, such as GBA, to understand the impact of these genes on relevant phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Coccia
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US
| | - Tim Ahfeldt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US.
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US.
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US.
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, 10029, NY, US.
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Potential Roles of the WNT Signaling Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040839. [PMID: 33917816 PMCID: PMC8068170 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The WNT signaling pathway plays an important role in the physiological and pathophysiological processes of the central nervous system and the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We reviewed the literature pertinent to WNT/β–catenin signaling in ALS from cellular studies, animal models, and human clinical trials. WNT, WNT receptors, and other components of the WNT signaling pathway are expressed in both ALS patients and transgenic mice, and are involved in the pathogenesis of ALS. Studies have shown that abnormal activation of the WNT/β–catenin signaling pathway is related to neuronal degeneration and glial cell proliferation. WNT/Ca2+ signaling is associated with the pro–inflammatory phenotype of microglia; data on the muscle skeletal receptor Tyr kinase receptor in superoxide dismutase–1–G93A mice indicate that gene therapy is necessary for successful treatment of ALS. The varying profiles of lipoprotein receptor–related protein 4 antibodies in different ethnic groups suggest that individual treatment and multifactorial personalized approaches may be necessary for effective ALS therapy. In conclusion, the WNT signaling pathway is important to the ALS disease process, making it a likely therapeutic target.
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Tedeschi V, Petrozziello T, Secondo A. Ca 2+ dysregulation in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 363:21-47. [PMID: 34392931 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease without appropriate cure. One of the main reasons for the lack of a proper pharmacotherapy in ALS is the narrow knowledge on the molecular causes of the disease. In this respect, the identification of dysfunctional pathways in ALS is now considered a critical medical need. Among the causative factors involved in ALS, Ca2+ dysregulation is one of the most important pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease. Of note, Ca2+ dysfunction may induce, directly or indirectly, motor neuron degeneration and loss. Interestingly, both familial (fALS) and sporadic ALS (sALS) share the progressive dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis as a common noxious mechanism. Mechanicistically, Ca2+ dysfunction involves both plasma membrane and intracellular mechanisms, including AMPA receptor (AMPAR)-mediated excitotoxicity, voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) and Ca2+ transporter dysregulation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ deregulation, mitochondria-associated ER membranes (MAMs) dysfunction, lysosomal Ca2+ leak, etc. Here, a comprehensive analysis of the main pathways involved in the dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis has been reported with the aim to focus the attention on new putative druggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Tedeschi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, School of Medicine, "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Tiziana Petrozziello
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, School of Medicine, "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Agnese Secondo
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, School of Medicine, "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
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Synergistic Network Pharmacology for Traditional Chinese Medicine Liangxue Tongyu Formula in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhagic Stroke. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:8874296. [PMID: 33727915 PMCID: PMC7936909 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8874296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nowadays, acute intracerebral hemorrhage stroke (AICH) still causes higher mortality. Liangxue Tongyu Formula (LXTYF), originating from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, is widely used as auxiliary treatment for AICH. Objective To dig into the multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway mechanism of LXTYF on treating AICH via network pharmacology and RNA-seq. Methods Network pharmacology analysis was used by ingredient collection, target exploration and prediction, network construction, and Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analysis, with the Cytoscape software and ClusterProfiler package in R. The RNA-seq data of the AICH-rats were analyzed for differential expression and functional enrichments. Herb-Compound-Target-Pathway (H-C-T-P) network was shown to clarify the mechanism of LXTYF for AICH. Results 76 active ingredients (quercetin, Alanine, kaempferol, etc.) of LXTYF and 376 putative targets to alleviate AICH (PTGS2, PTGS1, ESR1, etc.) were successfully identified. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network indicated the important role of STAT3. The functional enrichment of GO and KEGG pathway showed that LXTYF is most likely to influence MAPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways for AICH treatment. From the RNA-seq of AICH-rats, 583 differential mRNAs were identified and 14 of them were consistent with the putative targets of LXTYF for AICH treatment. The KEGG pathway enrichment also implied that the MAPK signaling pathway was the most correlated one among all the related signaling pathways. Many important targets with expression changes of LXTYF for AICH treatment and their related pathways are great markers of antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptosis, and lowering blood pressure, which indicated that LXTYF may play mutiroles in the mechanisms for AICH treatment. Conclusion The LXTYF attenuates AICH partially by antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptosis and lowers blood pressure roles through regulating the targets involved MAPK, calcium, apoptosis, and TNF signaling pathway, which provide notable clues for further experimental validation.
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Crosstalk between Different DNA Repair Pathways Contributes to Neurodegenerative Diseases. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10020163. [PMID: 33669593 PMCID: PMC7922961 DOI: 10.3390/biology10020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Constant exposure to endogenous and environmental factors induces oxidative stress and DNA damage. Rare brain disorders caused by defects in DNA repair and DNA damage response (DDR) signaling establish that failure to process DNA damage may lead to neurodegeneration. In this review, we present mechanisms that link DDR with neurodegeneration in these disorders and discuss their relevance for common age-related neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Moreover, we highlight recent insight into the crosstalk between the DDR and other cellular processes known to be disturbed during NDDs. Abstract Genomic integrity is maintained by DNA repair and the DNA damage response (DDR). Defects in certain DNA repair genes give rise to many rare progressive neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), such as ocular motor ataxia, Huntington disease (HD), and spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). Dysregulation or dysfunction of DDR is also proposed to contribute to more common NDDs, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here, we present mechanisms that link DDR with neurodegeneration in rare NDDs caused by defects in the DDR and discuss the relevance for more common age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, we highlight recent insight into the crosstalk between the DDR and other cellular processes known to be disturbed during NDDs. We compare the strengths and limitations of established model systems to model human NDDs, ranging from C. elegans and mouse models towards advanced stem cell-based 3D models.
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Jagaraj CJ, Parakh S, Atkin JD. Emerging Evidence Highlighting the Importance of Redox Dysregulation in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:581950. [PMID: 33679322 PMCID: PMC7929997 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.581950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular redox state, or balance between cellular oxidation and reduction reactions, serves as a vital antioxidant defence system that is linked to all important cellular activities. Redox regulation is therefore a fundamental cellular process for aerobic organisms. Whilst oxidative stress is well described in neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), other aspects of redox dysfunction and their contributions to pathophysiology are only just emerging. ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons, with few useful treatments. Hence there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutics in the future. Here, we discuss the increasing evidence for redox dysregulation as an important and primary contributor to ALS pathogenesis, which is associated with multiple disease mechanisms. Understanding the connection between redox homeostasis, proteins that mediate redox regulation, and disease pathophysiology in ALS, may facilitate a better understanding of disease mechanisms, and lead to the design of better therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Jones Jagaraj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sonam Parakh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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43
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Canovas B, Nebreda AR. Diversity and versatility of p38 kinase signalling in health and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:346-366. [PMID: 33504982 PMCID: PMC7838852 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-00322-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability of cells to deal with different types of stressful situations in a precise and coordinated manner is key for survival and involves various signalling networks. Over the past 25 years, p38 kinases — in particular, p38α — have been implicated in the cellular response to stress at many levels. These span from environmental and intracellular stresses, such as hyperosmolarity, oxidative stress or DNA damage, to physiological situations that involve important cellular changes such as differentiation. Given that p38α controls a plethora of functions, dysregulation of this pathway has been linked to diseases such as inflammation, immune disorders or cancer, suggesting the possibility that targeting p38α could be of therapeutic interest. In this Review, we discuss the organization of this signalling pathway focusing on the diversity of p38α substrates, their mechanisms and their links to particular cellular functions. We then address how the different cellular responses can be generated depending on the signal received and the cell type, and highlight the roles of this kinase in human physiology and in pathological contexts. p38α — the best-characterized member of the p38 kinase family — is a key mediator of cellular stress responses. p38α is activated by a plethora of signals and functions through a multitude of substrates to regulate different cellular behaviours. Understanding context-dependent p38α signalling provides important insights into p38α roles in physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Canovas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angel R Nebreda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. .,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
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Spijkers XM, Pasteuning-Vuhman S, Dorleijn JC, Vulto P, Wevers NR, Pasterkamp RJ. A directional 3D neurite outgrowth model for studying motor axon biology and disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2080. [PMID: 33483540 PMCID: PMC7822896 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81335-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
We report a method to generate a 3D motor neuron model with segregated and directed axonal outgrowth. iPSC-derived motor neurons are cultured in extracellular matrix gel in a microfluidic platform. Neurons extend their axons into an adjacent layer of gel, whereas dendrites and soma remain predominantly in the somal compartment, as verified by immunofluorescent staining. Axonal outgrowth could be precisely quantified and was shown to respond to the chemotherapeutic drug vincristine in a highly reproducible dose-dependent manner. The model was shown susceptible to excitotoxicity upon exposure with excess glutamate and showed formation of stress granules upon excess glutamate or sodium arsenite exposure, mimicking processes common in motor neuron diseases. Importantly, outgrowing axons could be attracted and repelled through a gradient of axonal guidance cues, such as semaphorins. The platform comprises 40 chips arranged underneath a microtiter plate providing both throughput and compatibility to standard laboratory equipment. The model will thus prove ideal for studying axonal biology and disease, drug discovery and regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xandor M. Spijkers
- grid.474144.6MIMETAS BV, Organ-On-a-Chip Company, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands ,grid.5477.10000000120346234Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Svetlana Pasteuning-Vuhman
- grid.5477.10000000120346234Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifa C. Dorleijn
- grid.474144.6MIMETAS BV, Organ-On-a-Chip Company, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Vulto
- grid.474144.6MIMETAS BV, Organ-On-a-Chip Company, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Nienke R. Wevers
- grid.474144.6MIMETAS BV, Organ-On-a-Chip Company, 2333 CH Leiden, The Netherlands ,grid.10419.3d0000000089452978Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - R. Jeroen Pasterkamp
- grid.5477.10000000120346234Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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45
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Vieira JR, Shah B, Ruiz de Almodovar C. Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Spinal Cord Vascularization. Front Physiol 2020; 11:599897. [PMID: 33424624 PMCID: PMC7793711 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.599897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
During embryonic central nervous system (CNS) development, the neural and the vascular systems communicate with each other in order to give rise to a fully functional and mature CNS. The initial avascular CNS becomes vascularized by blood vessel sprouting from different vascular plexus in a highly stereotypical and controlled manner. This process is similar across different regions of the CNS. In particular for the developing spinal cord (SC), blood vessel ingression occurs from a perineural vascular plexus during embryonic development. In this review, we provide an updated and comprehensive description of the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this stereotypical and controlled patterning of blood vessels in the developing embryonic SC, identified using different animal models. We discuss how signals derived from neural progenitors and differentiated neurons guide the SC growing vasculature. Lastly, we provide a perspective of how the molecular mechanisms identified during development could be used to better understand pathological situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Ricardo Vieira
- European Center for Angioscience, Medicine Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bhavin Shah
- European Center for Angioscience, Medicine Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Carmen Ruiz de Almodovar
- European Center for Angioscience, Medicine Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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46
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Matos MR, Ho SM, Schrode N, Brennand KJ. Integration of CRISPR-engineering and hiPSC-based models of psychiatric genomics. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 107:103532. [PMID: 32712198 PMCID: PMC7484226 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are highly heritable polygenic disorders arising from the complex interplay of highly penetrant rare variants and common variants of small effect. There is a large index of comorbidity and shared genetic risk between disorders, reflecting the pleiotropy of individual variants as well as predicted downstream pathway-level convergence. Importantly, the mechanism(s) through which psychiatric disease-associated variants interact to contribute to disease risk remains unknown. Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-based models are increasingly useful for the systematic study of the complex genetics associated with brain diseases, particularly when combined with CRISPR-mediated genomic engineering, which together facilitate isogenic comparisons of defined neuronal cell types. In this review, we discuss the latest CRISPR technologies and consider how they can be successfully applied to the functional characterization of the growing list genetic variants linked to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marliette R Matos
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America
| | - Seok-Man Ho
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America
| | - Nadine Schrode
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Department of Genetics and Genomics, Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States of America.
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47
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Ababneh NA, Scaber J, Flynn R, Douglas A, Barbagallo P, Candalija A, Turner MR, Sims D, Dafinca R, Cowley SA, Talbot K. Correction of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis related phenotypes in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons carrying a hexanucleotide expansion mutation in C9orf72 by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing using homology-directed repair. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:2200-2217. [PMID: 32504093 PMCID: PMC7399532 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) in C9orf72 is the commonest cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). A number of different methods have been used to generate isogenic control lines using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 and non-homologous end-joining by deleting the repeat region, with the risk of creating indels and genomic instability. In this study, we demonstrate complete correction of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line derived from a C9orf72-HRE positive ALS/frontotemporal dementia patient using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and homology-directed repair (HDR), resulting in replacement of the excised region with a donor template carrying the wild-type repeat size to maintain the genetic architecture of the locus. The isogenic correction of the C9orf72 HRE restored normal gene expression and methylation at the C9orf72 locus, reduced intron retention in the edited lines and abolished pathological phenotypes associated with the C9orf72 HRE expansion in iPSC-derived motor neurons (iPSMNs). RNA sequencing of the mutant line identified 2220 differentially expressed genes compared with its isogenic control. Enrichment analysis demonstrated an over-representation of ALS relevant pathways, including calcium ion dependent exocytosis, synaptic transport and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes ALS pathway, as well as new targets of potential relevance to ALS pathophysiology. Complete correction of the C9orf72 HRE in iPSMNs by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HDR provides an ideal model to study the earliest effects of the hexanucleotide expansion on cellular homeostasis and the key pathways implicated in ALS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nidaa A Ababneh
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
- Cell Therapy Center, University of Jordan, Queen Rania St, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Jakub Scaber
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Rowan Flynn
- James Martin Stem Cell Facility, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Andrew Douglas
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Level G, Mailpoint 627, Princess Anne Hospital, Coxford Road, Southampton SO16 5YA, UK
| | - Paola Barbagallo
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ana Candalija
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - David Sims
- Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ruxandra Dafinca
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sally A Cowley
- James Martin Stem Cell Facility, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
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Rajbhandari S, Beppu M, Takagi T, Nakano-Doi A, Nakagomi N, Matsuyama T, Nakagomi T, Yoshimura S. Ischemia-Induced Multipotent Stem Cells Isolated from Stroke Patients Exhibit Higher Neurogenic Differentiation Potential than Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Stem Cells Dev 2020; 29:994-1006. [PMID: 32515302 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2020.0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perivascular areas of the brain harbor multipotent stem cells. We recently demonstrated that after a stroke, brain pericytes exhibit features of multipotent stem cells. Moreover, these ischemia-induced multipotent stem cells (iSCs) are present within ischemic areas of the brain of patients diagnosed with stroke. Although increasing evidence shows that iSCs have traits similar to those of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the phenotypic similarities and differences between iSCs and MSCs remain unclear. In this study, we used iSCs extracted from stroke patients (h-iSCs) and compared their neurogenic potential with that of human MSCs (h-MSCs) in vitro. Microarray analysis, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, immunohistochemistry, and multielectrode array were performed to compare the characteristics of h-iSCs and h-MSCs. Although h-iSCs and h-MSCs had similar gene expression profiles, the percentage expressing the neural stem/progenitor cell marker nestin was significantly higher in h-iSCs than in h-MSCs. Consistent with these findings, h-iSCs, but not h-MSCs, differentiated into electrophysiologically functional neurons. In contrast, although both h-iSCs and h-MSCs were able to differentiate into several mesodermal lineages, including adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes, the potential of h-iSCs to differentiate into adipocytes and osteocytes was relatively low. These results suggest that compared with h-MSCs, h-iSCs predominantly exhibit neural rather than mesenchymal lineages. In addition, these results indicate that h-iSCs have the potential to repair the injured brain of patients with stroke by directly differentiating into neuronal lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mikiya Beppu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Toshinori Takagi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Akiko Nakano-Doi
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Departments of Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.,Therapeutic Progress in Brain Diseases and Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Nami Nakagomi
- Surgical Pathology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Matsuyama
- Therapeutic Progress in Brain Diseases and Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nakagomi
- Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Departments of Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.,Therapeutic Progress in Brain Diseases and Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Shinichi Yoshimura
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan.,Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Departments of Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
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49
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Mòdol-Caballero G, García-Lareu B, Verdés S, Ariza L, Sánchez-Brualla I, Brocard F, Bosch A, Navarro X, Herrando-Grabulosa M. Therapeutic Role of Neuregulin 1 Type III in SOD1-Linked Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:1048-1060. [PMID: 31965551 PMCID: PMC7609630 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00811-7] [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] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motoneuron (Mn) disease without effective cure currently available. Death of MNs in ALS is preceded by failure of neuromuscular junctions and axonal retraction. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a neurotrophic factor highly expressed in MNs and neuromuscular junctions that support axonal and neuromuscular development and maintenance. NRG1 and its ErbB receptors are involved in ALS. Reduced NRG1 expression has been found in ALS patients and in the ALS SOD1G93A mouse model; however, the expression of the isoforms of NRG1 and its receptors is still controversial. Due to the reduced levels of NRG1 type III (NRG1-III) in the spinal cord of ALS patients, we used gene therapy based on intrathecal administration of adeno-associated virus to overexpress NRG1-III in SOD1G93A mice. The mice were evaluated from 9 to 16 weeks of age by electrophysiology and rotarod tests. At 16 weeks, samples were harvested for histological and molecular analyses. Our results indicate that overexpression of NRG1-III is able to preserve neuromuscular function of the hindlimbs, improve locomotor performance, increase the number of surviving MNs, and reduce glial reactivity in the treated female SOD1G93A mice. Furthermore, the NRG1-III/ErbB4 axis appears to regulate MN excitability by modulating the chloride transporter KCC2 and reduces the expression of the MN vulnerability marker MMP-9. However, NRG1-III did not have a significant effect on male mice, indicating relevant sex differences. These findings indicate that increasing NRG1-III at the spinal cord is a promising approach for promoting MN protection and functional improvement in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Mòdol-Caballero
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Belén García-Lareu
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Sergi Verdés
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Lorena Ariza
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Irene Sánchez-Brualla
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
- Team P3M, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, Aix-Marseille Université and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Frédéric Brocard
- Team P3M, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, Aix-Marseille Université and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Assumpció Bosch
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Xavier Navarro
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Mireia Herrando-Grabulosa
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
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50
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Silva MC, Haggarty SJ. Human pluripotent stem cell-derived models and drug screening in CNS precision medicine. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1471:18-56. [PMID: 30875083 PMCID: PMC8193821 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Development of effective therapeutics for neurological disorders has historically been challenging partly because of lack of accurate model systems in which to investigate disease etiology and test new therapeutics at the preclinical stage. Human stem cells, particularly patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) upon differentiation, have the ability to recapitulate aspects of disease pathophysiology and are increasingly recognized as robust scalable systems for drug discovery. We review advances in deriving cellular models of human central nervous system (CNS) disorders using iPSCs along with strategies for investigating disease-relevant phenotypes, translatable biomarkers, and therapeutic targets. Given their potential to identify novel therapeutic targets and leads, we focus on phenotype-based, small-molecule screens employing human stem cell-derived models. Integrated efforts to assemble patient iPSC-derived cell models with deeply annotated clinicopathological data, along with molecular and drug-response signatures, may aid in the stratification of patients, diagnostics, and clinical trial success, shifting translational science and precision medicine approaches. A number of remaining challenges, including the optimization of cost-effective, large-scale culture of iPSC-derived cell types, incorporation of aging into neuronal models, as well as robustness and automation of phenotypic assays to support quantitative drug efficacy, toxicity, and metabolism testing workflows, are covered. Continued advancement of the field is expected to help fully humanize the process of CNS drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Catarina Silva
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
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