1
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Chaibakhsh S, Azimi F, Shoae-Hassani A, Niknam P, Ghamari A, Dehghan S, Nilforushan N. Evaluating the impact of mesenchymal stem cell therapy on visual acuity and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in optic neuropathy patients: a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Ophthalmol 2024; 24:316. [PMID: 39075477 PMCID: PMC11287858 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-024-03588-2] [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: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stem cell therapy has emerged as a potential therapeutic avenue for optic neuropathy patients. To assess its safety and efficacy, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, focusing on the latest evidence pertaining to the improvement of visual acuity (VA) through stem cell therapy. METHODS We analyzed Each database from its inception until June 2024. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to identify the included studies. Data were extracted regarding the year of publication, the name of the first author, sample size, VA (Log Mar), and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) thickness. PRISMA protocol was used as a guide to perform this meta-analysis. STATA 16 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 66 eyes were examined in seven papers. Based on the meta-analysis, the mean VA (Log MAR) of patients with optic neuropathy improved from 0.90 to 0.65 following stem cell therapy intervention (p-value = 0.001). The thickness of the RNFLs did not demonstrate a significant change (p-value was 0.174). CONCLUSION According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, stem cell therapy may improve the visual acuity of patients with optic neuropathy. Aside from the traditional therapy that can be provided to patients with optic neuropathy, stem cell therapy may also be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Chaibakhsh
- Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Azimi
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Shoae-Hassani
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parvin Niknam
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ali Ghamari
- Pediatric Cell and Gene Therapy Research Center, Cell & Tissue Research Institute, Tehran university of Medical Sciences, Gene, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samaneh Dehghan
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Naveed Nilforushan
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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2
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Aparicio JG, Hopp H, Harutyunyan N, Stewart C, Cobrinik D, Borchert M. Aberrant gene expression yet undiminished retinal ganglion cell genesis in iPSC-derived models of optic nerve hypoplasia. Ophthalmic Genet 2024; 45:1-15. [PMID: 37807874 PMCID: PMC10841193 DOI: 10.1080/13816810.2023.2253902] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH), the leading congenital cause of permanent blindness, is characterized by a retinal ganglion cell (RGC) deficit at birth. Multifactorial developmental events are hypothesized to underlie ONH and its frequently associated neurologic and endocrine abnormalities; however, environmental influences are unclear and genetic underpinnings are unexplored. This work investigates the genetic contribution to ONH RGC production and gene expression using patient induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived retinal organoids (ROs). MATERIALS AND METHODS iPSCs produced from ONH patients and controls were differentiated to ROs. RGC genesis was assessed using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Flow-sorted BRN3+ cells were collected for RNA extraction for RNA-Sequencing. Differential gene expression was assessed using DESeq2 and edgeR. PANTHER was employed to identify statistically over-represented ontologies among the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). DEGs of high interest to ONH were distinguished by assessing function, mutational constraint, and prior identification in ONH, autism and neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) studies. RESULTS RGC genesis and survival were similar in ONH and control ROs. Differential expression of 70 genes was identified in both DESeq2 and edgeR analyses, representing a ~ 4-fold higher percentage of DEGs than in randomized study participants. DEGs showed trends towards over-representation of validated NDD genes and ONH exome variant genes. Among the DEGs, RAPGEF4 and DMD had the greatest number of disease-relevant features. CONCLUSIONS ONH genetic background was not associated with impaired RGC genesis but was associated with DEGs exhibiting disease contribution potential. This constitutes some of the first evidence of a genetic contribution to ONH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer G. Aparicio
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hanno Hopp
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Narine Harutyunyan
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Carly Stewart
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David Cobrinik
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, Keck
School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of
Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck
School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mark Borchert
- The Vision Center and The Saban Research Institute,
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Keck
School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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3
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Wang Y, Yin N, Yang R, Zhao M, Li S, Zhang S, Zhao Y, Faiola F. Development of a simplified human embryonic stem cell-based retinal pre-organoid model for toxicity evaluations of common pollutants. Cutan Ocul Toxicol 2023; 42:264-272. [PMID: 37602871 DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2023.2249988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the retinal toxicity of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), flame retardants, bisphenols, phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on human retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, which are the primary cell types at the early stages of retinal development, vital for subsequent functional cell type differentiation, and closely related to retinal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS After 23 days of differentiation, human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based retinal pre-organoids, containing RPCs and RPE cells, were exposed to 10, 100, and 1000 nM pesticides (butachlor, terbutryn, imidacloprid, deltamethrin, pendimethalin, and carbaryl), flame retardants (PFOS, TBBPA, DBDPE, and TDCIPP), PPCPs (climbazole and BHT), and other typical pollutants (phenanthrene, DCHP, and BPA) for seven days. Then, mRNA expression changes were monitored and compared. RESULTS (1) The selected pollutants did not show strong effects at environmental and human-relevant concentrations, although the effects of flame retardants were more potent than those of other categories of chemicals. Surprisingly, some pollutants with distinct structures showed similar adverse effects. (2) Exposure to pollutants induced different degrees of cell detachment, probably due to alterations in extracellular matrix and/or cell adhesion. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we established a retinal pre-organoid model suitable for evaluating multiple pollutants' effects, and pointed out the potential retinal toxicity of flame retardants, among other pollutants. Nevertheless, the potential mechanisms of toxicity and the effects on cell detachment are still unclear and deserve further exploration. Additionally, this model holds promise for screening interventions aimed at mitigating the detrimental effects of these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Nuoya Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Renjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Miaomiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Shichang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Shuxian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Yanyi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Francesco Faiola
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P.R. China
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4
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Fries M, Brown TW, Jolicoeur C, Boulan B, Boudreau-Pinsonneault C, Javed A, Abram P, Cayouette M. Pou3f1 orchestrates a gene regulatory network controlling contralateral retinogeniculate projections. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112985. [PMID: 37590135 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112985] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The balance of contralateral and ipsilateral retinogeniculate projections is critical for binocular vision, but the transcriptional programs regulating this process remain ill defined. Here we show that the Pou class homeobox protein POU3F1 is expressed in nascent mouse contralateral retinal ganglion cells (cRGCs) but not ipsilateral RGCs (iRGCs). Upon Pou3f1 inactivation, the proportion of cRGCs is reduced in favor of iRGCs, leading to abnormal projection ratios at the optic chiasm. Conversely, misexpression of Pou3f1 in progenitors increases the production of cRGCs. Using CUT&RUN and RNA sequencing in gain- and loss-of-function assays, we demonstrate that POU3F1 regulates expression of several key members of the cRGC gene regulatory network. Finally, we report that POU3F1 is sufficient to induce RGC-like cell production, even in late-stage retinal progenitors of Atoh7 knockout mice. This work uncovers POU3F1 as a regulator of the cRGC transcriptional program, opening possibilities for optic nerve regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Fries
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Thomas W Brown
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Christine Jolicoeur
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Benoit Boulan
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Camille Boudreau-Pinsonneault
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Pénélope Abram
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montreal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada.
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5
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Katsura M, Urade Y, Nansai H, Kobayashi M, Taguchi A, Ishikawa Y, Ito T, Fukunaga H, Tozawa H, Chikaoka Y, Nakaki R, Echigo A, Kohro T, Sone H, Wada Y. Low-dose radiation induces unstable gene expression in developing human iPSC-derived retinal ganglion organoids. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12888. [PMID: 37558727 PMCID: PMC10412642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40051-6] [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: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of low-dose radiation on undifferentiated cells carry important implications. However, the effects on developing retinal cells remain unclear. Here, we analyzed the gene expression characteristics of neuronal organoids containing immature human retinal cells under low-dose radiation and predicted their changes. Developing retinal cells generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were irradiated with either 30 or 180 mGy on days 4-5 of development for 24 h. Genome-wide gene expression was observed until day 35. A knowledge-based pathway analysis algorithm revealed fluctuations in Rho signaling and many other pathways. After a month, the levels of an essential transcription factor of eye development, the proportion of paired box 6 (PAX6)-positive cells, and the proportion of retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-specific transcription factor POU class 4 homeobox 2 (POU4F2)-positive cells increased with 30 mGy of irradiation. In contrast, they decreased after 180 mGy of irradiation. Activation of the "development of neurons" pathway after 180 mGy indicated the dedifferentiation and development of other neural cells. Fluctuating effects after low-dose radiation exposure suggest that developing retinal cells employ hormesis and dedifferentiation mechanisms in response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Katsura
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Reiwa Eye Clinic, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Urade
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Nansai
- Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Kobayashi
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akashi Taguchi
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Ishikawa
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Ito
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hisako Fukunaga
- Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideto Tozawa
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Chikaoka
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Takahide Kohro
- Department of Clinical Informatics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Hideko Sone
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
- Environmental Health and Prevention Research Unit, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - Youichiro Wada
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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6
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Paşcalău R, Badea TC. Signaling - transcription interactions in mouse retinal ganglion cells early axon pathfinding -a literature review. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1180142. [PMID: 38983012 PMCID: PMC11182120 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1180142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Sending an axon out of the eye and into the target brain nuclei is the defining feature of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The literature on RGC axon pathfinding is vast, but it focuses mostly on decision making events such as midline crossing at the optic chiasm or retinotopic mapping at the target nuclei. In comparison, the exit of RGC axons out of the eye is much less explored. The first checkpoint on the RGC axons' path is the optic cup - optic stalk junction (OC-OS). OC-OS development and the exit of the RGC pioneer axons out of the eye are coordinated spatially and temporally. By the time the optic nerve head domain is specified, the optic fissure margins are in contact and the fusion process is ongoing, the first RGCs are born in its proximity and send pioneer axons in the optic stalk. RGC differentiation continues in centrifugal waves. Later born RGC axons fasciculate with the more mature axons. Growth cones at the end of the axons respond to guidance cues to adopt a centripetal direction, maintain nerve fiber layer restriction and to leave the optic cup. Although there is extensive information on OC-OS development, we still have important unanswered questions regarding its contribution to the exit of the RGC axons out of the eye. We are still to distinguish the morphogens of the OC-OS from the axon guidance molecules which are expressed in the same place at the same time. The early RGC transcription programs responsible for axon emergence and pathfinding are also unknown. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms for early RGC axon guidance by contextualizing mouse knock-out studies on OC-OS development with the recent transcriptomic studies on developing RGCs in an attempt to contribute to the understanding of human optic nerve developmental anomalies. The published data summarized here suggests that the developing optic nerve head provides a physical channel (the closing optic fissure) as well as molecular guidance cues for the pioneer RGC axons to exit the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Paşcalău
- Research and Development Institute, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Cluj County Emergency Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tudor Constantin Badea
- Research and Development Institute, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
- National Center for Brain Research, Institutul de Cercetări pentru Inteligență Artificială, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
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7
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Ge Y, Chen X, Nan N, Bard J, Wu F, Yergeau D, Liu T, Wang J, Mu X. Key transcription factors influence the epigenetic landscape to regulate retinal cell differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2151-2176. [PMID: 36715342 PMCID: PMC10018358 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
How the diverse neural cell types emerge from multipotent neural progenitor cells during central nervous system development remains poorly understood. Recent scRNA-seq studies have delineated the developmental trajectories of individual neural cell types in many neural systems including the neural retina. Further understanding of the formation of neural cell diversity requires knowledge about how the epigenetic landscape shifts along individual cell lineages and how key transcription factors regulate these changes. In this study, we dissect the changes in the epigenetic landscape during early retinal cell differentiation by scATAC-seq and identify globally the enhancers, enriched motifs, and potential interacting transcription factors underlying the cell state/type specific gene expression in individual lineages. Using CUT&Tag, we further identify the enhancers bound directly by four key transcription factors, Otx2, Atoh7, Pou4f2 and Isl1, including those dependent on Atoh7, and uncover the sequential and combinatorial interactions of these factors with the epigenetic landscape to control gene expression along individual retinal cell lineages such as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Our results reveal a general paradigm in which transcription factors collaborate and compete to regulate the emergence of distinct retinal cell types such as RGCs from multipotent retinal progenitor cells (RPCs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Xushen Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Nan Nan
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Bard
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Fuguo Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Donald Yergeau
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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8
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Petridou E, Godinho L. Cellular and Molecular Determinants of Retinal Cell Fate. Annu Rev Vis Sci 2022; 8:79-99. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-vision-100820-103154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate retina is regarded as a simple part of the central nervous system (CNS) and thus amenable to investigations of the determinants of cell fate. Its five neuronal cell classes and one glial cell class all derive from a common pool of progenitors. Here we review how each cell class is generated. Retinal progenitors progress through different competence states, in each of which they generate only a small repertoire of cell classes. The intrinsic state of the progenitor is determined by the complement of transcription factors it expresses. Thus, although progenitors are multipotent, there is a bias in the types of fates they generate during any particular time window. Overlying these competence states are stochastic mechanisms that influence fate decisions. These mechanisms are determined by a weighted set of probabilities based on the abundance of a cell class in the retina. Deterministic mechanisms also operate, especially late in development, when preprogrammed progenitors solely generate specific fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Petridou
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany;,
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences (GSN), Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Leanne Godinho
- Institute of Neuronal Cell Biology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany;,
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9
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Bery A, Bagchi U, Bergen AA, Felder-Schmittbuhl MP. Circadian clocks, retinogenesis and ocular health in vertebrates: new molecular insights. Dev Biol 2022; 484:40-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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10
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Bradshaw SN, Allison WT. Hagfish to Illuminate the Developmental and Evolutionary Origins of the Vertebrate Retina. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:822358. [PMID: 35155434 PMCID: PMC8826474 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.822358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate eye is a vital sensory organ that has long fascinated scientists, but the details of how this organ evolved are still unclear. The vertebrate eye is distinct from the simple photoreceptive organs of other non-vertebrate chordates and there are no clear transitional forms of the eye in the fossil record. To investigate the evolution of the eye we can examine the eyes of the most ancient extant vertebrates, the hagfish and lamprey. These jawless vertebrates are in an ideal phylogenetic position to study the origin of the vertebrate eye but data on eye/retina development in these organisms is limited. New genomic and gene expression data from hagfish and lamprey suggest they have many of the same genes for eye development and retinal neurogenesis as jawed vertebrates, but functional work to determine if these genes operate in retinogenesis similarly to other vertebrates is missing. In addition, hagfish express a marker of proliferative retinal cells (Pax6) near the margin of the retina, and adult retinal growth is apparent in some species. This finding of eye growth late into hagfish ontogeny is unexpected given the degenerate eye phenotype. Further studies dissecting retinal neurogenesis in jawless vertebrates would allow for comparison of the mechanisms of retinal development between cyclostome and gnathostome eyes and provide insight into the evolutionary origins of the vertebrate eye.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - W. Ted Allison
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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11
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Features of Retinal Neurogenesis as a Key Factor of Age-Related Neurodegeneration: Myth or Reality? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147373. [PMID: 34298993 PMCID: PMC8303671 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that constitutes the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly in the developed countries. Incomplete knowledge about its pathogenesis prevents the search for effective methods of prevention and treatment of AMD, primarily of its "dry" type which is by far the most common (90% of all AMD cases). In the recent years, AMD has become "younger": late stages of the disease are now detected in relatively young people. It is known that AMD pathogenesis-according to the age-related structural and functional changes in the retina-is linked with inflammation, hypoxia, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and an impairment of neurotrophic support, but the mechanisms that trigger the conversion of normal age-related changes to the pathological process as well as the reason for early AMD development remain unclear. In the adult mammalian retina, de novo neurogenesis is very limited. Therefore, the structural and functional features that arise during its maturation and formation can exert long-term effects on further ontogenesis of this tissue. The aim of this review was to discuss possible contributions of the changes/disturbances in retinal neurogenesis to the early development of AMD.
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12
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Lyu J, Mu X. Genetic control of retinal ganglion cell genesis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:4417-4433. [PMID: 33782712 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03814-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the only projection neurons in the neural retina. They receive and integrate visual signals from upstream retinal neurons in the visual circuitry and transmit them to the brain. The function of RGCs is performed by the approximately 40 RGC types projecting to various central brain targets. RGCs are the first cell type to form during retinogenesis. The specification and differentiation of the RGC lineage is a stepwise process; a hierarchical gene regulatory network controlling the RGC lineage has been identified and continues to be elaborated. Recent studies with single-cell transcriptomics have led to unprecedented new insights into their types and developmental trajectory. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the functions and relationships of the many regulators of the specification and differentiation of the RGC lineage. We emphasize the roles of these key transcription factors and pathways in different developmental steps, including the transition from retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to RGCs, RGC differentiation, generation of diverse RGC types, and central projection of the RGC axons. We discuss critical issues that remain to be addressed for a comprehensive understanding of these different aspects of RGC genesis and emerging technologies, including single-cell techniques, novel genetic tools and resources, and high-throughput genome editing and screening assays, which can be leveraged in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyi Lyu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, State University of New York At Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, State University of New York At Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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13
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Single-Cell Transcriptomic Comparison of Human Fetal Retina, hPSC-Derived Retinal Organoids, and Long-Term Retinal Cultures. Cell Rep 2021; 30:1644-1659.e4. [PMID: 32023475 PMCID: PMC7901645 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
To study the development of the human retina, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) at key fetal stages and follow the development of the major cell types as well as populations of transitional cells. We also analyze stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal organoids; although organoids have a very similar cellular composition at equivalent ages as the fetal retina, there are some differences in gene expression of particular cell types. Moreover, the inner retinal lamination is disrupted at more advanced stages of organoids compared with fetal retina. To determine whether the disorganization in the inner retina is due to the culture conditions, we analyze retinal development in fetal retina maintained under similar conditions. These retinospheres develop for at least 6 months, displaying better inner retinal lamination than retinal organoids. Our single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) comparisons of fetal retina, retinal organoids, and retinospheres provide a resource for developing better in vitro models for retinal disease.
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14
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Wu F, Bard JE, Kann J, Yergeau D, Sapkota D, Ge Y, Hu Z, Wang J, Liu T, Mu X. Single cell transcriptomics reveals lineage trajectory of retinal ganglion cells in wild-type and Atoh7-null retinas. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1465. [PMID: 33674582 PMCID: PMC7935890 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21704-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Atoh7 has been believed to be essential for establishing the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) lineage, and Pou4f2 and Isl1 are known to regulate RGC specification and differentiation. Here we report our further study of the roles of these transcription factors. Using bulk RNA-seq, we identify genes regulated by the three transcription factors, which expand our understanding of the scope of downstream events. Using scRNA-seq on wild-type and mutant retinal cells, we reveal a transitional cell state of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) co-marked by Atoh7 and other genes for different lineages and shared by all early retinal lineages. We further discover the unexpected emergence of the RGC lineage in the absence of Atoh7. We conclude that competence of RPCs for different retinal fates is defined by lineage-specific genes co-expressed in the transitional state and that Atoh7 defines the RGC competence and collaborates with other factors to shepherd transitional RPCs to the RGC lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuguo Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan E Bard
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Julien Kann
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Donald Yergeau
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Darshan Sapkota
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Yichen Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Zihua Hu
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jie Wang
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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15
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Brodie-Kommit J, Clark BS, Shi Q, Shiau F, Kim DW, Langel J, Sheely C, Ruzycki PA, Fries M, Javed A, Cayouette M, Schmidt T, Badea T, Glaser T, Zhao H, Singer J, Blackshaw S, Hattar S. Atoh7-independent specification of retinal ganglion cell identity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/11/eabe4983. [PMID: 33712461 PMCID: PMC7954457 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) relay visual information from the eye to the brain. RGCs are the first cell type generated during retinal neurogenesis. Loss of function of the transcription factor Atoh7, expressed in multipotent early neurogenic retinal progenitors leads to a selective and essentially complete loss of RGCs. Therefore, Atoh7 is considered essential for conferring competence on progenitors to generate RGCs. Despite the importance of Atoh7 in RGC specification, we find that inhibiting apoptosis in Atoh7-deficient mice by loss of function of Bax only modestly reduces RGC numbers. Single-cell RNA sequencing of Atoh7;Bax-deficient retinas shows that RGC differentiation is delayed but that the gene expression profile of RGC precursors is grossly normal. Atoh7;Bax-deficient RGCs eventually mature, fire action potentials, and incorporate into retinal circuitry but exhibit severe axonal guidance defects. This study reveals an essential role for Atoh7 in RGC survival and demonstrates Atoh7-dependent and Atoh7-independent mechanisms for RGC specification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian S Clark
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Qing Shi
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Fion Shiau
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Dong Won Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer Langel
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Catherine Sheely
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michel Fries
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Molecular Biology Programs, Université de Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Tiffany Schmidt
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Tudor Badea
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Research and Development Institute, Transylvania University of Brasov, School of Medicine, Brasov, Romania
| | - Tom Glaser
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Haiqing Zhao
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Singer
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samer Hattar
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
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16
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Ge Y, Wu F, Cheng M, Bard J, Mu X. Two new genetically modified mouse alleles labeling distinct phases of retinal ganglion cell development by fluorescent proteins. Dev Dyn 2020; 249:1514-1528. [PMID: 32741043 PMCID: PMC7855626 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During development, all retinal cell types arise from retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) in a step-wise fashion. Atoh7 and Pou4f2 mark, and function in, two phases of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) genesis; Atoh7 functions in a subpopulation of RPCs to render them competent for the RGC fate, whereas Pou4f2 participates in RGC fate specification and RGC differentiation. Despite extensive research on their roles, the properties of the two phases represented by these two factors have not been well studied, likely due to the retinal cellular heterogeneity. RESULTS In this report, we describe two novel knock-in mouse alleles, Atoh7zsGreenCreERT2 and Pou4f2FlagtdTomato , which labeled retinal cells in the two phases of RGC development by fluorescent proteins. Also, the Atoh7zsGreenCreERT2 allele allowed for indirect labeling of RGCs and other cell types upon tamoxifen induction in a dose-dependent manner. Further, these alleles could be used to purify retinal cells in the different phases by fluorescence assisted cell sorting (FACS). Single cell RNA-seq analysis of purified cells from Atoh7zsGreenCreERT2 retinas further validated that this allele labeled both transitional/competent RPCs and their progenies including RGCs. CONCLUSIONS Thus, these two alleles are very useful tools for studying the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying RGC formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Fuguo Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Mobin Cheng
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Jonathan Bard
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
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17
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Wang J, He Q, Zhang K, Sun H, Zhang G, Liang H, Guo J, Hao L, Ke J, Chen S. Quick Commitment and Efficient Reprogramming Route of Direct Induction of Retinal Ganglion Cell-like Neurons. Stem Cell Reports 2020; 15:1095-1110. [PMID: 33096050 PMCID: PMC7663790 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Direct reprogramming has been widely explored to generate various types of neurons for neurobiological research and translational medicine applications, but there is still no efficient reprogramming method to generate retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-like neurons, which are the sole projection neurons in the retina. Here, we show that three transcription factors, Ascl1, Brn3b, and Isl1, efficiently convert fibroblasts into RGC-like neurons (iRGCs). Furthermore, we show that the competence of cells to enter iRGC reprogramming route is determined by the cell-cycle status at a very early stage of the process. The iRGC reprogramming route involves intermediate states that are characterized by a transient inflammatory-like response followed by active epigenomic and transcriptional modifications. Our study provides an efficient method to generate iRGCs, which would be a valuable cell source for potential glaucoma cell replacement therapy and drug screening studies, and reveals the key cellular events that govern successful neuronal fate reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Qinghai He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Hui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Gong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Huilin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Jingyi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Lili Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Jiangbin Ke
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China
| | - Shuyi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510623, China.
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18
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Oliveira-Valença VM, Bosco A, Vetter ML, Silveira MS. On the Generation and Regeneration of Retinal Ganglion Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:581136. [PMID: 33043015 PMCID: PMC7527462 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.581136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal development follows a conserved neurogenic program in vertebrates to orchestrate the generation of specific cell types from multipotent progenitors in sequential but overlapping waves. In this program, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the first cell type generated. RGCs are the final output neurons of the retina and are essential for vision and circadian rhythm. Key molecular steps have been defined in multiple vertebrate species to regulate competence, specification, and terminal differentiation of this cell type. This involves neuronal-specific transcription factor networks, regulators of chromatin dynamics and miRNAs. In mammals, RGCs and their optic nerve axons undergo neurodegeneration and loss in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies, resulting in irreversible vision loss. The incapacity of RGCs and axons to regenerate reinforces the need for the design of efficient RGC replacement strategies. Here we describe the essential molecular pathways for the differentiation of RGCs in vertebrates, as well as experimental manipulations that extend the competence window for generation of this early cell type from late progenitors. We discuss recent advances in regeneration of retinal neurons in vivo in both mouse and zebrafish and discuss possible strategies and barriers to achieving RGC regeneration as a therapeutic approach for vision restoration in blinding diseases such as glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane M Oliveira-Valença
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis, Neurobiology Program, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alejandra Bosco
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Monica L Vetter
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Mariana S Silveira
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis, Neurobiology Program, Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Glial Cell Biology Group, Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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19
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Hua ZQ, Liu H, Wang N, Jin ZB. Towards stem cell-based neuronal regeneration for glaucoma. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 257:99-118. [PMID: 32988476 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease as a leading cause of global blindness. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis and optic nerve damage are the main pathological changes. Patients have elevated intraocular pressure and progressive visual field loss. Unfortunately, current treatments for glaucoma merely stay at delaying the disease progression. As a promising treatment, stem cell-based neuronal regeneration therapy holds potential for glaucoma, thereby great efforts have been paid on it. RGC regeneration and transplantation are key approaches for the future treatment of glaucoma. A line of studies have shown that a variety of cells can be used to regenerate RGCs, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). In this review, we overview the current progress on the regeneration of pluripotent stem cell-derived RGCs and outlook the perspective and challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Qi Hua
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration, Institute of Stem Cell Research, The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Laboratory of Stem Cell & Retinal Regeneration, Institute of Stem Cell Research, The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ningli Wang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, Beijing, China.
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20
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Teotia P, Niu M, Ahmad I. Mapping developmental trajectories and subtype diversity of normal and glaucomatous human retinal ganglion cells by single-cell transcriptome analysis. Stem Cells 2020; 38:1279-1291. [PMID: 32557945 PMCID: PMC7586941 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma is characterized by a progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), leading to irreversible vision loss. Currently, there is no effective treatment for RGC degeneration. We used a disease-in-a-dish stem cell model to examine the developmental susceptibility of RGCs to glaucomatous degeneration, which may inform on the formulation of therapeutic approaches. Here, we used single-cell transcriptome analysis of SIX6 risk allele (SIX6risk allele ) primary open angle glaucoma patient-specific and control hRGCs to compare developmental trajectories in terms of lineage- and stage-specific transcriptional signature to identify dysregulated stages/genes, and subtype composition to estimate the relative vulnerability of RGCs to degeneration because their ability to regenerate axons are subtype-specific. The developmental trajectories, beginning from neural stem cells to RGCs, were similar between SIX6risk allele and control RGCs. However, the differentiation of SIX6risk allele RGCs was relatively stalled at the retinal progenitor cell stage, compromising the acquisition of mature phenotype and subtype composition, compared with controls, which was likely due to dysregulated mTOR and Notch signaling pathways. Furthermore, SIX6risk allele RGCs, as compared with controls, expressed fewer genes corresponding to RGC subtypes that are preferentially resistant to degeneration. The immature phenotype of SIX6risk allele RGCs with underrepresented degeneration-resistant subtypes may make them vulnerable to glaucomatous degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Teotia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Meng Niu
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Iqbal Ahmad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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21
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Qadeer ZA, Valle-Garcia D, Hasson D, Sun Z, Cook A, Nguyen C, Soriano A, Ma A, Griffiths LM, Zeineldin M, Filipescu D, Jubierre L, Chowdhury A, Deevy O, Chen X, Finkelstein DB, Bahrami A, Stewart E, Federico S, Gallego S, Dekio F, Fowkes M, Meni D, Maris JM, Weiss WA, Roberts SS, Cheung NKV, Jin J, Segura MF, Dyer MA, Bernstein E. ATRX In-Frame Fusion Neuroblastoma Is Sensitive to EZH2 Inhibition via Modulation of Neuronal Gene Signatures. Cancer Cell 2019; 36:512-527.e9. [PMID: 31631027 PMCID: PMC6851493 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
ATRX alterations occur at high frequency in neuroblastoma of adolescents and young adults. Particularly intriguing are the large N-terminal deletions of ATRX (Alpha Thalassemia/Mental Retardation, X-linked) that generate in-frame fusion (IFF) proteins devoid of key chromatin interaction domains, while retaining the SWI/SNF-like helicase region. We demonstrate that ATRX IFF proteins are redistributed from H3K9me3-enriched chromatin to promoters of active genes and identify REST as an ATRX IFF target whose activation promotes silencing of neuronal differentiation genes. We further show that ATRX IFF cells display sensitivity to EZH2 inhibitors, due to derepression of neurogenesis genes, including a subset of REST targets. Taken together, we demonstrate that ATRX structural alterations are not loss-of-function and put forward EZH2 inhibitors as a potential therapy for ATRX IFF neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zulekha A Qadeer
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David Valle-Garcia
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Dan Hasson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Zhen Sun
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - April Cook
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Christie Nguyen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Aroa Soriano
- Laboratory of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Anqi Ma
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lyra M Griffiths
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Maged Zeineldin
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dan Filipescu
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Luz Jubierre
- Laboratory of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Asif Chowdhury
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Orla Deevy
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Xiang Chen
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - David B Finkelstein
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Armita Bahrami
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Elizabeth Stewart
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Sara Federico
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Soledad Gallego
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Department, University Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Fumiko Dekio
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Mary Fowkes
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - David Meni
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - John M Maris
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perlman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William A Weiss
- Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Stephen S Roberts
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nai-Kong V Cheung
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jian Jin
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Miguel F Segura
- Laboratory of Translational Research in Child and Adolescent Cancer, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona 08035, Spain
| | - Michael A Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Emily Bernstein
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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22
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Zullo JM, Drake D, Aron L, O'Hern P, Dhamne SC, Davidsohn N, Mao CA, Klein WH, Rotenberg A, Bennett DA, Church GM, Colaiácovo MP, Yankner BA. Regulation of lifespan by neural excitation and REST. Nature 2019; 574:359-364. [PMID: 31619788 PMCID: PMC6893853 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-1647-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms that extend lifespan in humans are poorly understood. Here we show that extended longevity in humans is associated with a distinct transcriptome signature in the cerebral cortex that is characterized by downregulation of genes related to neural excitation and synaptic function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, neural excitation increases with age and inhibition of excitation globally, or in glutamatergic or cholinergic neurons, increases longevity. Furthermore, longevity is dynamically regulated by the excitatory-inhibitory balance of neural circuits. The transcription factor REST is upregulated in humans with extended longevity and represses excitation-related genes. Notably, REST-deficient mice exhibit increased cortical activity and neuronal excitability during ageing. Similarly, loss-of-function mutations in the C. elegans REST orthologue genes spr-3 and spr-4 elevate neural excitation and reduce the lifespan of long-lived daf-2 mutants. In wild-type worms, overexpression of spr-4 suppresses excitation and extends lifespan. REST, SPR-3, SPR-4 and reduced excitation activate the longevity-associated transcription factors FOXO1 and DAF-16 in mammals and worms, respectively. These findings reveal a conserved mechanism of ageing that is mediated by neural circuit activity and regulated by REST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Zullo
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Derek Drake
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liviu Aron
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Patrick O'Hern
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sameer C Dhamne
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Noah Davidsohn
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chai-An Mao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William H Klein
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alexander Rotenberg
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Bruce A Yankner
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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23
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Rupp AC, Ren M, Altimus CM, Fernandez DC, Richardson M, Turek F, Hattar S, Schmidt TM. Distinct ipRGC subpopulations mediate light's acute and circadian effects on body temperature and sleep. eLife 2019; 8:e44358. [PMID: 31333190 PMCID: PMC6650245 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The light environment greatly impacts human alertness, mood, and cognition by both acute regulation of physiology and indirect alignment of circadian rhythms. These processes require the melanopsin-expressing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), but the relevant downstream brain areas involved remain elusive. ipRGCs project widely in the brain, including to the central circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Here we show that body temperature and sleep responses to acute light exposure are absent after genetic ablation of all ipRGCs except a subpopulation that projects to the SCN. Furthermore, by chemogenetic activation of the ipRGCs that avoid the SCN, we show that these cells are sufficient for acute changes in body temperature. Our results challenge the idea that the SCN is a major relay for the acute effects of light on non-image forming behaviors and identify the sensory cells that initiate light's profound effects on body temperature and sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan C Rupp
- Department of BiologyJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Michelle Ren
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Cara M Altimus
- Department of BiologyJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | | | | | - Fred Turek
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Samer Hattar
- Department of BiologyJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of NeuroscienceJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Tiffany M Schmidt
- Department of NeurobiologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
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24
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Hunt NC, Hallam D, Chichagova V, Steel DH, Lako M. The Application of Biomaterials to Tissue Engineering Neural Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1800226. [PMID: 30175520 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201800226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 06/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of degenerative retinal disease is ever increasing as life expectancy rises globally. The human retina fails to regenerate and the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to engineer retinal tissue is of particular interest due to the limited availability of suitable allogeneic or autologous tissue. Retinal tissue and its development are well characterized, which have resulted in robust assays to assess the development of tissue-engineered retina. Retinal tissue can be generated in vitro from hESCs and hiPSCs without biomaterial scaffolds, but despite advancements, protocols remain slow, expensive, and fail to result in mature functional tissue. Several recent studies have demonstrated the potential of biomaterial scaffolds to enhance generation of hESC/hiPSC-derived retinal tissue, including synthetic polymers, silk, alginate, hyaluronic acid, and extracellular matrix molecules. This review outlines the advances that have been made toward tissue-engineered neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) for clinical application in recent years, including the success of clinical trials involving transplantation of cells and tissue to promote retinal repair; and the evidence from in vitro and animal studies that biomaterials can enhance development and integration of retinal tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola C. Hunt
- Newcastle UniversityInstitute of Genetic MedicineInternational Centre for Life Central Parkway Newcastle NE1 3BZ UK
| | - Dean Hallam
- Newcastle UniversityInstitute of Genetic MedicineInternational Centre for Life Central Parkway Newcastle NE1 3BZ UK
| | - Valeria Chichagova
- Newcastle UniversityInstitute of Genetic MedicineInternational Centre for Life Central Parkway Newcastle NE1 3BZ UK
- Biomedicine WestInternational Centre for LifeTimes SquareNewcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP UK
| | - David H. Steel
- Newcastle UniversityInstitute of Genetic MedicineInternational Centre for Life Central Parkway Newcastle NE1 3BZ UK
| | - Majlinda Lako
- Newcastle UniversityInstitute of Genetic MedicineInternational Centre for Life Central Parkway Newcastle NE1 3BZ UK
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25
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Chowdhury R, Laboissonniere LA, Wester AK, Muller M, Trimarchi JM. The Trim family of genes and the retina: Expression and functional characterization. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202867. [PMID: 30208054 PMCID: PMC6135365 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
To better understand the mechanisms that govern the development of retinal neurons, it is critical to gain additional insight into the specific intrinsic factors that control cell fate decisions and neuronal maturation. In the developing mouse retina, Atoh7, a highly conserved transcription factor, is essential for retinal ganglion cell development. Moreover, Atoh7 expression in the developing retina occurs during a critical time period when progenitor cells are in the process of making cell fate decisions. We performed transcriptome profiling of Atoh7+ individual cells isolated from mouse retina. One of the genes that we found significantly correlated with Atoh7 in our transcriptomic data was the E3 ubiquitin ligase, Trim9. The correlation between Trim9 and Atoh7 coupled with the expression of Trim9 in the early mouse retina led us to hypothesize that this gene may play a role in the process of cell fate determination. To address the role of Trim9 in retinal development, we performed a functional analysis of Trim9 in the mouse and did not detect any morphological changes in the retina in the absence of Trim9. Thus, Trim9 alone does not appear to be involved in cell fate determination or early ganglion cell development in the mouse retina. We further hypothesize that the reason for this lack of phenotype may be compensation by one of the many additional TRIM family members we find expressed in the developing retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Chowdhury
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Lauren A. Laboissonniere
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Andrea K. Wester
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Madison Muller
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey M. Trimarchi
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
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26
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Saha A, Tiwari S, Dharmarajan S, Otteson DC, Belecky-Adams TL. Class I histone deacetylases in retinal progenitors and differentiating ganglion cells. Gene Expr Patterns 2018; 30:37-48. [PMID: 30179675 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The acetylation state of histones has been used as an indicator of the developmental state of progenitor and differentiating cells. The goal of this study was to determine the nuclear localization patterns of Class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) in retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), as the first step in understanding their potential importance in cell fate determination within the murine retina. RESULTS The only HDAC to label RPC nuclei at E16 and P5 was HDAC1. In contrast, there was generally increased nuclear localization of all Class I HDACs in differentiating RGCs. Between P5 and P30, SOX2 expression becomes restricted to Müller glial, cholinergic amacrine cells, and retinal astrocytes. Cholinergic amacrine showed a combination of changes in nuclear localization of Class I HDACs. Strikingly, although Müller glia and retinal astrocytes express many of the same genes, P30 Müller glial cells showed nuclear localization only of HDAC1, while retinal astrocytes were positive for HDACs 1, 2, and 3. CONCLUSION These results indicate there may be a role for one or more of the Class I HDACs in retinal cell type-specific differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Saha
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Center for Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Sarika Tiwari
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Center for Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Subramanian Dharmarajan
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Center for Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Deborah C Otteson
- University of Houston College of Optometry, 4901 Calhoun Rd. Rm 2195, Houston, TX, 77204-2020, USA.
| | - Teri L Belecky-Adams
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Center for Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis, 723 W Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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27
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Buenaventura DF, Ghinia-Tegla MG, Emerson MM. Fate-restricted retinal progenitor cells adopt a molecular profile and spatial position distinct from multipotent progenitor cells. Dev Biol 2018; 443:35-49. [PMID: 30145104 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
During development, multipotent retinal progenitor cells generate a large number of unique cell types. Recent evidence suggests that there are fate-restricted progenitor cell states in addition to multipotent ones. Here we report a transcriptomic analysis of fate- restricted progenitor cells biased to produce cone photoreceptors and horizontal cells, marked by the THRB cis-regulatory element ThrbCRM1. Comparison to a control population enriched in multipotent progenitor cells identified several genes considered to be pan-progenitor, such as VSX2, LHX2, and PAX6, as downregulated in these fate- restricted retinal progenitor cells. This differential regulation occurs in chick and in a different restricted progenitor population in mouse suggesting that this is a conserved feature of progenitor dynamics during retinal development. S-phase labeling also revealed that nuclear positions of restricted progenitor populations occupy distinct spatial niches within the developing chick retina. Using a conserved regulatory element proximal to the VSX2 gene, a potential negative feedback mechanism from specific transcription factors enriched in cone/horizontal cell progenitor cells was identified. This study identifies conserved molecular and cellular changes that occur during the generation of fate restricted retinal progenitor cells from multipotent retinal progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego F Buenaventura
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States; Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States
| | - Miruna G Ghinia-Tegla
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States
| | - Mark M Emerson
- Department of Biology, The City College of New York, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States; Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, United States.
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28
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Cheng L, Wong LJ, Yan N, Han RC, Yu H, Guo C, Batsuuri K, Zinzuwadia A, Guan R, Cho KS, Chen DF. Ezh2 does not mediate retinal ganglion cell homeostasis or their susceptibility to injury. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191853. [PMID: 29408885 PMCID: PMC5800601 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic predisposition is thought to critically contribute to adult-onset disorders, such as retinal neurodegeneration. The histone methyltransferase, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (Ezh2), is transiently expressed in the perinatal retina, particularly enriched in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). We previously showed that embryonic deletion of Ezh2 from retinal progenitors led to progressive photoreceptor degeneration throughout life, demonstrating a role for embryonic predisposition of Ezh2-mediated repressive mark in maintaining the survival and function of photoreceptors in the adult. Enrichment of Ezh2 in RGCs leads to the question if Ezh2 also mediates gene expression and function in postnatal RGCs, and if its deficiency changes RGC susceptibility to cell death under injury or disease in the adult. To test this, we generated mice carrying targeted deletion of Ezh2 from RGC progenitors driven by Math5-Cre (mKO). mKO mice showed no detectable defect in RGC development, survival, or cell homeostasis as determined by physiological analysis, live imaging, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Moreover, RGCs of Ezh2 deficient mice revealed similar susceptibility against glaucomatous and acute optic nerve trauma-induced neurodegeneration compared to littermate floxed or wild-type control mice. In agreement with the above findings, analysis of RNA sequencing of RGCs purified from Ezh2 deficient mice revealed few gene changes that were related to RGC development, survival and function. These results, together with our previous report, support a cell lineage-specific mechanism of Ezh2-mediated gene repression, especially those critically involved in cellular function and homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lucy J. Wong
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Eye Center, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Naihong Yan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Laboratories, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Richard C. Han
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Honghua Yu
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Chenying Guo
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Khulan Batsuuri
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aniket Zinzuwadia
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ryan Guan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kin-Sang Cho
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Dong Feng Chen
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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29
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Miesfeld JB, Glaser T, Brown NL. The dynamics of native Atoh7 protein expression during mouse retinal histogenesis, revealed with a new antibody. Gene Expr Patterns 2018; 27:114-121. [PMID: 29225067 PMCID: PMC5835195 DOI: 10.1016/j.gep.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The Atoh7 transcription factor catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the specification of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). As a tool to study vertebrate retinal development, we validate an antibody that recognizes human and mouse Atoh7 polypeptide, using informative knockout and transgenic mouse tissues and overexpression experiments. The transient features of Atoh7 protein expression during retinal neurogenesis match the expected pattern at the tissue and cellular level. Further, we compare endogenous Atoh7 to established RGC markers, reporter mouse lines and cell cycle markers, demonstrating the utility of the antibody to investigate molecular mechanisms of retinal histogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel B Miesfeld
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Tom Glaser
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Nadean L Brown
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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30
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Molecular codes for cell type specification in Brn3 retinal ganglion cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E3974-E3983. [PMID: 28465430 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1618551114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual information is conveyed from the eye to the brain by distinct types of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). It is largely unknown how RGCs acquire their defining morphological and physiological features and connect to upstream and downstream synaptic partners. The three Brn3/Pou4f transcription factors (TFs) participate in a combinatorial code for RGC type specification, but their exact molecular roles are still unclear. We use deep sequencing to define (i) transcriptomes of Brn3a- and/or Brn3b-positive RGCs, (ii) Brn3a- and/or Brn3b-dependent RGC transcripts, and (iii) transcriptomes of retinorecipient areas of the brain at developmental stages relevant for axon guidance, dendrite formation, and synaptogenesis. We reveal a combinatorial code of TFs, cell surface molecules, and determinants of neuronal morphology that is differentially expressed in specific RGC populations and selectively regulated by Brn3a and/or Brn3b. This comprehensive molecular code provides a basis for understanding neuronal cell type specification in RGCs.
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31
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Novel Regulatory Mechanisms for the SoxC Transcriptional Network Required for Visual Pathway Development. J Neurosci 2017; 37:4967-4981. [PMID: 28411269 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3430-13.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2013] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
What pathways specify retinal ganglion cell (RGC) fate in the developing retina? Here we report on mechanisms by which a molecular pathway involving Sox4/Sox11 is required for RGC differentiation and for optic nerve formation in mice in vivo, and is sufficient to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells into electrophysiologically active RGCs. These data place Sox4 downstream of RE1 silencing transcription factor in regulating RGC fate, and further describe a newly identified, Sox4-regulated site for post-translational modification with small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMOylation) in Sox11, which suppresses Sox11's nuclear localization and its ability to promote RGC differentiation, providing a mechanism for the SoxC familial compensation observed here and elsewhere in the nervous system. These data define novel regulatory mechanisms for this SoxC molecular network, and suggest pro-RGC molecular approaches for cell replacement-based therapies for glaucoma and other optic neuropathies.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness worldwide and, along with other optic neuropathies, is characterized by loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Unfortunately, vision and RGC loss are irreversible, and lead to bilateral blindness in ∼14% of all diagnosed patients. Differentiated and transplanted RGC-like cells derived from stem cells have the potential to replace neurons that have already been lost and thereby to restore visual function. These data uncover new mechanisms of retinal progenitor cell (RPC)-to-RGC and human stem cell-to-RGC fate specification, and take a significant step toward understanding neuronal and retinal development and ultimately cell-transplant therapy.
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32
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Zhang Q, Zagozewski J, Cheng S, Dixit R, Zhang S, de Melo J, Mu X, Klein WH, Brown NL, Wigle JT, Schuurmans C, Eisenstat DD. Regulation of Brn3b by DLX1 and DLX2 is required for retinal ganglion cell differentiation in the vertebrate retina. Development 2017; 144:1698-1711. [PMID: 28356311 PMCID: PMC5450843 DOI: 10.1242/dev.142042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Regulated retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation and axonal guidance is required for a functional visual system. Homeodomain and basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors are required for retinogenesis, as well as patterning, differentiation and maintenance of specific retinal cell types. We hypothesized that Dlx1, Dlx2 and Brn3b homeobox genes function in parallel intrinsic pathways to determine RGC fate and therefore generated Dlx1/Dlx2/Brn3b triple-knockout mice. A more severe retinal phenotype was found in the Dlx1/Dlx2/Brn3b-null retinas than was predicted by combining features of the Brn3b single- and Dlx1/Dlx2 double-knockout retinas, including near total RGC loss with a marked increase in amacrine cells in the ganglion cell layer. Furthermore, we discovered that DLX1 and DLX2 function as direct transcriptional activators of Brn3b expression. Knockdown of Dlx2 expression in primary embryonic retinal cultures and Dlx2 gain of function in utero strongly support that DLX2 is both necessary and sufficient for Brn3b expression in vivo. We suggest that ATOH7 specifies RGC-committed progenitors and that Dlx1 and Dlx2 function both downstream of ATOH7 and in parallel, but cooperative, pathways that involve regulation of Brn3b expression to determine RGC fate. Summary:Dlx1/2 homeobox genes regulate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation by directly activating Brn3b expression; accordingly, Dlx1/Dlx2/Brn3b triple-knockout mice exhibit near complete RGC loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 0J9
| | - Jamie Zagozewski
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2H7
| | - Shaohong Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3A 1S1
| | - Rajiv Dixit
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada T2N 4N1
| | - Shunzhen Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 3J7
| | - Jimmy de Melo
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 0J9
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - William H Klein
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nadean L Brown
- Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, Canada
| | - Jeffrey T Wigle
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 3J7
| | - Carol Schuurmans
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada T2N 4N1
| | - David D Eisenstat
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 0J9 .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2H7.,Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3A 1S1.,Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3E 3J7.,Department of Ophthalmology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada R3T 2N2
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33
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Vetter ML, Hitchcock PF. Report on the National Eye Institute Audacious Goals Initiative: Replacement of Retinal Ganglion Cells from Endogenous Cell Sources. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2017; 6:5. [PMID: 28316878 PMCID: PMC5354473 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.6.2.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This report emerges from a workshop convened by the National Eye Institute (NEI) as part of the "Audacious Goals Initiative" (AGI). The workshop addressed the replacement of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from exogenous and endogenous sources, and sought to identify the gaps in our knowledge and barriers to progress in devising cellular replacement therapies for diseases where RGCs die. Here, we briefly review relevant literature regarding common diseases associated with RGC death, the genesis of RGCs in vivo, strategies for generating transplantable RGCs in vitro, and potential endogenous cellular sources to regenerate these cells. These topics provided the clinical and scientific context for the discussion among the workshop participants and are relevant to efforts that may lead to therapeutic approaches for replacing RGCs. This report also summarizes the content of the workshop discussion, which focused on: (1) cell sources for RGC replacement and regeneration, (2) optimizing integration, survival, and synaptogenesis of new RGCs, and (3) approaches for assessing the outcomes of RGC replacement therapies. We conclude this report with a summary of recommendations, based on the workshop discussions, which may guide vision scientists seeking to develop therapies for replacing RGCs in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Vetter
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Peter F Hitchcock
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA ; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Aparicio JG, Hopp H, Choi A, Mandayam Comar J, Liao VC, Harutyunyan N, Lee TC. Temporal expression of CD184(CXCR4) and CD171(L1CAM) identifies distinct early developmental stages of human retinal ganglion cells in embryonic stem cell derived retina. Exp Eye Res 2017; 154:177-189. [PMID: 27867005 PMCID: PMC5359064 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2016.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have anticipated value for human disease study, drug screening, and therapeutic applications; however, their full potential remains underdeveloped. To characterize RGCs in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) derived retinal organoids we examined RGC markers and surface antigen expression and made comparisons to human fetal retina. RGCs in both tissues exhibited CD184 and CD171 expression and distinct expression patterns of the RGC markers BRN3 and RBPMS. The retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) of retinal organoids expressed CD184, consistent with its expression in the neuroblastic layer in fetal retina. In retinal organoids CD184 expression was enhanced in RGC competent RPCs and high CD184 expression was retained on post-mitotic RGC precursors; CD171 was detected on maturing RGCs. The differential expression timing of CD184 and CD171 permits identification and enrichment of RGCs from retinal organoids at differing maturation states from committed progenitors to differentiating neurons. These observations will facilitate molecular characterization of PSC-derived RGCs during differentiation, critical knowledge for establishing the veracity of these in vitro produced cells. Furthermore, observations made in the retinal organoid model closely parallel those in human fetal retina further validating use of retinal organoid to model early retinal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- J G Aparicio
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - H Hopp
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - A Choi
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - V C Liao
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - N Harutyunyan
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - T C Lee
- The Vision Center, Division of Ophthalmology, and Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and USC Eye Institute, University of Southern California, USA
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Teotia P, Chopra DA, Dravid SM, Van Hook MJ, Qiu F, Morrison J, Rizzino A, Ahmad I. Generation of Functional Human Retinal Ganglion Cells with Target Specificity from Pluripotent Stem Cells by Chemically Defined Recapitulation of Developmental Mechanism. Stem Cells 2016; 35:572-585. [PMID: 27709736 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma is a complex group of diseases wherein a selective degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) lead to irreversible loss of vision. A comprehensive approach to glaucomatous RGC degeneration may include stem cells to functionally replace dead neurons through transplantation and understand RGCs vulnerability using a disease in a dish stem cell model. Both approaches require the directed generation of stable, functional, and target-specific RGCs from renewable sources of cells, that is, the embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. Here, we demonstrate a rapid and safe, stage-specific, chemically defined protocol that selectively generates RGCs across species, including human, by recapitulating the developmental mechanism. The de novo generated RGCs from pluripotent cells are similar to native RGCs at the molecular, biochemical, functional levels. They also express axon guidance molecules, and discriminate between specific and nonspecific targets, and are nontumorigenic. Stem Cells 2017;35:572-585.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Teotia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Divyan A Chopra
- Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | | | - Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Fang Qiu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - John Morrison
- Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Angie Rizzino
- Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Iqbal Ahmad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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36
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Zheng D, Yang X, Sheng D, Yu D, Liang G, Guo L, Xu M, Hu X, He D, Yang Y, Wang Y. Pou4f2-GFP knock-in mouse line: A model for studying retinal ganglion cell development. Genesis 2016; 54:534-541. [PMID: 27532212 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pou4f2 acts as a key node in the comprehensive and step-wise gene regulatory network (GRN) and regulates the development of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Accordingly, deletion of Pou4f2 results in RGC axon defects and apoptosis. To investigate the GRN involved in RGC regeneration, we generated a mouse line with a POU4F2-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein expressed in RGCs. Co-localization of POU4F2 and GFP in the retina and brain of Pou4f2-GFP/+ heterozygote mice was confirmed using immunofluorescence analysis. Compared with those in wild-type mice, the expression patterns of POU4F2 and POU4F1 and the co-expression patterns of ISL1 and POU4F2 were unaffected in Pou4f2-GFP/GFP homozygote mice. Moreover, the quantification of RGCs showed no significant difference between Pou4f2-GFP/GFP homozygote and wild-type mice. These results demonstrated that the development of RGCs in Pou4f2-GFP/GFP homozygote mice was the same as in wild-type mice. Thus, the present Pou4f2-GFP knock-in mouse line is a useful tool for further studies on the differentiation and regeneration of RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwang Zheng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.,Shanghai Chenpartner Company Limited, Shanghai, China
| | - Donglai Sheng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dongliang Yu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoqing Liang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Luming Guo
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mei Xu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Hu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Daqiang He
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuying Wang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
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37
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Wu N, Wang Y, Yang L, Cho KS. Signaling Networks of Retinal Ganglion Cell Formation and the Potential Application of Stem Cell–Based Therapy in Retinal Degenerative Diseases. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 27:609-20. [PMID: 27466076 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wu
- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Eye Hospital, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China
| | - Yi Wang
- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Southwest Eye Hospital, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China
| | - Lanbo Yang
- 2 Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kin-Sang Cho
- 2 Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts
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Qu C, Bian D, Li X, Xiao J, Wu C, Li Y, Jiang T, Zhou X, Qu J, Chen JG. Transient Expression of Fez Family Zinc Finger 2 Protein Regulates the Brn3b Gene in Developing Retinal Ganglion Cells. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:7661-8. [PMID: 26861874 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.689448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are projection neurons in the neural retina that relay visual information from the environment to the central nervous system. The early expression of MATH5 endows the post-mitotic precursors with RGC competence and leads to the activation ofBrn3bthat marks committed RGCs. Nevertheless, this fate commitment process and, specifically, regulation ofBrn3bremain elusive. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying RGC generation in the mouse retina, we analyzed the expression and function of Fez family zinc finger 2 (FEZF2), a transcription factor critical for the development of projection neurons in the cerebral cortex.Fezf2mRNA and protein were transiently expressed at embryonic day 16.5 in the inner neuroblast layer and the prospective ganglion cell layer of the retina, respectively. Knockout ofFezf2in the developing retina reduced BRN3B+ cells and increased apoptotic cell markers.Fezf2knockdown by retinalin uteroelectroporation diminished BRN3B but not the coexpressed ISLET1 and BRN3A, indicating that the BRN3B decrease was the cause, not the result, of the overall reduction of BRN3B+ RGCs in theFezf2knockout retina. Moreover, the mRNA and promoter activity ofBrn3bwere increasedin vitroby FEZF2, which bound to a 5' regulatory fragment in theBrn3bgenomic locus. These results indicate that transient expression ofFezf2in the retina modulates the transcription ofBrn3band the survival of RGCs. This study improves our understanding of the transcriptional cascade required for the specification of RGCs and provides novel insights into the molecular basis of retinal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunsheng Qu
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Clinical Laboratory of LiShui People's Hospital, Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, LiShui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Dandan Bian
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Xue Li
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Jian Xiao
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Chunping Wu
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Yue Li
- the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, and
| | - Tian Jiang
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Xiangtian Zhou
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Jia Qu
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Jie-Guang Chen
- From the School of Ophthalmology and Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the China State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base and Key Laboratory of Vision Science, Ministry of Health of China, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China, the Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China,
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Expression and function of the LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Islet-1 in the developing and mature vertebrate retina. Exp Eye Res 2015; 138:22-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Parameswaran S, Dravid SM, Teotia P, Krishnamoorthy RR, Qiu F, Toris C, Morrison J, Ahmad I. Continuous non-cell autonomous reprogramming to generate retinal ganglion cells for glaucomatous neuropathy. Stem Cells 2015; 33:1743-58. [PMID: 25753398 PMCID: PMC4524556 DOI: 10.1002/stem.1987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma, where the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) carrying the visual signals from the retina to the visual centers in the brain are progressively lost, is the most common cause of irreversible blindness. The management approaches, whether surgical, pharmacological, or neuroprotective do not reverse the degenerative changes. The stem cell approach to replace dead RGCs is a viable option but currently faces several barriers, such as the lack of a renewable, safe, and ethical source of RGCs that are functional and could establish contacts with bona fide targets. To address these barriers, we have derived RGCs from the easily accessible adult limbal cells, reprogrammed to pluripotency by a non-nucleic acid approach, thus circumventing the risk of insertional mutagenesis. The generation of RGCs from the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, also accomplished non-cell autonomously, recapitulated the developmental mechanism, ensuring the predictability and stability of the acquired phenotype, comparable to that of native RGCs at biochemical, molecular, and functional levels. More importantly, the induced RGCs expressed axonal guidance molecules and demonstrated the potential to establish contacts with specific targets. Furthermore, when transplanted in the rat model of ocular hypertension, these cells incorporated into the host RGC layer and expressed RGC-specific markers. Transplantation of these cells in immune-deficient mice did not produce tumors. Together, our results posit retinal progenitors generated from non-nucleic acid-derived iPS cells as a safe and robust source of RGCs for replacing dead RGCs in glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowmya Parameswaran
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | | | - Pooja Teotia
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | | | - Fang Qiu
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - Carol Toris
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
| | - John Morrison
- Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Iqbal Ahmad
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
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41
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Two transcription factors, Pou4f2 and Isl1, are sufficient to specify the retinal ganglion cell fate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E1559-68. [PMID: 25775587 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1421535112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As with other retinal cell types, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) arise from multipotent retinal progenitor cells (RPCs), and their formation is regulated by a hierarchical gene-regulatory network (GRN). Within this GRN, three transcription factors--atonal homolog 7 (Atoh7), POU domain, class 4, transcription factor 2 (Pou4f2), and insulin gene enhancer protein 1 (Isl1)--occupy key node positions at two different stages of RGC development. Atoh7 is upstream and is required for RPCs to gain competence for an RGC fate, whereas Pou4f2 and Isl1 are downstream and regulate RGC differentiation. However, the genetic and molecular basis for the specification of the RGC fate, a key step in RGC development, remains unclear. Here we report that ectopic expression of Pou4f2 and Isl1 in the Atoh7-null retina using a binary knockin-transgenic system is sufficient for the specification of the RGC fate. The RGCs thus formed are largely normal in gene expression, survive to postnatal stages, and are physiologically functional. Our results indicate that Pou4f2 and Isl1 compose a minimally sufficient regulatory core for the RGC fate. We further conclude that during development a core group of limited transcription factors, including Pou4f2 and Isl1, function downstream of Atoh7 to determine the RGC fate and initiate RGC differentiation.
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42
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Rué P, Martinez Arias A. Cell dynamics and gene expression control in tissue homeostasis and development. Mol Syst Biol 2015; 11:792. [PMID: 25716053 PMCID: PMC4358661 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20145549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During tissue and organ development and maintenance, the dynamic regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation allows cells to build highly elaborate structures. The development of the vertebrate retina or the maintenance of adult intestinal crypts, for instance, involves the arrangement of newly created cells with different phenotypes, the proportions of which need to be tightly controlled. While some of the basic principles underlying these processes developing and maintaining these organs are known, much remains to be learnt from how cells encode the necessary information and use it to attain those complex but reproducible arrangements. Here, we review the current knowledge on the principles underlying cell population dynamics during tissue development and homeostasis. In particular, we discuss how stochastic fate assignment, cell division, feedback control and cellular transition states interact during organ and tissue development and maintenance in multicellular organisms. We propose a framework, involving the existence of a transition state in which cells are more susceptible to signals that can affect their gene expression state and influence their cell fate decisions. This framework, which also applies to systems much more amenable to quantitative analysis like differentiating embryonic stem cells, links gene expression programmes with cell population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Rué
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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43
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Stemmer M, Schuhmacher LN, Foulkes NS, Bertolucci C, Wittbrodt J. Cavefish eye loss in response to an early block in retinal differentiation progression. Development 2015; 142:743-752. [PMID: 25617433 DOI: 10.1242/dev.114629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The troglomorphic phenotype shared by diverse cave-dwelling animals is regarded as a classical example of convergent evolution. One unresolved question is whether the characteristic eye loss in diverse cave species is based on interference with the same genetic program. Phreatichthys andruzzii, a Somalian cavefish, has evolved under constant conditions in complete darkness and shows severe troglomorphic characteristics, such as complete loss of eyes, pigments and scales. During early embryonic development, a complete eye is formed but is subsequently lost. In Astyanax mexicanus, another blind cavefish, eye loss has been attributed to interference during eye field patterning. To address whether similar pathways have been targeted by evolution independently, we investigated the retinal development of P. andruzzii, studying the expression of marker genes involved in eye patterning, morphogenesis, differentiation and maintenance. In contrast to Astyanax, patterning of the eye field and evagination of the optic vesicles proceeds without obvious deviation. However, the subsequent differentiation of retinal cell types is arrested during generation of the first-born cell type, retinal ganglion cells, which also fail to project correctly to the optic tectum. Eye degeneration in both species is driven by progressive apoptosis. However, it is retinal apoptosis in Phreatichthys that progresses in a wave-like manner and eliminates progenitor cells that fail to differentiate, in contrast to Astyanax, where lens apoptosis appears to serve as a driving force. Thus, evolution has targeted late retinal differentiation events, indicating that there are several ways to discontinue the development and maintenance of an eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Stemmer
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Nicholas S Foulkes
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Cristiano Bertolucci
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Joachim Wittbrodt
- Centre for Organismal Studies (COS), Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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44
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Dental pulp stem cells differentiation into retinal ganglion-like cells in a three dimensional network. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 457:154-60. [PMID: 25543058 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.12.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in majority of retinal degenerative diseases is the first seen pathological event. A lot of studies aim to discover suitable cell sources to replace lost and damaged RGCs. Among them dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have a great potential of differentiating into neuronal lineages as well as RGCs. Moreover, three-dimensional (3D) networks and its distribution for growing and differentiation of stem cells as much as possible mimic to native tissue holds great potential in retinal tissue engineering. In this study, we isolate DPSCs from rat incisors and validate them with flow cytometry. Briefly, we differentiated cells using DMEM/F12 containing FGF2, Shh and 0.5% FBS into retinal ganglion-like cells (RGLCs) in two conditions; 3D state in biocompatible fibrin hydrogel and two-dimensional (2D) or conventional culture in polystyrene plates. Immuncytochemical and gene expression analysis revealed the expression of Pax6, Atoh7 and BRN3B increased in 3D fibrin culture compared to 2D conventional culture. In combination, these data demonstrate that using 3D networks can resemble near natural tissue properties for effective generating RGCs which used to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma.
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45
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Gao Z, Mao CA, Pan P, Mu X, Klein WH. Transcriptome of Atoh7 retinal progenitor cells identifies new Atoh7-dependent regulatory genes for retinal ganglion cell formation. Dev Neurobiol 2014; 74:1123-40. [PMID: 24799426 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The bHLH transcription factor ATOH7 (Math5) is essential for establishing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) fate. However, Atoh7-expressing retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) can give rise to all retinal cell types, suggesting that other factors are involved in specifying RGCs. The basis by which a subpopulation of Atoh7-expressing RPCs commits to an RGC fate remains uncertain but is of critical importance to retinal development since RGCs are the earliest cell type to differentiate. To better understand the regulatory mechanisms leading to cell-fate specification, a binary genetic system was generated to specifically label Atoh7-expressing cells with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-purified GFP(+) and GFP(-) cells were profiled by RNA-seq. Here, we identify 1497 transcripts that were differentially expressed between the two RPC populations. Pathway analysis revealed diminished growth factor signaling in Atoh7-expressing RPCs, indicating that these cells had exited the cell cycle. In contrast, axon guidance signals were enriched, suggesting that axons of Atoh7-expressing RPCs were already making synaptic connections. Notably, many genes enriched in Atoh7-expressing RPCs encoded transcriptional regulators, and several were direct targets of ATOH7, including, and unexpectedly, Ebf3 and Eya2. We present evidence for a Pax6-Atoh7-Eya2 pathway that acts downstream of Atoh7 but upstream of differentiation factor Pou4f2. EYA2 is a protein phosphatase involved in protein-protein interactions and posttranslational regulation. These properties, along with Eya2 as an early target gene of ATOH7, suggest that EYA2 functions in RGC specification. Our results expand current knowledge of the regulatory networks operating in Atoh7-expressing RPCs and offer new directions for exploring the earliest aspects of retinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiguang Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
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Li R, Wu F, Ruonala R, Sapkota D, Hu Z, Mu X. Isl1 and Pou4f2 form a complex to regulate target genes in developing retinal ganglion cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92105. [PMID: 24643061 PMCID: PMC3958441 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise regulation of gene expression during biological processes, including development, is often achieved by combinatorial action of multiple transcription factors. The mechanisms by which these factors collaborate are largely not known. We have shown previously that Isl1, a Lim-Homeodomain transcription factor, and Pou4f2, a class IV POU domain transcription factor, co-regulate a set of genes required for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. Here we further explore how these two factors interact to precisely regulate gene expression during RGC development. By GST pulldown assays, co-immunoprecipitation, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we show that Isl1 and Pou4f2 form a complex in vitro and in vivo, and identify the domains within these two proteins that are responsible for this interaction. By luciferase assay, in situ hybridization, and RNA-seq, we further demonstrate that the two factors contribute quantitatively to gene expression in the developing RGCs. Although each factor alone can activate gene expression, both factors are required to achieve optimal expression levels. Finally, we discover that Isl1 and Pou4f2 can interact with other POU and Lim-Homeodomain factors respectively, indicating the interactions between these two classes of transcription factors are prevalent in development and other biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renzhong Li
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Developmental Genomics Group, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Fuguo Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Developmental Genomics Group, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Raili Ruonala
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Developmental Genomics Group, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Darshan Sapkota
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Developmental Genomics Group, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Zihua Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Center of Computational Research, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Xiuqian Mu
- Department of Ophthalmology/Ross Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- Developmental Genomics Group, New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Eye Institute, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- CCSG Cancer Genetics Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Riazifar H, Jia Y, Chen J, Lynch G, Huang T. Chemically induced specification of retinal ganglion cells from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2014; 3:424-32. [PMID: 24493857 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2013-0147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is the primary pathological change for many retinal degenerative diseases. Although there is currently no effective treatment for this group of diseases, cell transplantation to replace lost RGCs holds great potential. However, for the development of cell replacement therapy, better understanding of the molecular details involved in differentiating stem cells into RGCs is essential. In this study, a novel, stepwise chemical protocol is described for the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells into functional RGCs. Briefly, stem cells were differentiated into neural rosettes, which were then cultured with the Notch inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT). The expression of neural and RGC markers (BRN3A, BRN3B, ATOH7/Math5, γ-synuclein, Islet-1, and THY-1) was examined. Approximately 30% of the cell population obtained expressed the neuronal marker TUJ1 as well the RGC markers. Moreover, the differentiated RGCs generated action potentials and exhibited both spontaneous and evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents, indicating that functional and mature RGCs were generated. In combination, these data demonstrate that a single chemical (DAPT) can induce PAX6/RX-positive stem cells to undergo differentiation into functional RGCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Riazifar
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Human Genetics, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, MitoMed Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, and Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA; Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Bai L, Kiyama T, Li H, Wang SW. Birth of cone bipolar cells, but not rod bipolar cells, is associated with existing RGCs. PLoS One 2014; 9:e83686. [PMID: 24392091 PMCID: PMC3879276 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0083686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) play important roles in retinogenesis. They are required for normal retinal histogenesis and retinal cell number balance. Developmental RGC loss is typically characterized by initial retinal neuronal number imbalance and subsequent loss of retinal neurons. However, it is not clear whether loss of a specific non-RGC cell type in the RGC-depleted retina is due to reduced cell production or subsequent degeneration. Taking advantage of three knockout mice with varying degrees of RGC depletion, we re-examined bipolar cell production in these retinas from various aspects. Results show that generation of the cone bipolar cells is correlated with the existing number of RGCs. However, generation of the rod bipolar cells is unaffected by RGC shortage. Results report the first observation that RGCs selectively influence the genesis of subsequent retinal cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Bai
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, China
| | - Takae Kiyama
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Steven W. Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Proneural genes encode evolutionarily conserved basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors. In Drosophila, proneural genes are required and sufficient to confer a neural identity onto naïve ectodermal cells, inducing delamination and subsequent neuronal differentiation. In vertebrates, proneural genes are expressed in cells that already have a neural identity, but they are still required and sufficient to initiate neurogenesis. In all organisms, proneural genes control neurogenesis by regulating Notch-mediated lateral inhibition and initiating the expression of downstream differentiation genes. The general mode of proneural gene function has thus been elucidated. However, the regulatory mechanisms that spatially and temporally control proneural gene function are only beginning to be deciphered. Understanding how proneural gene function is regulated is essential, as aberrant proneural gene expression has recently been linked to a variety of human diseases-ranging from cancer to neuropsychiatric illnesses and diabetes. Recent insights into proneural gene function in development and disease are highlighted herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Chan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Carol Schuurmans
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Goetz JJ, Farris C, Chowdhury R, Trimarchi JM. Making of a retinal cell: insights into retinal cell-fate determination. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 308:273-321. [PMID: 24411174 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800097-7.00007-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the process by which an uncommitted dividing cell produces particular specialized cells within a tissue remains a fundamental question in developmental biology. Many tissues are well suited for cell-fate studies, but perhaps none more so than the developing retina. Traditionally, experiments using the retina have been designed to elucidate the influence that individual environmental signals or transcription factors can have on cell-fate decisions. Despite a substantial amount of information gained through these studies, there is still much that we do not yet understand about how cell fate is controlled on a systems level. In addition, new factors such as noncoding RNAs and regulators of chromatin have been shown to play roles in cell-fate determination and with the advent of "omics" technology more factors will most likely be identified. In this chapter we summarize both the traditional view of retinal cell-fate determination and introduce some new ideas that are providing a challenge to the older way of thinking about the acquisition of cell fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian J Goetz
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Caitlin Farris
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Rebecca Chowdhury
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Trimarchi
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
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