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Danačíková Š, Straka B, Daněk J, Kořínek V, Otáhal J. In vitro human cell culture models in a bench-to-bedside approach to epilepsy. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:865-890. [PMID: 38637998 PMCID: PMC11145627 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12941] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disease, affecting nearly 1%-2% of the world's population. Current pharmacological treatment and regimen adjustments are aimed at controlling seizures; however, they are ineffective in one-third of the patients. Although neuronal hyperexcitability was previously thought to be mainly due to ion channel alterations, current research has revealed other contributing molecular pathways, including processes involved in cellular signaling, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, axon guidance, inflammation, and others. Some forms of drug-resistant epilepsy are caused by genetic defects that constitute potential targets for precision therapy. Although such approaches are increasingly important, they are still in the early stages of development. This review aims to provide a summary of practical aspects of the employment of in vitro human cell culture models in epilepsy diagnosis, treatment, and research. First, we briefly summarize the genetic testing that may result in the detection of candidate pathogenic variants in genes involved in epilepsy pathogenesis. Consequently, we review existing in vitro cell models, including induced pluripotent stem cells and differentiated neuronal cells, providing their specific properties, validity, and employment in research pipelines. We cover two methodological approaches. The first approach involves the utilization of somatic cells directly obtained from individual patients, while the second approach entails the utilization of characterized cell lines. The models are evaluated in terms of their research and clinical benefits, relevance to the in vivo conditions, legal and ethical aspects, time and cost demands, and available published data. Despite the methodological, temporal, and financial demands of the reviewed models they possess high potential to be used as robust systems in routine testing of pathogenicity of detected variants in the near future and provide a solid experimental background for personalized therapy of genetic epilepsies. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, but current treatments fail for many patients. Beyond traditional ion channel alterations, various genetic factors contribute to the disorder's complexity. This review explores how in vitro human cell models, either from patients or from cell lines, can aid in understanding epilepsy's genetic roots and developing personalized therapies. While these models require further investigation, they offer hope for improved diagnosis and treatment of genetic forms of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šárka Danačíková
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Barbora Straka
- Neurogenetics Laboratory of the Department of Paediatric Neurology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles University and Motol University Hospital, Full Member of the ERN EpiCAREPragueCzech Republic
| | - Jan Daněk
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Vladimír Kořínek
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Jakub Otáhal
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
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Srinivas T, Siqueira E, Guil S. Techniques for investigating lncRNA transcript functions in neurodevelopment. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:874-890. [PMID: 38145986 PMCID: PMC11176085 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02377-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are sequences of 200 nucleotides or more that are transcribed from a large portion of the mammalian genome. While hypothesized to have a variety of biological roles, many lncRNAs remain largely functionally uncharacterized due to unique challenges associated with their investigation. For example, some lncRNAs overlap with other genomic loci, are expressed in a cell-type-specific manner, and/or are differentially processed at the post-transcriptional level. The mammalian CNS contains a vast diversity of lncRNAs, and lncRNAs are highly abundant in the mammalian brain. However, interrogating lncRNA function in models of the CNS, particularly in vivo, can be complex and challenging. Here we review the breadth of methods used to investigate lncRNAs in the CNS, their merits, and the understanding they can provide with respect to neurodevelopment and pathophysiology. We discuss remaining challenges in the field and provide recommendations to assay lncRNAs based on current methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Srinivas
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Edilene Siqueira
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sonia Guil
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, 08916, Badalona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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Bekaert B, Boel A, De Witte L, Vandenberghe W, Popovic M, Stamatiadis P, Cosemans G, Tordeurs L, De Loore AM, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM, De Sutter P, Stoop D, Coucke P, Menten B, Heindryckx B. Retained chromosomal integrity following CRISPR-Cas9-based mutational correction in human embryos. Mol Ther 2023; 31:2326-2341. [PMID: 37376733 PMCID: PMC10422011 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human germline gene correction by targeted nucleases holds great promise for reducing mutation transmission. However, recent studies have reported concerning observations in CRISPR-Cas9-targeted human embryos, including mosaicism and loss of heterozygosity (LOH). The latter has been associated with either gene conversion or (partial) chromosome loss events. In this study, we aimed to correct a heterozygous basepair substitution in PLCZ1, related to infertility. In 36% of the targeted embryos that originated from mutant sperm, only wild-type alleles were observed. By performing genome-wide double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, integrity of the targeted chromosome (i.e., no deletions larger than 3 Mb or chromosome loss) was confirmed in all seven targeted GENType-analyzed embryos (mutant editing and absence of mutation), while short-range LOH events (shorter than 10 Mb) were clearly observed by single-nucleotide polymorphism assessment in two of these embryos. These results fuel the currently ongoing discussion on double-strand break repair in early human embryos, making a case for the occurrence of gene conversion events or partial template-based homology-directed repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bieke Bekaert
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Annekatrien Boel
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisa De Witte
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Winter Vandenberghe
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mina Popovic
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Panagiotis Stamatiadis
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gwenny Cosemans
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lise Tordeurs
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Athina-Maria De Loore
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Susana Marina Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Petra De Sutter
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dominic Stoop
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul Coucke
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Björn Menten
- Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Björn Heindryckx
- Ghent-Fertility and Stem Cell Team (G-FaST), Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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Chang PH, Chao HM, Chern E, Hsu SH. Chitosan 3D cell culture system promotes naïve-like features of human induced pluripotent stem cells: A novel tool to sustain pluripotency and facilitate differentiation. Biomaterials 2020; 268:120575. [PMID: 33341735 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A simplified and cost-effective culture system for maintaining the pluripotency of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is crucial for stem cell applications. Although recombinant protein-based feeder-free hiPSC culture systems have been developed, their manufacturing processes are expensive and complicated, which hinders hiPSC technology progress. Chitosan, a versatile biocompatible polysaccharide, has been reported as a biomaterial for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system that promotes the physiological activities of mesenchymal stem cells and cancer cells. In the current study, we demonstrated that chitosan membranes sustained proliferation and pluripotency of hiPSCs in long-term culture (up to 365 days). Moreover, using vitronectin as the comparison group, the pluripotency of hiPSCs grown on the membranes was altered into a naïve-like state, which, for pluripotent stem cells, is an earlier developmental stage with higher stemness. On the chitosan membranes, hiPSCs self-assembled into 3D spheroids with an average diameter of ~100 μm. These hiPSC spheroids could be directly differentiated into lineage-specific cells from the three germ layers with 3D structures. Collectively, chitosan membranes not only promoted the naïve pluripotent features of hiPSCs but also provided a novel 3D differentiation platform. This convenient biomaterial-based culture system may enable the effective expansion and accessibility of hiPSCs for regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Hsiang Chang
- niChe Lab for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsiao-Mei Chao
- niChe Lab for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Department of Pathology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11696, Taiwan
| | - Edward Chern
- niChe Lab for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
| | - Shan-Hui Hsu
- Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review the ways in which stem cells are used in psychiatric disease research, including the related advances in gene editing and directed cell differentiation. RECENT FINDINGS The recent development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies has created new possibilities for the study of psychiatric disease. iPSCs can be derived from patients or controls and differentiated to an array of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. Their genomes can be edited as desired, and they can be assessed for a variety of phenotypes. This makes them especially interesting for studying genetic variation, which is particularly useful today now that our knowledge on the genetics of psychiatric disease is quickly expanding. The recent advances in cell engineering have led to powerful new methods for studying psychiatric illness including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. There is a wide array of possible applications as illustrated by the many examples from the literature, most of which are cited here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debamitra Das
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kyra Feuer
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marah Wahbeh
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios Avramopoulos
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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