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Akter M, Sepehrimanesh M, Xu W, Ding B. Assembling a Coculture System to Prepare Highly Pure Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons at Late Maturation Stages. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0165-24.2024. [PMID: 39009447 PMCID: PMC11289586 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0165-24.2024] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Generation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived motor neurons (MNs) offers an unprecedented approach to modeling movement disorders such as dystonia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, achieving survival poses a significant challenge when culturing induced MNs, especially when aiming to reach late maturation stages. Utilizing hiPSC-derived motor neurons and primary mouse astrocytes, we assembled two types of coculture systems: direct coculturing of neurons with astrocytes and indirect coculture using culture inserts that physically separate neurons and astrocytes. Both systems significantly enhance neuron survival. Compared with these two systems, no significant differences in neurodevelopment, maturation, and survival within 3 weeks, allowing to prepare neurons at maturation stages. Using the indirect coculture system, we obtained highly pure MNs at the late mature stage from hiPSCs. Transcriptomic studies of hiPSC-derived MNs showed a typical neurodevelopmental switch in gene expression from the early immature stage to late maturation stages. Mature genes associated with neurodevelopment and synaptogenesis are highly enriched in MNs at late stages, demonstrating that these neurons achieve maturation. This study introduces a novel tool for the preparation of highly pure hiPSC-derived neurons, enabling the determination of neurological disease pathogenesis in neurons at late disease onset stages through biochemical approaches, which typically necessitate highly pure neurons. This advancement is particularly significant in modeling age-related neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masuma Akter
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport Louisiana 71130-3932
| | - Masood Sepehrimanesh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport Louisiana 71130-3932
| | - Wu Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette Louisiana 70504
| | - Baojin Ding
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at Shreveport, Shreveport Louisiana 71130-3932
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2
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Weiss EM, Guhathakurta D, Petrušková A, Hundrup V, Zenker M, Fejtová A. Developmental effect of RASopathy mutations on neuronal network activity on a chip. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1388409. [PMID: 38910965 PMCID: PMC11190344 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1388409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
RASopathies are a group of genetic disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding components and regulators of the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway, resulting in overactivation of signaling. RASopathy patients exhibit distinctive facial features, cardiopathies, growth and skeletal abnormalities, and varying degrees of neurocognitive impairments including neurodevelopmental delay, intellectual disabilities, or attention deficits. At present, it is unclear how RASopathy mutations cause neurocognitive impairment and what their neuron-specific cellular and network phenotypes are. Here, we investigated the effect of RASopathy mutations on the establishment and functional maturation of neuronal networks. We isolated cortical neurons from RASopathy mouse models, cultured them on multielectrode arrays and performed longitudinal recordings of spontaneous activity in developing networks as well as recordings of evoked responses in mature neurons. To facilitate the analysis of large and complex data sets resulting from long-term multielectrode recordings, we developed MATLAB-based tools for data processing, analysis, and statistical evaluation. Longitudinal analysis of spontaneous network activity revealed a convergent developmental phenotype in neurons carrying the gain-of-function Noonan syndrome-related mutations Ptpn11 D61Y and Kras V14l. The phenotype was more pronounced at the earlier time points and faded out over time, suggesting the emergence of compensatory mechanisms during network maturation. Nevertheless, persistent differences in excitatory/inhibitory balance and network excitability were observed in mature networks. This study improves the understanding of the complex relationship between genetic mutations and clinical manifestations in RASopathies by adding insights into functional network processes as an additional piece of the puzzle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva-Maria Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Debarpan Guhathakurta
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aneta Petrušková
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- National Institute of Mental Health, Prague, Czechia
| | - Verena Hundrup
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Zenker
- Medical Faculty, Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anna Fejtová
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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3
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Qin C, Yuan Q, Liu M, Zhuang L, Xu L, Wang P. Biohybrid tongue based on hypothalamic neuronal network-on-a-chip for real-time blood glucose sensing and assessment. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 244:115784. [PMID: 37939416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115784] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The expression of sweet receptors in the hypothalamus has been implicated in energy homeostasis control and the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes. However, the exact mechanism by which hypothalamic glucose-sensing neurons function remains unclear. Conventional detection methods, such as fiber photometry, optogenetics, brain-machine interfaces, patch clamp and calcium imaging, pose limitations for real-time glucose perception due to their complexity, cytotoxicity and so on. Therefore, this study proposes a biohybrid tongue based on hypothalamic neuronal network (HNN)-on-a-chip coupling with microelectrode array (MEA) for real-time glucose perception. Hypothalamic neuronal cultures were cultivated on a two-dimensional "brain-on-chip" device, enabling the formation of neuronal networks and electrophysiological signal detection. Additionally, we investigated the endogenous expression of sweet taste receptors (T1R2/T1R3) in hypothalamic neuronal cells, providing the basis for the biohybrid tongue based on HNN-on-a-chip's sweetness detection capabilities. The spike signal response to sucrose and glucose stimulation was detected, and concentration-dependent responses were explored with glucose concentrations ranging from 0.01 mM to 8 mM. MEAs allow for real-time recordings, enabling the observation of dynamic changes in neuronal responses to glucose fluctuations over time. The biohybrid tongue based on HNN-on-a-chip can measure various parameters, including spike frequency and amplitude, providing insights into neuronal firing patterns and excitability. Moreover, hypothalamic glucoregulatory neurons that sense and respond to changes in blood glucose was identified, including glucose-excited neurons (GE-Neurons) and glucose-inhibited neurons (GI-Neurons). The detection range for GE-Neurons spans from 0.4 to 6 mM, while GI-Neurons demonstrate sensitivity within the range of 1-8 mM. And the glucose detection limit was firmly established at 0.01 mM. Through non-linear regression analysis, the IC50 for GI-Neurons' spike firing was determined to be 4.18 mM. In conclusion, the biohybrid tongue based on HNN-on-a-chip offers a valuable in vitro tool for studying hypothalamic neurons, elucidating glucose sensing mechanisms, and understanding hypothalamic neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlian Qin
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | - Qunchen Yuan
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China; Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Mengxue Liu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Liujing Zhuang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Lizhou Xu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 311215, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China; Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China.
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Lam D, Enright HA, Cadena J, George VK, Soscia DA, Tooker AC, Triplett M, Peters SKG, Karande P, Ladd A, Bogguri C, Wheeler EK, Fischer NO. Spatiotemporal analysis of 3D human iPSC-derived neural networks using a 3D multi-electrode array. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1287089. [PMID: 38026689 PMCID: PMC10679684 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1287089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While there is a growing appreciation of three-dimensional (3D) neural tissues (i.e., hydrogel-based, organoids, and spheroids), shown to improve cellular health and network activity to mirror brain-like activity in vivo, functional assessment using current electrophysiology techniques (e.g., planar multi-electrode arrays or patch clamp) has been technically challenging and limited to surface measurements at the bottom or top of the 3D tissue. As next-generation MEAs, specifically 3D MEAs, are being developed to increase the spatial precision across all three dimensions (X, Y, Z), development of improved computational analytical tools to discern region-specific changes within the Z dimension of the 3D tissue is needed. In the present study, we introduce a novel computational analytical pipeline to analyze 3D neural network activity recorded from a "bottom-up" 3D MEA integrated with a 3D hydrogel-based tissue containing human iPSC-derived neurons and primary astrocytes. Over a period of ~6.5 weeks, we describe the development and maturation of 3D neural activity (i.e., features of spiking and bursting activity) within cross sections of the 3D tissue, based on the vertical position of the electrode on the 3D MEA probe, in addition to network activity (identified using synchrony analysis) within and between cross sections. Then, using the sequential addition of postsynaptic receptor antagonists, bicuculline (BIC), 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (AP-5), and 6-cyano-5-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), we demonstrate that networks within and between cross sections of the 3D hydrogel-based tissue show a preference for GABA and/or glutamate synaptic transmission, suggesting differences in the network composition throughout the neural tissue. The ability to monitor the functional dynamics of the entire 3D reconstructed neural tissue is a critical bottleneck; here we demonstrate a computational pipeline that can be implemented in studies to better interpret network activity within an engineered 3D neural tissue and have a better understanding of the modeled organ tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Heather A. Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jose Cadena
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Vivek Kurien George
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - David A. Soscia
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Angela C. Tooker
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Michael Triplett
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Sandra K. G. Peters
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Piyush Karande
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Ladd
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Chandrakumar Bogguri
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth K. Wheeler
- Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas O. Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
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5
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Kumar I, Paudyal A, Kádková A, Stewart M, Sørensen JB, Radecke J. An Improved Method for Growing Primary Neurons on Electron Microscopy Grids Co-Cultured with Astrocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15191. [PMID: 37894872 PMCID: PMC10606997 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015191] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing popularity of cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) in recent years, the quest to establish a method for growing primary neurons directly on electron microscopy grids (EM grids) has been ongoing. Here we describe a straightforward way to establish a mature neuronal network on EM grids, which includes formation of synaptic contacts. These synapses were thin enough to allow for direct visualization of small filaments such as SNARE proteins tethering the synaptic vesicle (SV) to the active zone plasma membrane on a Titan Krios without prior focused ion-beam milling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishika Kumar
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Ave, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK;
| | - Anju Paudyal
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Becquerel Ave, Didcot OX11 ORD, UK; (A.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Anna Kádková
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark (J.B.S.)
| | - Michelle Stewart
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Harwell Campus, Becquerel Ave, Didcot OX11 ORD, UK; (A.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Jakob Balslev Sørensen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark (J.B.S.)
| | - Julika Radecke
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Fermi Ave, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK;
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark (J.B.S.)
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6
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Ahtiainen A, Annala I, Rosenholm M, Kohtala S, Hyttinen J, Tanskanen JMA, Rantamäki T. Ketamine reduces electrophysiological network activity in cortical neuron cultures already at sub-micromolar concentrations - Impact on TrkB-ERK1/2 signaling. Neuropharmacology 2023; 229:109481. [PMID: 36868403 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109481] [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: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
The dissociative anesthetic ketamine regulates cortical activity in a dose-dependent manner. Subanesthetic-dose ketamine has paradoxical excitatory effects which is proposed to facilitate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (a ligand of tropomyosin receptor kinase B, TrkB) signaling, and activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2). Previous data suggests that ketamine, at sub-micromolar concentrations, induces glutamatergic activity, BDNF release, and activation of ERK1/2 also on primary cortical neurons. We combined western blot analysis with multiwell-microelectrode array (mw-MEA) measurements to examine ketamine's concentration-dependent effects on network-level electrophysiological responses and TrkB-ERK1/2 phosphorylation in rat cortical cultures at 14 days in vitro. Ketamine did not cause an increase in neuronal network activity at sub-micromolar concentrations, but instead a decrease in spiking that was evident already at 500 nM concentration. TrkB phosphorylation was unaffected by the low concentrations, although BDNF elicited prominent phosphorylation response. High concentration of ketamine (10 μM) strongly reduced spiking, bursting and burst duration, which was accompanied with decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2 but not TrkB. Notably, robust increases in spiking and bursting activity could be produced with carbachol, while it did not affect phosphorylation of TrkB or ERK1/2. Diazepam abolished neuronal activity, which was accompanied by reduced ERK1/2 phosphorylation without change on TrkB. In conclusion, sub-micromolar ketamine concentrations did not cause an increase in neuronal network activity or TrkB-ERK1/2 phosphorylation in cortical neuron cultures that readily respond to exogenously applied BDNF. Instead, pharmacological inhibition of network activity can be readily observed with high concentration of ketamine and it is associated with reduced ERK1/2 phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ahtiainen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland.
| | - I Annala
- Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics, Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Biocenter 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland; SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, Helsinki, 00014, Finland.
| | - M Rosenholm
- Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics, Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Biocenter 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland; Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - S Kohtala
- Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics, Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Biocenter 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland; SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, Helsinki, 00014, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 E 61st St, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - J Hyttinen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - J M A Tanskanen
- Computational Biophysics and Imaging Group, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - T Rantamäki
- Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics, Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Biocenter 2, 00790, Helsinki, Finland; SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 9, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
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7
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Goshi N, Kim H, Girardi G, Gardner A, Seker E. Electrophysiological Activity of Primary Cortical Neuron-Glia Mixed Cultures. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050821. [PMID: 36899957 PMCID: PMC10001406 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050821] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation plays a central role in many neurological disorders, ranging from traumatic brain injuries to neurodegeneration. Electrophysiological activity is an essential measure of neuronal function, which is influenced by neuroinflammation. In order to study neuroinflammation and its electrophysiological fingerprints, there is a need for in vitro models that accurately capture the in vivo phenomena. In this study, we employed a new tri-culture of primary rat neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in combination with extracellular electrophysiological recording techniques using multiple electrode arrays (MEAs) to determine the effect of microglia on neural function and the response to neuroinflammatory stimuli. Specifically, we established the tri-culture and its corresponding neuron-astrocyte co-culture (lacking microglia) counterpart on custom MEAs and monitored their electrophysiological activity for 21 days to assess culture maturation and network formation. As a complementary assessment, we quantified synaptic puncta and averaged spike waveforms to determine the difference in excitatory to inhibitory neuron ratio (E/I ratio) of the neurons. The results demonstrate that the microglia in the tri-culture do not disrupt neural network formation and stability and may be a better representation of the in vivo rat cortex due to its more similar E/I ratio as compared to more traditional isolated neuron and neuron-astrocyte co-cultures. In addition, only the tri-culture displayed a significant decrease in both the number of active channels and spike frequency following pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharide exposure, highlighting the critical role of microglia in capturing electrophysiological manifestations of a representative neuroinflammatory insult. We expect the demonstrated technology to assist in studying various brain disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Goshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Hyehyun Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gregory Girardi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alexander Gardner
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Erkin Seker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California—Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Correspondence:
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The Amyloid-Beta Clearance: From Molecular Targets to Glial and Neural Cells. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020313. [PMID: 36830682 PMCID: PMC9953441 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain is one of the primary pathological characteristics of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It can take place 20-30 years before the onset of clinical symptoms. The imbalance between the production and the clearance of Aβ is one of the major causes of AD. Enhancing Aβ clearance at an early stage is an attractive preventive and therapeutic strategy of AD. Direct inhibition of Aβ production and aggregation using small molecules, peptides, and monoclonal antibody drugs has not yielded satisfactory efficacy in clinical trials for decades. Novel approaches are required to understand and combat Aβ deposition. Neurological dysfunction is a complex process that integrates the functions of different types of cells in the brain. The role of non-neurons in AD has not been fully elucidated. An in-depth understanding of the interactions between neurons and non-neurons can contribute to the elucidation of Aβ formation and the identification of effective drug targets. AD patient-derived pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) contain complete disease background information and have the potential to differentiate into various types of neurons and non-neurons in vitro, which may bring new insight into the treatment of AD. Here, we systematically review the latest studies on Aβ clearance and clarify the roles of cell interactions among microglia, astroglia and neurons in response to Aβ plaques, which will be beneficial to explore methods for reconstructing AD disease models using inducible PSCs (iPSCs) through cell differentiation techniques and validating the applications of models in understanding the formation of Aβ plaques. This review may provide the most promising directions of finding the clues for preventing and delaying the development of AD.
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9
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Goshi N, Girardi G, da Costa Souza F, Gardner A, Lein PJ, Seker E. Influence of microchannel geometry on device performance and electrophysiological recording fidelity during long-term studies of connected neural populations. LAB ON A CHIP 2022; 22:3961-3975. [PMID: 36111641 PMCID: PMC9639432 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00683a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalized microfluidic neural cell culture platforms, which physically separate axons from the neural soma using a series of microchannels, have been used for studying a wide range of pathological conditions and basic neuroscience questions. While each study has different experimental needs, the fundamental design of these devices has largely remained unchanged and a systematic study to establish long-term neural cultures in this format is lacking. Here, we investigate the influence of microchannel geometry and cell seeding density on device performance particularly in the context of long-term studies of synaptically-connected, yet fluidically-isolated neural populations of neurons and glia. Of the different experimental parameters, the microchannel height was the principal determinant of device performance, where the other parameters offer additional degrees of freedom in customizing such devices for specific applications. We condense the effects of these parameters into design rules and demonstrate their utility in engineering a microfluidic neural culture platform with integrated microelectrode arrays. The engineered device successfully recorded from primary rat cortical cells for 59 days in vitro with more than on order of magnitude enhancement in signal-to-noise ratio in the microchannels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Goshi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gregory Girardi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Felipe da Costa Souza
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alexander Gardner
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Pamela J Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Erkin Seker
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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10
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Amorós MA, Choi ES, Cofré AR, Dokholyan NV, Duzzioni M. Motor neuron-derived induced pluripotent stem cells as a drug screening platform for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:962881. [PMID: 36105357 PMCID: PMC9467621 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.962881] [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: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of cell culture models that recapitulate the etiology and features of nervous system diseases is central to the discovery of new drugs and their translation onto therapies. Neuronal tissues are inaccessible due to skeletal constraints and the invasiveness of the procedure to obtain them. Thus, the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology offers the opportunity to model different neuronal pathologies. Our focus centers on iPSCs derived from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, whose pathology remains in urgent need of new drugs and treatment. In this sense, we aim to revise the process to obtain motor neurons derived iPSCs (iPSC-MNs) from patients with ALS as a drug screening model, review current 3D-models and offer a perspective on bioinformatics as a powerful tool that can aid in the progress of finding new pharmacological treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana A. Amorós
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Esther S. Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Axel R. Cofré
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Nikolay V. Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Marcelo Duzzioni
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Innovation, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
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11
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Lam D, Sebastian A, Bogguri C, Hum NR, Ladd A, Cadena J, Valdez CA, Fischer NO, Loots GG, Enright HA. Dose-dependent consequences of sub-chronic fentanyl exposure on neuron and glial co-cultures. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:983415. [PMID: 36032789 PMCID: PMC9403314 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.983415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fentanyl is one of the most common opioid analgesics administered to patients undergoing surgery or for chronic pain management. While the side effects of chronic fentanyl abuse are recognized (e.g., addiction, tolerance, impairment of cognitive functions, and inhibit nociception, arousal, and respiration), it remains poorly understood what and how changes in brain activity from chronic fentanyl use influences the respective behavioral outcome. Here, we examined the functional and molecular changes to cortical neural network activity following sub-chronic exposure to two fentanyl concentrations, a low (0.01 μM) and high (10 μM) dose. Primary rat co-cultures, containing cortical neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursor cells, were seeded in wells on either a 6-well multi-electrode array (MEA, for electrophysiology) or a 96-well tissue culture plate (for serial endpoint bulk RNA sequencing analysis). Once networks matured (at 28 days in vitro), co-cultures were treated with 0.01 or 10 μM of fentanyl for 4 days and monitored daily. Only high dose exposure to fentanyl resulted in a decline in features of spiking and bursting activity as early as 30 min post-exposure and sustained for 4 days in cultures. Transcriptomic analysis of the complex cultures after 4 days of fentanyl exposure revealed that both the low and high dose induced gene expression changes involved in synaptic transmission, inflammation, and organization of the extracellular matrix. Collectively, the findings of this in vitro study suggest that while neuroadaptive changes to neural network activity at a systems level was detected only at the high dose of fentanyl, transcriptomic changes were also detected at the low dose conditions, suggesting that fentanyl rapidly elicits changes in plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Aimy Sebastian
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Chandrakumar Bogguri
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas R. Hum
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Ladd
- Computational Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jose Cadena
- Computational Engineering Division, Engineering Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Carlos A. Valdez
- Nuclear and Chemical Sciences Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nicholas O. Fischer
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Gabriela G. Loots
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Heather A. Enright
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Heather A. Enright,
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12
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Review of Cyanotoxicity Studies Based on Cell Cultures. J Toxicol 2022; 2022:5647178. [PMID: 35509523 PMCID: PMC9061046 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5647178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyanotoxins (CTs) are a large and diverse group of toxins produced by the peculiar photosynthetic prokaryotes of the domain Cyanoprokaryota. Toxin-producing aquatic cyanoprokaryotes can develop in mass, causing “water blooms” or “cyanoblooms,” which may lead to environmental disaster—water poisoning, extinction of aquatic life, and even to human death. CT studies on single cells and cells in culture are an important stage of toxicological studies with increasing impact for their further use for scientific and clinical purposes, and for policies of environmental protection. The higher cost of animal use and continuous resistance to the use of animals for scientific and toxicological studies lead to a progressive increase of cell lines use. This review aims to present (1) the important results of the effects of CT on human and animal cell lines, (2) the methods and concentrations used to obtain these results, (3) the studied cell lines and their tissues of origin, and (4) the intracellular targets of CT. CTs reviewed are presented in alphabetical order as follows: aeruginosins, anatoxins, BMAA (β-N-methylamino-L-alanine), cylindrospermopsins, depsipeptides, lipopolysaccharides, lyngbyatoxins, microcystins, nodularins, cyanobacterial retinoids, and saxitoxins. The presence of all these data in a review allows in one look to advance the research on CT using cell cultures by facilitating the selection of the most appropriate methods, conditions, and cell lines for future toxicological, pharmacological, and physiological studies.
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13
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Vargova I, Kriska J, Kwok JCF, Fawcett JW, Jendelova P. Long-Term Cultures of Spinal Cord Interneurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:827628. [PMID: 35197829 PMCID: PMC8859857 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.827628] [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: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord interneurons (SpINs) are highly diverse population of neurons that play a significant role in circuit reorganization and spontaneous recovery after spinal cord injury. Regeneration of SpIN axons across rodent spinal injuries has been demonstrated after modification of the environment and neurotrophin treatment, but development of methods to enhance the intrinsic regenerative ability of SpINs is needed. There is a lack of described in vitro models of spinal cord neurons in which to develop new regeneration treatments. For this reason, we developed a new model of mouse primary spinal cord neuronal culture in which to analyze maturation, morphology, physiology, connectivity and regeneration of identified interneurons. Isolated from E14 mice, the neurons mature over 15 days in vitro, demonstrated by expression of maturity markers, electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings, and formation of synapses. The neurons express markers of SpINs, including Tlx3, Lmx1b, Lbx1, Chx10, and Pax2. The neurons demonstrate distinct morphologies and some form perineuronal nets in long-term cultivation. Live neurons in various maturation stages were axotomized, using a 900 nm multiphoton laser and their fate was observed overnight. The percentage of axons that regenerated declined with neuronal maturity. This model of SpINs will be a valuable tool in future regenerative, developmental, and functional studies alongside existing models using cortical or hippocampal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Vargova
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Kriska
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jessica C. F. Kwok
- The Center for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - James W. Fawcett
- The Center for Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Pavla Jendelova
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
- Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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14
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Bartesaghi R, Vicari S, Mobley WC. Prenatal and Postnatal Pharmacotherapy in Down Syndrome: The Search to Prevent or Ameliorate Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2022; 62:211-233. [PMID: 34990205 PMCID: PMC9632639 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-041521-103641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Those with Down syndrome (DS)-trisomy for chromosome 21-are routinely impacted by cognitive dysfunction and behavioral challenges in children and adults and Alzheimer's disease in older adults. No proven treatments specifically address these cognitive or behavioral changes. However, advances in the establishment of rodent models and human cell models promise to support development of such treatments. A research agenda that emphasizes the identification of overexpressed genes that contribute demonstrably to abnormalities in cognition and behavior in model systems constitutes a rational next step. Normalizing expression of such genes may usher in an era of successful treatments applicable across the life span for those with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Bartesaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefano Vicari
- Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy,Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165-00146 Rome, Italy
| | - William C. Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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15
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Giacomelli E, Vahsen BF, Calder EL, Xu Y, Scaber J, Gray E, Dafinca R, Talbot K, Studer L. Human stem cell models of neurodegeneration: From basic science of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to clinical translation. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:11-35. [PMID: 34995492 PMCID: PMC8785905 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive cell loss leading to disruption of the structure and function of the central nervous system. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was among the first of these disorders modeled in patient-specific iPSCs, and recent findings have translated into some of the earliest iPSC-inspired clinical trials. Focusing on ALS as an example, we evaluate the status of modeling neurodegenerative diseases using iPSCs, including methods for deriving and using disease-relevant neuronal and glial lineages. We further highlight the remaining challenges in exploiting the full potential of iPSC technology for understanding and potentially treating neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Giacomelli
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Björn F Vahsen
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth L Calder
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yinyan Xu
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), CAMS Oxford Institute (COI), Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Jakub Scaber
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Ruxandra Dafinca
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Oxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK.
| | - Lorenz Studer
- The Center for Stem Cell Biology, Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, NY, USA.
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16
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Salmina AB, Malinovskaya NA, Morgun AV, Khilazheva ED, Uspenskaya YA, Illarioshkin SN. Reproducibility of developmental neuroplasticity in in vitro brain tissue models. Rev Neurosci 2022; 33:531-554. [PMID: 34983132 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0137] [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: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The current prevalence of neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke and brain injury stimulates studies aimed to identify new molecular targets, to select the drug candidates, to complete the whole set of preclinical and clinical trials, and to implement new drugs into routine neurological practice. Establishment of protocols based on microfluidics, blood-brain barrier- or neurovascular unit-on-chip, and microphysiological systems allowed improving the barrier characteristics and analyzing the regulation of local microcirculation, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. Reconstruction of key mechanisms of brain development and even some aspects of experience-driven brain plasticity would be helpful in the establishment of brain in vitro models with the highest degree of reliability. Activity, metabolic status and expression pattern of cells within the models can be effectively assessed with the protocols of system biology, cell imaging, and functional cell analysis. The next generation of in vitro models should demonstrate high scalability, 3D or 4D complexity, possibility to be combined with other tissues or cell types within the microphysiological systems, compatibility with bio-inks or extracellular matrix-like materials, achievement of adequate vascularization, patient-specific characteristics, and opportunity to provide high-content screening. In this review, we will focus on currently available and prospective brain tissue in vitro models suitable for experimental and preclinical studies with the special focus on models enabling 4D reconstruction of brain tissue for the assessment of brain development, brain plasticity, and drug kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla B Salmina
- Laboratory of Experimental Brain Cytology, Research Center of Neurology, Volokolamskoe Highway 80, Moscow, 125367, Russia.,Research Institute of Molecular Medicine & Pathobiochemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, P. Zhelenzyaka str., 1, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
| | - Natalia A Malinovskaya
- Research Institute of Molecular Medicine & Pathobiochemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, P. Zhelenzyaka str., 1, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
| | - Andrey V Morgun
- Department of Ambulatory Pediatrics, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, P. Zheleznyaka str., 1, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
| | - Elena D Khilazheva
- Research Institute of Molecular Medicine & Pathobiochemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, P. Zhelenzyaka str., 1, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
| | - Yulia A Uspenskaya
- Research Institute of Molecular Medicine & Pathobiochemistry, Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University, P. Zhelenzyaka str., 1, Krasnoyarsk 660022, Russia
| | - Sergey N Illarioshkin
- Department of Brain Studies, Research Center of Neurology, Volokolamskoe Highway, 80, Moscow 125367, Russia
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17
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Franssen D, Svingen T, Lopez Rodriguez D, Van Duursen M, Boberg J, Parent AS. A Putative Adverse Outcome Pathway Network for Disrupted Female Pubertal Onset to Improve Testing and Regulation of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 112:101-114. [PMID: 33640887 DOI: 10.1159/000515478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The average age for pubertal onset in girls has declined over recent decades. Epidemiological studies in humans and experimental studies in animals suggest a causal role for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are present in our environment. Of concern, current testing and screening regimens are inadequate in identifying EDCs that may affect pubertal maturation, not least because they do not consider early-life exposure. Also, the causal relationship between EDC exposure and pubertal timing is still a matter of debate. To address this issue, we have used current knowledge to elaborate a network of putative adverse outcome pathways (pAOPs) to identify how chemicals can affect pubertal onset. By using the AOP framework, we highlight current gaps in mechanistic understanding that need to be addressed and simultaneously point towards events causative of pubertal disturbance that could be exploited for alternative test methods. We propose 6 pAOPs that could explain the disruption of pubertal timing by interfering with the central hypothalamic trigger of puberty, GnRH neurons, and by so doing highlight specific modes of action that could be targeted for alternative test method development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Franssen
- Neuroendocrinology Unit, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Terje Svingen
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Majorie Van Duursen
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Julie Boberg
- Division of Diet, Disease Prevention and Toxicology, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anne-Simone Parent
- Neuroendocrinology Unit, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Department of Pediatrics, CHU de Liège, Liège, Belgium
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18
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Knock E, Julian LM. Building on a Solid Foundation: Adding Relevance and Reproducibility to Neurological Modeling Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:767457. [PMID: 34867204 PMCID: PMC8637745 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.767457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is our most complex and least understood organ. Animal models have long been the most versatile tools available to dissect brain form and function; however, the human brain is highly distinct from that of standard model organisms. In addition to existing models, access to human brain cells and tissues is essential to reach new frontiers in our understanding of the human brain and how to intervene therapeutically in the face of disease or injury. In this review, we discuss current and developing culture models of human neural tissue, outlining advantages over animal models and key challenges that remain to be overcome. Our principal focus is on advances in engineering neural cells and tissue constructs from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), though primary human cell and slice culture are also discussed. By highlighting studies that combine animal models and human neural cell culture techniques, we endeavor to demonstrate that clever use of these orthogonal model systems produces more reproducible, physiological, and clinically relevant data than either approach alone. We provide examples across a range of topics in neuroscience research including brain development, injury, and cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric conditions. Finally, as testing of PSC-derived neurons for cell replacement therapy progresses, we touch on the advancements that are needed to make this a clinical mainstay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Knock
- Research and Development, STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M Julian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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19
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Ahtiainen A, Genocchi B, Tanskanen JMA, Barros MT, Hyttinen JAK, Lenk K. Astrocytes Exhibit a Protective Role in Neuronal Firing Patterns under Chemically Induced Seizures in Neuron-Astrocyte Co-Cultures. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12770. [PMID: 34884577 PMCID: PMC8657549 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes and neurons respond to each other by releasing transmitters, such as γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, that modulate the synaptic transmission and electrochemical behavior of both cell types. Astrocytes also maintain neuronal homeostasis by clearing neurotransmitters from the extracellular space. These astrocytic actions are altered in diseases involving malfunction of neurons, e.g., in epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Convulsant drugs such as 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and gabazine are commonly used to study epilepsy in vitro. In this study, we aim to assess the modulatory roles of astrocytes during epileptic-like conditions and in compensating drug-elicited hyperactivity. We plated rat cortical neurons and astrocytes with different ratios on microelectrode arrays, induced seizures with 4-AP and gabazine, and recorded the evoked neuronal activity. Our results indicated that astrocytes effectively counteracted the effect of 4-AP during stimulation. Gabazine, instead, induced neuronal hyperactivity and synchronicity in all cultures. Furthermore, our results showed that the response time to the drugs increased with an increasing number of astrocytes in the co-cultures. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first that shows the critical modulatory role of astrocytes in 4-AP and gabazine-induced discharges and highlights the importance of considering different proportions of cells in the cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Ahtiainen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
| | - Barbara Genocchi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
| | - Jarno M. A. Tanskanen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
| | - Michael T. Barros
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
- School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Jari A. K. Hyttinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
| | - Kerstin Lenk
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (J.M.A.T.); (M.T.B.); (J.A.K.H.); (K.L.)
- Institute of Neural Engineering, Graz University of Technology, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed, 8010 Graz, Austria
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20
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Lam D, Fischer NO, Enright HA. Probing function in 3D neuronal cultures: A survey of 3D multielectrode array advances. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 60:255-260. [PMID: 34481335 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in microphysiological systems have made significant strides to include design features that reconstruct key elements found in the brain, and in parallel advance technologies to detect the activity of electrogenic cells that form neural networks. In particular, three-dimensional multielectrode arrays (3D MEAs) are being developed with increasing levels of spatial and temporal precision, difficult to achieve with current 2D MEAs, insertable MEA probes, and/or optical imaging of calcium dynamics. Thus, providing a means to monitor the flow of neural network activity within all three dimensions (X, Y, and Z) of the engineered tissue. In the last 6 years, 3D MEAs, using either bottom-up or top-down designs, have been developed to overcome the current technical challenges in monitoring the functionality of the in vitro systems. Herein, we will report on the design and application of novel 3D MEA prototypes for probing neural activity throughout the 3D neural tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Lam
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Nicholas O Fischer
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
| | - Heather A Enright
- Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA.
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21
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Abashkin DA, Kurishev AO, Karpov DS, Golimbet VE. Cellular Models in Schizophrenia Research. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168518. [PMID: 34445221 PMCID: PMC8395162 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a prevalent functional psychosis characterized by clinical behavioural symptoms and underlying abnormalities in brain function. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of schizophrenia have revealed many loci that do not directly identify processes disturbed in the disease. For this reason, the development of cellular models containing SZ-associated variations has become a focus in the post-GWAS research era. The application of revolutionary clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tools, along with recently developed technologies for cultivating brain organoids in vitro, have opened new perspectives for the construction of these models. In general, cellular models are intended to unravel particular biological phenomena. They can provide the missing link between schizophrenia-related phenotypic features (such as transcriptional dysregulation, oxidative stress and synaptic dysregulation) and data from pathomorphological, electrophysiological and behavioural studies. The objectives of this review are the systematization and classification of cellular models of schizophrenia, based on their complexity and validity for understanding schizophrenia-related phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii A. Abashkin
- Mental Health Research Center, Clinical Genetics Laboratory, Kashirskoe Sh. 34, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (D.A.A.); (A.O.K.); (D.S.K.)
| | - Artemii O. Kurishev
- Mental Health Research Center, Clinical Genetics Laboratory, Kashirskoe Sh. 34, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (D.A.A.); (A.O.K.); (D.S.K.)
| | - Dmitry S. Karpov
- Mental Health Research Center, Clinical Genetics Laboratory, Kashirskoe Sh. 34, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (D.A.A.); (A.O.K.); (D.S.K.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Str. 32, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vera E. Golimbet
- Mental Health Research Center, Clinical Genetics Laboratory, Kashirskoe Sh. 34, 115522 Moscow, Russia; (D.A.A.); (A.O.K.); (D.S.K.)
- Correspondence:
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22
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Nishiyama A, Serwanski DR, Pfeiffer F. Many roles for oligodendrocyte precursor cells in physiology and pathology. Neuropathology 2021; 41:161-173. [PMID: 33913208 DOI: 10.1111/neup.12732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are a fourth resident glial cell population in the mammalian central nervous system. They are evenly distributed throughout the gray and white matter and continue to proliferate and generate new oligodendrocytes (OLs) throughout life. They were understudied until a few decades ago when immunolabeling for NG2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha revealed cells that are distinct from mature OLs, astrocytes, neurons, and microglia. In this review, we provide a summary of the known properties of OPCs with some historical background, followed by highlights from recent studies that suggest new roles for OPCs in certain pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Nishiyama
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - David R Serwanski
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Friederike Pfeiffer
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Neurophysiology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Shea TB. An Overview of Studies Demonstrating that ex vivo Neuronal Networks Display Multiple Complex Behaviors: Emergent Properties of Nearest-Neighbor Interactions of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons. Open Neurol J 2021. [DOI: 10.2174/1874205x02115010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The responsiveness of the human nervous system ranges from the basic sensory interpretation and motor regulation to so-called higher-order functions such as emotion and consciousness. Aspects of higher-order functions are displayed by other mammals and birds. In efforts to understand how neuronal interaction can generate such a diverse functionality, murine embryonic cortical neurons were cultured on Petri dishes containing multi-electrode arrays that allowed recording and stimulation of neuronal activity. Despite the lack of major architectural features that govern nervous system development in situ, this overview of multiple studies demonstrated that these 2-dimensional ex vivo neuronal networks nevertheless recapitulate multiple key aspects of nervous system development and activity in situ, including density-dependent, the spontaneous establishment of a functional network that displayed complex signaling patterns, and responsiveness to environmental stimulation including generation of appropriate motor output and long-term potentiation. These findings underscore that the basic interplay of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal activity underlies all aspects of nervous system functionality. This reductionist system may be useful for further examination of neuronal function under developmental, homeostatic, and neurodegenerative conditions.
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One Brain-All Cells: A Comprehensive Protocol to Isolate All Principal CNS-Resident Cell Types from Brain and Spinal Cord of Adult Healthy and EAE Mice. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030651. [PMID: 33804060 PMCID: PMC7999839 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis, the role of each central nervous system (CNS)-resident cell type during inflammation, neurodegeneration, and remission has been frequently addressed. Although protocols for the isolation of different individual CNS-resident cell types exist, none can harvest all of them within a single experiment. In addition, isolation of individual cells is more demanding in adult mice and even more so from the inflamed CNS. Here, we present a protocol for the simultaneous purification of viable single-cell suspensions of all principal CNS-resident cell types (microglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and neurons) from adult mice-applicable in healthy mice as well as in EAE. After dissociation of the brain and spinal cord from adult mice, microglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and, neurons were isolated via magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). Validations comprised flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, as well as functional analyses (immunoassay and Sholl analysis). The purity of each cell isolation averaged 90%. All cells displayed cell-type-specific morphologies and expressed specific surface markers. In conclusion, this new protocol for the simultaneous isolation of all major CNS-resident cell types from one CNS offers a sophisticated and comprehensive way to investigate complex cellular networks ex vivo and simultaneously reduce mice numbers to be sacrificed.
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Koroleva A, Deiwick A, El-Tamer A, Koch L, Shi Y, Estévez-Priego E, Ludl AA, Soriano J, Guseva D, Ponimaskin E, Chichkov B. In Vitro Development of Human iPSC-Derived Functional Neuronal Networks on Laser-Fabricated 3D Scaffolds. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:7839-7853. [PMID: 33559469 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c16616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Neural progenitor cells generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are the forefront of ″brain-on-chip″ investigations. Viable and functional hiPSC-derived neuronal networks are shaping powerful in vitro models for evaluating the normal and abnormal formation of cortical circuits, understanding the underlying disease mechanisms, and investigating the response to drugs. They therefore represent a desirable instrument for both the scientific community and the pharmacological industry. However, culture conditions required for the full functional maturation of individual neurons and networks are still unidentified. It has been recognized that three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions can better emulate in vivo neuronal tissue development compared to 2D cultures and thus provide a more desirable in vitro approach. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a 3D scaffold platform that supports and promotes intricate neuronal network development. 3D scaffolds were produced through direct laser writing by two-photon polymerization (2PP), a high-resolution 3D laser microstructuring technology, using the biocompatible and nondegradable photoreactive resin Dental LT Clear (DClear). Neurons developed and interconnected on a 3D environment shaped by vertically stacked scaffold layers. The developed networks could support different cell types. Starting at the day 50 of 3D culture, neuronal progenitor cells could develop into cortical projection neurons (CNPs) of all six layers, different types of inhibitory neurons, and glia. Additionally and in contrast to 2D conditions, 3D scaffolds supported the long-term culturing of neuronal networks over the course of 120 days. Network health and functionality were probed through calcium imaging, which revealed a strong spontaneous neuronal activity that combined individual and collective events. Taken together, our results highlight advanced microstructured 3D scaffolds as a reliable platform for the 3D in vitro modeling of neuronal functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Koroleva
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Deiwick
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Lothar Koch
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Yichen Shi
- Axol Bioscience Ltd., CB10 1XL Cambridge, UK
| | - Estefanía Estévez-Priego
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriaan-Alexander Ludl
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Computational Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Jordi Soriano
- Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daria Guseva
- Cellular Neurophysiology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Evgeni Ponimaskin
- Cellular Neurophysiology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Boris Chichkov
- Institute of Quantum Optics, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
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