1
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Lisowski P, Lickfett S, Rybak-Wolf A, Menacho C, Le S, Pentimalli TM, Notopoulou S, Dykstra W, Oehler D, López-Calcerrada S, Mlody B, Otto M, Wu H, Richter Y, Roth P, Anand R, Kulka LAM, Meierhofer D, Glazar P, Legnini I, Telugu NS, Hahn T, Neuendorf N, Miller DC, Böddrich A, Polzin A, Mayatepek E, Diecke S, Olzscha H, Kirstein J, Ugalde C, Petrakis S, Cambridge S, Rajewsky N, Kühn R, Wanker EE, Priller J, Metzger JJ, Prigione A. Mutant huntingtin impairs neurodevelopment in human brain organoids through CHCHD2-mediated neurometabolic failure. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7027. [PMID: 39174523 PMCID: PMC11341898 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51216-w] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansion of the glutamine tract (poly-Q) in the protein huntingtin (HTT) causes the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington's disease (HD). Emerging evidence suggests that mutant HTT (mHTT) disrupts brain development. To gain mechanistic insights into the neurodevelopmental impact of human mHTT, we engineered male induced pluripotent stem cells to introduce a biallelic or monoallelic mutant 70Q expansion or to remove the poly-Q tract of HTT. The introduction of a 70Q mutation caused aberrant development of cerebral organoids with loss of neural progenitor organization. The early neurodevelopmental signature of mHTT highlighted the dysregulation of the protein coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain containing 2 (CHCHD2), a transcription factor involved in mitochondrial integrated stress response. CHCHD2 repression was associated with abnormal mitochondrial morpho-dynamics that was reverted upon overexpression of CHCHD2. Removing the poly-Q tract from HTT normalized CHCHD2 levels and corrected key mitochondrial defects. Hence, mHTT-mediated disruption of human neurodevelopment is paralleled by aberrant neurometabolic programming mediated by dysregulation of CHCHD2, which could then serve as an early interventional target for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Lisowski
- Quantitative Stem Cell Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec n/Warsaw, Poland
| | - Selene Lickfett
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Anatomy II, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Rybak-Wolf
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Organoid Platform, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Carmen Menacho
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stephanie Le
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tancredi Massimo Pentimalli
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory for Systems Biology of Gene Regulatory Elements, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sofia Notopoulou
- Institute of Applied Biosciences (INAB), Centre For Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Werner Dykstra
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Oehler
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Cardiovascular Research Institute Düsseldorf (CARID), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Barbara Mlody
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Centogene, Rostock, Germany
| | - Maximilian Otto
- Quantitative Stem Cell Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Haijia Wu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Philipp Roth
- Quantitative Stem Cell Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruchika Anand
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Linda A M Kulka
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
| | - David Meierhofer
- Quantitative RNA Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Petar Glazar
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory for Systems Biology of Gene Regulatory Elements, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Quantitative RNA Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ivano Legnini
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory for Systems Biology of Gene Regulatory Elements, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
| | - Narasimha Swamy Telugu
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Hahn
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Nancy Neuendorf
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Duncan C Miller
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Annett Böddrich
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Amin Polzin
- Division of Cardiology, Pulmonology, and Vascular Medicine, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Cardiovascular Research Institute Düsseldorf (CARID), Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ertan Mayatepek
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Diecke
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Heidi Olzscha
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
| | - Janine Kirstein
- Cell Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz-Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Cristina Ugalde
- Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i + 12), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Spyros Petrakis
- Institute of Applied Biosciences (INAB), Centre For Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sidney Cambridge
- Institute of Anatomy II, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Anatomy II, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Rajewsky
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Laboratory for Systems Biology of Gene Regulatory Elements, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Kühn
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Josef Priller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich and German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Munich, Germany
- University of Edinburgh and UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jakob J Metzger
- Quantitative Stem Cell Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Berlin, Germany.
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Alessandro Prigione
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany.
- Department of General Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Cardiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Shoji JY, Davis RP, Mummery CL, Krauss S. Global Literature Analysis of Organoid and Organ-on-Chip Research. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2301067. [PMID: 37479227 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Organoids and cells in organ-on-chip platforms replicate higher-level anatomical, physiological, or pathological states of tissues and organs. These technologies are widely regarded by academia, the pharmacological industry and regulators as key biomedical developments. To map advances in this emerging field, a literature analysis of 16,000 article metadata based on a quality-controlled text-mining algorithm is performed. The analysis covers titles, keywords, and abstracts of categorized academic publications in the literature and preprint databases published after 2010. The algorithm identifies and tracks 149 and 107 organs or organ substructures modeled as organoids and organ-on-chip, respectively, stem cell sources, as well as 130 diseases, and 16 groups of organisms other than human and mouse in which organoid/organ-on-chip technology is applied. The analysis illustrates changing diversity and focus in organoid/organ-on-chip research and captures its geographical distribution. The downloadable dataset provided is a robust framework for researchers to interrogate with their own questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ya Shoji
- Hybrid Technology Hub, Center of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
| | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy & Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2300RC, the Netherlands
- Department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies, University of Twente, Enschede, 7522NB, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan Krauss
- Hybrid Technology Hub, Center of Excellence, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0372, Norway
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Wu S, Hong Y, Chu C, Gan Y, Li X, Tao M, Wang D, Hu H, Zheng Z, Zhu Q, Han X, Zhu W, Xu M, Dong Y, Liu Y, Guo X. Construction of human 3D striato-nigral assembloids to recapitulate medium spiny neuronal projection defects in Huntington's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316176121. [PMID: 38771878 PMCID: PMC11145230 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316176121] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The striato-nigral (Str-SN) circuit is composed of medium spiny neuronal projections that are mainly sent from the striatum to the midbrain substantial nigra (SN), which is essential for regulating motor behaviors. Dysfunction of the Str-SN circuitry may cause a series of motor disabilities that are associated with neurodegenerative disorders, such as Huntington's disease (HD). Although the etiology of HD is known as abnormally expanded CAG repeats of the huntingtin gene, treatment of HD remains tremendously challenging. One possible reason is the lack of effective HD model that resembles Str-SN circuitry deficits for pharmacological studies. Here, we first differentiated striatum-like organoids from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), containing functional medium spiny neurons (MSNs). We then generated 3D Str-SN assembloids by assembling striatum-like organoids with midbrain SN-like organoids. With AAV-hSYN-GFP-mediated viral tracing, extensive MSN projections from the striatum to the SN are established, which formed synaptic connection with GABAergic neurons in SN organoids and showed the optically evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents and electronic field potentials by labeling the striatum-like organoids with optogenetic virus. Furthermore, these Str-SN assembloids exhibited enhanced calcium activity compared to that of individual striatal organoids. Importantly, we further demonstrated the reciprocal projection defects in HD iPSC-derived assembloids, which could be ameliorated by treatment of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Taken together, these findings suggest that Str-SN assembloids could be used for identifying MSN projection defects and could be applied as potential drug test platforms for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Yuan Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Chu Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Yixia Gan
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
| | - Xinrui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Mengdan Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Sipailou, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Da Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Zhilong Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Qian Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Xiao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Wanying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Min Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai200241, China
| | - Yan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Neural Regeneration, School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Southeast University, Sipailou, Nanjing210096, China
| | - Xing Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing211166, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu226001, China
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Liu Y, Chen X, Ma Y, Song C, Ma J, Chen C, Su J, Ma L, Saiyin H. Endogenous mutant Huntingtin alters the corticogenesis via lowering Golgi recruiting ARF1 in cortical organoid. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02562-0. [PMID: 38654124 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02562-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Pathogenic mutant huntingtin (mHTT) infiltrates the adult Huntington's disease (HD) brain and impairs fetal corticogenesis. However, most HD animal models rarely recapitulate neuroanatomical alterations in adult HD and developing brains. Thus, the human cortical organoid (hCO) is an alternative approach to decode mHTT pathogenesis precisely during human corticogenesis. Here, we replicated the altered corticogenesis in the HD fetal brain using HD patient-derived hCOs. Our HD-hCOs had pathological phenotypes, including deficient junctional complexes in the neural tubes, delayed postmitotic neuronal maturation, dysregulated fate specification of cortical neuron subtypes, and abnormalities in early HD subcortical projections during corticogenesis, revealing a causal link between impaired progenitor cells and chaotic cortical neuronal layering in the HD brain. We identified novel long, oriented, and enriched polyQ assemblies of HTTs that hold large flat Golgi stacks and scaffold clathrin+ vesicles in the neural tubes of hCOs. Flat Golgi stacks conjugated polyQ assemblies by ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1). Inhibiting ARF1 activation with Brefeldin A (BFA) disassociated polyQ assemblies from Golgi. PolyQ assembles with mHTT scaffolded fewer ARF1 and formed shorter polyQ assembles with fewer and shorter Golgi and clathrin vesicles in neural tubes of HD-hCOs compared with those in hCOs. Inhibiting the activation of ARF1 by BFA in healthy hCOs replicated impaired junctional complexes in the neural tubes. Together, endogenous polyQ assemblies with mHTT reduced the Golgi recruiting ARF1 in the neuroepithelium, impaired the Golgi structure and activities, and altered the corticogenesis in HD-hCO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xinyu Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yunlong Ma
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenyun Song
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jixin Ma
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Cheng Chen
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianzhong Su
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lixiang Ma
- Department of Anatomy and Histology & Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Hexige Saiyin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Acharya P, Choi NY, Shrestha S, Jeong S, Lee MY. Brain organoids: A revolutionary tool for modeling neurological disorders and development of therapeutics. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:489-506. [PMID: 38013504 PMCID: PMC10842775 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Brain organoids are self-organized, three-dimensional (3D) aggregates derived from pluripotent stem cells that have cell types and cellular architectures resembling those of the developing human brain. The current understanding of human brain developmental processes and neurological disorders has advanced significantly with the introduction of this in vitro model. Brain organoids serve as a translational link between two-dimensional (2D) cultures and in vivo models which imitate the neural tube formation at the early and late stages and the differentiation of neuroepithelium with whole-brain regionalization. In addition, the generation of region-specific brain organoids made it possible to investigate the pathogenic and etiological aspects of acquired and inherited brain disease along with drug discovery and drug toxicity testing. In this review article, we first summarize an overview of the existing methods and platforms used for generating brain organoids and their limitations and then discuss the recent advancement in brain organoid technology. In addition, we discuss how brain organoids have been used to model aspects of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rett syndrome, Zika virus-related microcephaly, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabha Acharya
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Na Young Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
- Department of Healthcare Information Technology, Inje University, Gimhae, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunil Shrestha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
| | - Sehoon Jeong
- Department of Healthcare Information Technology, Inje University, Gimhae, Republic of Korea
| | - Moo-Yeal Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA
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Bombieri C, Corsi A, Trabetti E, Ruggiero A, Marchetto G, Vattemi G, Valenti MT, Zipeto D, Romanelli MG. Advanced Cellular Models for Rare Disease Study: Exploring Neural, Muscle and Skeletal Organoids. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1014. [PMID: 38256087 PMCID: PMC10815694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Organoids are self-organized, three-dimensional structures derived from stem cells that can mimic the structure and physiology of human organs. Patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and 3D organoid model systems allow cells to be analyzed in a controlled environment to simulate the characteristics of a given disease by modeling the underlying pathophysiology. The recent development of 3D cell models has offered the scientific community an exceptionally valuable tool in the study of rare diseases, overcoming the limited availability of biological samples and the limitations of animal models. This review provides an overview of iPSC models and genetic engineering techniques used to develop organoids. In particular, some of the models applied to the study of rare neuronal, muscular and skeletal diseases are described. Furthermore, the limitations and potential of developing new therapeutic approaches are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Donato Zipeto
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (C.B.); (A.C.); (E.T.); (A.R.); (G.M.); (G.V.); (M.T.V.)
| | - Maria Grazia Romanelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (C.B.); (A.C.); (E.T.); (A.R.); (G.M.); (G.V.); (M.T.V.)
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7
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Dai S, Qiu L, Veeraraghavan VP, Sheu CL, Mony U. Advances in iPSC Technology in Neural Disease Modeling, Drug Screening, and Therapy. Curr Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 19:809-819. [PMID: 37291782 DOI: 10.2174/1574888x18666230608105703] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) including Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease are all incurable and can only be managed with drugs for the associated symptoms. Animal models of human illnesses help to advance our understanding of the pathogenic processes of diseases. Understanding the pathogenesis as well as drug screening using appropriate disease models of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are vital for identifying novel therapies. Human-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models can be an efficient model to create disease in a dish and thereby can proceed with drug screening and identifying appropriate drugs. This technology has many benefits, including efficient reprogramming and regeneration potential, multidirectional differentiation, and the lack of ethical concerns, which open up new avenues for studying neurological illnesses in greater depth. The review mainly focuses on the use of iPSC technology in neuronal disease modeling, drug screening, and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Dai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Linhui Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Vishnu Priya Veeraraghavan
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
| | - Chia-Lin Sheu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Ullas Mony
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Department of Biochemistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, 600077, India
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8
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Kim H, Lee YJ, Kwon Y, Kim J. Efficient generation of brain organoids using magnetized gold nanoparticles. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21240. [PMID: 38040919 PMCID: PMC10692130 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48655-8] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain organoids, which are three-dimensional cell culture models, have the ability to mimic certain structural and functional aspects of the human brain. However, creating these organoids can be a complicated and difficult process due to various technological hurdles. This study presents a method for effectively generating cerebral organoids from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) using electromagnetic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). By exposing mature cerebral organoids to magnetized AuNPs, we were able to cultivate them in less than 3 weeks. The initial differentiation and neural induction of the neurosphere occurred within the first week, followed by maturation, including regional patterning and the formation of complex networks, during the subsequent 2 weeks under the influence of magnetized AuNPs. Furthermore, we observed a significant enhancement in neurogenic maturation in the brain organoids, as evidenced by increased histone acetylation in the presence of electromagnetic AuNPs. Consequently, electromagnetic AuNPs offer a promising in vitro system for efficiently generating more advanced human brain organoids that closely resemble the complexity of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwon Kim
- Laboratory of Stem Cells & Gene Editing, Department of Chemistry, Dongguk University, Pildong-Ro 1-Gil 30, Jung-Gu, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Yoo-Jung Lee
- Laboratory of Stem Cells & Gene Editing, Department of Chemistry, Dongguk University, Pildong-Ro 1-Gil 30, Jung-Gu, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngeun Kwon
- Laboratory of Protein Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongpil Kim
- Laboratory of Stem Cells & Gene Editing, Department of Chemistry, Dongguk University, Pildong-Ro 1-Gil 30, Jung-Gu, Seoul, 04620, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Thompson LM, Orr HT. HD and SCA1: Tales from two 30-year journeys since gene discovery. Neuron 2023; 111:3517-3530. [PMID: 37863037 PMCID: PMC10842341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.036] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the more transformative findings in human genetics was the discovery that the expansion of unstable nucleotide repeats underlies a group of inherited neurological diseases. A subset of these unstable repeat neurodegenerative diseases is due to the expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat encoding a stretch of glutamines, i.e., the polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative diseases. Among the CAG/polyQ repeat diseases are Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), in which the expansions are within widely expressed proteins. Although both HD and SCA1 are autosomal dominantly inherited, and both typically cause mid- to late-life-onset movement disorders with cognitive decline, they each are characterized by distinct clinical characteristics and predominant sites of neuropathology. Importantly, the respective affected proteins, Huntingtin (HTT, HD) and Ataxin 1 (ATXN1, SCA1), have unique functions and biological properties. Here, we review HD and SCA1 with a focus on how their disease-specific and shared features may provide informative insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA.
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10
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Li Y, Zeng PM, Wu J, Luo ZG. Advances and Applications of Brain Organoids. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:1703-1716. [PMID: 37222855 PMCID: PMC10603019 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01065-2] [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: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the fundamental processes of human brain development and diseases is of great importance for our health. However, existing research models such as non-human primate and mouse models remain limited due to their developmental discrepancies compared with humans. Over the past years, an emerging model, the "brain organoid" integrated from human pluripotent stem cells, has been developed to mimic developmental processes of the human brain and disease-associated phenotypes to some extent, making it possible to better understand the complex structures and functions of the human brain. In this review, we summarize recent advances in brain organoid technologies and their applications in brain development and diseases, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, psychiatric diseases, and brain tumors. Finally, we also discuss current limitations and the potential of brain organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Peng-Ming Zeng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jian Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhen-Ge Luo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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11
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Beatriz M, Rodrigues RJ, Vilaça R, Egas C, Pinheiro PS, Daley GQ, Schlaeger TM, Raimundo N, Rego AC, Lopes C. Extracellular vesicles improve GABAergic transmission in Huntington's disease iPSC-derived neurons. Theranostics 2023; 13:3707-3724. [PMID: 37441602 PMCID: PMC10334823 DOI: 10.7150/thno.81981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry bioactive molecules associated with various biological processes, including miRNAs. In both Huntington's disease (HD) models and human samples, altered expression of miRNAs involved in synapse regulation was reported. Recently, the use of EV cargo to reverse phenotypic alterations in disease models with synaptopathy as the end result of the pathophysiological cascade has become an interesting possibility. Methods: Here, we assessed the contribution of EVs to GABAergic synaptic alterations using a human HD model and studied the miRNA content of isolated EVs. Results: After differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells into electrophysiologically active striatal-like GABAergic neurons, we found that HD-derived neurons displayed reduced density of inhibitory synapse markers and GABA receptor-mediated ionotropic signaling. Treatment with EVs secreted by control (CTR) fibroblasts reversed the deficits in GABAergic synaptic transmission and increased the density of inhibitory synapses in HD-derived neuron cultures, while EVs from HD-derived fibroblasts had the opposite effects on CTR-derived neurons. Moreover, analysis of miRNAs from purified EVs identified a set of differentially expressed miRNAs between manifest HD, premanifest, and CTR lines with predicted synaptic targets. Conclusion: The EV-mediated reversal of the abnormal GABAergic phenotype in HD-derived neurons reinforces the potential role of EV-miRNAs on synapse regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Beatriz
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC - Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J. Rodrigues
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC - Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rita Vilaça
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC - Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Conceição Egas
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC - Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Biocant- Transfer Technology Association, Biocant Park, Cantanhede, Portugal
| | - Paulo S. Pinheiro
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - George Q. Daley
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Thorsten M. Schlaeger
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA USA
| | - Nuno Raimundo
- MIA - Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - A. Cristina Rego
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- FMUC - Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carla Lopes
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB - Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- IIIUC - Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- MIA - Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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12
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Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons. In this Spotlight, we explore the idea that genetic forms of neurodegenerative disorders might be rooted in neural development. Focusing on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, we first provide a brief overview of the pathology for these diseases. Although neurodegenerative diseases are generally thought of as late-onset diseases, we discuss recent evidence promoting the notion that they might be considered neurodevelopmental disorders. With this view in mind, we consider the suitability of animal models for studying these diseases, highlighting human-specific features of human brain development. We conclude by proposing that one such feature, human-specific regulation of neurogenic time, might be key to understanding the etiology and pathophysiology of human neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijeh Shabani
- Institut du Cerveau – Paris Brain Institute – ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Bassem A. Hassan
- Institut du Cerveau – Paris Brain Institute – ICM, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, CNRS, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
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13
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Sreenivasamurthy S, Laul M, Zhao N, Kim T, Zhu D. Current progress of cerebral organoids for modeling Alzheimer's disease origins and mechanisms. Bioeng Transl Med 2023; 8:e10378. [PMID: 36925717 PMCID: PMC10013781 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that has emerged as a leading risk factor for dementia associated with increasing age. Two-dimensional (2D) cell culture and animal models, which have been used to analyze AD pathology and search for effective treatments for decades, have significantly contributed to our understanding of the mechanism of AD. Despite their successes, 2D and animal models can only capture a fraction of AD mechanisms due to their inability to recapitulate human brain-specific tissue structure, function, and cellular diversity. Recently, the emergence of three-dimensional (3D) cerebral organoids using tissue engineering and induced pluripotent stem cell technology has paved the way to develop models that resemble features of human brain tissue more accurately in comparison to prior models. In this review, we focus on summarizing key research strategies for engineering in vitro 3D human brain-specific models, major discoveries from using AD cerebral organoids, and its future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Sreenivasamurthy
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Mahek Laul
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Nan Zhao
- Institute for NanobiotechnologyJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Tiffany Kim
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Donghui Zhu
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
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14
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Sturchio A, Duker AP, Muñoz-Sanjuan I, Espay AJ. Subtyping monogenic disorders: Huntington disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 193:171-184. [PMID: 36803810 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-85555-6.00003-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease is a highly disabling neurodegenerative disease characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and motor deficits. The causal genetic mutation in huntingtin (Htt, also known as IT15), located on chromosome 4p16.3, leads to an expansion of a triplet coding for polyglutamine. The expansion is invariably associated with the disease when >39 repeats. Htt encodes for the protein huntingtin (HTT), which carries out many essential biological functions in the cell, in particular in the nervous system. The precise mechanism of toxicity is not known. Based on a one-gene-one-disease framework, the prevailing hypothesis ascribes toxicity to the universal aggregation of HTT. However, the aggregation process into mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is associated with a reduction of the levels of wild-type HTT. A loss of wild-type HTT may plausibly be pathogenic, contributing to the disease onset and progressive neurodegeneration. Moreover, many other biological pathways are altered in Huntington disease, such as in the autophagic system, mitochondria, and essential proteins beyond HTT, potentially explaining biological and clinical differences among affected individuals. As one gene does not mean one disease, future efforts at identifying specific Huntington subtypes are important to design biologically tailored therapeutic approaches that correct the corresponding biological pathways-rather than continuing to exclusively target the common denominator of HTT aggregation for elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Sturchio
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Neuro Svenningsson, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Andrew P Duker
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | | | - Alberto J Espay
- James J. and Joan A. Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
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15
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Spitz S, Ko E, Ertl P, Kamm RD. How Organ-on-a-Chip Technology Can Assist in Studying the Role of the Glymphatic System in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:2171. [PMID: 36768495 PMCID: PMC9916687 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The lack of a conventional lymphatic system that permeates throughout the entire human brain has encouraged the identification and study of alternative clearance routes within the cerebrum. In 2012, the concept of the glymphatic system, a perivascular network that fluidically connects the cerebrospinal fluid to the lymphatic vessels within the meninges via the interstitium, emerged. Although its exact mode of action has not yet been fully characterized, the key underlying processes that govern solute transport and waste clearance have been identified. This review briefly describes the perivascular glial-dependent clearance system and elucidates its fundamental role in neurodegenerative diseases. The current knowledge of the glymphatic system is based almost exclusively on animal-based measurements, but these face certain limitations inherent to in vivo experiments. Recent advances in organ-on-a-chip technology are discussed to demonstrate the technology's ability to provide alternative human-based in vitro research models. Herein, the specific focus is on how current microfluidic-based in vitro models of the neurovascular system and neurodegenerative diseases might be employed to (i) gain a deeper understanding of the role and function of the glymphatic system and (ii) to identify new opportunities for pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Spitz
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/163-164, 1060 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Eunkyung Ko
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Peter Ertl
- Faculty of Technical Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology, Getreidemarkt 9/163-164, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Roger D. Kamm
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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16
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De Paola M, Pischiutta F, Comolli D, Mariani A, Kelk J, Lisi I, Cerovic M, Fumagalli S, Forloni G, Zanier ER. Neural cortical organoids from self-assembling human iPSC as a model to investigate neurotoxicity in brain ischemia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:680-693. [PMID: 36655331 PMCID: PMC10108182 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x231152023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Brain ischemia is a common acute injury resulting from impaired blood flow to the brain. Translation of effective drug candidates from experimental models to patients has systematically failed. The use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) offers new opportunities to gain translational insights into diseases including brain ischemia. We used a human 3D self-assembling iPSC-derived model (human cortical organoids, hCO) to characterize the effects of ischemia caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). hCO exposed to 2 h or 8 h of OGD had neuronal death and impaired neuronal network complexity, measured in whole-mounting microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) immunostaining. Neuronal vulnerability was reflected by a reduction in MAP-2 mRNA levels, and increased release of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in culture media, proportional to OGD severity. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene or protein levels did not change in hCO, but their release in medium increased after prolonged OGD. In conclusion, this human 3D iPSC-based in vitro model of brain ischemic injury is characterized by marked neuronal injury reflected by the release of the translational biomarker NfL which is relevant for testing neuroprotective strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano De Paola
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesca Pischiutta
- Acute Brain Injury and Therapeutic Strategies Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Davide Comolli
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mariani
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Joe Kelk
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Ilaria Lisi
- Acute Brain Injury and Therapeutic Strategies Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Milica Cerovic
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Fumagalli
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Forloni
- Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Elisa R Zanier
- Acute Brain Injury and Therapeutic Strategies Lab, Department of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milano, Italy
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17
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In Vitro 3D Modeling of Neurodegenerative Diseases. BIOENGINEERING (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:bioengineering10010093. [PMID: 36671665 PMCID: PMC9855033 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10010093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The study of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is very complex due to the difficulty in investigating the cellular dynamics within nervous tissue. Despite numerous advances in the in vivo study of these diseases, the use of in vitro analyses is proving to be a valuable tool to better understand the mechanisms implicated in these diseases. Although neural cells remain difficult to obtain from patient tissues, access to induced multipotent stem cell production now makes it possible to generate virtually all neural cells involved in these diseases (from neurons to glial cells). Many original 3D culture model approaches are currently being developed (using these different cell types together) to closely mimic degenerative nervous tissue environments. The aim of these approaches is to allow an interaction between glial cells and neurons, which reproduces pathophysiological reality by co-culturing them in structures that recapitulate embryonic development or facilitate axonal migration, local molecule exchange, and myelination (to name a few). This review details the advantages and disadvantages of techniques using scaffolds, spheroids, organoids, 3D bioprinting, microfluidic systems, and organ-on-a-chip strategies to model neurodegenerative diseases.
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18
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Brocchetti S, Conforti P. Differentiation of hPSCs to Study PRC2 Role in Cell-Fate Specification and Neurodevelopment. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2655:211-220. [PMID: 37212999 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3143-0_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Several studies highlighted the importance of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) already at the beginning of development. Although the crucial function of PRC2 in regulating lineage commitment and cell-fate specification has been well-established, the in vitro study of the exact mechanisms for which H3K27me3 is indispensable for proper differentiation is still challenging. In this chapter, we report a well-established and reproducible differentiation protocol to generate striatal medium spiny neurons as a tool to explore PRC2 role in brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Conforti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan and INGM, Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy.
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19
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Lim RG, Al-Dalahmah O, Wu J, Gold MP, Reidling JC, Tang G, Adam M, Dansu DK, Park HJ, Casaccia P, Miramontes R, Reyes-Ortiz AM, Lau A, Hickman RA, Khan F, Paryani F, Tang A, Ofori K, Miyoshi E, Michael N, McClure N, Flowers XE, Vonsattel JP, Davidson S, Menon V, Swarup V, Fraenkel E, Goldman JE, Thompson LM. Huntington disease oligodendrocyte maturation deficits revealed by single-nucleus RNAseq are rescued by thiamine-biotin supplementation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7791. [PMID: 36543778 PMCID: PMC9772349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35388-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity of affected brain regions and cell types is a challenge for Huntington's disease (HD) treatment. Here we use single nucleus RNA sequencing to investigate molecular pathology in the cortex and striatum from R6/2 mice and human HD post-mortem tissue. We identify cell type-specific and -agnostic signatures suggesting oligodendrocytes (OLs) and oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs) are arrested in intermediate maturation states. OL-lineage regulators OLIG1 and OLIG2 are negatively correlated with CAG length in human OPCs, and ATACseq analysis of HD mouse NeuN-negative cells shows decreased accessibility regulated by OL maturation genes. The data implicates glucose and lipid metabolism in abnormal cell maturation and identify PRKCE and Thiamine Pyrophosphokinase 1 (TPK1) as central genes. Thiamine/biotin treatment of R6/1 HD mice to compensate for TPK1 dysregulation restores OL maturation and rescues neuronal pathology. Our insights into HD OL pathology spans multiple brain regions and link OL maturation deficits to abnormal thiamine metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan G Lim
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Osama Al-Dalahmah
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Maxwell P Gold
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Guomei Tang
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miriam Adam
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David K Dansu
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hye-Jin Park
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrizia Casaccia
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Andrea M Reyes-Ortiz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Alice Lau
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Richard A Hickman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fatima Khan
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fahad Paryani
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alice Tang
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth Ofori
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emily Miyoshi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Neethu Michael
- Department of Pathology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nicolette McClure
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Xena E Flowers
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jean Paul Vonsattel
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shawn Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Vilas Menon
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vivek Swarup
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Goldman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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20
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Humbert S, Barnat M. Huntington's disease and brain development. C R Biol 2022; 345:77-90. [PMID: 36847466 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.93] [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: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a rare inherited neurological disorder that generally manifests in mild-adulthood. The disease is characterized by the dysfunction and the degeneration of specific brain structures leading progressively to psychiatric, cognitive and motor disorders. The disease is caused by a mutation in the gene coding for huntingtin and, although it appears in adulthood, embryos carry the mutated gene from their development in utero. Studies based on mouse models and human stem cells have reported altered developmental mechanisms in disease conditions. However, does the mutation affect development in humans? Focusing on the early stages of brain development in human fetuses carrying the HD mutation, we have identified abnormalities in the development of the neocortex, the structure that ensure higher cerebral functions. Altogether, these studies suggests that developmental defects could contribute to the onset symptoms in adults, changing the perspective on disease and thus the health care of patients.
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21
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Song J, Bang S, Choi N, Kim HN. Brain organoid-on-a-chip: A next-generation human brain avatar for recapitulating human brain physiology and pathology. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2022; 16:061301. [PMID: 36438549 PMCID: PMC9691285 DOI: 10.1063/5.0121476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders have become increasingly prevalent; however, the development of new pharmaceuticals to treat these diseases has lagged. Animal models have been extensively utilized to identify underlying mechanisms and to validate drug efficacies, but they possess inherent limitations including genetic heterogeneity with humans. To overcome these limitations, human cell-based in vitro brain models including brain-on-a-chip and brain organoids have been developed. Each technique has distinct advantages and disadvantages in terms of the mimicry of structure and microenvironment, but each technique could not fully mimic the structure and functional aspects of the brain tissue. Recently, a brain organoid-on-a-chip (BOoC) platform has emerged, which merges brain-on-a-chip and brain organoids. BOoC can potentially reflect the detailed structure of the brain tissue, vascular structure, and circulation of fluid. Hence, we summarize recent advances in BOoC as a human brain avatar and discuss future perspectives. BOoC platform can pave the way for mechanistic studies and the development of pharmaceuticals to treat brain diseases in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoung Song
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokyoung Bang
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Dongguk University, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Nakwon Choi
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed:; ; and
| | - Hong Nam Kim
- Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed:; ; and
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22
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Brain Regional Identity and Cell Type Specificity Landscape of Human Cortical Organoid Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232113159. [PMID: 36361956 PMCID: PMC9654943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113159] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro models of corticogenesis from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have greatly improved our understanding of human brain development and disease. Among these, 3D cortical organoid systems are able to recapitulate some aspects of in vivo cytoarchitecture of the developing cortex. Here, we tested three cortical organoid protocols for brain regional identity, cell type specificity and neuronal maturation. Overall, all protocols gave rise to organoids that displayed a time-dependent expression of neuronal maturation genes such as those involved in the establishment of synapses and neuronal function. Comparatively, guided differentiation methods without WNT activation generated the highest degree of cortical regional identity, whereas default conditions produced the broadest range of cell types such as neurons, astrocytes and hematopoietic-lineage-derived microglia cells. These results suggest that cortical organoid models produce diverse outcomes of brain regional identity and cell type specificity and emphasize the importance of selecting the correct model for the right application.
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23
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Damianidou E, Mouratidou L, Kyrousi C. Research models of neurodevelopmental disorders: The right model in the right place. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1031075. [PMID: 36340790 PMCID: PMC9630472 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1031075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous group of impairments that affect the development of the central nervous system leading to abnormal brain function. NDDs affect a great percentage of the population worldwide, imposing a high societal and economic burden and thus, interest in this field has widely grown in recent years. Nevertheless, the complexity of human brain development and function as well as the limitations regarding human tissue usage make their modeling challenging. Animal models play a central role in the investigation of the implicated molecular and cellular mechanisms, however many of them display key differences regarding human phenotype and in many cases, they partially or completely fail to recapitulate them. Although in vitro two-dimensional (2D) human-specific models have been highly used to address some of these limitations, they lack crucial features such as complexity and heterogeneity. In this review, we will discuss the advantages, limitations and future applications of in vivo and in vitro models that are used today to model NDDs. Additionally, we will describe the recent development of 3-dimensional brain (3D) organoids which offer a promising approach as human-specific in vitro models to decipher these complex disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Damianidou
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis”, Athens, Greece
| | - Lidia Mouratidou
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis”, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Kyrousi
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “Costas Stefanis”, Athens, Greece
- First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- *Correspondence: Christina Kyrousi,
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24
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Abstract
The current understanding of neurological diseases is derived mostly from direct analysis of patients and from animal models of disease. However, most patient studies do not capture the earliest stages of disease development and offer limited opportunities for experimental intervention, so rarely yield complete mechanistic insights. The use of animal models relies on evolutionary conservation of pathways involved in disease and is limited by an inability to recreate human-specific processes. In vitro models that are derived from human pluripotent stem cells cultured in 3D have emerged as a new model system that could bridge the gap between patient studies and animal models. In this Review, we summarize how such organoid models can complement classical approaches to accelerate neurological research. We describe our current understanding of neurodevelopment and how this process differs between humans and other animals, making human-derived models of disease essential. We discuss different methodologies for producing organoids and how organoids can be and have been used to model neurological disorders, including microcephaly, Zika virus infection, Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, and neurodevelopmental diseases, such as Timothy syndrome, Angelman syndrome and tuberous sclerosis. We also discuss the current limitations of organoid models and outline how organoids can be used to revolutionize research into the human brain and neurological diseases. In this Review, Eichmüller and Knoblich discuss how human brain organoids can recapitulate the unique processes that occur in human brain development and how they can complement classical approaches to revolutionize research into neurological diseases. Development of the human brain involves unique processes that are relevant to neurological disease but cannot be studied in animal models, so alternative model systems are required. Organoids are 3D human cell culture models that originate from pluripotent stem cells and recapitulate the hallmarks of human neurodevelopment, enabling studies of human brain development in vitro. Specific mutations can be introduced into organoids to study their effects on neurodevelopment; combined with high-throughput screening methods, this approach can determine the disease relevance of mutations in human tissue. To study specific diseases, brain organoids can be generated from induced pluripotent stem cells from individual patients, thereby preserving the specific genetic background of the individual and generating an insightful model. Through recapitulation of previously inaccessible periods of human brain development, brain organoids have enabled identification of novel mechanisms that underlie neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. Combining organoids, patient research and animal models enables us to take full advantage of each of these systems and will provide unprecedented insights into neurodevelopment and neurological diseases.
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25
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Bhargava A, Sandoval Castellanos AM, Shah S, Ning K. An insight into the iPSCs-derived two-dimensional culture and three-dimensional organoid models for neurodegenerative disorders. Interface Focus 2022; 12:20220040. [PMID: 35992771 PMCID: PMC9372641 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2022.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is a promising approach when used as models to study neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) in vitro. iPSCs have been used in in vitro two-dimensional cultures; however, these two-dimensional cultures do not mimic the physiological three-dimensional cellular environment. The use of iPSCs-derived three-dimensional organoids has risen as a powerful alternative to using animal models to study NDDs. These iPSCs-derived three-dimensional organoids can resemble the complexity of the tissue of interest, making it an approachable, cost-effective technique, to study NDDs in an ethical manner. Furthermore, the use of iPSCs-derived organoids will be an important tool to develop new therapeutics and pharmaceutics to treat NDDs. Herein, we will highlight how iPSCs-derived two-dimensional cultures and three-dimensional organoids have been used to study NDDs, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of both techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushka Bhargava
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Ana M. Sandoval Castellanos
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Sonali Shah
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Ke Ning
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
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26
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Shin JW, Hong EP, Park SS, Choi DE, Zeng S, Chen RZ, Lee JM. PAM-altering SNP-based allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 therapeutic strategies for Huntington’s disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:547-561. [PMID: 36092363 PMCID: PMC9450073 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wan Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eun Pyo Hong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Seri S. Park
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Doo Eun Choi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sophia Zeng
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Corresponding author Jong-Min Lee, Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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27
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Dinamarca MC, Colombo L, Tousiaki NE, Müller M, Pecho-Vrieseling E. Synaptic and functional alterations in the development of mutant huntingtin expressing hiPSC‐derived neurons. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:916019. [PMID: 35928225 PMCID: PMC9343803 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.916019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a monogenic disease that results in a combination of motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. It is caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which results in the production of a mutant HTT protein (mHTT) with an extended polyglutamine tract (PolyQ). Severe motor symptoms are a hallmark of HD and typically appear during middle age; however, mild cognitive and personality changes often occur already during early adolescence. Wild-type HTT is a regulator of synaptic functions and plays a role in axon guidance, neurotransmitter release, and synaptic vesicle trafficking. These functions are important for proper synapse assembly during neuronal network formation. In the present study, we assessed the effect of mHTT exon1 isoform on the synaptic and functional maturation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neurons. We used a relatively fast-maturing hiPSC line carrying a doxycycline-inducible pro-neuronal transcription factor, (iNGN2), and generated a double transgenic line by introducing only the exon 1 of HTT, which carries the mutant CAG (mHTTEx1). The characterization of our cell lines revealed that the presence of mHTTEx1 in hiPSC-derived neurons alters the synaptic protein appearance, decreases synaptic contacts, and causes a delay in the development of a mature neuronal activity pattern, recapitulating some of the developmental alterations observed in HD models, nonetheless in a shorted time window. Our data support the notion that HD has a neurodevelopmental component and is not solely a degenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Colombo
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Matthias Müller
- Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eline Pecho-Vrieseling
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Eline Pecho-Vrieseling,
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28
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Abstract
Organoids are 3D cell culture systems derived from human pluripotent stem cells that contain tissue resident cell types and reflect features of early tissue organization. Neural organoids are a particularly innovative scientific advance given the lack of accessibility of developing human brain tissue and intractability of neurological diseases. Neural organoids have become an invaluable approach to model features of human brain development that are not well reflected in animal models. Organoids also hold promise for the study of atypical cellular, molecular, and genetic features that underscore neurological diseases. Additionally, organoids may provide a platform for testing therapeutics in human cells and are a potential source for cell replacement approaches to brain injury or disease. Despite the promising features of organoids, their broad utility is tempered by a variety of limitations yet to be overcome, including lack of high-fidelity cell types, limited maturation, atypical physiology, and lack of arealization, features that may limit their reliability for certain applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline G Andrews
- Department of Neurology and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
| | - Arnold R Kriegstein
- Department of Neurology and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA;
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29
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Kaye J, Reisine T, Finkbeiner S. Huntington's disease iPSC models-using human patient cells to understand the pathology caused by expanded CAG repeats. Fac Rev 2022; 11:16. [PMID: 35865413 PMCID: PMC9264339 DOI: 10.12703/r/11-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A major advance in the study of Huntington's disease (HD) has been the development of human disease models employing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients with HD. Because iPSCs provide an unlimited source of cells and can be obtained from large numbers of HD patients, they are a uniquely valuable tool for investigating disease mechanisms and for discovering potential disease-modifying therapeutics. Here, we summarize some of the important findings in HD pathophysiology that have emerged from studies of patient-derived iPSC lines. Because they retain the genome and actual disease mutations of the patient, they provide a cell source to investigate genetic contributions to the disease. iPSCs provide advantages over other disease models. While iPSC-based technology erases some epigenetic marks, newly developed transdifferentiation methods now let us investigate epigenetic factors that control expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT). Human HD iPSC lines allow us to investigate how endogenous levels of mHTT affect cell health, in contrast to other models that often rely on overexpressing the protein. iPSCs can be differentiated into neurons and other disease-related cells such as astrocytes from different brain regions to study brain regional differences in the disease process, as well as the cell-cell dependencies involved in HD-associated neurodegeneration. They also serve as a tissue source to investigate factors that impact CAG repeat instability, which is involved in regional differences in neurodegeneration in the HD brain. Human iPSC models can serve as a powerful model system to identify genetic modifiers that may impact disease onset, progression, and symptomatology, providing novel molecular targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kaye
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Terry Reisine
- Independent Scientific Consultant, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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30
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Lange J, Zhou H, McTague A. Cerebral Organoids and Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapeutics: Challenges and Opportunities. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:941528. [PMID: 35836547 PMCID: PMC9274522 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.941528] [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: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of stem cell-derived cerebral organoids has already advanced our understanding of disease mechanisms in neurological diseases. Despite this, many remain without effective treatments, resulting in significant personal and societal health burden. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are one of the most widely used approaches for targeting RNA and modifying gene expression, with significant advancements in clinical trials for epilepsy, neuromuscular disorders and other neurological conditions. ASOs have further potential to address the unmet need in other neurological diseases for novel therapies which directly target the causative genes, allowing precision treatment. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived cerebral organoids represent an ideal platform in which to evaluate novel ASO therapies. In patient-derived organoids, disease-causing mutations can be studied in the native genetic milieu, opening the door to test personalized ASO therapies and n-of-1 approaches. In addition, CRISPR-Cas9 can be used to generate isogenic iPSCs to assess the effects of ASOs, by either creating disease-specific mutations or correcting available disease iPSC lines. Currently, ASO therapies face a number of challenges to wider translation, including insufficient uptake by distinct and preferential cell types in central nervous system and inability to cross the blood brain barrier necessitating intrathecal administration. Cerebral organoids provide a practical model to address and improve these limitations. In this review we will address the current use of organoids to test ASO therapies, opportunities for future applications and challenges including those inherent to cerebral organoids, issues with organoid transfection and choice of appropriate read-outs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Lange
- Department for Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research Into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Haiyan Zhou
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amy McTague
- Department for Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research Into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Amy McTague,
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31
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Early Signs of Molecular Defects in iPSC-Derived Neural Stems Cells from Patients with Familial Parkinson’s Disease. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070876. [PMID: 35883433 PMCID: PMC9313424 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, classically associated with extensive loss of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta. The hallmark of the disease is the accumulation of pathogenic conformations of the presynaptic protein, α-synuclein (αSyn), and the formation of intraneuronal protein aggregate inclusions. Neurodegeneration of dopamine neurons leads to a prominent dopaminergic deficiency in the basal ganglia, responsible for motor disturbances. However, it is now recognized that the disease involves more widespread neuronal dysfunction, leading to early and late non-motor symptoms. The development of in vitro systems based on the differentiation of human-induced pluripotent stem cells provides us the unique opportunity to monitor alterations at the cellular and molecular level throughout the differentiation procedure and identify perturbations that occur early, even at the neuronal precursor stage. Here we aim to identify whether p.A53T-αSyn induced disturbances at the molecular level are already present in neural precursors. Towards this, we present data from transcriptomics analysis of control and p.A53T-αSyn NPCs showing altered expression in transcripts involved in axon guidance, adhesion, synaptogenesis, ion transport, and metabolism. The comparative analysis with the transcriptomics profile of p.A53T-αSyn neurons shows both distinct and overlapping pathways leading to neurodegeneration while meta-analysis with transcriptomics data from both neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders reveals that p.A53T-pathology has a significant overlap with the latter category. This is the first study showing that molecular dysregulation initiates early at the p.A53T-αSyn NPC level, suggesting that synucleinopathies may have a neurodevelopmental component.
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32
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Coelho P, Fão L, Mota S, Rego AC. Mitochondrial function and dynamics in neural stem cells and neurogenesis: Implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 80:101667. [PMID: 35714855 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2022.101667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria have been largely described as the powerhouse of the cell and recent findings demonstrate that this organelle is fundamental for neurogenesis. The mechanisms underlying neural stem cells (NSCs) maintenance and differentiation are highly regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Mitochondrial-mediated switch from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, accompanied by mitochondrial remodeling and dynamics are vital to NSCs fate. Deregulation of mitochondrial proteins, mitochondrial DNA, function, fission/fusion and metabolism underly several neurodegenerative diseases; data show that these impairments are already present in early developmental stages and NSC fate decisions. However, little is known about mitochondrial role in neurogenesis. In this Review, we describe the recent evidence covering mitochondrial role in neurogenesis, its impact in selected neurodegenerative diseases, for which aging is the major risk factor, and the recent advances in stem cell-based therapies that may alleviate neurodegenerative disorders-related neuronal deregulation through improvement of mitochondrial function and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Coelho
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Lígia Fão
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra Polo 3, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Sandra Mota
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; III, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - A Cristina Rego
- CNC, Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra Polo 1, Coimbra, Portugal; FMUC- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra Polo 3, Coimbra, Portugal.
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33
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Shin JW, Shin A, Park SS, Lee JM. Haplotype-specific insertion-deletion variations for allele-specific targeting in Huntington's disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:84-95. [PMID: 35356757 PMCID: PMC8933729 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded CAG repeat in huntingtin (HTT). Given an important role for HTT in development and significant neurodegeneration at the time of clinical manifestation in HD, early treatment of allele-specific drugs represents a promising strategy. The feasibility of an allele-specific antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) has been demonstrated in models of HD. Here, we constructed a map of haplotype-specific insertion-deletion variations (indels) to develop alternative mutant-HTT-specific strategies. We mapped indels annotated in the 1000 Genomes Project data on common HTT haplotypes, revealing candidate indels for mutant-specific HTT targeting. Subsequent sequencing of an HD family confirmed candidate sites and revealed additional allele-specific indels. Interestingly, the most common normal HTT haplotype carries indels of big allele length differences at many sites, further uncovering promising haplotype-specific targets. When patient-derived cells carrying the most common HTT diplotype were treated with ASOs targeting the mutant alleles of candidate indels (rs772629195 or rs72239206), complete mutant specificity was observed. In summary, our map of haplotype-specific indels permits the identification of allele-specific targets in HD subjects, potentially contributing to the development of safe HTT-lowering therapeutics that are suitable for early treatment in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wan Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aram Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Seri S Park
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Medical and Population Genetics Program, Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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34
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Martinelli I, Tayebati SK, Tomassoni D, Nittari G, Roy P, Amenta F. Brain and Retinal Organoids for Disease Modeling: The Importance of In Vitro Blood–Brain and Retinal Barriers Studies. Cells 2022; 11:cells11071120. [PMID: 35406683 PMCID: PMC8997725 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain and retinal organoids are functional and dynamic in vitro three-dimensional (3D) structures derived from pluripotent stem cells that spontaneously organize themselves to their in vivo counterparts. Here, we review the main literature data of how these organoids have been developed through different protocols and how they have been technically analyzed. Moreover, this paper reviews recent advances in using organoids to model neurological and retinal diseases, considering their potential for translational applications but also pointing out their limitations. Since the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood–retinal barrier (BRB) are understood to play a fundamental role respectively in brain and eye functions, both in health and in disease, we provide an overview of the progress in the development techniques of in vitro models as reliable and predictive screening tools for BBB and BRB-penetrating compounds. Furthermore, we propose potential future directions for brain and retinal organoids, in which dedicated biobanks will represent a novel tool for neuroscience and ophthalmology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Martinelli
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.K.T.); (G.N.); (F.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Seyed Khosrow Tayebati
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.K.T.); (G.N.); (F.A.)
| | - Daniele Tomassoni
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (D.T.); (P.R.)
| | - Giulio Nittari
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.K.T.); (G.N.); (F.A.)
| | - Proshanta Roy
- School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (D.T.); (P.R.)
| | - Francesco Amenta
- School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (S.K.T.); (G.N.); (F.A.)
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35
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Susaimanickam PJ, Kiral FR, Park IH. Region Specific Brain Organoids to Study Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Int J Stem Cells 2022; 15:26-40. [PMID: 35220290 PMCID: PMC8889336 DOI: 10.15283/ijsc22006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Region specific brain organoids are brain organoids derived by patterning protocols using extrinsic signals as opposed to cerebral organoids obtained by self-patterning. The main focus of this review is to discuss various region-specific brain organoids developed so far and their application in modeling neurodevelopmental disease. We first discuss the principles of neural axis formation by series of growth factors, such as SHH, WNT, BMP signalings, that are critical to generate various region-specific brain organoids. Then we discuss various neurodevelopmental disorders modeled so far with these region-specific brain organoids, and findings made on mechanism and treatment options for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Joseph Susaimanickam
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ferdi Ridvan Kiral
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - In-Hyun Park
- Department of Genetics, Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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36
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Karwacka M, Olejniczak M. Advances in Modeling Polyglutamine Diseases Using Genome Editing Tools. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030517. [PMID: 35159326 PMCID: PMC8834129 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, including Huntington’s disease, are a group of late-onset progressive neurological disorders caused by CAG repeat expansions. Although recently, many studies have investigated the pathological features and development of polyQ diseases, many questions remain unanswered. The advancement of new gene-editing technologies, especially the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, has undeniable value for the generation of relevant polyQ models, which substantially support the research process. Here, we review how these tools have been used to correct disease-causing mutations or create isogenic cell lines with different numbers of CAG repeats. We characterize various cellular models such as HEK 293 cells, patient-derived fibroblasts, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and animal models generated with the use of genome-editing technology.
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37
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Neurodegenerative diseases associated with non-coding CGG tandem repeat expansions. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:145-157. [PMID: 35022573 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00612-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Non-coding CGG repeat expansions cause multiple neurodegenerative disorders, including fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease, oculopharyngeal myopathy with leukodystrophy, and oculopharyngodistal myopathy. The underlying genetic causes of several of these diseases have been identified only in the past 2-3 years. These expansion disorders have substantial overlapping clinical, neuroimaging and histopathological features. The shared features suggest common mechanisms that could have implications for the development of therapies for this group of diseases - similar therapeutic strategies or drugs may be effective for various neurodegenerative disorders induced by non-coding CGG expansions. In this Review, we provide an overview of clinical and pathological features of these CGG repeat expansion diseases and consider the likely pathological mechanisms, including RNA toxicity, CGG repeat-associated non-AUG-initiated translation, protein aggregation and mitochondrial impairment. We then discuss future research needed to improve the identification and diagnosis of CGG repeat expansion diseases, to improve modelling of these diseases and to understand their pathogenesis. We also consider possible therapeutic strategies. Finally, we propose that CGG repeat expansion diseases may represent manifestations of a single underlying neuromyodegenerative syndrome in which different organs are affected to different extents depending on the gene location of the repeat expansion.
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Patient-Specific iPSCs-Based Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Focus on Aberrant Calcium Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020624. [PMID: 35054808 PMCID: PMC8776084 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of cell reprogramming technologies became a breakthrough in the creation of new models of human diseases, including neurodegenerative pathologies. The iPSCs-based models allow for the studying of both hereditary and sporadic cases of pathologies and produce deep insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. The use of the cells most vulnerable to a particular pathology makes it possible to identify specific pathological mechanisms and greatly facilitates the task of selecting the most effective drugs. To date, a large number of studies on patient-specific models of neurodegenerative diseases has been accumulated. In this review, we focused on the alterations of such a ubiquitous and important intracellular regulatory pathway as calcium signaling. Here, we reviewed and analyzed the data obtained from iPSCs-based models of different neurodegenerative disorders that demonstrated aberrant calcium signaling.
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Allen GE, Dhanda AS, Julian LM. Emerging Methods in Modeling Brain Development and Disease with Human Pluripotent Stem Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2515:319-342. [PMID: 35776361 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2409-8_20] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Nobel Prize-winning discovery that human somatic cells can be readily reprogrammed into pluripotent cells has revolutionized our potential to understand the human brain. The rapid technological progression of this field has made it possible to easily obtain human neural cells and even intact tissues, offering invaluable resources to model human brain development. In this chapter, we present a brief history of hPSC-based approaches to study brain development and then, provide new insights into neurological diseases, focusing on those driven by aberrant cell death. Furthermore, we will shed light on the latest technologies and highlight the methods that researchers can use to employ established hPSC approaches in their research. Our intention is to demonstrate that hPSC-based modeling is a technical approach accessible to all researchers who seek a deeper understanding of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- George E Allen
- Department of Biological Sciences; Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Aaron S Dhanda
- Department of Biological Sciences; Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M Julian
- Department of Biological Sciences; Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
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40
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Reasoner EE, van der Plas E, Langbehn DR, Conrad AL, Koscik TR, Epping EA, Magnotta VA, Nopoulos PC. Cortical Features in Child and Adolescent Carriers of Mutant Huntingtin (mHTT). J Huntingtons Dis 2022; 11:173-178. [PMID: 35275555 PMCID: PMC9177765 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular studies provide evidence that mutant huntingtin (mHTT) affects early cortical development; however, cortical development has not been evaluated in child and adolescent carriers of mHTT. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of mHTT on the developmental trajectories of cortical thickness and surface area. METHODS Children and adolescents (6-18 years) participated in the KidsHD study. mHTT carrier status was determined for research purposes only to classify participants as gene expanded (GE) and gene non-expanded (GNE). Cortical features were extracted from 3T neuroimaging using FreeSurfer. Nonlinear mixed effects models were conducted to determine if age, group, and CAG repeat were associated with cortical morphometry. RESULTS Age-related changes in cortical morphometry were similar across groups. Expanded CAG repeat was not significantly associated with cortical features. CONCLUSION While striatal development is markedly different in GE and GNE, developmental change of the cortex appears grossly normal among child and adolescent carrier of mHTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E. Reasoner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Ellen van der Plas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Douglas R. Langbehn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Amy L. Conrad
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Timothy R. Koscik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Eric A. Epping
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Vincent A. Magnotta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242,Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
| | - Peggy C. Nopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242,Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242,Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242
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41
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Kumar D, Hassan MI. Neurodegenerative brain models vs. cell replacement or restoration therapy: A review on promises and pitfalls. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 585:124-131. [PMID: 34801932 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Disease models have proven useful tools for gaining deeper mechanistic insights into neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, stem cell technology is effective, especially induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain organoids and cell replacement/restoration which can be used for personalized medicine, allowing physicians to test the efficacy of drugs in vitro before delivering them to patients, enabling more precise and personalized treatment. Nonetheless, it offers the potential to minimize (or even eliminate) the use of animals, provides important clues for disease processes, and accelerates therapeutic strategies. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, organoid models of the human brain will be able to link blood-brain barrier cultures with other liver cultures, simulating blood flow across organs and as a method of testing medicines, giving crucial pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics data. Simultaneously, stem cell interventions for cell replacements or restoration therapy would enable us to realize efficacious and realistic therapeutic options for Neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhiraj Kumar
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Md Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
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42
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Abstract
At fifteen different genomic locations, the expansion of a CAG/CTG repeat causes a neurodegenerative or neuromuscular disease, the most common being Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1. These disorders are characterized by germline and somatic instability of the causative CAG/CTG repeat mutations. Repeat lengthening, or expansion, in the germline leads to an earlier age of onset or more severe symptoms in the next generation. In somatic cells, repeat expansion is thought to precipitate the rate of disease. The mechanisms underlying repeat instability are not well understood. Here we review the mammalian model systems that have been used to study CAG/CTG repeat instability, and the modifiers identified in these systems. Mouse models have demonstrated prominent roles for proteins in the mismatch repair pathway as critical drivers of CAG/CTG instability, which is also suggested by recent genome-wide association studies in humans. We draw attention to a network of connections between modifiers identified across several systems that might indicate pathway crosstalk in the context of repeat instability, and which could provide hypotheses for further validation or discovery. Overall, the data indicate that repeat dynamics might be modulated by altering the levels of DNA metabolic proteins, their regulation, their interaction with chromatin, or by direct perturbation of the repeat tract. Applying novel methodologies and technologies to this exciting area of research will be needed to gain deeper mechanistic insight that can be harnessed for therapies aimed at preventing repeat expansion or promoting repeat contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa C. Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Correspondence to: Vanessa C. Wheeler, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts Hospital, Boston MAA 02115, USA. E-mail: . and Vincent Dion, UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, UK. E-mail:
| | - Vincent Dion
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK,Correspondence to: Vanessa C. Wheeler, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts Hospital, Boston MAA 02115, USA. E-mail: . and Vincent Dion, UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, UK. E-mail:
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43
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Villegas L, Nørremølle A, Freude K, Vilhardt F. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidases Are Everywhere in Brain Disease, but Not in Huntington's Disease? Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:736734. [PMID: 34803655 PMCID: PMC8602359 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.736734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuronal loss and tissue atrophy mainly in the striatum and cortex. In the early stages of the disease, impairment of neuronal function, synaptic dysfunction and white matter loss precedes neuronal death itself. Relative to other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, where the effects of either microglia or NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are recognized as important contributors to disease pathogenesis and progression, there is a pronounced lack of information in HD. This information void contrasts with evidence from human HD patients where blood monocytes and microglia are activated well before HD clinical symptoms (PET scans), and the clear signs of oxidative stress and inflammation in post mortem HD brain. Habitually, NOX activity and oxidative stress in the central nervous system (CNS) are equated with microglia, but research of the last two decades has carved out important roles for NOX enzyme function in neurons. Here, we will convey recent information about the function of NOX enzymes in neurons, and contemplate on putative roles of neuronal NOX in HD. We will focus on NOX-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) as redox signaling molecules in/among neurons, and the specific roles of NOXs in important processes such as neurogenesis and lineage specification, neurite outgrowth and growth cone dynamics, and synaptic plasticity where NMDAR-dependent signaling, and long-term depression/potentiation are redox-regulated phenomena. HD animal models and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) studies have made it clear that the very same physiological processes are also affected in HD, and we will speculate on possible roles for NOX in the pathogenesis and development of disease. Finally, we also take into account the limited information on microglia in HD and relate this to any contribution of NOX enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisana Villegas
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Nørremølle
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristine Freude
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Frederik Vilhardt
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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44
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Pigazzini ML, Lawrenz M, Margineanu A, Kaminski Schierle GS, Kirstein J. An Expanded Polyproline Domain Maintains Mutant Huntingtin Soluble in vivo and During Aging. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:721749. [PMID: 34720872 PMCID: PMC8554126 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.721749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat, encoding for the amino acid glutamine (Q), present in the first exon of the protein huntingtin. Over the threshold of Q39 HTT exon 1 (HTTEx1) tends to misfold and aggregate into large intracellular structures, but whether these end-stage aggregates or their on-pathway intermediates are responsible for cytotoxicity is still debated. HTTEx1 can be separated into three domains: an N-terminal 17 amino acid region, the polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion and a C-terminal proline rich domain (PRD). Alongside the expanded polyQ, these flanking domains influence the aggregation propensity of HTTEx1: with the N17 initiating and promoting aggregation, and the PRD modulating it. In this study we focus on the first 11 amino acids of the PRD, a stretch of pure prolines, which are an evolutionary recent addition to the expanding polyQ region. We hypothesize that this proline region is expanding alongside the polyQ to counteract its ability to misfold and cause toxicity, and that expanding this proline region would be overall beneficial. We generated HTTEx1 mutants lacking both flanking domains singularly, missing the first 11 prolines of the PRD, or with this stretch of prolines expanded. We then followed their aggregation landscape in vitro with a battery of biochemical assays, and in vivo in novel models of C. elegans expressing the HTTEx1 mutants pan-neuronally. Employing fluorescence lifetime imaging we could observe the aggregation propensity of all HTTEx1 mutants during aging and correlate this with toxicity via various phenotypic assays. We found that the presence of an expanded proline stretch is beneficial in maintaining HTTEx1 soluble over time, regardless of polyQ length. However, the expanded prolines were only advantageous in promoting the survival and fitness of an organism carrying a pathogenic stretch of Q48 but were extremely deleterious to the nematode expressing a physiological stretch of Q23. Our results reveal the unique importance of the prolines which have and still are evolving alongside expanding glutamines to promote the function of HTTEx1 and avoid pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lucia Pigazzini
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mandy Lawrenz
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anca Margineanu
- Advanced Light Microscopy, Max-Delbrück Centrum for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriele S. Kaminski Schierle
- Molecular Neuroscience Group, Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Janine Kirstein
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Cell Biology, Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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45
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Bakels HS, Roos RAC, van Roon-Mom WMC, de Bot ST. Juvenile-Onset Huntington Disease Pathophysiology and Neurodevelopment: A Review. Mov Disord 2021; 37:16-24. [PMID: 34636452 PMCID: PMC9291924 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease is an autosomal dominant inherited brain disorder that typically becomes manifest in adulthood. Juvenile-onset Huntington disease refers to approximately 5% of patients with symptom onset before the age of 21 years. The causal factor is a pathologically expanded CAG repeat in the Huntingtin gene. Age at onset is inversely correlated with CAG repeat length. Juvenile-onset patients have distinct symptoms and signs with more severe pathology of involved brain structures in comparison with disease onset in adulthood. The aim of this review is to compare clinical and pathological features in juvenile- and adult-onset Huntington disease and to explore which processes potentially contribute to the observed differences. A specific focus is placed on molecular mechanisms of mutant huntingtin in early neurodevelopment and the interaction of a neurodegenerative disease and postnatal brain maturation. The importance of a better understanding of pathophysiological differences between juvenile- and adult-onset Huntington disease lies in development and implementation of new therapeutic strategies. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah S Bakels
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Raymund A C Roos
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Susanne T de Bot
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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46
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Galgoczi S, Ruzo A, Markopoulos C, Yoney A, Phan-Everson T, Li S, Haremaki T, Metzger JJ, Etoc F, Brivanlou AH. Huntingtin CAG expansion impairs germ layer patterning in synthetic human 2D gastruloids through polarity defects. Development 2021; 148:272380. [PMID: 34608934 PMCID: PMC8513611 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of the CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Although HD has been shown to have a developmental component, how early during human embryogenesis the HTT-CAG expansion can cause embryonic defects remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate a specific and highly reproducible CAG length-dependent phenotypic signature in a synthetic model for human gastrulation derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Specifically, we observed a reduction in the extension of the ectodermal compartment that is associated with enhanced activin signaling. Surprisingly, rather than a cell-autonomous effect, tracking the dynamics of TGFβ signaling demonstrated that HTT-CAG expansion perturbs the spatial restriction of activin response. This is due to defects in the apicobasal polarization in the context of the polarized epithelium of the 2D gastruloid, leading to ectopic subcellular localization of TGFβ receptors. This work refines the earliest developmental window for the prodromal phase of HD to the first 2 weeks of human development, as modeled by our 2D gastruloids. Summary: 2D gastruloids of isogenic human embryonic stem cells modeling Huntington's Disease reveal that huntingtin CAG expansion perturbs the spatial restriction of the activin response in the context of the polarized epithelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia Galgoczi
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Albert Ruzo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Christian Markopoulos
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anna Yoney
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Laboratory of condensed matter physics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tien Phan-Everson
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Laboratory of condensed matter physics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shu Li
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tomomi Haremaki
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jakob J Metzger
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Laboratory of condensed matter physics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Fred Etoc
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.,Laboratory of condensed matter physics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ali H Brivanlou
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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47
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Xu J, Wen Z. Brain Organoids: Studying Human Brain Development and Diseases in a Dish. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:5902824. [PMID: 34539790 PMCID: PMC8448601 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5902824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
With the rapid development of stem cell technology, the advent of three-dimensional (3D) cultured brain organoids has opened a new avenue for studying human neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Brain organoids are stem-cell-derived 3D suspension cultures that self-assemble into an organized structure with cell types and cytoarchitectures recapitulating the developing brain. In recent years, brain organoids have been utilized in various aspects, ranging from basic biology studies, to disease modeling, and high-throughput screening of pharmaceutical compounds. In this review, we overview the establishment and development of brain organoid technology, its recent progress, and translational applications, as well as existing limitations and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- The Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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48
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van der Plas E, Schultz JL, Nopoulos PC. The Neurodevelopmental Hypothesis of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 9:217-229. [PMID: 32925079 PMCID: PMC7683043 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The current dogma of HD pathoetiology posits it is a degenerative disease affecting primarily the striatum, caused by a gain of function (toxicity) of the mutant mHTT that kills neurons. However, a growing body of evidence supports an alternative theory in which loss of function may also influence the pathology.This theory is predicated on the notion that HTT is known to be a vital gene for brain development. mHTT is expressed throughout life and could conceivably have deleterious effects on brain development. The end event in the disease is, of course, neurodegeneration; however the process by which that occurs may be rooted in the pathophysiology of aberrant development.To date, there have been multiple studies evaluating molecular and cellular mechanisms of abnormal development in HD, as well as studies investigating abnormal brain development in HD animal models. However, direct study of how mHTT could affect neurodevelopment in humans has not been approached until recent years. The current review will focus on the most recent findings of a unique study of children at-risk for HD, the Kids-HD study. This study evaluates brain structure and function in children ages 6-18 years old who are at risk for HD (have a parent or grand-parent with HD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen van der Plas
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jordan L Schultz
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Peg C Nopoulos
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Jalink P, Caiazzo M. Brain Organoids: Filling the Need for a Human Model of Neurological Disorder. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:740. [PMID: 34439972 PMCID: PMC8389592 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders are among the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for almost all onsets of dementia in the elderly, and are known to negatively affect motor ability, mental and cognitive performance, as well as overall wellbeing and happiness. Currently, most neurological disorders go untreated due to a lack of viable treatment options. The reason for this lack of options is s poor understanding of the disorders, primarily due to research models that do not translate well into the human in vivo system. Current models for researching neurological disorders, neurodevelopment, and drug interactions in the central nervous system include in vitro monolayer cell cultures, and in vivo animal models. These models have shortcomings when it comes to translating research about disorder pathology, development, and treatment to humans. Brain organoids are three-dimensional (3D) cultures of stem cell-derived neural cells that mimic the development of the in vivo human brain with high degrees of accuracy. Researchers have started developing these miniature brains to model neurodevelopment, and neuropathology. Brain organoids have been used to model a wide range of neurological disorders, including the complex and poorly understood neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we discuss the brain organoid technology, placing special focus on the different brain organoid models that have been developed, discussing their strengths, weaknesses, and uses in neurological disease modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Jalink
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, CG 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | - Massimiliano Caiazzo
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, CG 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands;
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Azar J, Bahmad HF, Daher D, Moubarak MM, Hadadeh O, Monzer A, Al Bitar S, Jamal M, Al-Sayegh M, Abou-Kheir W. The Use of Stem Cell-Derived Organoids in Disease Modeling: An Update. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7667. [PMID: 34299287 PMCID: PMC8303386 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Organoids represent one of the most important advancements in the field of stem cells during the past decade. They are three-dimensional in vitro culturing models that originate from self-organizing stem cells and can mimic the in vivo structural and functional specificities of body organs. Organoids have been established from multiple adult tissues as well as pluripotent stem cells and have recently become a powerful tool for studying development and diseases in vitro, drug screening, and host-microbe interaction. The use of stem cells-that have self-renewal capacity to proliferate and differentiate into specialized cell types-for organoids culturing represents a major advancement in biomedical research. Indeed, this new technology has a great potential to be used in a multitude of fields, including cancer research, hereditary and infectious diseases. Nevertheless, organoid culturing is still rife with many challenges, not limited to being costly and time consuming, having variable rates of efficiency in generation and maintenance, genetic stability, and clinical applications. In this review, we aim to provide a synopsis of pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids and their use for disease modeling and other clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Azar
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Hisham F. Bahmad
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
- Arkadi M. Rywlin M.D. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL 33140, USA
| | - Darine Daher
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Maya M. Moubarak
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Ola Hadadeh
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Alissar Monzer
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Samar Al Bitar
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Mohamed Jamal
- Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai 66566, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed Al-Sayegh
- Biology Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi 2460, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wassim Abou-Kheir
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2260, Lebanon; (J.A.); (H.F.B.); (D.D.); (M.M.M.); (O.H.); (A.M.); (S.A.B.)
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