Disease modeling of immunological disorders using induced pluripotent stem cells

Inducible pluripotent stem cell models to study bone marrow failure and MDS predisposition syndromes

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have emerged as powerful tools for in vitro modeling of bone marrow failure (BMF) syndromes and hereditary conditions predisposing to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This review synthesizes recent advances in iPSC-based disease modeling for various inherited BMF/MDS disorders, including Fanconi anemia, dyskeratosis congenita, Diamond Blackfan anemia syndrome, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, and severe congenital neutropenia as well as GATA2, RUNX1, ETV6, ANKRD26, SAMD9, SAMD9L, and ADH5/ALDH2 syndromes. Although the majority of these iPSC lines are derived from patient cells, some are generated by introducing patient-specific mutations into healthy iPSC backgrounds, offering complementary approaches to disease modeling. The review highlights the ability of iPSCs to recapitulate key disease phenotypes, such as impaired hematopoietic differentiation, telomere dysfunction, and defects in DNA repair or ribosome biogenesis. We discuss how these models have enhanced our understanding of disease pathomechanisms, hematopoietic defects, and potential therapeutic approaches. Challenges in generating and maintaining disease-specific iPSCs are examined, particularly for disorders involving DNA repair. We emphasize the necessity of creating isogenic controls to elucidate genotype-phenotype relationships. Furthermore, we address limitations of current iPSC models, including genetic variability among iPSC clones derived from the same patient, and difficulties in achieving robust engraftment of iPSC-derived hematopoietic progenitor cells in mouse transplantation models. The review also explores future directions, including the potential of iPSC models for drug discovery and personalized medicine approaches. This review underscores the significance of iPSC technology in advancing our understanding of inherited hematopoietic disorders and its potential to inform novel therapeutic strategies.

Cellular models in autoinflammatory disease research

Systemic autoinflammatory diseases are a heterogeneous group of rare genetic disorders caused by dysregulation of the innate immune system. Understanding the complex mechanisms underlying these conditions is critical for developing effective treatments. Cellular models are essential for identifying new conditions and studying their pathogenesis. Traditionally, these studies have used primary cells and cell lines of disease-relevant cell types, although newer induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based models might have unique advantages. In this review, we discuss the three cellular models used in autoinflammatory disease research, their strengths and weaknesses, and their applications to inform future research in the field.

Elucidation of the Pathogenesis of Autoinflammatory Diseases Using iPS Cells

Autoinflammatory diseases are a disease entity caused by the dysregulation of innate immune cells. Typical autoinflammatory diseases are monogenic disorders and often very rare. As a result, there is a relative lack of understanding of the pathogenesis, poor diagnosis and little available treatment. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are a new technology being applied to in vitro disease modeling. These models are especially useful for the analysis of rare and intractable diseases including autoinflammatory diseases. In this review, I will provide a general overview of iPS cell models for autoinflammatory diseases and a brief description of the results obtained from individual reports.