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Flores-Bellver M, Canto-Soler MV. Generation of Induced-Primary Retinal Pigment Epithelium from Human Retinal Organoids. Methods Mol Biol 2025; 2848:197-214. [PMID: 39240525 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4087-6_13] [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: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) serve multiple roles, including among others, modeling RPE development in normal and pathological conditions, investigating mechanisms of RPE physiology, modeling retinal diseases involving the RPE, and developing strategies for regenerative therapies. We have developed a simple and efficient protocol to generate RPE tissue from human iPSCs-derived retinal organoids. The RPE tissue present in the retinal organoids is analogous to the native human RPE in differentiation timeline, histological organization, and key features of functional maturation. Building upon this system, we established a method to generate functionally mature, polarized RPE monolayers comparable to human primary RPE. This comprehensive protocol outlines the steps for isolating and culturing RPE tissue using retinal organoids. The outcome is a pure population of cells expressing mature RPE signatures and organized in a characteristic cobblestone monolayer featuring robust ultrastructural polarization. These RPE monolayers also exhibit the functional hallmarks of bona fide mature RPE cells, providing a suitable system to mimic the biology and function of the native human RPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Flores-Bellver
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - M Valeria Canto-Soler
- CellSight Ocular Stem Cell and Regeneration Research Program, Department of Ophthalmology, Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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2
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Pollalis D, Nair GKG, Leung J, Bloemhof CM, Bailey JK, Pennington BO, Kelly KR, Khan AI, Yeh AK, Sundaram KS, Clegg DO, Peng CC, Xu L, Georgescu C, Wren JD, Lee SY. Dynamics of microRNA secreted via extracellular vesicles during the maturation of embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium. JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 3:e70001. [PMID: 39281021 PMCID: PMC11393772 DOI: 10.1002/jex2.70001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are exclusive to the retina, critically multifunctional in maintaining the visual functions and health of photoreceptors and the retina. Despite their vital functions throughout lifetime, RPE cells lack regenerative capacity, rendering them vulnerable which can lead to degenerative retinal diseases. With advancements in stem cell technology enabling the differentiation of functional cells from pluripotent stem cells and leveraging the robust autocrine and paracrine functions of RPE cells, extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by RPE cells hold significant therapeutic potential in supplementing RPE cell activity. While previous research has primarily focused on the trophic factors secreted by RPE cells, there is a lack of studies investigating miRNA, which serves as a master regulator of gene expression. Profiling and defining the functional role of miRNA contained within RPE-secreted EVs is critical as it constitutes a necessary step in identifying the optimal phenotype of the EV-secreting cell and understanding the biological cargo of EVs to develop EV-based therapeutics. In this study, we present a comprehensive profile of miRNA in small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) secreted during RPE maturation following differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs); early-stage hESC-RPE (20-21 days in culture), mid-stage hESC-RPE (30-31 days in culture) and late-stage hESC-RPE (60-61 days in culture). This exploration is essential for ongoing efforts to develop and optimize EV-based intraocular therapeutics utilizing RPE-secreted EVs, which may significantly impact the function of dysfunctional RPE cells in retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Pollalis
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
| | - Gopa Kumar Gopinadhan Nair
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
| | - Justin Leung
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Los Angeles California USA
| | - Clarisa Marie Bloemhof
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- School of Medicine California University of Science and Medicine Colton California USA
| | - Jeffrey K Bailey
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Britney O Pennington
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Kaitlin R Kelly
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Amir I Khan
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Ashley K Yeh
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- College of Creative Studies, Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Kartik S Sundaram
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Dennis O Clegg
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology University of California Santa Barbara California USA
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering University of California Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Chen-Ching Peng
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles Vision Center Los Angeles California USA
| | - Liya Xu
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles Vision Center Los Angeles California USA
| | - Constantin Georgescu
- Genes & Human Diseases Research Program Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Oklahoma City Oklahoma USA
| | - Jonathan D Wren
- Genes & Human Diseases Research Program Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Oklahoma City Oklahoma USA
| | - Sun Young Lee
- USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California Los Angeles California USA
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3
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Bailey JK, Ma D, Clegg DO. Initial Characterization of WDR5B Reveals a Role in the Proliferation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells. Cells 2024; 13:1189. [PMID: 39056772 PMCID: PMC11275010 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141189] [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: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The chromatin-associated protein WDR5 has been widely studied due to its role in histone modification and its potential as a pharmacological target for the treatment of cancer. In humans, the protein with highest sequence homology to WDR5 is encoded by the retrogene WDR5B, which remains unexplored. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to generate WDR5B knockout and WDR5B-FLAG knock-in cell lines for further characterization. In contrast to WDR5, WDR5B exhibits low expression in pluripotent cells and is upregulated upon neural differentiation. Loss or shRNA depletion of WDR5B impairs cell growth and increases the fraction of non-viable cells in proliferating retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cultures. CUT&RUN chromatin profiling in RPE and neural progenitors indicates minimal WDR5B enrichment at established WDR5 binding sites. These results suggest that WDR5 and WDR5B exhibit several divergent biological properties despite sharing a high degree of sequence homology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey K. Bailey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Dzwokai Ma
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Dennis O. Clegg
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Kurzawa-Akanbi M, Tzoumas N, Corral-Serrano JC, Guarascio R, Steel DH, Cheetham ME, Armstrong L, Lako M. Pluripotent stem cell-derived models of retinal disease: Elucidating pathogenesis, evaluating novel treatments, and estimating toxicity. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 100:101248. [PMID: 38369182 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101248] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Blindness poses a growing global challenge, with approximately 26% of cases attributed to degenerative retinal diseases. While gene therapy, optogenetic tools, photosensitive switches, and retinal prostheses offer hope for vision restoration, these high-cost therapies will benefit few patients. Understanding retinal diseases is therefore key to advance effective treatments, requiring in vitro models replicating pathology and allowing quantitative assessments for drug discovery. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) provide a unique solution given their limitless supply and ability to differentiate into light-responsive retinal tissues encompassing all cell types. This review focuses on the history and current state of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell generation from PSCs. We explore the applications of this technology in disease modelling, experimental therapy testing, biomarker identification, and toxicity studies. We consider challenges in scalability, standardisation, and reproducibility, and stress the importance of incorporating vasculature and immune cells into retinal organoids. We advocate for high-throughput automation in data acquisition and analyses and underscore the value of advanced micro-physiological systems that fully capture the interactions between the neural retina, RPE, and choriocapillaris.
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Pollalis D, Georgescu C, Wren JD, Tombulyan G, Leung JM, Lo PA, Bloemhof CM, Lee RH, Bae E, Bailey JK, Pennington BO, Khan AI, Kelly KR, Yeh AK, Sundaram KS, Humayun M, Louie S, Clegg DO, Lee SY. Rescuing Photoreceptors in RPE Dysfunction-Driven Retinal Degeneration: The Role of Small Extracellular Vesicles Secreted from Retinal Pigment Epithelium. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.09.588773. [PMID: 38645051 PMCID: PMC11030310 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.09.588773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a common shared pathology in major degenerative retinal diseases despite variations in the primary etiologies of each disease. Due to their demanding and indispensable functional roles throughout the lifetime, RPE cells are vulnerable to genetic predisposition, external stress, and aging processes. Building upon recent advancements in stem cell technology for differentiating healthy RPE cells and recognizing the significant roles of small extracellular vesicles (sEV) in cellular paracrine and autocrine actions, we investigated the hypothesis that the RPE-secreted sEV alone can restore essential RPE functions and rescue photoreceptors in RPE dysfunction-driven retinal degeneration. Our findings support the rationale for developing intravitreal treatment of sEV. We demonstrate that intravitreally delivered sEV effectively penetrate the full thickness of the retina. Xenogenic intraocular administration of human-derived EVs did not induce acute immune reactions in rodents. sEV derived from human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived fully differentiated RPE cells, but not sEV-depleted conditioned cell culture media (CCM minus sEV), rescued photoreceptors and their function in a Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat model. This model is characterized by photoreceptor death and retinal degeneration resulting from a mutation in the MerTK gene in RPE cells. From the bulk RNA sequencing study, we identified 447 differently expressed genes in the retina after hESC-RPE-sEV treatment compared with the untreated control. Furthermore, 394 out of 447 genes (88%) showed a reversal in expression toward the healthy state in Long-Evans (LE) rats after treatment compared to the diseased state. Particularly, detrimental alterations in gene expression in RCS rats, including essential RPE functions such as phototransduction, vitamin A metabolism, and lipid metabolism were partially reversed. Defective photoreceptor outer segment engulfment due to intrinsic MerTK mutation was partially ameliorated. These findings suggest that RPE-secreted sEV may play a functional role similar to that of RPE cells. Our study justifies further exploration to fully unlock future therapeutic interventions with sEV in a broad array of degenerative retinal diseases.
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Leung J, Pollalis D, Nair GKG, Bailey JK, Pennington BO, Khan AI, Kelly KR, Yeh AK, Sundaram KS, Clegg DO, Peng CC, Xu L, Lee SY. Isolation and Characterization of Extracellular Vesicles Through Orthogonal Approaches for the Development of Intraocular EV Therapy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:6. [PMID: 38466285 PMCID: PMC10929743 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.3.6] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Isolating extracellular vesicles (EVs) with high yield, replicable purity, and characterization remains a bottleneck in the development of EV therapeutics. To address these challenges, the current study aims to establish the necessary framework for preclinical and clinical studies in the development of stem cell-derived intraocular EV therapeutics. Methods Small EVs (sEVs) were separated from the conditioned cell culture medium (CCM) of the human embryogenic stem cell-derived fully polarized retinal pigment epithelium (hESC-RPE-sEV) by a commercially available microfluidic tangential flow filtration (TFF) device ExoDisc (ED) or differential ultracentrifugation (dUC). The scaling and concentration capabilities and purity of recovered sEVs were assessed. Size, number, and surface markers of sEVs were determined by orthogonal approaches using multiple devices. Results ED yielded higher numbers of sEVs, ranging from three to eight times higher depending on the measurement device, compared to dUC using the same 5 mL of CCM input. Within the same setting, the purity of ED-recovered hESC-RPE-sEVs was higher than that for dUC-recovered sEVs. ED yielded a higher concentration of particles, which is strongly correlated with the input volume, up to 10 mL (r = 0.98, P = 0.016). Meanwhile, comprehensive characterization profiles of EV surface markers between ED- and dUC-recovered hESC-RPE-sEVs were compatible. Conclusions Our study supports TFF as a valuable strategy for separating sEVs for the development of intraocular EV therapeutics. However, there is a growing need for diverse devices to optimize TFF for use in EV preparation. Using orthogonal approaches in EV characterization remains ideal for reliably characterizing heterogeneous EV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Leung
- USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Dimitrios Pollalis
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Gopa K. G. Nair
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Jeffrey K. Bailey
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Britney O. Pennington
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Amir I. Khan
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Kaitlin R. Kelly
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Ashley K. Yeh
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- College of Creative Studies, Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Kartik S. Sundaram
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Dennis O. Clegg
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
- Biomolecular Science and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, United States
| | - Chen-Ching Peng
- Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles Vision Center, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Liya Xu
- Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles Vision Center, Los Angeles, California, United States
| | - Sun Young Lee
- USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Department of Physiology and Neuroscience, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States
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Temple S. Advancing cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:512-529. [PMID: 37084729 PMCID: PMC10201979 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based therapies are being developed for various neurodegenerative diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Concomitantly, the roles of individual cell types in neurodegenerative pathology are being uncovered by genetic and single-cell studies. With a greater understanding of cellular contributions to health and disease and with the arrival of promising approaches to modulate them, effective therapeutic cell products are now emerging. This review examines how the ability to generate diverse CNS cell types from stem cells, along with a deeper understanding of cell-type-specific functions and pathology, is advancing preclinical development of cell products for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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Liu Q, Liu J, Higuchi A. hPSC-derived RPE transplantation for the treatment of macular degeneration. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 199:227-269. [PMID: 37678973 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2023.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Macular degeneration (MD) is a group of diseases characterized by irreversible and progressive vision loss. Patients with MD suffer from severely impaired central vision, especially elderly people. Currently, only one type of MD, wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), can be treated with anti-vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) drugs. Other types of MD remain difficult to treat. With the advent of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and their differentiation into retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), it is promising to treat patients with MD by transplantation of hPSC-derived RPE into the subretinal space. In this review, the current progress in hPSC-derived RPE transplantation for the treatment of patients with MD is described from bench to bedside, including hPSC differentiation into RPE and the characterization and usage of hPSC-derived RPE for transplantation into patients with MD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China
| | - Akon Higuchi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China; Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University, Jhongli, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zhang T, Huang X, Liu S, Bai X, Zhu X, Clegg DO, Jiang M, Sun X. Determining the optimal stage for cryopreservation of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:454. [PMID: 36064625 PMCID: PMC9446586 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-03141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells (hESC-derived RPE) are a promising source for cell-replacement therapy to treat retinal degenerative diseases, but research on RPE cryopreservation is limited. This study aimed to determine the best phase for RPE cryopreservation to preserve the post-thaw function and uncover the mechanism underlying RPE freezing tolerance. Methods hESC-derived RPE cells were cryopreserved at various time points after seeding. After thawing, the survival and attachment rates, RPE marker gene expression, apical-basal polarity, PEDF secretion, transepithelial resistance, and phagocytotic ability of post-thaw RPE cells were evaluated. RNA sequencing was performed on RPE cells at three-time points, differentially expressed genes were identified, and gene ontology, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes, and protein–protein interaction analyses were used to investigate the key pathways or molecules associated with RPE cell freezing tolerance. Results RPE frozen at passage 2 day 5 (P2D5) had the highest cell viability and attachment after thawing. They also retained properly localized expression of RPE marker genes and biological functions such as PEDF secretion, high transepithelial resistance, and phagocytic ability. The RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that RPE cells at P2D5 expressed high levels of cell cycle/DNA replication and ECM binding associated genes, as well as THBS1, which may serve as a possible hub gene involved in freezing tolerance. We also confirmed that the RPE cells at P2D5 were in the exponential stage with active DNA replication. Conclusions We propose that freezing hESC-derived RPE cells during their exponential phase results in the best post-thawing outcome in terms of cell viability and preservation of RPE cell properties and functions. The high expression levels of the cell cycle and ECM binding associated genes, particularly THBS1, may contribute to better cell recovery at this stage. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-03141-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianyu Huang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Sujun Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Bai
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyue Zhu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Dennis O Clegg
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Mei Jiang
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China. .,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China. .,Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaodong Sun
- National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People's Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, 100 Haining Road, Shanghai, 200080, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai, China
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10
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Dehghan S, Mirshahi R, Shoae-Hassani A, Naseripour M. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived retinal pigmented epithelium, a new horizon for cells-based therapies for age-related macular degeneration. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:217. [PMID: 35619143 PMCID: PMC9137077 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02894-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration is the hallmark of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD, as one of the most common causes of irreversible visual impairment worldwide, remains in need of an appropriate approach to restore retinal function. Wet AMD, which is characterized by neovascular formation, can be stabilized by currently available therapies, including laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy, and intraocular injections of anti-VEFG (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) therapy or a combination of these modalities. Unlike wet AMD, there is no effective therapy for progressive dry (non-neovascular) AMD. However, stem cell-based therapies, a part of regenerative medicine, have shown promising results for retinal degenerative diseases such as AMD. The goal of RPE cell therapy is to return the normal structure and function of the retina by re-establishing its interaction with photoreceptors, which is essential to vision. Considering the limited source of naturally occurring RPE cells, recent progress in stem cell research has allowed the generation of RPE cells from human pluripotent cells, both embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Since iPSCs face neither ethical arguments nor significant immunological considerations when compared to ESCs, they open a new horizon for cell therapy of AMD. The current study aims to discuss AMD, review the protocols for making human iPSCs-derived RPEs, and summarize recent developments in the field of iPSC-derived RPEs cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Dehghan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Mirshahi
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Shoae-Hassani
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masood Naseripour
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Eye Research Center, The Five Senses Health Institute, Rassoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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11
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Ortolan D, Sharma R, Volkov A, Maminishkis A, Hotaling NA, Huryn LA, Cukras C, Di Marco S, Bisti S, Bharti K. Single-cell-resolution map of human retinal pigment epithelium helps discover subpopulations with differential disease sensitivity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117553119. [PMID: 35522714 PMCID: PMC9171647 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117553119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Regional phenotypic and functional differences in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) monolayer have been suggested to account for regional susceptibility in ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), late-onset retinal degeneration (L-ORD), and choroideremia (CHM). However, a comprehensive description of human topographical RPE diversity is not yet available, thus limiting the understanding of regional RPE diversity and degenerative disease sensitivity in the eye. To develop a complete morphometric RPE map of the human eye, artificial intelligence–based software was trained to recognize, segment, and analyze RPE borders. Five statistically different, concentric RPE subpopulations (P1 to P5) were identified using cell area as a parameter, including a subpopulation (P4) with cell area comparable to that of macular cells in the far periphery of the eye. This work provides a complete reference map of human RPE subpopulations and their location in the eye. In addition, the analysis of cadaver non-AMD and AMD eyes and ultra-widefield fundus images of patients revealed differential vulnerability of the five RPE subpopulations to different retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Ortolan
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Ruchi Sharma
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Andrei Volkov
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Arvydas Maminishkis
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Nathan A. Hotaling
- Information Resources Technology Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Laryssa A. Huryn
- Ophthalmic Clinical Genetics Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Catherine Cukras
- Unit on Clinical Investigation of Retinal Disease, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Stefano Di Marco
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Silvia Bisti
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Biostructures and Biosystems National Institute, 00136 Roma, Italy
| | - Kapil Bharti
- Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section, National Eye Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
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12
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Raimondi R, Zollet P, De Rosa FP, Tsoutsanis P, Stravalaci M, Paulis M, Inforzato A, Romano MR. Where Are We with RPE Replacement Therapy? A Translational Review from the Ophthalmologist Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020682. [PMID: 35054869 PMCID: PMC8775975 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) plays a pivotal role in retinal homeostasis. It is therefore an interesting target to fill the unmet medical need of different retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt disease. RPE replacement therapy may use different cellular sources: induced pluripotent stem cells or embryonic stem cells. Cells can be transferred as suspension on a patch with different surgical approaches. Results are promising although based on very limited samples. In this review, we summarize the current progress of RPE replacement and provide a comparative assessment of different published approaches which may become standard of care in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Raimondi
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano–Milan, Italy; (P.Z.); (M.S.); (M.P.); (A.I.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Piero Zollet
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano–Milan, Italy; (P.Z.); (M.S.); (M.P.); (A.I.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Francesco Paolo De Rosa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Panagiotis Tsoutsanis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Matteo Stravalaci
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano–Milan, Italy; (P.Z.); (M.S.); (M.P.); (A.I.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Marianna Paulis
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano–Milan, Italy; (P.Z.); (M.S.); (M.P.); (A.I.)
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), UOS of Milan, National Research Council of Italy, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Inforzato
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano–Milan, Italy; (P.Z.); (M.S.); (M.P.); (A.I.)
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
| | - Mario R. Romano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele–Milan, Italy; (F.P.D.R.); (P.T.); (M.R.R.)
- Eye Center, Humanitas Gavazzeni-Castelli, 24128 Bergamo, Italy
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13
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Poltavets AS, Mescheryakova NV, Kolesova YS, Artyuhov AS, Dashinimaev EB. Generation of TNFαR1 and ASIC1a Knockout Human Neural Stem Cells In Vitro by CRISPR/Cas9 System. NEUROCHEM J+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712421040103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Alfonsetti M, Castelli V, d’Angelo M, Benedetti E, Allegretti M, Barboni B, Cimini A. Looking for In Vitro Models for Retinal Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10334. [PMID: 34638674 PMCID: PMC8508697 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Retina is a layered structure of the eye, composed of different cellular components working together to produce a complex visual output. Because of its important role in visual function, retinal pathologies commonly represent the main causes of visual injury and blindness in the industrialized world. It is important to develop in vitro models of retinal diseases to use them in first screenings before translating in in vivo experiments and clinics. For this reason, it is important to develop bidimensional (2D) models that are more suitable for drug screening and toxicological studies and tridimensional (3D) models, which can replicate physiological conditions, for investigating pathological mechanisms leading to visual loss. This review provides an overview of the most common retinal diseases, relating to in vivo models, with a specific focus on alternative 2D and 3D in vitro models that can replicate the different cellular and matrix components of retinal layers, as well as injury insults that induce retinal disease and loss of the visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Alfonsetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.A.); (V.C.); (M.d.); (E.B.)
| | - Vanessa Castelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.A.); (V.C.); (M.d.); (E.B.)
| | - Michele d’Angelo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.A.); (V.C.); (M.d.); (E.B.)
| | - Elisabetta Benedetti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.A.); (V.C.); (M.d.); (E.B.)
| | | | - Barbara Barboni
- Faculty of Biosciences and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cimini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy; (M.A.); (V.C.); (M.d.); (E.B.)
- Department of Biology, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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15
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Chinchilla B, Fernandez-Godino R. AMD-Like Substrate Causes Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in iPSC-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Wild Type but Not C3-Knockout. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158183. [PMID: 34360950 PMCID: PMC8348968 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Bruch's membrane (BrM) is a five-layered extracellular matrix (ECM) that supports the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Normal age-related changes in the BrM may lead to RPE cell damage and ultimately to the onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the most common cause of visual loss among the elderly. A role for the complement system in AMD pathology has been established, but the disease mechanisms are poorly understood, which hampers the design of efficient therapies to treat millions of patients. In an effort to identify the mechanisms that lead from normal aging to pathology, we have developed a cell-based model using complement deficient human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived RPE cells cultured on an AMD-like ECM that mimics BrM. The data present evidence that changes in the ECM result in loss of differentiation and promote epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of healthy RPE cells. This pathological process is mediated by complement activation and involves the formation of a randomly oriented collagen meshwork that drives the dedifferentiation of the RPE monolayer. Genetic ablation of complement component 3 has a protective effect against EMT but does not prevent the abnormal deposition of collagens. These findings offer new insights into the sequence of events that initiate AMD and may guide the design of efficient therapies to treat this disease with unmet medical needs.
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16
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Chinchilla B, Foltopoulou P, Fernandez-Godino R. Tick-over-mediated complement activation is sufficient to cause basal deposit formation in cell-based models of macular degeneration. J Pathol 2021; 255:120-131. [PMID: 34155630 DOI: 10.1002/path.5747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite numerous unsuccessful clinical trials for anti-complement drugs to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the complement system has not been fully explored as a target to stop drusen growth in patients with dry AMD. We propose that the resilient autoactivation of C3 by hydrolysis of its internal thioester (tick-over), which cannot be prevented by existing drugs, plays a critical role in the formation of drusenoid deposits underneath the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). We have combined gene editing tools with stem cell technology to generate cell-based models that allow the role of the tick-over in sub-RPE deposit formation to be studied. The results demonstrate that structurally or genetically driven pathological events affecting the RPE and Bruch's membrane can lead to dysregulation of the tick-over, which is sufficient to stimulate the formation of sub-RPE deposits. This can be prevented with therapies that downregulate C3 expression. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Chinchilla
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Parthena Foltopoulou
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosario Fernandez-Godino
- The Ocular Genomics Institute at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Genome Editing of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes to Model Genetic Ocular Diseases. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2021; 2549:321-334. [PMID: 34128206 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2021_409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing with the use of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes of induced pluripotent stem cells can be used to model many diseases. The combination of stem cells and gene editing technologies is a valuable tool to study ocular disorders, as many have been identified to be caused by specific genetic mutations. This protocol provides experimentally derived guidelines for genome editing of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes to generate iPSCs harboring single nucleotide variants from ocular disorders. Edited iPSC can be further differentiated into retinal cells in order to study disease mechanisms as well as screen potential therapies.
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18
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Limnios IJ, Chau YQ, Skabo SJ, Surrao DC, O'Neill HC. Efficient differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to retinal pigment epithelium under defined conditions. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:248. [PMID: 33883023 PMCID: PMC8058973 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02316-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a highly prevalent form of blindness caused by loss death of cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Transplantation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived RPE cells is considered a promising therapy to regenerate cell function and vision. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to develop a rapid directed differentiation method for production of RPE cells from PSC which is rapid, efficient, and fully defined and produces cells suitable for clinical use. DESIGN A protocol for cell growth and differentiation from hESCs was developed to induce differentiation through screening small molecules which regulated a primary stage of differentiation to the eyefield progenitor, and then, a subsequent set of molecules to drive differentiation to RPE cells. Methods for cell plating and maintenance have been optimized to give a homogeneous population of cells in a short 14-day period, followed by a procedure to support maturation of cell function. RESULTS We show here the efficient production of RPE cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) using small molecules in a feeder-free system using xeno-free/defined medium. Flow cytometry at day 14 showed ~ 90% of cells expressed the RPE markers MITF and PMEL17. Temporal gene analysis confirmed differentiation through defined cell intermediates. Mature hESC-RPE cell monolayers exhibited key morphological, molecular, and functional characteristics of the endogenous RPE. CONCLUSION This study identifies a novel cell differentiation process for rapid and efficient production of retinal RPE cells directly from hESCs. The described protocol has utility for clinical-grade cell production for human therapy to treat AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis J Limnios
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia.
| | - Yu-Qian Chau
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| | - Stuart J Skabo
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| | - Denver C Surrao
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia
| | - Helen C O'Neill
- Clem Jones Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4229, Australia.
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19
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Pennington BO, Bailey JK, Faynus MA, Hinman C, Hee MN, Ritts R, Nadar V, Zhu D, Mitra D, Martinez-Camarillo JC, Lin TC, Thomas BB, Hinton DR, Humayun MS, Lebkowski J, Johnson LV, Clegg DO. Xeno-free cryopreservation of adherent retinal pigmented epithelium yields viable and functional cells in vitro and in vivo. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6286. [PMID: 33737600 PMCID: PMC7973769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85631-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the primary cause of blindness in adults over 60 years of age, and clinical trials are currently assessing the therapeutic potential of retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cell monolayers on implantable scaffolds to treat this disease. However, challenges related to the culture, long-term storage, and long-distance transport of such implants currently limit the widespread use of adherent RPE cells as therapeutics. Here we report a xeno-free protocol to cryopreserve a confluent monolayer of clinical-grade, human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells on a parylene scaffold (REPS) that yields viable, polarized, and functional RPE cells post-thaw. Thawed cells exhibit ≥ 95% viability, have morphology, pigmentation, and gene expression characteristic of mature RPE cells, and secrete the neuroprotective protein, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). Stability under liquid nitrogen (LN2) storage has been confirmed through one year. REPS were administered immediately post-thaw into the subretinal space of a mammalian model, the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS)/nude rat. Implanted REPS were assessed at 30, 60, and 90 days post-implantation, and thawed cells demonstrate survival as an intact monolayer on the parylene scaffold. Furthermore, immunoreactivity for the maturation marker, RPE65, significantly increased over the post-implantation period in vivo, and cells demonstrated functional attributes similar to non-cryopreserved controls. The capacity to cryopreserve adherent cellular therapeutics permits extended storage and stable transport to surgical sites, enabling broad distribution for the treatment of prevalent diseases such as AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britney O. Pennington
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, 6131 Biology 2 Bldg 571, NRI, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | - Jeffrey K. Bailey
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, 6131 Biology 2 Bldg 571, NRI, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | - Mohamed A. Faynus
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, 6131 Biology 2 Bldg 571, NRI, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | - Cassidy Hinman
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, 6131 Biology 2 Bldg 571, NRI, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | - Mitchell N. Hee
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676College of Creative Studies, Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA USA
| | - Rory Ritts
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA USA
| | - Vignesh Nadar
- Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | - Danhong Zhu
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Debbie Mitra
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Juan Carlos Martinez-Camarillo
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Tai-Chi Lin
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Biju B. Thomas
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - David R. Hinton
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Mark S. Humayun
- grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Pathology and Ophthalmology, USC Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853Department of Biomedical Engineering, Denney Research Center (DRB) of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.42505.360000 0001 2156 6853USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Jane Lebkowski
- Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA
| | | | - Dennis O. Clegg
- grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, 6131 Biology 2 Bldg 571, NRI, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA ,Regenerative Patch Technologies LLC, Portola Valley, CA USA ,grid.133342.40000 0004 1936 9676Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA USA
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20
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Liu J, Taylor RL, Baines RA, Swanton L, Freeman S, Corneo B, Patel A, Marmorstein A, Knudsen T, Black GC, Manson F. Small Molecules Restore Bestrophin 1 Expression and Function of Both Dominant and Recessive Bestrophinopathies in Patient-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:28. [PMID: 32421148 PMCID: PMC7405785 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.5.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Bestrophinopathies are a group of untreatable inherited retinal dystrophies caused by mutations in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) Cl− channel bestrophin 1. We tested whether sodium phenylbutyrate (4PBA) could rescue the function of mutant bestrophin 1 associated with autosomal dominant and recessive disease. We then sought analogues of 4PBA with increased potency and determined the mode of action for 4PBA and a lead compound 2-naphthoxyacetic acid (2-NOAA). Lastly, we tested if 4PBA and 2-NOAA could functionally rescue bestrophin 1 function in RPE generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-RPEs) derived from patients with a dominant or recessive bestrophinopathy. Methods Global and plasma membrane expression was determined by Western blot and immunofluorescent microscopy, respectively. The effect of 4PBA and 2-NOAA on transcription was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and the rate of protein turnover by cycloheximide chase and Western blot. Channel function was measured by whole-cell patch clamp. Results 4PBA and 2-NOAA can rescue the global and membrane expression of mutant bestrophin 1 associated with autosomal dominant disease (Best vitelliform macular dystrophy [BVMD]) and autosome recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB), and these small molecules have different modes of action. Both 4PBA and 2-NOAA significantly increased the channel function of mutant BVMD and ARB bestrophin 1 in HEK293T and iPSC-RPE cells derived from patients with BVMD and ARB. For 4PBA, the increased mutant channel function in BVMD and ARB iPSC-RPE was equal to that of wild-type iPSC-RPE bestrophin 1. Conclusions The restoration of bestrophin 1 function in patient-derived RPE confirms the US Food and Drug Administration–approved drug 4PBA as a promising therapeutic treatment for bestrophinopathies.
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21
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Perepelkina T, Kegeles E, Baranov P. Optimizing the Conditions and Use of Synthetic Matrix for Three-Dimensional In Vitro Retinal Differentiation from Mouse Pluripotent Cells. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2020; 25:433-445. [PMID: 31195897 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2019.0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPACT STATEMENT The development of retinal regenerative therapies relies on the reproducible and renewable source of retinal neurons for drug discovery and cell transplantation. Three-dimensional approach for retinal differentiation from pluripotent cells recently emerged as the robust strategy for retinal tissue differentiation. In this work, we present the combination of optimized conditions and techniques for three-dimensional retinal differentiation from mouse embryonic cells that improves reproducibility and efficiency of retinal differentiation in organoid cultures. We also show that the retinal induction can be achieved with the synthetic oligopeptide instead of Matrigel that allows to approach xeno-free conditions for cell production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Perepelkina
- 1The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Evgenii Kegeles
- 1The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,2Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Russian Federation
| | - Petr Baranov
- 1The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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22
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Kegeles E, Naumov A, Karpulevich EA, Volchkov P, Baranov P. Convolutional Neural Networks Can Predict Retinal Differentiation in Retinal Organoids. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:171. [PMID: 32719585 PMCID: PMC7350982 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a deep learning-based computer algorithm to recognize and predict retinal differentiation in stem cell-derived organoids based on bright-field imaging. The three-dimensional "organoid" approach for the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSC) into retinal and other neural tissues has become a major in vitro strategy to recapitulate development. We decided to develop a universal, robust, and non-invasive method to assess retinal differentiation that would not require chemical probes or reporter gene expression. We hypothesized that basic-contrast bright-field (BF) images contain sufficient information on tissue specification, and it is possible to extract this data using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Retina-specific Rx-green fluorescent protein mouse embryonic reporter stem cells have been used for all of the differentiation experiments in this work. The BF images of organoids have been taken on day 5 and fluorescent on day 9. To train the CNN, we utilized a transfer learning approach: ImageNet pre-trained ResNet50v2, VGG19, Xception, and DenseNet121 CNNs had been trained on labeled BF images of the organoids, divided into two categories (retina and non-retina), based on the fluorescent reporter gene expression. The best-performing classifier with ResNet50v2 architecture showed a receiver operating characteristic-area under the curve score of 0.91 on a test dataset. A comparison of the best-performing CNN with the human-based classifier showed that the CNN algorithm performs better than the expert in predicting organoid fate (84% vs. 67 ± 6% of correct predictions, respectively), confirming our original hypothesis. Overall, we have demonstrated that the computer algorithm can successfully recognize and predict retinal differentiation in organoids before the onset of reporter gene expression. This is the first demonstration of CNN's ability to classify stem cell-derived tissue in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Kegeles
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Genome Technologies and Bioinformatics Research Centre, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudniy, Russia
| | - Anton Naumov
- Department of Information Systems, Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeny A. Karpulevich
- Genome Technologies and Bioinformatics Research Centre, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudniy, Russia
- Department of Information Systems, Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel Volchkov
- Genome Technologies and Bioinformatics Research Centre, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudniy, Russia
- Endocrinology Research Centre, Institute for Personalized Medicine, Moscow, Russia
| | - Petr Baranov
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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23
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Shrestha R, Wen YT, Tsai RK. Effective Differentiation and Biological Characterization of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Curr Eye Res 2020; 45:1155-1167. [PMID: 31984806 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2020.1722180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are therapeutic cells that have been shown to be promising in the rescue of lost photoreceptors. In this study, we generated hiPSC from human epidermal keratinocytes and subsequently differentiated them into RPE cells to investigate their ability to influence the retinal functions of the Royal College of Surgeon (RCS) rats. METHODS Keratinocytes were reprogrammed to hiPSC using a non-integrating Sendai reprogramming system. Established hiPSCs were differentiated into RPE cells, and complete characterization was performed. Next, the suspension of hiPSC-RPE cells was transplanted into the subretinal space of 3-week-old RCS rats (n = 12). Posttransplantation evaluations were performed using optical coherence tomography (OCT), electroretinography, and immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS The hiPSC colonies were identical to embryonic stem-like cells that revealed the expression of pluripotency markers and retention of the normal genome. These cells exhibited the ability to differentiate into an amalgam of germ layers and produce RPE cells. The differentiated RPE cells exhibited an identical pigmented morphology that expressed RPE-specific markers, such as CRALBP, BESTROPHIN, RPE65, and MERTK. At 8 weeks of longitudinal culture, the RPE cells exhibited maximum pigmentation with in vitro phagocytotic activity. Furthermore, transplantation data showed improved retinal function till week 12 post-transplantation and a significantly higher number of rod/cone ratios in transplanted eyes compared to non-surgery control eyes. CONCLUSION hiPSC-derived RPE cells exhibited naïve RPE cell properties and functionality that provided trophic support and the transient rescue of photoreceptor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupendra Shrestha
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University , Hualien, Taiwan.,Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation , Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Tseng Wen
- Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation , Hualien, Taiwan
| | - Rong-Kung Tsai
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University , Hualien, Taiwan.,Institute of Eye Research, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation , Hualien, Taiwan
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24
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Brydon EM, Bronstein R, Buskin A, Lako M, Pierce EA, Fernandez-Godino R. AAV-Mediated Gene Augmentation Therapy Restores Critical Functions in Mutant PRPF31 +/- iPSC-Derived RPE Cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 15:392-402. [PMID: 31890732 PMCID: PMC6909184 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the most common form of inherited vision loss and is characterized by degeneration of retinal photoreceptor cells and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Mutations in pre-mRNA processing factor 31 (PRPF31) cause dominant RP via haploinsufficiency with incomplete penetrance. There is good evidence that the diverse severity of this disease is a result of differing levels of expression of the wild-type allele among patients. Thus, we hypothesize that PRPF31-related RP will be amenable to treatment by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene augmentation therapy. To test this hypothesis, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with mutations in PRPF31 and differentiated them into RPE cells. The mutant PRPF31 iPSC-RPE cells recapitulate the cellular phenotype associated with the PRPF31 pathology, including defective cell structure, diminished phagocytic function, defects in ciliogenesis, and compromised barrier function. Treatment of the mutant PRPF31 iPSC-RPE cells with AAV-PRPF31 restored normal phagocytosis and cilia formation, and it partially restored structure and barrier function. These results suggest that AAV-based gene therapy targeting RPE cells holds therapeutic promise for patients with PRPF31-related RP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Brydon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Genomics Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Revital Bronstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Genomics Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Buskin
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Majlinda Lako
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Eric A Pierce
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Genomics Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rosario Fernandez-Godino
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ocular Genomics Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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25
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Artyuhov AS, Dashinimaev EB, Mescheryakova NV, Ashikhmina AA, Vorotelyak EA, Vasiliev AV. Detection of small numbers of iPSCs in different heterogeneous cell mixtures with highly sensitive droplet digital PCR. Mol Biol Rep 2019; 46:6675-6683. [PMID: 31578676 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-019-05100-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are a prospective resource for regenerative biomedicine. iPS cells can differentiate into any type of stem, progenitor and somatic cells to help replace structures within damaged organs or tissues. However, iPS cells themselves, can produce malignant tumors if they are injected into the body of an immunocompatible or immunodeficient recipient. Thus, it is necessary to detect any residual iPS cells content in biomedical cell products obtained from iPS cells and destined for transplantation. In this article we describe searches for iPS cells in heterogeneous cell mixtures, using two different methods-quantitative RT-PCR and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). In experiments with various heterogeneous mixtures, including mixtures with neural stem cells, we found that the OCT4, TDGF1 and LIN28 genes are the best markers for such a search, and droplet digital PCR provides the greatest measurement accuracy, which is 0.002%. Thus, we have confirmed the advantage of using droplet digital PCR in the search for pluripotent stem cells in heterogeneous cell mixtures. We hope that this data can be useful for biosafety control in regenerative biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Artyuhov
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, Russia, 117997. .,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 9 Institutskiy per., Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia, 141701.
| | - E B Dashinimaev
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, Russia, 117997.,Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova str. 26, Moscow, Russia, 119334
| | | | - A A Ashikhmina
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, Russia, 117997
| | - E A Vorotelyak
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, Russia, 117997.,Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova str. 26, Moscow, Russia, 119334.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119991
| | - A V Vasiliev
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, Russia, 117997.,Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, Russia, 119991
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26
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Robust induction of retinal pigment epithelium cells from human induced pluripotent stem cells by inhibiting FGF/MAPK signaling. Stem Cell Res 2019; 39:101514. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2019.101514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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27
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Guo NN, Liu LP, Zhang YX, Cai YT, Guo Y, Zheng YW, Li YM. Early prediction of the differentiation potential during the formation of human iPSC-derived embryoid bodies. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 516:673-679. [PMID: 31248595 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.06.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show huge variations in their differentiation potential, even in the same condition. However, methods for predicting these differentiation tendencies, especially in the early stage of differentiation, are still scarce. This study aimed to establish a simple and practical system to predict the differentiation tendency of iPSC lines using embryoid bodies (EBs) with identified parameters in the early stage. We compared four human iPSC lines in terms of the morphology and maintenance of EBs and their gene expression levels of specific markers for three germ-layers. Furthermore, the differentiation potentials of these iPSC lines into melanocytes, which are ectoderm-derived cells, were also compared and correlated with the above parameters. The results showed that iPSC lines forming regular, smooth, and not cystic EBs, which could be maintained in culture for a relatively longer time, also expressed higher levels of ectoderm-specific markers and lower levels of mesoderm/endoderm markers. Additionally, these iPSC lines showed greater potential in melanocyte differentiation using EB-based protocol, and the induced melanocytes expressed melanocytic markers and presented characteristics that were similar to those of normal human melanocytes. By contrast, iPSC lines that formed cystic EBs with bright or dark cavities and expressed relatively lower levels of ectoderm-specific markers failed in the melanocyte differentiation. Collectively, the differentiation tendency of human iPSC lines may be predicted by specific parameters in the EB stage. The formation and maintenance of optimal EBs and the expression of germ layer-specific markers are particularly important and practical for the prediction assay in the early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning-Ning Guo
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
| | - Li-Ping Liu
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
| | - Yi-Xuan Zhang
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
| | - Yu-Tian Cai
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
| | - Yuan Guo
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China
| | - Yun-Wen Zheng
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China; University of Tsukuba Faculty of Medicine, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8575, Japan; Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan.
| | - Yu-Mei Li
- Jiangsu University Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, China.
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28
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Liu S, Xie B, Song X, Zheng D, He L, Li G, Gao G, Peng F, Yu M, Ge J, Zhong X. Self-Formation of RPE Spheroids Facilitates Enrichment and Expansion of hiPSC-Derived RPE Generated on Retinal Organoid Induction Platform. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2019; 59:5659-5669. [PMID: 30489625 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-23613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and neural retina could be generated concurrently through retinal organoid induction approaches using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), providing valuable sources for cell therapy of retinal degenerations. This study aims to enrich and expand hiPSC-RPE acquired with this platform and explore characteristics of serially passaged RPE cells. Methods RPE has been differentiated from hiPSCs with a published retinal organoid induction method. After detachment of neural retina on the 4th week, the remaining mixture was scraped from the dish and subjected to suspension culture for the formation of RPE spheroids. RPE sheets were isolated and digested for expansion. The cellular, molecular, and functional features of expanded RPE cells were evaluated by different assays. Results Under suspension culture, hiPSC-RPE spheroids with pigmentation self-formed were readily enriched by removing the non-retinal tissues. RPE sheets were further dissected and purified from the spheroids. The individualized RPE cells could be passaged every week for at least 5 times in serum medium, yielding large numbers of cells with high quality in a short period. In addition, when switched to a serum-free medium, the passaged RPE cells could mature in cellular, molecular, and physiological levels, including repigmentation, markers expression, and phagocytosis. Conclusions We developed a simple and novel RPE spheroids formation approach to enrich and expand hiPSC-RPE cells generated along with retinal neurons on a universal retinal organoid induction platform. This achievement will reduce the cost and time in producing retinal cells for basic and translational researches, in particular for retinal cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengxu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Bingbing Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaojing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Dandan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Liwen He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guilan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guanjie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fuhua Peng
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Minzhong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
| | - Jian Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiufeng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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29
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Storti F, Klee K, Todorova V, Steiner R, Othman A, van der Velde-Visser S, Samardzija M, Meneau I, Barben M, Karademir D, Pauzuolyte V, Boye SL, Blaser F, Ullmer C, Dunaief JL, Hornemann T, Rohrer L, den Hollander A, von Eckardstein A, Fingerle J, Maugeais C, Grimm C. Impaired ABCA1/ABCG1-mediated lipid efflux in the mouse retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) leads to retinal degeneration. eLife 2019; 8:45100. [PMID: 30864945 PMCID: PMC6435327 DOI: 10.7554/elife.45100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive disease of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the retina leading to loss of central vision. Polymorphisms in genes involved in lipid metabolism, including the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), have been associated with AMD risk. However, the significance of retinal lipid handling for AMD pathogenesis remains elusive. Here, we study the contribution of lipid efflux in the RPE by generating a mouse model lacking ABCA1 and its partner ABCG1 specifically in this layer. Mutant mice show lipid accumulation in the RPE, reduced RPE and retinal function, retinal inflammation and RPE/photoreceptor degeneration. Data from human cell lines indicate that the ABCA1 AMD risk-conferring allele decreases ABCA1 expression, identifying the potential molecular cause that underlies the genetic risk for AMD. Our results highlight the essential homeostatic role for lipid efflux in the RPE and suggest a pathogenic contribution of reduced ABCA1 function to AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Storti
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Klee
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Vyara Todorova
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Regula Steiner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Alaa Othman
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | | | - Marijana Samardzija
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Meneau
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maya Barben
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Duygu Karademir
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Valda Pauzuolyte
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Sanford L Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Frank Blaser
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Ullmer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joshua L Dunaief
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Thorsten Hornemann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Rohrer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Anneke den Hollander
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Department of Ophthalmology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Jürgen Fingerle
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cyrille Maugeais
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Grimm
- Lab for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.,Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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30
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Gandhi JK, Knudsen T, Hill M, Roy B, Bachman L, Pfannkoch‐Andrews C, Schmidt KN, Metko MM, Ackerman MJ, Resch Z, Pulido JS, Marmorstein AD. Human Fibrinogen for Maintenance and Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Two Dimensions and Three Dimensions. Stem Cells Transl Med 2019; 8:512-521. [PMID: 30768863 PMCID: PMC6525556 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.18-0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Human fibrin hydrogels are a popular choice for use as a biomaterial within tissue engineered constructs because they are biocompatible, nonxenogenic, autologous use compatible, and biodegradable. We have recently demonstrated the ability to culture induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived retinal pigment epithelium on fibrin hydrogels. However, iPSCs themselves have relatively few substrate options (e.g., laminin) for expansion in adherent cell culture for use in cell therapy. To address this, we investigated the potential of culturing iPSCs on fibrin hydrogels for three‐dimensional applications and further examined the use of fibrinogen, the soluble precursor protein, as a coating substrate for traditional adherent cell culture. iPSCs successfully adhered to and proliferated on fibrin hydrogels. The two‐dimensional culture with fibrinogen allows for immediate adaption of culture models to a nonxenogeneic model. Similarly, multiple commercially available iPSC lines adhered to and proliferated on fibrinogen coated surfaces. iPSCs cultured on fibrinogen expressed similar levels of the pluripotent stem cell markers SSea4 (98.7% ± 1.8%), Oct3/4 (97.3% ± 3.8%), TRA1‐60 (92.2% ± 5.3%), and NANOG (96.0% ± 3.9%) compared with iPSCs on Geltrex. Using a trilineage differentiation assay, we found no difference in the ability of iPSCs grown on fibrinogen or Geltrex to differentiate to endoderm, mesoderm, or ectoderm. Finally, we demonstrated the ability to differentiate iPSCs to endothelial cells using only fibrinogen coated plates. On the basis of these data, we conclude that human fibrinogen provides a readily available and inexpensive alternative to laminin‐based products for the growth, expansion, and differentiation of iPSCs for use in research and clinical cell therapy applications. stem cells translational medicine2019;8:512–521
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Travis Knudsen
- Department of OphthalmologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Matthew Hill
- Department of OphthalmologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Bhaskar Roy
- Center for Regenerative MedicineMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Lori Bachman
- Department of OphthalmologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | | | | | | | - Michael J. Ackerman
- Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine, Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental TherapeuticsMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Zachary Resch
- Center for Regenerative MedicineMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Jose S. Pulido
- Department of OphthalmologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
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31
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A Mini Review: Moving iPSC-Derived Retinal Subtypes Forward for Clinical Applications for Retinal Degenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1185:557-561. [PMID: 31884670 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27378-1_91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Patient-derived human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been critical in advancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of numerous retinal disorders. Many of these retinal disorders have no effective treatment and result in severe visual impairment and even blindness. Among the retinal degenerative diseases modeled by iPSCs are age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). In addition to studying retinal disease ontogenesis and pathology, hiPSCs have clinical and pharmacological applications, such as developing drug screening and gene therapy approaches and new cell-based clinical treatments. Recent studies have primarily focused on three retinal cell fates - retinal pigmented epithelium cells (RPE), retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and photoreceptor cells - and have demonstrated that hiPSCs have great potential for increasing our knowledge of and developing treatments for retinal degenerative disorders.
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32
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Foltz LP, Howden SE, Thomson JA, Clegg DO. Functional Assessment of Patient-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Edited by CRISPR/Cas9. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E4127. [PMID: 30572641 PMCID: PMC6321630 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common form of inherited blindness and can be caused by a multitude of different genetic mutations that lead to similar phenotypes. Specifically, mutations in ubiquitously expressed splicing factor proteins are known to cause an autosomal dominant form of the disease, but the retina-specific pathology of these mutations is not well understood. Fibroblasts from a patient with splicing factor retinitis pigmentosa caused by a missense mutation in the PRPF8 splicing factor were used to produce three diseased and three CRISPR/Cas9-corrected induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) clones. We differentiated each of these clones into retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells via directed differentiation and analyzed the RPE cells in terms of gene and protein expression, apicobasal polarity, and phagocytic ability. We demonstrate that RPE cells can be produced from patient-derived and corrected cells and they exhibit morphology and functionality similar but not identical to wild-type RPE cells in vitro. Functionally, the RPE cells were able to establish apicobasal polarity and phagocytose photoreceptor outer segments at the same capacity as wild-type cells. These data suggest that patient-derived iPSCs, both diseased and corrected, are able to differentiate into RPE cells with a near normal phenotype and without differences in phagocytosis, a result that differs from previous mouse models. These RPE cells can now be studied to establish a disease-in-a-dish system relevant to retinitis pigmentosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah P Foltz
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
| | - Sara E Howden
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia.
- Morgridge Institute for Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
| | - James A Thomson
- Morgridge Institute for Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA.
| | - Dennis O Clegg
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
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Kharitonov AE, Surdina AV, Lebedeva OS, Bogomazova AN, Lagarkova MA. Possibilities for Using Pluripotent Stem Cells for Restoring Damaged Eye Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Acta Naturae 2018; 10:30-39. [PMID: 30397524 PMCID: PMC6209409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium is a monolayer of pigmented, hexagonal cells connected by tight junctions. These cells compose part of the outer blood-retina barrier, protect the eye from excessive light, have important secretory functions, and support the function of photoreceptors, ensuring the coordination of a variety of regulatory mechanisms. It is the degeneration of the pigment epithelium that is the root cause of many retinal degenerative diseases. The search for reliable cell sources for the transplantation of retinal pigment epithelium is of extreme urgency. Pluripotent stem cells (embryonic stem or induced pluripotent) can be differentiated with high efficiency into the pigment epithelium of the retina, which opens up possibilities for cellular therapy in macular degeneration and can slow down the development of pathology and, perhaps, restore a patient's vision. Pioneering clinical trials on transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells in the United States and Japan confirmed the need for developing and optimizing such approaches to cell therapy. For effective use, pigment epithelial cells differentiated from pluripotent stem cells should have a set of functional properties characteristic of such cells in vivo. This review summarizes the current state of preclinical and clinical studies in the field of retinal pigment epithelial transplantation therapy. We also discuss different differentiation protocols based on data in the literature and our own data, and the problems holding back the widespread therapeutic application of retinal pigment epithelium differentiated from pluripotent stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. E. Kharitonov
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Malaya Pirogovskaya Str., 1a, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - A. V. Surdina
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Malaya Pirogovskaya Str., 1a, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - O. S. Lebedeva
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Malaya Pirogovskaya Str., 1a, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - A. N. Bogomazova
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Malaya Pirogovskaya Str., 1a, Moscow, 119435, Russia
| | - M. A. Lagarkova
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Malaya Pirogovskaya Str., 1a, Moscow, 119435, Russia
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Bennis A, Jacobs JG, Catsburg LAE, Ten Brink JB, Koster C, Schlingemann RO, van Meurs J, Gorgels TGMF, Moerland PD, Heine VM, Bergen AA. Stem Cell Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium: The Role of Pigmentation as Maturation Marker and Gene Expression Profile Comparison with Human Endogenous Retinal Pigment Epithelium. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2018; 13:659-669. [PMID: 28730556 PMCID: PMC5602068 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-017-9754-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In age-related macular degeneration (AMD) the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) deteriorates, leading to photoreceptor decay and severe vision loss. New therapeutic strategies aim at RPE replacement by transplantation of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived RPE. Several protocols to generate RPE have been developed where appearance of pigmentation is commonly used as indicator of RPE differentiation and maturation. It is, however, unclear how different pigmentation stages reflect developmental stages and functionality of PSC-derived RPE cells. We generated human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE (hESC-RPE) cells and investigated their gene expression profiles at early pigmentation (EP) and late pigmentation (LP) stages. In addition, we compared the hESC-RPE samples with human endogenous RPE. We used a common reference design microarray (44 K). Our analysis showed that maturing hESC-RPE, upon acquiring pigmentation, expresses markers specific for human RPE. Interestingly, our analysis revealed that EP and LP hESC-RPE do not differ much in gene expression. Our data further showed that pigmented hESC-RPE has a significant lower expression than human endogenous RPE in the visual cycle and oxidative stress pathways. In contrast, we observed a significantly higher expression of pathways related to the process adhesion-to-polarity model that is typical of developing epithelial cells. We conclude that, in vitro, the first appearance of pigmentation hallmarks differentiated RPE. However, further increase in pigmentation does not result in much significant gene expression changes and does not add important RPE functionalities. Consequently, our results suggest that the time span for obtaining differentiated hESC-RPE cells, that are suitable for transplantation, may be greatly reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bennis
- Department of Clinical Genetics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J G Jacobs
- Department of Pediatrics/Child Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L A E Catsburg
- Department of Clinical Genetics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J B Ten Brink
- Department of Clinical Genetics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C Koster
- Department of Clinical Genetics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - R O Schlingemann
- Ocular Angiogenesis Group, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Ophthalmology, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Cell Biology and Histology, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J van Meurs
- Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - T G M F Gorgels
- The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,University Eye Clinic Maastricht, MUMC+, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - P D Moerland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - V M Heine
- Department of Pediatrics/Child Neurology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - A A Bergen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,The Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN-KNAW), Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Department of Ophthalmology, AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Stern JH, Tian Y, Funderburgh J, Pellegrini G, Zhang K, Goldberg JL, Ali RR, Young M, Xie Y, Temple S. Regenerating Eye Tissues to Preserve and Restore Vision. Cell Stem Cell 2018; 22:834-849. [PMID: 29859174 PMCID: PMC6492284 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ocular regenerative therapies are on track to revolutionize treatment of numerous blinding disorders, including corneal disease, cataract, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and age-related macular degeneration. A variety of transplantable products, delivered as cell suspensions or as preformed 3D structures combining cells and natural or artificial substrates, are in the pipeline. Here we review the status of clinical and preclinical studies for stem cell-based repair, covering key eye tissues from front to back, from cornea to retina, and including bioengineering approaches that advance cell product manufacturing. While recognizing the challenges, we look forward to a deep portfolio of sight-restoring, stem cell-based medicine. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey H Stern
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA; Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Yangzi Tian
- Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 257 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | - James Funderburgh
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Graziella Pellegrini
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via G.Gottardi 100, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Kang Zhang
- Shiley Eye Institute and Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University and Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Laboratory, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Jeffrey L Goldberg
- Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University, 2452 Watson Court, Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
| | - Robin R Ali
- Department of Genetics, University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK; Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA
| | - Michael Young
- The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yubing Xie
- Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 257 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | - Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA; Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA.
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Luo M, Chen Y. Application of stem cell-derived retinal pigmented epithelium in retinal degenerative diseases: present and future. Int J Ophthalmol 2018; 11:150-159. [PMID: 29376004 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2018.01.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As a constituent of blood-retinal barrier and retinal outer segment (ROS) scavenger, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) is fundamental to normal function of retina. Malfunctioning of RPE contributes to the onset and advance of retinal degenerative diseases. Up to date, RPE replacement therapy is the only possible method to completely reverse retinal degeneration. Transplantation of human RPE stem cell-derived RPE (hRPESC-RPE) has shown some good results in animal models. With promising results in terms of safety and visual improvement, human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE (hESC-RPE) can be expected in clinical settings in the near future. Despite twists and turns, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived RPE (iPSC-RPE) is now being intensely investigated to overcome genetic and epigenetic instability. By far, only one patient has received iPSC-RPE transplant, which is a hallmark of iPSC technology development. During follow-up, no major complications such as immunogenicity or tumorigenesis have been observed. Future trials should keep focusing on the safety of stem cell-derived RPE (SC-RPE) especially in long period, and better understanding of the nature of stem cell and the molecular events in the process to generate SC-RPE is necessary to the prosperity of SC-RPE clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Youxin Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
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Oswald J, Baranov P. Regenerative medicine in the retina: from stem cells to cell replacement therapy. Ther Adv Ophthalmol 2018; 10:2515841418774433. [PMID: 29998222 PMCID: PMC6016968 DOI: 10.1177/2515841418774433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the fast pace of the growing field of stem cell research, retinal cell replacement is finally emerging as a feasible mean to be explored for clinical application. Although neuroprotective treatments are able to slow the progression of retinal degeneration caused by diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma, they are insufficient to fully halt disease progression and unable to recover previously lost vision. Comprehensive, technological and intellectual advances over the past years, including the in vitro differentiation of retinal cells at manufacturing scale from embryonic stem (ES) cell and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell cultures, progress within the area of retinal disease modeling, and the first clinical trials have started to shape the way towards addressing this treatment gap and translating retinal cell replacement to the clinic. Here, summarize the most recent advances within retinal cell replacement from both a scientific and clinical perspective, and discuss the remaining challenges towards the delivery of the first retinal cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Oswald
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Petr Baranov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, MA, USA
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38
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Foltz LP, Clegg DO. Rapid, Directed Differentiation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells from Human Embryonic or Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29155780 PMCID: PMC5755280 DOI: 10.3791/56274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a robust method to direct the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). The purpose of providing a detailed and thorough protocol is to clearly demonstrate each step and to make this readily available to researchers in the field. This protocol results in a homogenous layer of RPE with minimal or no manual dissection needed. The method presented here has been shown to be effective for induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and human embryonic stem cells. Additionally, we describe methods for cryopreservation of intermediate cell banks that allow long-term storage. RPE generated using this protocol might be useful for iPSC disease-in-a-dish modeling or clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah P Foltz
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara;
| | - Dennis O Clegg
- Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara
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Hazim RA, Karumbayaram S, Jiang M, Dimashkie A, Lopes VS, Li D, Burgess BL, Vijayaraj P, Alva-Ornelas JA, Zack JA, Kohn DB, Gomperts BN, Pyle AD, Lowry WE, Williams DS. Differentiation of RPE cells from integration-free iPS cells and their cell biological characterization. Stem Cell Res Ther 2017; 8:217. [PMID: 28969679 PMCID: PMC5625837 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-017-0652-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is implicated in numerous forms of retinal degeneration. The readily accessible environment of the eye makes it particularly suitable for the transplantation of RPE cells, which can now be derived from autologous induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to treat retinal degeneration. For RPE transplantation to become feasible in the clinic, patient-specific somatic cells should be reprogrammed to iPSCs without the introduction of reprogramming genes into the genome of the host cell, and then subsequently differentiated into RPE cells that are well characterized for safety and functionality prior to transplantation. Methods We have reprogrammed human dermal fibroblasts to iPSCs using nonintegrating RNA, and differentiated the iPSCs toward an RPE fate (iPSC-RPE), under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compatible conditions. Results Using highly sensitive assays for cell polarity, structure, organelle trafficking, and function, we found that iPSC-RPE cells in culture exhibited key characteristics of native RPE. Importantly, we demonstrate for the first time with any stem cell-derived RPE cell that live cells are able to support dynamic organelle transport. This highly sensitive test is critical for RPE cells intended for transplantation, since defects in intracellular motility have been shown to promote RPE pathogenesis akin to that found in macular degeneration. To test their capabilities for in-vivo transplantation, we injected the iPSC-RPE cells into the subretinal space of a mouse model of retinal degeneration, and demonstrated that the transplanted cells are capable of rescuing lost RPE function. Conclusions This report documents the successful generation, under GMP-compatible conditions, of human iPSC-RPE cells that possess specific characteristics of healthy RPE. The report adds to a growing literature on the utility of human iPSC-RPE cells for cell culture investigations on pathogenicity and for therapeutic transplantation, by corroborating findings of others, and providing important new information on essential RPE cell biological properties. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0652-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roni A Hazim
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Saravanan Karumbayaram
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Mei Jiang
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Anupama Dimashkie
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vanda S Lopes
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Douran Li
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Barry L Burgess
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Preethi Vijayaraj
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Jerome A Zack
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Donald B Kohn
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Brigitte N Gomperts
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - April D Pyle
- Department of Microbiology Immunology and Molecular Genetics, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - William E Lowry
- Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David S Williams
- Stein Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 100 Stein Plaza, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. .,Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Molecular Biology Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Parameswaran S, Krishnakumar S. Pluripotent stem cells: A therapeutic source for age-related macular degeneration. Indian J Ophthalmol 2017; 65:177-183. [PMID: 28440245 PMCID: PMC5426121 DOI: 10.4103/ijo.ijo_1026_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to progressive loss of central vision in the elderly. At a cellular level, there is aging of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and accumulation of lipofuscin that interferes with the proper functioning of RPE which eventually leads to apoptosis. Treatment depends on the stage of the disease. Wet AMD which has neovascularization is managed by local therapies such as laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy and is managed with injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor-based therapy. Unlike the wet AMD, an effective therapy does not exist for dry AMD and geographic atrophy. Cell replacement therapy has shown promise. This review discusses the opportunities in the various types of cell-based therapy, their limitations, and what is possible for India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowmya Parameswaran
- L and T Ophthalmic Pathology, Radheshyam Kanoi Stem Cell Laboratory, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Subramanian Krishnakumar
- L and T Ophthalmic Pathology, Radheshyam Kanoi Stem Cell Laboratory, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
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41
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Sorsby fundus dystrophy - A review of pathology and disease mechanisms. Exp Eye Res 2017; 165:35-46. [PMID: 28847738 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2017.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Sorsby fundus dystrophy (SFD) is an autosomal dominant macular dystrophy with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 220,000 and an onset of disease around the 4th to 6th decade of life. Similar to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), ophthalmoscopy reveals accumulation of protein/lipid deposits under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), referred to as drusen, in the eyes of patients with SFD. SFD is caused by variants in the gene for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP3), which has been found in drusen-like deposits of SFD patients. TIMP3 is constitutively expressed by RPE cells and, in healthy eyes, resides in Bruch's membrane. Most SFD-associated TIMP3 variants involve the gain or loss of a cysteine residue. This suggests the protein aberrantly forms intermolecular disulphide bonds, resulting in the formation of TIMP3 dimers. It has been demonstrated that SFD-associated TIMP3 variants are more resistant to turnover, which is thought to be a result of dimerisation and thought to explain the accumulation of TIMP3 in drusen-like deposits at the level of Bruch's membrane. An important function of TIMP3 within the outer retina is to regulate the thickness of Bruch's membrane. TIMP3 performs this function by inhibiting the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which have the function of catalysing breakdown of the extracellular matrix. TIMP3 has an additional function to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signalling and thereby to inhibit angiogenesis. However, it is unclear whether SFD-associated TIMP3 variant proteins retain these functions. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying development of SFD and summarise all known SFD-associated TIMP3 variants. Cell culture models provide an invaluable way to study disease and identify potential treatments. These allow a greater understanding of RPE physiology and pathophysiology, including the ability to study the blood-retinal barrier as well as other RPE functions such as phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments. This review describes some examples of such recent in vitro studies and how they might provide new insights into degenerative diseases like SFD. Thus far, most studies on SFD have been performed using ARPE-19 cells or other, less suitable, cell-types. Now, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies allow the possibility to non-invasively collect somatic cells, such as dermal fibroblast cells and reprogram those to produce iPSCs. Subsequent differentiation of iPSCs can generate patient-derived RPE cells that carry the same disease-associated variant as RPE cells in the eyes of the patient. Use of these patient-derived RPE cells in novel cell culture systems should increase our understanding of how SFD and similar macular dystrophies develop.
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Weed LS, Mills JA. Strategies for retinal cell generation from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Investig 2017; 4:65. [PMID: 28815176 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2017.07.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are specialized self-renewing cells that are generated by exogenously expressing pluripotency-associated transcription factors in somatic cells such as fibroblasts, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, or lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). iPSCs are functionally similar to naturally pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in their capacity to propagate indefinitely and potential to differentiate into all human cell types, and are devoid of the associated ethical complications of origin. iPSCs are useful for studying embryonic development, disease modeling, and drug screening. Additionally, iPSCs provide a personalized approach for pathological studies, particularly for diseases that lack appropriate animal models. Retinal cell differentiations using iPSCs have been successful in this regard. Several protocols to generate various retinal cells have been developed to maximize a specific cell type or, most recently, to mimic in vivo retinal structure and cellular environment. As differentiation protocols continue to improve we are likely to see an increase in our basic understanding of various retinal degenerative diseases and the utilization of iPSCs in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey S Weed
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jason A Mills
- Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, F.M. Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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May-Simera H, Nagel-Wolfrum K, Wolfrum U. Cilia - The sensory antennae in the eye. Prog Retin Eye Res 2017; 60:144-180. [PMID: 28504201 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cilia are hair-like projections found on almost all cells in the human body. Originally believed to function merely in motility, the function of solitary non-motile (primary) cilia was long overlooked. Recent research has demonstrated that primary cilia function as signalling hubs that sense environmental cues and are pivotal for organ development and function, tissue hoemoestasis, and maintenance of human health. Cilia share a common anatomy and their diverse functional features are achieved by evolutionarily conserved functional modules, organized into sub-compartments. Defects in these functional modules are responsible for a rapidly growing list of human diseases collectively termed ciliopathies. Ocular pathogenesis is common in virtually all classes of syndromic ciliopathies, and disruptions in cilia genes have been found to be causative in a growing number of non-syndromic retinal dystrophies. This review will address what is currently known about cilia contribution to visual function. We will focus on the molecular and cellular functions of ciliary proteins and their role in the photoreceptor sensory cilia and their visual phenotypes. We also highlight other ciliated cell types in tissues of the eye (e.g. lens, RPE and Müller glia cells) discussing their possible contribution to disease progression. Progress in basic research on the cilia function in the eye is paving the way for therapeutic options for retinal ciliopathies. In the final section we describe the latest advancements in gene therapy, read-through of non-sense mutations and stem cell therapy, all being adopted to treat cilia dysfunction in the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen May-Simera
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Cilia Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kerstin Nagel-Wolfrum
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Molecular Cell Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany
| | - Uwe Wolfrum
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Molecular Cell Biology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz, Germany.
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Songstad AE, Worthington KS, Chirco KR, Giacalone JC, Whitmore SS, Anfinson KR, Ochoa D, Cranston CM, Riker MJ, Neiman M, Stone EM, Mullins RF, Tucker BA. Connective Tissue Growth Factor Promotes Efficient Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Choroidal Endothelium. Stem Cells Transl Med 2017; 6:1533-1546. [PMID: 28474838 PMCID: PMC5689757 DOI: 10.1002/sctm.16-0399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the Western world. Although, the majority of stem cell research to date has focused on production of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and photoreceptor cells for the purpose of evaluating disease pathophysiology and cell replacement, there is strong evidence that the choroidal endothelial cells (CECs) that form the choriocapillaris vessels are the first to be lost in this disease. As such, to accurately evaluate disease pathophysiology and develop an effective treatment, production of patient‐specific, stem cell‐derived CECs will be required. In this study, we report for the first time a stepwise differentiation protocol suitable for generating human iPSC‐derived CEC‐like cells. RNA‐seq analysis of the monkey CEC line, RF/6A, combined with two statistical screens allowed us to develop media comprised of various protein combinations. In both screens, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was identified as the key component required for driving CEC development. A second factor tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐related weak inducer of apoptosis receptor was also found to promote iPSC to CEC differentiation by inducing endogenous CTGF secretion. CTGF‐driven iPSC‐derived CEC‐like cells formed capillary tube‐like vascular networks, and expressed the EC‐specific markers CD31, ICAM1, PLVAP, vWF, and the CEC‐restricted marker CA4. In combination with RPE and photoreceptor cells, patient‐specific iPSC derived CEC‐like cells will enable scientists to accurately evaluate AMD pathophysiology and develop effective cell replacement therapies. Stem Cells Translational Medicine2017;6:1533–1546
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison E Songstad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | | | - Kathleen R Chirco
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Joseph C Giacalone
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - S Scott Whitmore
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Kristin R Anfinson
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Dalyz Ochoa
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Cathryn M Cranston
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Megan J Riker
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Maurine Neiman
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Edwin M Stone
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Robert F Mullins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
| | - Budd A Tucker
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Wynn Institute for vision research
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Millman JR, Pagliuca FW. Autologous Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived β-Like Cells for Diabetes Cellular Therapy. Diabetes 2017; 66:1111-1120. [PMID: 28507211 DOI: 10.2337/db16-1406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Development of stem cell technologies for cell replacement therapy has progressed rapidly in recent years. Diabetes has long been seen as one of the first applications for stem cell-derived cells because of the loss of only a single cell type-the insulin-producing β-cell. Recent reports have detailed strategies that overcome prior hurdles to generate functional β-like cells from human pluripotent stem cells in vitro, including from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Even with this accomplishment, addressing immunological barriers to transplantation remains a major challenge for the field. The development of clinically relevant hiPSC derivation methods from patients and demonstration that these cells can be differentiated into β-like cells presents a new opportunity to treat diabetes without immunosuppression or immunoprotective encapsulation or with only targeted protection from autoimmunity. This review focuses on the current status in generating and transplanting autologous β-cells for diabetes cell therapy, highlighting the unique advantages and challenges of this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Millman
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO
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46
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Jones MK, Lu B, Girman S, Wang S. Cell-based therapeutic strategies for replacement and preservation in retinal degenerative diseases. Prog Retin Eye Res 2017; 58:1-27. [PMID: 28111323 PMCID: PMC5441967 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cell-based therapeutics offer diverse options for treating retinal degenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). AMD is characterized by both genetic and environmental risks factors, whereas RP is mainly a monogenic disorder. Though treatments exist for some patients with neovascular AMD, a majority of retinal degenerative patients have no effective therapeutics, thus indicating a need for universal therapies to target diverse patient populations. Two main cell-based mechanistic approaches are being tested in clinical trials. Replacement therapies utilize cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to supplant lost or defective host RPE cells. These cells are similar in morphology and function to native RPE cells and can potentially supplant the responsibilities of RPE in vivo. Preservation therapies utilize supportive cells to aid in visual function and photoreceptor preservation partially by neurotrophic mechanisms. The goal of preservation strategies is to halt or slow the progression of disease and maintain remaining visual function. A number of clinical trials are testing the safety of replacement and preservation cell therapies in patients; however, measures of efficacy will need to be further evaluated. In addition, a number of prevailing concerns with regards to the immune-related response, longevity, and functionality of the grafted cells will need to be addressed in future trials. This review will summarize the current status of cell-based preclinical and clinical studies with a focus on replacement and preservation strategies and the obstacles that remain regarding these types of treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa K Jones
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Bin Lu
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Sergey Girman
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Shaomei Wang
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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47
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Hunt NC, Hallam D, Karimi A, Mellough CB, Chen J, Steel DHW, Lako M. 3D culture of human pluripotent stem cells in RGD-alginate hydrogel improves retinal tissue development. Acta Biomater 2017; 49:329-343. [PMID: 27826002 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2016.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
No treatments exist to effectively treat many retinal diseases. Retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and neural retina can be generated from human embryonic stem cells/induced pluripotent stem cells (hESCs/hiPSCs). The efficacy of current protocols is, however, limited. It was hypothesised that generation of laminated neural retina and/or RPE from hiPSCs/hESCs could be enhanced by three dimensional (3D) culture in hydrogels. hiPSC- and hESC-derived embryoid bodies (EBs) were encapsulated in 0.5% RGD-alginate; 1% RGD-alginate; hyaluronic acid (HA) or HA/gelatin hydrogels and maintained until day 45. Compared with controls (no gel), 0.5% RGD-alginate increased: the percentage of EBs with pigmented RPE foci; the percentage EBs with optic vesicles (OVs) and pigmented RPE simultaneously; the area covered by RPE; frequency of RPE cells (CRALBP+); expression of RPE markers (TYR and RPE65) and the retinal ganglion cell marker, MATH5. Furthermore, 0.5% RGD-alginate hydrogel encapsulation did not adversely affect the expression of other neural retina markers (PROX1, CRX, RCVRN, AP2α or VSX2) as determined by qRT-PCR, or the percentage of VSX2 positive cells as determined by flow cytometry. 1% RGD-alginate increased the percentage of EBs with OVs and/or RPE, but did not significantly influence any other measures of retinal differentiation. HA-based hydrogels had no significant effect on retinal tissue development. The results indicated that derivation of retinal tissue from hESCs/hiPSCs can be enhanced by culture in 0.5% RGD-alginate hydrogel. This RGD-alginate scaffold may be useful for derivation, transport and transplantation of neural retina and RPE, and may also enhance formation of other pigmented, neural or epithelial tissue. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The burden of retinal disease is ever growing with the increasing age of the world-wide population. Transplantation of retinal tissue derived from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is considered a promising treatment. However, derivation of retinal tissue from PSCs using defined media is a lengthy process and often variable between different cell lines. This study indicated that alginate hydrogels enhanced retinal tissue development from PSCs, whereas hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels did not. This is the first study to show that 3D culture with a biomaterial scaffold can improve retinal tissue derivation from PSCs. These findings indicate potential for the clinical application of alginate hydrogels for the derivation and subsequent transplantation retinal tissue. This work may also have implications for the derivation of other pigmented, neural or epithelial tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola C Hunt
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK.
| | - Dean Hallam
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK.
| | - Ayesha Karimi
- Cumberland Infirmary, North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, Carlisle CA2 7HY, UK
| | - Carla B Mellough
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK.
| | - Jinju Chen
- School of Mechanical & Systems Engineering, Stephenson Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| | - David H W Steel
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK; Sunderland Eye Infirmary, Queen Alexandra Road, Sunderland SR2 9HP, UK.
| | - Majlinda Lako
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK.
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Lin J, Kim D, Tse HT, Tseng P, Peng L, Dhar M, Karumbayaram S, Di Carlo D. High-throughput physical phenotyping of cell differentiation. MICROSYSTEMS & NANOENGINEERING 2017; 3:17013. [PMID: 31057860 PMCID: PMC6445007 DOI: 10.1038/micronano.2017.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
In this report, we present multiparameter deformability cytometry (m-DC), in which we explore a large set of parameters describing the physical phenotypes of pluripotent cells and their derivatives. m-DC utilizes microfluidic inertial focusing and hydrodynamic stretching of single cells in conjunction with high-speed video recording to realize high-throughput characterization of over 20 different cell motion and morphology-derived parameters. Parameters extracted from videos include size, deformability, deformation kinetics, and morphology. We train support vector machines that provide evidence that these additional physical measurements improve classification of induced pluripotent stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, neural stem cells, and their derivatives compared to size and deformability alone. In addition, we utilize visual interactive stochastic neighbor embedding to visually map the high-dimensional physical phenotypic spaces occupied by these stem cells and their progeny and the pathways traversed during differentiation. This report demonstrates the potential of m-DC for improving understanding of physical differences that arise as cells differentiate and identifying cell subpopulations in a label-free manner. Ultimately, such approaches could broaden our understanding of subtle changes in cell phenotypes and their roles in human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Donghyuk Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Henry T. Tse
- CytoVale Inc., 384 Oyster Point Boulevard #7 South, San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Peter Tseng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Lillian Peng
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Manjima Dhar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Saravanan Karumbayaram
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Dino Di Carlo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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