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Laemmle A, Poms M, Hsu B, Borsuk M, Rüfenacht V, Robinson J, Sadowski MC, Nuoffer J, Häberle J, Willenbring H. Aquaporin 9 induction in human iPSC-derived hepatocytes facilitates modeling of ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Hepatology 2022; 76:646-659. [PMID: 34786702 PMCID: PMC9295321 DOI: 10.1002/hep.32247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Patient-derived human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) differentiated into hepatocytes (hiPSC-Heps) have facilitated the study of rare genetic liver diseases. Here, we aimed to establish an in vitro liver disease model of the urea cycle disorder ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) using patient-derived hiPSC-Heps. APPROACH AND RESULTS Before modeling OTCD, we addressed the question of why hiPSC-Heps generally secrete less urea than adult primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). Because hiPSC-Heps are not completely differentiated and maintain some characteristics of fetal PHHs, we compared gene-expression levels in human fetal and adult liver tissue to identify genes responsible for reduced urea secretion in hiPSC-Heps. We found lack of aquaporin 9 (AQP9) expression in fetal liver tissue as well as in hiPSC-Heps, and showed that forced expression of AQP9 in hiPSC-Heps restores urea secretion and normalizes the response to ammonia challenge by increasing ureagenesis. Furthermore, we proved functional ureagenesis by challenging AQP9-expressing hiPSC-Heps with ammonium chloride labeled with the stable isotope [15 N] (15 NH4 Cl) and by assessing enrichment of [15 N]-labeled urea. Finally, using hiPSC-Heps derived from patients with OTCD, we generated a liver disease model that recapitulates the hepatic manifestation of the human disease. Restoring OTC expression-together with AQP9-was effective in fully correcting OTC activity and normalizing ureagenesis as assessed by 15 NH4 Cl stable-isotope challenge. CONCLUSION Our results identify a critical role for AQP9 in functional urea metabolism and establish the feasibility of in vitro modeling of OTCD with hiPSC-Heps. By facilitating studies of OTCD genotype/phenotype correlation and drug screens, our model has potential for improving the therapy of OTCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Laemmle
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell ResearchUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalBernSwitzerland,University Institute of Clinical ChemistryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Martin Poms
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and BiochemistryUniversity Children’s Hospital ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Bernadette Hsu
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell ResearchUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mariia Borsuk
- University Institute of Clinical ChemistryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Véronique Rüfenacht
- Division of Metabolism and Children`s Research CenterUniversity Children’s HospitalZurichSwitzerland
| | - Joshua Robinson
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell ResearchUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Center for Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Department of PediatricsMedical GeneticsUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Jean‐Marc Nuoffer
- Department of PediatricsUniversity Children's HospitalBernSwitzerland,University Institute of Clinical ChemistryUniversity of BernBernSwitzerland
| | - Johannes Häberle
- Division of Metabolism and Children`s Research CenterUniversity Children’s HospitalZurichSwitzerland,Zurich Center for Integrative Human PhysiologyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Holger Willenbring
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell ResearchUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Department of SurgeryDivision of Transplant SurgeryUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA,Liver CenterUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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Miller CH, Bean CJ. Genetic causes of haemophilia in women and girls. Haemophilia 2021; 27:e164-e179. [PMID: 33314404 PMCID: PMC8132474 DOI: 10.1111/hae.14186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Women and girls reported as "haemophilic females" may have complex genetic causes for their haemophilia phenotype. In addition, women and girls may have excessive bleeding requiring treatment simply because they are heterozygous for haemophilia alleles. While severe and moderate haemophilia are rare in females, 16% of patients with mild haemophilia A and almost one-quarter of those with mild haemophilia B seen in U.S. haemophilia treatment centres are women and girls. A phenotypic female with a low level of factor VIII or factor IX may be classified into one of the following categories of causality: homozygosity (two identical haemophilia alleles), compound heterozygosity (two different haemophilia alleles), hemizygosity (one haemophilia allele and no normal allele), heterozygosity (one haemophilia allele and one normal allele), genetic causes other than haemophilia and non-genetic causes. Studies required for classification may include coagulation parameters, F8 or F9 sequencing, F8 inversion testing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, karyotyping and X chromosome inactivation studies performed on the patient and parents. Women and girls who are homozygous, compound heterozygous or hemizygous clearly have haemophilia, as they do not have a normal allele. Heterozygous women and girls with factor levels below the haemostatic range also meet the definitions used for haemophilia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie H Miller
- Division of Blood Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christopher J Bean
- Division of Blood Disorders, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Eisen B, Ben Jehuda R, Cuttitta AJ, Mekies LN, Shemer Y, Baskin P, Reiter I, Willi L, Freimark D, Gherghiceanu M, Monserrat L, Scherr M, Hilfiker-Kleiner D, Arad M, Michele DE, Binah O. Electrophysiological abnormalities in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes generated from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:2125-2135. [PMID: 30618214 PMCID: PMC6378185 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Revised: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked progressive muscle degenerative disease, caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and resulting in death because of respiratory or cardiac failure. To investigate the cardiac cellular manifestation of DMD, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC‐derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC‐CMs) from two DMD patients: a male and female manifesting heterozygous carrier. Dystrophin mRNA and protein expression were analysed by qRT‐PCR, RNAseq, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining. For comprehensive electrophysiological analysis, current and voltage clamp were used to record transmembrane action potentials and ion currents, respectively. Microelectrode array was used to record extracellular electrograms. X‐inactive specific transcript (XIST) and dystrophin expression analyses revealed that female iPSCs underwent X chromosome reactivation (XCR) or erosion of X chromosome inactivation, which was maintained in female iPSC‐CMs displaying mixed X chromosome expression of wild type (WT) and mutated alleles. Both DMD female and male iPSC‐CMs presented low spontaneous firing rate, arrhythmias and prolonged action potential duration. DMD female iPSC‐CMs displayed increased beat rate variability (BRV). DMD male iPSC‐CMs manifested decreased If density, and DMD female and male iPSC‐CMs showed increased ICa,L density. Our findings demonstrate cellular mechanisms underlying electrophysiological abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias in DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyamin Eisen
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ronen Ben Jehuda
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.,Department of Biotechnology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ashley J Cuttitta
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Lucy N Mekies
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yuval Shemer
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Polina Baskin
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Irina Reiter
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lubna Willi
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Dov Freimark
- Leviev Heart Center, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | | | - Michaela Scherr
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Michael Arad
- Leviev Heart Center, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Daniel E Michele
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ofer Binah
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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