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Baines O, Sha R, Kalla M, Holmes AP, Efimov IR, Pavlovic D, O’Shea C. Optical mapping and optogenetics in cardiac electrophysiology research and therapy: a state-of-the-art review. Europace 2024; 26:euae017. [PMID: 38227822 PMCID: PMC10847904 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euae017] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
State-of-the-art innovations in optical cardiac electrophysiology are significantly enhancing cardiac research. A potential leap into patient care is now on the horizon. Optical mapping, using fluorescent probes and high-speed cameras, offers detailed insights into cardiac activity and arrhythmias by analysing electrical signals, calcium dynamics, and metabolism. Optogenetics utilizes light-sensitive ion channels and pumps to realize contactless, cell-selective cardiac actuation for modelling arrhythmia, restoring sinus rhythm, and probing complex cell-cell interactions. The merging of optogenetics and optical mapping techniques for 'all-optical' electrophysiology marks a significant step forward. This combination allows for the contactless actuation and sensing of cardiac electrophysiology, offering unprecedented spatial-temporal resolution and control. Recent studies have performed all-optical imaging ex vivo and achieved reliable optogenetic pacing in vivo, narrowing the gap for clinical use. Progress in optical electrophysiology continues at pace. Advances in motion tracking methods are removing the necessity of motion uncoupling, a key limitation of optical mapping. Innovations in optoelectronics, including miniaturized, biocompatible illumination and circuitry, are enabling the creation of implantable cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators with optoelectrical closed-loop systems. Computational modelling and machine learning are emerging as pivotal tools in enhancing optical techniques, offering new avenues for analysing complex data and optimizing therapeutic strategies. However, key challenges remain including opsin delivery, real-time data processing, longevity, and chronic effects of optoelectronic devices. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in optical mapping and optogenetics and outlines the promising future of optics in reshaping cardiac electrophysiology and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Baines
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Rina Sha
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Manish Kalla
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Andrew P Holmes
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Igor R Efimov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Davor Pavlovic
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Christopher O’Shea
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, College of Medical and Dental Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbastion, Wolfson Drive, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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2
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Han JL, Heinson YW, Chua CJ, Liu W, Entcheva E. CRISPRi gene modulation and all-optical electrophysiology in post-differentiated human iPSC-cardiomyocytes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1236. [PMID: 38062109 PMCID: PMC10703822 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05627-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncovering gene-phenotype relationships can be enabled by precise gene modulation in human induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and follow up phenotyping using scalable all-optical electrophysiology platforms. Such efforts towards human functional genomics can be aided by recent CRISPR-derived technologies for reversible gene inhibition or activation (CRISPRi/a). We set out to characterize the performance of CRISPRi in post-differentiated iPSC-CMs, targeting key cardiac ion channel genes, KCNH2, KCNJ2, and GJA1, and providing a multiparametric quantification of the effects on cardiac repolarization, stability of the resting membrane potential and conduction properties using all-optical tools. More potent CRISPRi effectors, e.g., Zim3, and optimized viral delivery led to improved performance on par with the use of CRISPRi iPSC lines. Confirmed mild yet specific phenotype changes when CRISPRi is deployed in non-dividing differentiated heart cells is an important step towards more holistic pre-clinical cardiotoxicity testing and for future therapeutic use in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie L Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Yuli W Heinson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Christianne J Chua
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
| | - Emilia Entcheva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
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3
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Heinson YW, Han JL, Entcheva E. OptoDyCE-plate as an affordable high throughput imager for all optical cardiac electrophysiology. JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY PLUS 2023; 6:100054. [PMID: 38130942 PMCID: PMC10735237 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmccpl.2023.100054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
We present a simple low-cost system for comprehensive functional characterization of cardiac function under spontaneous and paced conditions, in standard 96 and 384-well plates. This full-plate actuator/imager, OptoDyCE-plate, uses optogenetic stimulation and optical readouts of voltage and calcium (parallel recordings from up to 100 wells in 384-well plates are demonstrated). The system is validated with syncytia of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes, iPSC-CMs, grown as monolayers, or in quasi-3D isotropic and anisotropic constructs using electrospun matrices, in 96 and 384-well format. Genetic modifications, e.g. interference CRISPR (CRISPRi), and nine compounds of acute and chronic action were tested, including five histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis). Their effects on voltage and calcium were compared across growth conditions and pacing rates. We also demonstrated optogenetic point pacing via cell spheroids to study conduction in 96-well format, as well as temporal multiplexing to register voltage and calcium simultaneously on a single camera. Opto-DyCE-plate showed excellent performance even in the small samples in 384-well plates. Anisotropic structured constructs may provide some benefits in drug testing, although drug responses were consistent across tested configurations. Differential voltage vs. calcium responses were seen for some drugs, especially for non-traditional modulators of cardiac function, e.g. HDACi, and pacing rate was a powerful modulator of drug response, highlighting the need for comprehensive multiparametric assessment, as offered by OptoDyCE-plate. Increasing throughput and speed and reducing cost of screening can help stratify potential compounds early in the drug development process and accelerate the development of safer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emilia Entcheva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, United States of America
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Djemai M, Cupelli M, Boutjdir M, Chahine M. Optical Mapping of Cardiomyocytes in Monolayer Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2168. [PMID: 37681899 PMCID: PMC10487143 DOI: 10.3390/cells12172168] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Optical mapping is a powerful imaging technique widely adopted to measure membrane potential changes and intracellular Ca2+ variations in excitable tissues using voltage-sensitive dyes and Ca2+ indicators, respectively. This powerful tool has rapidly become indispensable in the field of cardiac electrophysiology for studying depolarization wave propagation, estimating the conduction velocity of electrical impulses, and measuring Ca2+ dynamics in cardiac cells and tissues. In addition, mapping these electrophysiological parameters is important for understanding cardiac arrhythmia mechanisms. In this review, we delve into the fundamentals of cardiac optical mapping technology and its applications when applied to hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and discuss related advantages and challenges. We also provide a detailed description of the processing and analysis of optical mapping data, which is a crucial step in the study of cardiac diseases and arrhythmia mechanisms for extracting and comparing relevant electrophysiological parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Djemai
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec City, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | - Michael Cupelli
- Cardiovascular Research Program, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY 11209, USA
- Department of Medicine, Cell Biology and Pharmacology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, NY 11203, USA
| | - Mohamed Boutjdir
- Cardiovascular Research Program, VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, NY 11209, USA
- Department of Medicine, Cell Biology and Pharmacology, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, NY 11203, USA
- Department of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mohamed Chahine
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec, Quebec City, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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5
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Li W, McLeod D, Ketzenberger JT, Kowalik G, Russo R, Li Z, Kay MW, Entcheva E. High-throughput optical sensing of peri-cellular oxygen in cardiac cells: system characterization, calibration, and testing. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1214493. [PMID: 37397961 PMCID: PMC10313526 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1214493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) represent a scalable experimental model relevant to human physiology. Oxygen consumption of hiPSC-CMs has not been studied in high-throughput (HT) format plates used in pre-clinical studies. Here, we provide comprehensive characterization and validation of a system for HT long-term optical measurements of peri-cellular oxygen in cardiac syncytia (human iPSC-CM and human cardiac fibroblasts), grown in glass-bottom 96-well plates. Laser-cut oxygen sensors having a ruthenium dye and an oxygen-insensitive reference dye were used. Ratiometric measurements (409 nm excitation) reflected dynamic changes in oxygen, as validated with simultaneous Clark electrode measurements. Emission ratios (653 nm vs. 510 nm) were calibrated for percent oxygen using two-point calibration. Time-dependent changes in the Stern-Volmer parameter, ksv, were observed during the initial 40-90 min of incubation, likely temperature-related. Effects of pH on oxygen measurements were negligible in the pH range of 4-8, with a small ratio reduction for pH > 10. Time-dependent calibration was implemented, and light exposure time was optimized (0.6-0.8 s) for oxygen measurements inside an incubator. Peri-cellular oxygen dropped to levels <5% within 3-10 h for densely-plated hiPSC-CMs in glass-bottom 96-well plates. After the initial oxygen decrease, samples either settled to low steady-state or exhibited intermittent peri-cellular oxygen dynamics. Cardiac fibroblasts showed slower oxygen depletion and higher steady-state levels without oscillations, compared to hiPSC-CMs. Overall, the system has great utility for long-term HT monitoring of peri-cellular oxygen dynamics in vitro for tracking cellular oxygen consumption, metabolic perturbations, and characterization of the maturation of hiPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zhenyu Li
- Correspondence: Zhenyu Li, ; Matthew W. Kay, ; Emilia Entcheva,
| | - Matthew W. Kay
- Correspondence: Zhenyu Li, ; Matthew W. Kay, ; Emilia Entcheva,
| | - Emilia Entcheva
- Correspondence: Zhenyu Li, ; Matthew W. Kay, ; Emilia Entcheva,
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Lee P, Hou L, Alibhai FJ, Al-attar R, Simón-Chica A, Redondo-Rodríguez A, Nie Y, Mirotsou M, Laflamme MA, Swaminath G, Filgueiras-Rama D. A fully-automated low-cost cardiac monolayer optical mapping robot. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1096884. [PMID: 37283579 PMCID: PMC10240081 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1096884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Scalable and high-throughput electrophysiological measurement systems are necessary to accelerate the elucidation of cardiac diseases in drug development. Optical mapping is the primary method of simultaneously measuring several key electrophysiological parameters, such as action potentials, intracellular free calcium and conduction velocity, at high spatiotemporal resolution. This tool has been applied to isolated whole-hearts, whole-hearts in-vivo, tissue-slices and cardiac monolayers/tissue-constructs. Although optical mapping of all of these substrates have contributed to our understanding of ion-channels and fibrillation dynamics, cardiac monolayers/tissue-constructs are scalable macroscopic substrates that are particularly amenable to high-throughput interrogation. Here, we describe and validate a scalable and fully-automated monolayer optical mapping robot that requires no human intervention and with reasonable costs. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, we performed parallelized macroscopic optical mapping of calcium dynamics in the well-established neonatal-rat-ventricular-myocyte monolayer plated on standard 35 mm dishes. Given the advancements in regenerative and personalized medicine, we also performed parallelized macroscopic optical mapping of voltage dynamics in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte monolayers using a genetically encoded voltage indictor and a commonly-used voltage sensitive dye to demonstrate the versatility of our system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lee
- Novel Arrhythmogenic Mechanisms Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Essel Research and Development Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Luqia Hou
- Cardiometabolic Department, Merck & Co., Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Faisal J. Alibhai
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rasha Al-attar
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ana Simón-Chica
- Novel Arrhythmogenic Mechanisms Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Redondo-Rodríguez
- Novel Arrhythmogenic Mechanisms Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Yilin Nie
- Cardiometabolic Department, Merck & Co., Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Maria Mirotsou
- Cardiometabolic Department, Merck & Co., Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Michael A. Laflamme
- McEwen Stem Cell Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gayathri Swaminath
- Cardiometabolic Department, Merck & Co., Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - David Filgueiras-Rama
- Novel Arrhythmogenic Mechanisms Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
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7
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Han JL, Heinson YW, Chua CJ, Liu W, Entcheva E. CRISPRi Gene Modulation and All-Optical Electrophysiology in Post-Differentiated Human iPSC-Cardiomyocytes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.07.539756. [PMID: 37214814 PMCID: PMC10197536 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.07.539756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Uncovering gene-phenotype relationships can be enabled by precise gene modulation in human induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and follow up phenotyping using scalable all-optical electrophysiology platforms. Such efforts towards human functional genomics can be aided by recent CRISPR-derived technologies for reversible gene inhibition or activation (CRISPRi/a). We set out to characterize the performance of CRISPRi in post-differentiated iPSC-CMs, targeting key cardiac ion channel genes, KCNH2, KCNJ2, and GJA1, and providing a multiparametric quantification of the effects on cardiac repolarization, stability of the resting membrane potential and conduction properties using all-optical tools. More potent CRISPRi effectors, e.g. Zim3, and optimized viral delivery led to improved performance on par with the use of CRISPRi iPSC lines. Confirmed mild yet specific phenotype changes when CRISPRi is deployed in non-dividing differentiated heart cells is an important step towards more holistic pre-clinical cardiotoxicity testing and for future therapeutic use in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie L. Han
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Yuli W. Heinson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Christianne J. Chua
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
| | - Emilia Entcheva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington DC 20052, USA
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8
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Liu W, Han JL, Tomek J, Bub G, Entcheva E. Simultaneous Widefield Voltage and Dye-Free Optical Mapping Quantifies Electromechanical Waves in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. ACS PHOTONICS 2023; 10:1070-1083. [PMID: 37096210 PMCID: PMC10119986 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.2c01644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Coupled electromechanical waves define a heart's function in health and diseases. Optical mapping of electrical waves using fluorescent labels offers mechanistic insights into cardiac conduction abnormalities. Dye-free/label-free mapping of mechanical waves presents an attractive non-invasive alternative. In this study, we developed a simultaneous widefield voltage and interferometric dye-free optical imaging methodology that was used as follows: (1) to validate dye-free optical mapping for quantification of cardiac wave properties in human iPSC-cardiomyocytes (CMs); (2) to demonstrate low-cost optical mapping of electromechanical waves in hiPSC-CMs using recent near-infrared (NIR) voltage sensors and orders of magnitude cheaper miniature industrial CMOS cameras; (3) to uncover previously underexplored frequency- and space-varying parameters of cardiac electromechanical waves in hiPSC-CMs. We find similarity in the frequency-dependent responses of electrical (NIR fluorescence-imaged) and mechanical (dye-free-imaged) waves, with the latter being more sensitive to faster rates and showing steeper restitution and earlier appearance of wavefront tortuosity. During regular pacing, the dye-free-imaged conduction velocity and electrical wave velocity are correlated; both modalities are sensitive to pharmacological uncoupling and dependent on gap-junctional protein (connexins) determinants of wave propagation. We uncover the strong frequency dependence of the electromechanical delay (EMD) locally and globally in hiPSC-CMs on a rigid substrate. The presented framework and results offer new means to track the functional responses of hiPSC-CMs inexpensively and non-invasively for counteracting heart disease and aiding cardiotoxicity testing and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, George Washington
University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
| | - Julie L. Han
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, George Washington
University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
| | - Jakub Tomek
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of California−Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Gil Bub
- Department
of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Emilia Entcheva
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, George Washington
University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
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