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Cerutti L, Brofiga M. Unraveling brain diseases: The promise of brain-on-a-chip models. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 405:110105. [PMID: 38460796 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110105] [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: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Brain disorders, encompassing a wide spectrum of neurological and psychiatric conditions, present a formidable challenge in modern medicine. Despite decades of research, the intricate complexity of the human brain still eludes comprehensive understanding, impeding the development of effective treatments. Recent advancements in microfluidics and tissue engineering have led to the development of innovative platforms known as "Brain-on-a-Chip" (BoC) i.e., advanced in vitro systems that aim to replicate the microenvironment of the brain with the highest possible fidelity. This technology offers a promising test-bed for studying brain disorders at the cellular and network levels, providing insights into disease mechanisms, drug screening, and, in perspective, the development of personalized therapeutic strategies. In this review, we provide an overview of the BoC models developed over the years to model and understand the onset and progression of some of the most severe neurological disorders in terms of incidence and debilitation (stroke, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and epilepsy). We also report some of the cutting-edge therapeutic approaches whose effects were evaluated by means of these technologies. Finally, we discuss potential challenges, and future perspectives of the BoC models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Cerutti
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBIRS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Martina Brofiga
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBIRS), University of Genova, Genova, Italy; ScreenNeuroPharm s.r.l, Sanremo, Italy; Neurofacility, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
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Valderhaug VD, Ramstad OH, van de Wijdeven R, Heiney K, Nichele S, Sandvig A, Sandvig I. Micro-and mesoscale aspects of neurodegeneration in engineered human neural networks carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1366098. [PMID: 38644975 PMCID: PMC11026646 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1366098] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene have been widely linked to Parkinson's disease, where the G2019S variant has been shown to contribute uniquely to both familial and sporadic forms of the disease. LRRK2-related mutations have been extensively studied, yet the wide variety of cellular and network events related to these mutations remain poorly understood. The advancement and availability of tools for neural engineering now enable modeling of selected pathological aspects of neurodegenerative disease in human neural networks in vitro. Our study revealed distinct pathology associated dynamics in engineered human cortical neural networks carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation compared to healthy isogenic control neural networks. The neurons carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation self-organized into networks with aberrant morphology and mitochondrial dynamics, affecting emerging structure-function relationships both at the micro-and mesoscale. Taken together, the findings of our study points toward an overall heightened metabolic demand in networks carrying the LRRK2 G2019S mutation, as well as a resilience to change in response to perturbation, compared to healthy isogenic controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vibeke Devold Valderhaug
- Department of Research and Innovation, Møre and Romsdal Hospital Trust, Ålesund, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ola Huse Ramstad
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rosanne van de Wijdeven
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristine Heiney
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), Oslo, Norway
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Stefano Nichele
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), Oslo, Norway
- Department of Computer Science and Communication, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway
| | - Axel Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Neuro, Head and Neck, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ioanna Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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Hanssen KS, Witter MP, Sandvig A, Sandvig I, Kobro-Flatmoen A. Dissection and culturing of adult lateral entorhinal cortex layer II neurons from APP/PS1 Alzheimer model mice. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 390:109840. [PMID: 36948358 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.109840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary neuronal cultures enable cell-biological studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD), albeit typically non-neuron-specific. The first cortical neurons affected in AD reside in layer II of the lateralmost part of the entorhinal cortex, and they undergo early accumulation of intracellular amyloid-β, form subsequent tau pathology, and start degenerating pre-symptomatically. These vulnerable entorhinal neurons uniquely express the glycoprotein reelin and provide selective inputs to the hippocampal memory system. Gaining a more direct access to study these neurons is therefore highly relevant. NEW METHOD We demonstrate a methodological approach for dissection and long-term culturing of adult lateral entorhinal layer II-neurons from AD-model mice. RESULTS We maintain adult dissected lateralmost entorhinal layer II-neurons beyond two months in culture. We show that they express neuronal markers, and that they are electrophysiologically active by 15 days in vitro and continuing beyond 2 months. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Primary neurons are typically harvested from embryonic or early postnatal brains because such neurons are easier to culture compared to adult neurons. Methods to culture adult primary neurons have been reported, however, to our knowledge, culturing of adult entorhinal neuron-type specific primary neurons from AD-model animals have not been reported. CONCLUSIONS Our methodological approach offers a window to study initial pathological changes in the AD disease-cascade. This includes the study of proteinopathy, single-neuron changes, and network-level dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine Sjaastad Hanssen
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Menno P Witter
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Alzheimer's Disease, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Axel Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway; Umeå University Hospital, Division of Neuro, Head and Neck, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St Olav´s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ioanna Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asgeir Kobro-Flatmoen
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Centre for Neural Computation, Egil and Pauline Braathen and Fred Kavli Centre for Cortical Microcircuits, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; K.G. Jebsen Centre for Alzheimer's Disease, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
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Aggregation of alpha-synuclein in enteric neurons does not impact function in vitro. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22211. [PMID: 36564445 PMCID: PMC9789045 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26543-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence implicates a gut-first pathogenesis in the enteric nervous system (ENS) within a portion of PD patients, yet in vitro investigations have primarily focused on the central nervous system. Here, the preformed fibril (PFF) PD model is applied with co-administered groups of butyrate and lipopolysaccharide to model the effects of the local gut microbiome. Significant PFF uptake and retention occur in isolated rat enteric neurons compared to untreated controls resulting in increasing immunostained aggregate conformation-specific, alpha-synuclein (a-Syn) average intensity between 6 µg PFF and untreated controls. Cortical neurons significantly retain PFFs with an increase in aggregated a-Syn average intensity within all dosages. Differences in growth cone morphology but not dynamics in PFF-treated ENS cultures occur. Electrophysiological recordings via a microelectrode array (MEA) indicate no overall difference in spontaneous spike rate. However, only untreated controls respond to PD-relevant dopamine stimulus, while 1 µg PFF and control populations respond to stimulus with ENS-abundant acetylcholine. Finally, no differences in substance P levels-correlated with PD and neurodegeneration-are observed. Overall, these findings suggest the ENS retains PFF dosage absent acute loss in function, however, does experience changes in growth cone morphology and dopamine-stimulated activity.
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Kulkarni AS, Burns MR, Brundin P, Wesson DW. Linking α-synuclein-induced synaptopathy and neural network dysfunction in early Parkinson’s disease. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac165. [PMID: 35822101 PMCID: PMC9272065 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The prodromal phase of Parkinson’s disease is characterized by aggregation of the misfolded pathogenic protein α-synuclein in select neural centres, co-occurring with non-motor symptoms including sensory and cognitive loss, and emotional disturbances. It is unclear whether neuronal loss is significant during the prodrome. Underlying these symptoms are synaptic impairments and aberrant neural network activity. However, the relationships between synaptic defects and network-level perturbations are not established. In experimental models, pathological α-synuclein not only impacts neurotransmission at the synaptic level, but also leads to changes in brain network-level oscillatory dynamics—both of which likely contribute to non-motor deficits observed in Parkinson’s disease. Here we draw upon research from both human subjects and experimental models to propose a ‘synapse to network prodrome cascade’ wherein before overt cell death, pathological α-synuclein induces synaptic loss and contributes to aberrant network activity, which then gives rise to prodromal symptomology. As the disease progresses, abnormal patterns of neural activity ultimately lead to neuronal loss and clinical progression of disease. Finally, we outline goals and research needed to unravel the basis of functional impairments in Parkinson’s disease and other α-synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya S Kulkarni
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida , 1200 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610 , USA
| | - Matthew R Burns
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida , 1200 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610 , USA
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Disorders, University of Florida , 1200 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610 , USA
| | - Patrik Brundin
- Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), F. Hoffman-La Roche , Little Falls, NJ , USA
| | - Daniel W Wesson
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida , 1200 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610 , USA
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Disorders, University of Florida , 1200 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610 , USA
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