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Yang M, Liu M, Sánchez YF, Avazzadeh S, Quinlan LR, Liu G, Lu Y, Yang G, O'Brien T, Henshall DC, Hardiman O, Shen S. A novel protocol to derive cervical motor neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:1870-1883. [PMID: 37595581 PMCID: PMC10545486 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.07.004] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) is the majority of ALS, and the lack of appropriate disease models has hindered its research. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology now permits derivation of iPSCs from somatic cells of sALS patients to investigate disease phenotypes and mechanisms. Most existing differentiation protocols are time-consuming or low efficient in generating motor neurons (MNs). Here we report a rapid and simple protocol to differentiate MNs in monolayer culture using small molecules, which led to nearly pure neural stem cells in 6 days, robust OLIG2+ pMNs (73%-91%) in 12 days, enriched CHAT+ cervical spinal MNs (sMNs) (88%-97%) in 18 days, and functionally mature sMNs in 28 days. This simple and reproducible protocol permitted the identification of hyperexcitability phenotypes in our sALS iPSC-derived sMNs, and its application in neurodegenerative diseases should facilitate in vitro disease modeling, drug screening, and the development of cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meimei Yang
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland; FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Min Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
| | - Yajaira Feller Sánchez
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Sahar Avazzadeh
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Leo R Quinlan
- Cellular Physiology Research Laboratory and CÚRAM SFI Centre for Research in Medical Devices, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
| | - Gang Liu
- Department of Cardiology, The First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Key Laboratory of Cardiac Injury Repair Mechanism Study, Hebei Key Laboratory of Heart and Metabolism, Hebei Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Medical Clinical Application, Hebei International Joint Research Center for Structural Heart Disease, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yin Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Prevention and Treatment of Tumor, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Guangming Yang
- College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Timothy O'Brien
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland
| | - David C Henshall
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Orla Hardiman
- FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland; Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, 152-160 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| | - Sanbing Shen
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, School of Medicine, University of Galway, H91 W2TY Galway, Ireland; FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases and Department of Physiology & Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland.
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Nie L, Yao D, Chen S, Wang J, Pan C, Wu D, Liu N, Tang Z. Directional induction of neural stem cells, a new therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic stroke. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:215. [PMID: 37393356 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01532-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the limited capacity of the adult mammalian brain to self-repair and regenerate, neurological diseases, especially neurodegenerative disorders and stroke, characterized by irreversible cellular damage are often considered as refractory diseases. Neural stem cells (NSCs) play a unique role in the treatment of neurological diseases for their abilities to self-renew and form different neural lineage cells, such as neurons and glial cells. With the increasing understanding of neurodevelopment and advances in stem cell technology, NSCs can be obtained from different sources and directed to differentiate into a specific neural lineage cell phenotype purposefully, making it possible to replace specific cells lost in some neurological diseases, which provides new approaches to treat neurodegenerative diseases as well as stroke. In this review, we outline the advances in generating several neuronal lineage subtypes from different sources of NSCs. We further summarize the therapeutic effects and possible therapeutic mechanisms of these fated specific NSCs in neurological disease models, with special emphasis on Parkinson's disease and ischemic stroke. Finally, from the perspective of clinical translation, we compare the strengths and weaknesses of different sources of NSCs and different methods of directed differentiation, and propose future research directions for directed differentiation of NSCs in regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luwei Nie
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Dabao Yao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Shiling Chen
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Pan
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China
| | - Dongcheng Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
- Wuhan Hamilton Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhouping Tang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.
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3
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Zilberman A, Cornelison RC. Microphysiological models of the central nervous system with fluid flow. Brain Res Bull 2021; 174:72-83. [PMID: 34029679 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.05.015] [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: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
There are over 1,000 described neurological and neurodegenerative disorders affecting nearly 100 million Americans - roughly one third of the U.S. population. Collectively, treatment of neurological conditions is estimated to cost $800 billion every year. Lowering this societal burden will require developing better model systems in which to study these diverse disorders. Microphysiological systems are promising tools for modeling healthy and diseased neural tissues to study mechanisms and treatment of neuropathology. One major benefit of microphysiological systems is the ability to incorporate biophysical forces, namely the forces derived from biological fluid flow. Fluid flow in the central nervous system (CNS) is a complex but important element of physiology, and pathologies as diverse as traumatic or ischemic injury, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and natural aging have all been found to alter flow pathways. In this review, we summarize recent advances in three-dimensional microphysiological systems for studying the biology and therapy of CNS disorders and highlight the ability and growing need to incorporate biological fluid flow in these miniaturized model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleeza Zilberman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, United States
| | - R Chase Cornelison
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, United States.
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4
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Olmsted ZT, Paluh JL. Stem Cell Neurodevelopmental Solutions for Restorative Treatments of the Human Trunk and Spine. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:667590. [PMID: 33981202 PMCID: PMC8107236 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.667590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to reliably repair spinal cord injuries (SCI) will be one of the greatest human achievements realized in regenerative medicine. Until recently, the cellular path to this goal has been challenging. However, as detailed developmental principles are revealed in mouse and human models, their application in the stem cell community brings trunk and spine embryology into efforts to advance human regenerative medicine. New models of posterior embryo development identify neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) as a major bifurcation point in generating the spinal cord and somites and is leading to production of cell types with the full range of axial identities critical for repair of trunk and spine disorders. This is coupled with organoid technologies including assembloids, circuitoids, and gastruloids. We describe a paradigm for applying developmental principles towards the goal of cell-based restorative therapies to enable reproducible and effective near-term clinical interventions.
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Sepehrimanesh M, Ding B. Generation and optimization of highly pure motor neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells via lentiviral delivery of transcription factors. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2020; 319:C771-C780. [PMID: 32783653 PMCID: PMC7654652 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00279.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Generation of neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) overcomes the limited access to human brain samples and greatly facilitates the progress of research in neurological diseases. However, it is still a challenge to generate a particular neuronal subtype with high purity and yield for determining the pathogenesis of diseased neurons using biochemical approaches. Motor neurons (MNs) are a specialized neuronal subtype responsible for governing both autonomic and volitional movement. Dysfunctions in MNs are implicated in a variety of movement diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this study, we generated functional MNs from human iPSCs via lentiviral delivery of transcription factors. Moreover, we optimized induction conditions by using different combinations of transcription factors and found that a single lentiviral vector expressing three factors [neurogenin-2 (NGN2), insulin gene enhancer 1 (ISL1), and LIM/homeobox 3 (LHX3)] is necessary and sufficient to induce iPSC-derived MNs (iPSC-MNs). These MNs robustly expressed general neuron markers [microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), neurofilament protein (SMI-32), and tubulin β-3 class III (TUBB3)] and MN-specific markers [HB9 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)] and showed electrical maturation and firing of action potentials within 3 wk. This approach significantly improved the neuronal survival, yield, and purity, making it feasible to obtain abundant materials for biochemical studies in modeling movement diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masood Sepehrimanesh
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
| | - Baojin Ding
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, Louisiana
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6
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Wang Y, Patani R. Novel therapeutic targets for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: ribonucleoproteins and cellular autonomy. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:971-984. [PMID: 32746659 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1805734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease with a lifetime risk of approximately 1:400. It is incurable and invariably fatal. Average survival is between 3 and 5 years and patients become increasingly paralyzed, losing the ability to speak, eat, and breathe. Therapies in development either (i) target specific familial forms of ALS (comprising a minority of around 10% of cases) or ii) emanate from (over)reliance on animal models or non-human/non-neuronal cell models. There is a desperate and unmet clinical need for effective treatments. Deciphering the primacy and relative contributions of defective protein homeostasis and RNA metabolism in ALS across different model systems will facilitate the identification of putative therapeutic targets. AREAS COVERED This review examines the putative common primary molecular events that lead to ALS pathogenesis. We focus on deregulated RNA metabolism, protein mislocalization/pathological aggregation and the role of glia in ALS-related motor neuron degeneration. Finally, we describe promising targets for therapeutic evaluation. EXPERT OPINION Moving forward, an effective strategy could be achieved by a poly-therapeutic approach which targets both deregulated RNA metabolism and protein dyshomeostasis in the relevant cell types, at the appropriate phase of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Wang
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London , London, UK.,Human Stem Cells and Neurodegeneration Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute , London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London , London, UK.,Human Stem Cells and Neurodegeneration Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute , London, UK
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7
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Maffioletti SM, Sarcar S, Henderson ABH, Mannhardt I, Pinton L, Moyle LA, Steele-Stallard H, Cappellari O, Wells KE, Ferrari G, Mitchell JS, Tyzack GE, Kotiadis VN, Khedr M, Ragazzi M, Wang W, Duchen MR, Patani R, Zammit PS, Wells DJ, Eschenhagen T, Tedesco FS. Three-Dimensional Human iPSC-Derived Artificial Skeletal Muscles Model Muscular Dystrophies and Enable Multilineage Tissue Engineering. Cell Rep 2019; 23:899-908. [PMID: 29669293 PMCID: PMC5917451 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Generating human skeletal muscle models is instrumental for investigating muscle pathology and therapy. Here, we report the generation of three-dimensional (3D) artificial skeletal muscle tissue from human pluripotent stem cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients with Duchenne, limb-girdle, and congenital muscular dystrophies. 3D skeletal myogenic differentiation of pluripotent cells was induced within hydrogels under tension to provide myofiber alignment. Artificial muscles recapitulated characteristics of human skeletal muscle tissue and could be implanted into immunodeficient mice. Pathological cellular hallmarks of incurable forms of severe muscular dystrophy could be modeled with high fidelity using this 3D platform. Finally, we show generation of fully human iPSC-derived, complex, multilineage muscle models containing key isogenic cellular constituents of skeletal muscle, including vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, and motor neurons. These results lay the foundation for a human skeletal muscle organoid-like platform for disease modeling, regenerative medicine, and therapy development. Human iPSC-derived 3D artificial muscles show features of normal skeletal muscle Multiple muscular dystrophy iPSC lines can be differentiated in 3D artificial muscles Artificial muscle constructs model severe, incurable forms of muscular dystrophy Isogenic vascular-like networks and motor neurons develop within artificial muscles
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shilpita Sarcar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Alexander B H Henderson
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Ingra Mannhardt
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany
| | - Luca Pinton
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Louise Anne Moyle
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Heather Steele-Stallard
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK; Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ornella Cappellari
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Kim E Wells
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Giulia Ferrari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Jamie S Mitchell
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Giulia E Tyzack
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Vassilios N Kotiadis
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Moustafa Khedr
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Martina Ragazzi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Weixin Wang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Michael R Duchen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6DE, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Peter S Zammit
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Dominic J Wells
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UK
| | - Thomas Eschenhagen
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany
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Trawczynski M, Liu G, David BT, Fessler RG. Restoring Motor Neurons in Spinal Cord Injury With Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:369. [PMID: 31474833 PMCID: PMC6707336 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating neurological disorder that damages motor, sensory, and autonomic pathways. Recent advances in stem cell therapy have allowed for the in vitro generation of motor neurons (MNs) showing electrophysiological and synaptic activity, expression of canonical MN biomarkers, and the ability to graft into spinal lesions. Clinical translation, especially the transplantation of MN precursors in spinal lesions, has thus far been elusive because of stem cell heterogeneity and protocol variability, as well as a hostile microenvironment such as inflammation and scarring, which yield inconsistent pre-clinical results without a consensus best-practice therapeutic strategy. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in particular have lower ethical and immunogenic concerns than other stem cells, which could make them more clinically applicable. In this review, we focus on the differentiation of iPSCs into neural precursors, MN progenitors, mature MNs, and MN subtype fates. Previous reviews have summarized MN development and differentiation, but an up-to-date summary of technological and experimental advances holding promise for bench-to-bedside translation, especially those targeting individual MN subtypes in SCI, is currently lacking. We discuss biological mechanisms of MN lineage, recent experimental protocols and techniques for MN differentiation from iPSCs, and transplantation of neural precursors and MN lineage cells in spinal cord lesions to restore motor function. We emphasize efficient, clinically safe, and personalized strategies for the application of MN and their subtypes as therapy in spinal lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Trawczynski
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Gele Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Brian T David
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard G Fessler
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Aberrant axon branching via Fos-B dysregulation in FUS-ALS motor neurons. EBioMedicine 2019; 45:362-378. [PMID: 31262712 PMCID: PMC6642224 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The characteristic structure of motor neurons (MNs), particularly of the long axons, becomes damaged in the early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the molecular pathophysiology of axonal degeneration remains to be fully elucidated. Method Two sets of isogenic human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSCs)-derived MNs possessing the single amino acid difference (p.H517D) in the fused in sarcoma (FUS) were constructed. By combining MN reporter lentivirus, MN specific phenotype was analyzed. Moreover, RNA profiling of isolated axons were conducted by applying the microfluidic devices that enable axon bundles to be produced for omics analysis. The relationship between the target gene, which was identified as a pathological candidate in ALS with RNA-sequencing, and the MN phenotype was confirmed by intervention with si-RNA or overexpression to hiPSCs-derived MNs and even in vivo. The commonality was further confirmed with other ALS-causative mutant hiPSCs-derived MNs and human pathology. Findings We identified aberrant increasing of axon branchings in FUS-mutant hiPSCs-derived MN axons compared with isogenic controls as a novel phenotype. We identified increased level of Fos-B mRNA, the binding target of FUS, in FUS-mutant MNs. While Fos-B reduction using si-RNA or an inhibitor ameliorated the observed aberrant axon branching, Fos-B overexpression resulted in aberrant axon branching even in vivo. The commonality of those phenotypes was further confirmed with other ALS causative mutation than FUS. Interpretation Analyzing the axonal fraction of hiPSC-derived MNs using microfluidic devices revealed that Fos-B is a key regulator of FUS-mutant axon branching. Fund Japan Agency for Medical Research and development; Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Clinical Research, Innovation and Education Center, Tohoku University Hospital; Japan Intractable Diseases (Nanbyo) Research Foundation; the Kanae Foundation for the Promotion of Medical Science; and “Inochi-no-Iro” ALS research grant.
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Ziff OJ, Patani R. Harnessing cellular aging in human stem cell models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e12862. [PMID: 30565851 PMCID: PMC6351881 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative condition that is invariably fatal, usually within 3 to 5 years of diagnosis. The etiology of ALS remains unresolved and no effective treatments exist. There is therefore a desperate and unmet need for discovery of disease mechanisms to guide novel therapeutic strategies. The single major risk factor for ALS is aging, yet the molecular consequences of cell type‐specific aging remain understudied in this context. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have transformed the standard approach of examining human disease, generating unlimited numbers of disease‐relevant cells from patients, enabling analysis of disease mechanisms and drug screening. However, reprogramming patient cells to iPSCs reverses key hallmarks of cellular age. Therefore, although iPSC models recapitulate some disease hallmarks, a crucial challenge is to address the disparity between the advanced age of onset of neurodegenerative diseases and the fetal‐equivalent maturational state of iPSC‐derivatives. Increasing recognition of cell type‐specific aging paradigms underscores the importance of heterogeneity in ultimately tipping the balance from a state of compensated dysfunction (clinically pre‐symptomatic) to decompensation and progression (irreversible loss of neurological functions). In order to realize the true promise of iPSC technology in ALS, efforts need to prioritize faithfully recapitulating the clinical pathophysiological state, with proportionate emphasis on capturing the molecular sequelae of both cellular age and non‐cell‐autonomous disease mechanisms within this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J. Ziff
- The Institute of Neurology; University College London; London UK
- The Francis Crick Institute; London UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Institute of Neurology; University College London; London UK
- The Francis Crick Institute; London UK
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11
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Directing neuronal cell fate in vitro : Achievements and challenges. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 168:42-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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12
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Serio A, Patani R. Concise Review: The Cellular Conspiracy of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Stem Cells 2017; 36:293-303. [DOI: 10.1002/stem.2758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Serio
- Tissue Engineering and Biophotonics Division; Dental Institute, Kings College London; London United Kingdom
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience; Institute of Neurology, University College London; London United Kingdom
- The Francis Crick Institute; London United Kingdom
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13
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Devine H, Patani R. The translational potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells for clinical neurology : The translational potential of hiPSCs in neurology. Cell Biol Toxicol 2016; 33:129-144. [PMID: 27915387 PMCID: PMC5325844 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-016-9372-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The induced pluripotent state represents a decade-old Nobel prize-winning discovery. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are generated by the nuclear reprogramming of any somatic cell using a variety of established but evolving methods. This approach offers medical science unparalleled experimental opportunity to model an individual patient’s disease “in a dish.” HiPSCs permit developmentally rationalized directed differentiation into any cell type, which express donor cell mutation(s) at pathophysiological levels and thus hold considerable potential for disease modeling, drug discovery, and potentially cell-based therapies. This review will focus on the translational potential of hiPSCs in clinical neurology and the importance of integrating this approach with complementary model systems to increase the translational yield of preclinical testing for the benefit of patients. This strategy is particularly important given the expected increase in prevalence of neurodegenerative disease, which poses a major burden to global health over the coming decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Devine
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N3BG, UK.,Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N3BG, UK. .,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Euan MacDonald Centre for MND, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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14
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Abstract
Astrocytes abound in the human central nervous system (CNS) and play a multitude of indispensable roles in neuronal homeostasis and regulation of synaptic plasticity. While traditionally considered to be merely ancillary supportive cells, their complex yet fundamental relevance to brain physiology and pathology have only become apparent in recent times. Beyond their myriad canonical functions, previously unrecognised region-specific functional heterogeneity of astrocytes is emerging as an important attribute and challenges the traditional perspective of CNS-wide astrocyte homogeneity. Animal models have undeniably provided crucial insights into astrocyte biology, yet interspecies differences may limit the translational yield of such studies. Indeed, experimental systems aiming to understand the function of human astrocytes in health and disease have been hampered by accessibility to enriched cultures. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) now offer an unparalleled model system to interrogate the role of astrocytes in neurodegenerative disorders. By virtue of their ability to convey mutations at pathophysiological levels in a human system, hiPSCs may serve as an ideal pre-clinical platform for both resolution of pathogenic mechanisms and drug discovery. Here, we review astrocyte specification from hiPSCs and discuss their role in modelling human neurological diseases.
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