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Cheesbrough A, Harley P, Riccio F, Wu L, Song W, Lieberam I. A scalable human iPSC-based neuromuscular disease model on suspended biobased elastomer nanofiber scaffolds. Biofabrication 2023; 15:045020. [PMID: 37619554 PMCID: PMC10478173 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/acf39e] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Many devastating neuromuscular diseases currently lack effective treatments. This is in part due to a lack of drug discovery platforms capable of assessing complex human neuromuscular disease phenotypes in a scalable manner. A major obstacle has been generating scaffolds to stabilise mature contractile myofibers in a multi-well assay format amenable to high content image (HCI) analysis. This study describes the development of a scalable human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-neuromuscular disease model, whereby suspended elastomer nanofibers support long-term stability, alignment, maturation, and repeated contractions of iPSC-myofibers, innervated by iPSC-motor neurons in 96-well assay plates. In this platform, optogenetic stimulation of the motor neurons elicits robust myofiber-contractions, providing a functional readout of neuromuscular transmission. Additionally, HCI analysis provides rapid and automated quantification of axonal outgrowth, myofiber morphology, and neuromuscular synapse number and morphology. By incorporating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-related TDP-43G298Smutant motor neurons and CRISPR-corrected controls, key neuromuscular disease phenotypes are recapitulated, including weaker myofiber contractions, reduced axonal outgrowth, and reduced number of neuromuscular synapses. Treatment with a candidate ALS drug, the receptor-interacting protein kinase-1 (RIPK1)-inhibitor necrostatin-1, rescues these phenotypes in a dose-dependent manner, highlighting the potential of this platform to screen novel treatments for neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Cheesbrough
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
- UCL Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and Regeneration, Department of Surgical Biotechnology, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Harley
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Federica Riccio
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Wu
- UCL Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and Regeneration, Department of Surgical Biotechnology, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Wenhui Song
- UCL Centre for Biomaterials in Surgical Reconstruction and Regeneration, Department of Surgical Biotechnology, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
| | - Ivo Lieberam
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
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Harley P, Paredes-Redondo A, Grenci G, Viasnoff V, Lin YY, Lieberam I. 3D Compartmentalised Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Neuromuscular Co-cultures. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4624. [PMID: 36908638 PMCID: PMC9993083 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neuromuscular diseases represent a diverse group of disorders with unmet clinical need, ranging from muscular dystrophies, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), to neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In many of these conditions, axonal and neuromuscular synapse dysfunction have been implicated as crucial pathological events, highlighting the need for in vitro disease models that accurately recapitulate these aspects of human neuromuscular physiology. The protocol reported here describes the co-culture of neural spheroids composed of human pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived motor neurons and astrocytes, and human PSC-derived myofibers in 3D compartmentalised microdevices to generate functional human neuromuscular circuits in vitro. In this microphysiological model, motor axons project from a central nervous system (CNS)-like compartment along microchannels to innervate skeletal myofibers plated in a separate muscle compartment. This mimics the spatial organization of neuromuscular circuits in vivo. Optogenetics, particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis, and immunocytochemistry are used to control, record, and quantify functional neuromuscular transmission, axonal outgrowth, and neuromuscular synapse number and morphology. This approach has been applied to study disease-specific phenotypes for DMD and ALS by incorporating patient-derived and CRISPR-corrected human PSC-derived motor neurons and skeletal myogenic progenitors into the model, as well as testing candidate drugs for rescuing pathological phenotypes. The main advantages of this approach are: i) its simple design; ii) the in vivo-like anatomical separation between CNS and peripheral muscle; and iii) the amenability of the approach to high power imaging. This opens up the possibility for carrying out live axonal transport and synaptic imaging assays in future studies, in addition to the applications reported in this study. Graphical abstract Graphical abstract abbreviations: Channelrhodopsin-2 (CHR2+), pluripotent stem cell (PSC), motor neurons (MNs), myofibers (MFs), neuromuscular junction (NMJ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Harley
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Kings College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Amaia Paredes-Redondo
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK
- Centre for Predictive in vitro Model, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Gianluca Grenci
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 5a Engineering Drive 1, 117411 Singapore
| | - Virgile Viasnoff
- Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore, 5a Engineering Drive 1, 117411 Singapore
| | - Yung-Yao Lin
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK
- Centre for Predictive in vitro Model, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Ivo Lieberam
- Centre for Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Kings College London, London SE1 9RT, UK
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
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Bauer US, Fiskum V, Nair RR, van de Wijdeven R, Kentros C, Sandvig I, Sandvig A. Validation of Functional Connectivity of Engineered Neuromuscular Junction With Recombinant Monosynaptic Pseudotyped ΔG-Rabies Virus Tracing. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 16:855071. [PMID: 35669734 PMCID: PMC9163662 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2022.855071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Current preclinical models of neurodegenerative disease, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), can significantly benefit from in vitro neuroengineering approaches that enable the selective study and manipulation of neurons, networks, and functional units of interest. Custom-designed compartmentalized microfluidic culture systems enable the co-culture of different relevant cell types in interconnected but fluidically isolated microenvironments. Such systems can thus be applied for ALS disease modeling, as they enable the recapitulation and study of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) through co-culturing of motor neurons and muscle cells in separate, but interconnected compartments. These in vitro systems are particularly relevant for investigations of mechanistic aspects of the ALS pathological cascade in engineered NMJ, as progressive loss of NMJ functionality may constitute one of the hallmarks of disease related pathology at early onset, in line with the dying back hypothesis. In such models, ability to test whether motor neuron degeneration in ALS starts at the nerve terminal or at the NMJ and retrogradely progresses to the motor neuron cell body largely relies on robust methods for verification of engineered NMJ functionality. In this study, we demonstrate the functionality of engineered NMJs within a microfluidic chip with a differentially perturbable microenvironment using a designer pseudotyped ΔG-rabies virus for retrograde monosynaptic tracing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Stefan Bauer
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vegard Fiskum
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rajeevkumar Raveendran Nair
- Centre for Neural Computation, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rosanne van de Wijdeven
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Clifford Kentros
- Centre for Neural Computation, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Ioanna Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Axel Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Axel Sandvig,
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Saini J, Faroni A, Reid AJ, Mouly V, Butler-Browne G, Lightfoot AP, McPhee JS, Degens H, Al-Shanti N. Cross-talk between motor neurons and myotubes via endogenously secreted neural and muscular growth factors. Physiol Rep 2021; 9:e14791. [PMID: 33931983 PMCID: PMC8087923 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14791] [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: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) research is vital to advance the understanding of neuromuscular patho‐physiology and development of novel therapies for diseases associated with NM dysfunction. In vivo, the micro‐environment surrounding the NMJ has a significant impact on NMJ formation and maintenance via neurotrophic and differentiation factors that are secreted as a result of cross‐talk between muscle fibers and motor neurons. Recently we showed the formation of functional NMJs in vitro in a co‐culture of immortalized human myoblasts and motor neurons from rat‐embryo spinal‐cord explants, using a culture medium free from serum and neurotrophic or growth factors. The aim of this study was to assess how functional NMJs were established in this co‐culture devoid of exogenous neural growth factors. To investigate this, an ELISA‐based microarray was used to compare the composition of soluble endogenously secreted growth factors in this co‐culture with an a‐neural muscle culture. The levels of seven neurotrophic factors brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial‐cell‐line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein‐3 (IGFBP‐3), insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3), neurotrophin‐4 (NT‐4), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were higher (p < 0.05) in the supernatant of NMJ culture compared to those in the supernatant of the a‐neural muscle culture. This indicates that the cross‐talk between muscle and motor neurons promotes the secretion of soluble growth factors contributing to the local microenvironment thereby providing a favourable regenerative niche for NMJs formation and maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasdeep Saini
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Alessandro Faroni
- Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.,Dept. of Plastic Surgery & Burns, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam J Reid
- Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.,Dept. of Plastic Surgery & Burns, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Vincent Mouly
- Center for Research in Myology, Sorbonne Université-INSERM, Paris, France
| | | | - Adam P Lightfoot
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Jamie S McPhee
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Hans Degens
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.,Lithuanian Sports University, Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Nasser Al-Shanti
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
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Saini J, Faroni A, Reid AJ, Mamchaoui K, Mouly V, Butler-Browne G, Lightfoot AP, McPhee JS, Degens H, Al-Shanti N. A Novel Bioengineered Functional Motor Unit Platform to Study Neuromuscular Interaction. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9103238. [PMID: 33050427 PMCID: PMC7599749 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9103238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In many neurodegenerative and muscular disorders, and loss of innervation in sarcopenia, improper reinnervation of muscle and dysfunction of the motor unit (MU) are key pathogenic features. In vivo studies of MUs are constrained due to difficulties isolating and extracting functional MUs, so there is a need for a simplified and reproducible system of engineered in vitro MUs. Objective: to develop and characterise a functional MU model in vitro, permitting the analysis of MU development and function. Methods: an immortalised human myoblast cell line was co-cultured with rat embryo spinal cord explants in a serum-free/growth fact media. MUs developed and the morphology of their components (neuromuscular junction (NMJ), myotubes and motor neurons) were characterised using immunocytochemistry, phase contrast and confocal microscopy. The function of the MU was evaluated through live observations and videography of spontaneous myotube contractions after challenge with cholinergic antagonists and glutamatergic agonists. Results: blocking acetylcholine receptors with α-bungarotoxin resulted in complete, cessation of myotube contractions, which was reversible with tubocurarine. Furthermore, myotube activity was significantly higher with the application of L-glutamic acid. All these observations indicate the formed MU are functional. Conclusion: a functional nerve-muscle co-culture model was established that has potential for drug screening and pathophysiological studies of neuromuscular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasdeep Saini
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK; (J.S.); (A.P.L.); (H.D.)
| | - Alessandro Faroni
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK; (A.F.); (A.J.R.)
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Department of Plastic Surgery & Burns, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
| | - Adam J. Reid
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Blond McIndoe Laboratories, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK; (A.F.); (A.J.R.)
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Department of Plastic Surgery & Burns, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester M23 9LT, UK
| | - Kamel Mamchaoui
- Center for Research in Myology, Sorbonne Université-INSERM, 75013 Paris, France; (K.M.); (V.M.); (G.B.-B.)
| | - Vincent Mouly
- Center for Research in Myology, Sorbonne Université-INSERM, 75013 Paris, France; (K.M.); (V.M.); (G.B.-B.)
| | - Gillian Butler-Browne
- Center for Research in Myology, Sorbonne Université-INSERM, 75013 Paris, France; (K.M.); (V.M.); (G.B.-B.)
| | - Adam P. Lightfoot
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK; (J.S.); (A.P.L.); (H.D.)
| | - Jamie S. McPhee
- Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK;
| | - Hans Degens
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK; (J.S.); (A.P.L.); (H.D.)
- Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, LT-44221 Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Nasser Al-Shanti
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK; (J.S.); (A.P.L.); (H.D.)
- Correspondence:
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Parkes JE, Thoma A, Lightfoot AP, Day PJ, Chinoy H, Lamb JA. MicroRNA and mRNA profiling in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. BMC Rheumatol 2020; 4:25. [PMID: 32529172 PMCID: PMC7285612 DOI: 10.1186/s41927-020-00125-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are heterogeneous autoimmune conditions of skeletal muscle inflammation and weakness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA which regulate gene expression of target mRNAs. The aim of this study was to profile miRNA and mRNA in IIM and identify miRNA-mRNA relationships which may be relevant to disease. Methods mRNA and miRNA in whole blood samples from 7 polymyositis (PM), 7 dermatomyositis (DM), 5 inclusion body myositis and 5 non-myositis controls was profiled using next generation RNA sequencing. Gene ontology and pathway analyses were performed using GOseq and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Dysregulation of miRNAs and opposite dysregulation of predicted target mRNAs in IIM subgroups was validated using RTqPCR and investigated by transfecting human skeletal muscle cells with miRNA mimic. Results Analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that interferon signalling, and anti-viral response pathways were upregulated in PM and DM compared to controls. An anti-Jo1 autoantibody positive subset of PM and DM (n = 5) had more significant upregulation and predicted activation of interferon signalling and highlighted T-helper (Th1 and Th2) cell pathways. In miRNA profiling miR-96-5p was significantly upregulated in PM, DM and the anti-Jo1 positive subset. RTqPCR replicated miR-96-5p upregulation and predicted mRNA target (ADK, CD28 and SLC4A10) downregulation. Transfection of a human skeletal muscle cell line with miR-96-5p mimic resulted in significant downregulation of ADK. Conclusion MiRNA and mRNA profiling identified dysregulation of interferon signalling, anti-viral response and T-helper cell pathways, and indicates a possible role for miR-96-5p regulation of ADK in pathogenesis of IIM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna E Parkes
- Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Stopford Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road M13 9PT, Manchester, UK
| | - Anastasia Thoma
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam P Lightfoot
- Musculoskeletal Science & Sports Medicine Research Centre, School of Healthcare Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Philip J Day
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Division of Evolution & Genomic Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Hector Chinoy
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Division of Musculoskeletal & Dermatological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Department of Rheumatology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford, UK
| | - Janine A Lamb
- Centre for Epidemiology, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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