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Pan J, Sheng S, Ye L, Xu X, Ma Y, Feng X, Qiu L, Fan Z, Wang Y, Xia X, Zheng JC. Extracellular vesicles derived from glioblastoma promote proliferation and migration of neural progenitor cells via PI3K-Akt pathway. Cell Commun Signal 2022; 20:7. [PMID: 35022057 PMCID: PMC8756733 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-021-00760-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastomas are lethal brain tumors under the current combinatorial therapeutic strategy that includes surgery, chemo- and radio-therapies. Extensive changes in the tumor microenvironment is a key reason for resistance to chemo- or radio-therapy and frequent tumor recurrences. Understanding the tumor-nontumor cell interaction in TME is critical for developing new therapy. Glioblastomas are known to recruit normal cells in their environs to sustain growth and encroachment into other regions. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) have been noted to migrate towards the site of glioblastomas, however, the detailed mechanisms underlying glioblastoma-mediated NPCs' alteration remain unkown. METHODS We collected EVs in the culture medium of three classic glioblastoma cell lines, U87 and A172 (male cell lines), and LN229 (female cell line). U87, A172, and LN229 were co-cultured with their corresponding EVs, respectively. Mouse NPCs (mNPCs) were co-cultured with glioblastoma-derived EVs. The proliferation and migration of tumor cells and mNPCs after EVs treatment were examined. Proteomic analysis and western blotting were utilized to identify the underlying mechanisms of glioblastoma-derived EVs-induced alterations in mNPCs. RESULTS We first show that glioblastoma cell lines U87-, A172-, and LN229-derived EVs were essential for glioblastoma cell prolifeartion and migration. We then demonstrated that glioblastoma-derived EVs dramatically promoted NPC proliferation and migration. Mechanistic studies identify that glioblastoma-derived EVs achieve their functions via activating PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway in mNPCs. Inhibiting PI3K-Akt pathway reversed the elevated prolfieration and migration of glioblastoma-derived EVs-treated mNPCs. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that EVs play a key role in intercellular communication in tumor microenvironment. Inhibition of the tumorgenic EVs-mediated PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway activation might be a novel strategy to shed light on glioblastoma therapy. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabin Pan
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Shiyang Sheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Ling Ye
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Xiaonan Xu
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yizhao Ma
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Xuanran Feng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Lisha Qiu
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Zhaohuan Fan
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China. .,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200434, China.
| | - Xiaohuan Xia
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China. .,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200434, China.
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, China. .,Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200434, China. .,Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Samoilova EM, Belopasov VV, Baklaushev VP. Transcription Factors of Direct Neuronal Reprogramming in Ontogenesis and Ex Vivo. Mol Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893321040087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Yavarpour-Bali H, Ghasemi-Kasman M, Shojaei A. Direct reprogramming of terminally differentiated cells into neurons: A novel and promising strategy for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 98:109820. [PMID: 31743695 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Glial activation is a common pathological process of the central nervous system (CNS) in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Several approaches have been used to reduce the number of activated astrocytes and microglia in damaged areas. In recent years, various kinds of fully differentiated cells have been successfully reprogrammed to a desired type of cell in lesion areas. Interestingly, internal glial cells, including astrocytes and NG2 positive cells, were efficiently converted to neuroblasts and neurons by overexpression of some transcription factors (TFs) or microRNAs (miRNAs). Notably, some specific subtypes of neurons have been achieved by in vivo reprogramming and the resulting neurons were successfully integrated into local neuronal circuits. Furthermore, somatic cells from AD patients have been converted to functional neurons. Although direct reprogramming of a patient's own internal cells has revolutionized regenerative medicine, but there are some major obstacles that should be examined before using these induced cells in clinical therapies. In the present review article, we aim to discuss the current studies on in vitro and in vivo reprogramming of somatic cells to neurons using TFs, miRNAs or small molecules in healthy and AD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Ghasemi-Kasman
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; Neuroscience Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
| | - Amir Shojaei
- Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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4
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Xia X, Li C, Wang Y, Deng X, Ma Y, Ding L, Zheng J. Reprogrammed astrocytes display higher neurogenic competence, migration ability and cell death resistance than reprogrammed fibroblasts. Transl Neurodegener 2020; 9:6. [PMID: 32071715 PMCID: PMC7011554 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-020-0184-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The direct reprogramming of somatic cells into induced neural progenitor cells (iNPCs) has been envisioned as a promising approach to overcome ethical and clinical issues of pluripotent stem cell transplantation. We previously reported that astrocyte-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have more tendencies for neuronal differentiation than fibroblast-derived iPSCs. However, the differences of neurogenic potential between astrocyte-derived iNPCs (AiNPCs) and iNPCs from non-neural origins, such as fibroblast-derived iNPCs (FiNPCs), and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our results suggested that AiNPCs exhibited higher differentiation efficiency, mobility and survival capacities, compared to FiNPCs. The whole transcriptome analysis revealed higher activities of TGFβ signaling in AiNPCs, versus FiNPCs, following a similar trend between astrocytes and fibroblasts. The higher neurogenic competence, migration ability, and cell death resistance of AiNPCs could be abrogated using TGFβ signaling inhibitor LY2157299. Hence, our study demonstrates the difference between iNPCs generated from neural and non-neural cells, together with the underlying mechanisms, which, provides valuable information for donor cell selection in the reprogramming approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohuan Xia
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Chunhong Li
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yi Wang
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Xiaobei Deng
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yizhao Ma
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Lu Ding
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Jialin Zheng
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,2Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA.,4Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center,, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
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Flitsch LJ, Brüstle O. Evolving principles underlying neural lineage conversion and their relevance for biomedical translation. F1000Res 2019; 8. [PMID: 31559012 PMCID: PMC6743253 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.18926.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Scientific and technological advances of the past decade have shed light on the mechanisms underlying cell fate acquisition, including its transcriptional and epigenetic regulation during embryonic development. This knowledge has enabled us to purposefully engineer cell fates
in vitro by manipulating expression levels of lineage-instructing transcription factors. Here, we review the state of the art in the cell programming field with a focus on the derivation of neural cells. We reflect on what we know about the mechanisms underlying fate changes in general and on the degree of epigenetic remodeling conveyed by the distinct reprogramming and direct conversion strategies available. Moreover, we discuss the implications of residual epigenetic memory for biomedical applications such as disease modeling and neuroregeneration. Finally, we cover recent developments approaching cell fate conversion in the living brain and define questions which need to be addressed before cell programming can become an integral part of translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Jessica Flitsch
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, North Rhine Wesphalia, 53127, Germany
| | - Oliver Brüstle
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, North Rhine Wesphalia, 53127, Germany
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6
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Headley KM, Kedziora KM, Alejo A, Lai EZX, Purvis JE, Hathaway NA. Chemical screen for epigenetic barriers to single allele activation of Oct4. Stem Cell Res 2019; 38:101470. [PMID: 31170660 PMCID: PMC6886240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2019.101470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we utilized the chromatin in vivo assay (CiA) mouse platform to directly examine the epigenetic barriers impeding the activation of the CiA:Oct4 allele in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF)s when stimulated with a transcription factor. The CiA:Oct4 allele contains an engineered EGFP reporter replacing one copy of the Oct4 gene, with an upstream Gal4 array in the promoter that allows recruitment of chromatin modifying machinery. We stimulated gene activation of the CiA:Oct4 allele by binding a transcriptional activator to the Gal4 array. As with cellular reprograming, this process is inefficient with only a small percentage of the cells re-activating CiA:Oct4 after weeks. Epigenetic barriers to gene activation potentially come from heavy DNA methylation, histone deacetylation, chromatin compaction, and other posttranslational marks (PTM) at the differentiated CiA:Oct4 allele in MEFs. Using this platform, we performed a high-throughput chemical screen for compounds that increased the efficiency of activation. We found that Azacytidine and newer generation histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors were the most efficient at facilitating directed transcriptional activation of this allele. We found one hit form our screen, Mocetinostat, improved iPSC generation under transcription factor reprogramming conditions. These results separate individual allele activation from whole cell reprograming and give new insights that will advance tissue engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Headley
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Curriculum for Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Katarzyna M Kedziora
- Department of Genetics, Curriculum for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Aidin Alejo
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Elianna Zhi-Xiang Lai
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Jeremy E Purvis
- Curriculum for Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Department of Genetics, Curriculum for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America
| | - Nathaniel A Hathaway
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Curriculum for Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, 120 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States of America.
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7
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Direct and selective lineage conversion of human fibroblasts to dopaminergic precursors. Neurosci Lett 2019; 699:16-23. [PMID: 30664902 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Transplantation of dopaminergic precursors (DPs) is a promising therapeutic strategy of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, limited cell source for dopaminergic precursors has become a major obstacle for transplantation therapy. Our group demonstrated previously that mouse fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into induced dopaminergic precursors (iDPs) with high differentiation efficiency. In the current study, we hypothesized that a similar strategy can be applied to generate human iDPs for future cell therapy of PD. We overexpressed transcription factors Brn2, Sox2, and Foxa2 in human fibroblasts and observed formation of neurospheres. Subsequent characterization of the precursor colonies confirmed the generation of human induced dopaminergic precursors (hiDPs). These hiDPs were capable of self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation. The hiDPs demonstrated high immunoreactivity for neural progenitor markers and high levels of gene expression for ventral mesencephalon-related neural progenitor markers such as Lmx1a, NIKX6.1, Corin, Otx2 and Mash1. Furthermore, the hiDPs could be differentiated into dopaminergic neurons with ˜80% efficiency, which significantly increased major functionally relevant proteins such as TH, DAT, AADC, Lmx1B, and VMAT2 compared to hiDPs. Additionally, hiDPs are more dopaminergic progenitor-restricted compare to those hiDP-like cells reprogrammed only by Brn2 and Sox2. Together, these results suggest that hiDPs with high differentiation efficiency can be generated by direct lineage reprogramming of fibroblasts with transcription factors Brn2, Sox2, and Foxa2. These hiDPs may serve as a safe and effective cell source for transplantation treatment of PD.
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McCaughey-Chapman A, Connor B. Human Cortical Neuron Generation Using Cell Reprogramming: A Review of Recent Advances. Stem Cells Dev 2018; 27:1674-1692. [DOI: 10.1089/scd.2018.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amy McCaughey-Chapman
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Ma Y, Wang K, Pan J, Fan Z, Tian C, Deng X, Ma K, Xia X, Huang Y, Zheng JC. Induced neural progenitor cells abundantly secrete extracellular vesicles and promote the proliferation of neural progenitors via extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 124:322-334. [PMID: 30528256 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) are known to have potent therapeutic effects in neurological disorders through the secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Despite the therapeutic potentials, the numbers of NPCs are limited in the brain, curbing the further use of EVs in the disease treatment. To overcome the limitation of NPC numbers, we used a three transcription factor (Brn2, Sox2, and Foxg1) somatic reprogramming approach to generate induced NPCs (iNPCs) from mouse fibroblasts and astrocytes. The resulting iNPCs released significantly higher numbers of EVs compared with wild-type NPCs (WT-NPCs). Furthermore, iNPCs-derived EVs (iNPC-EVs) promoted NPC function by increasing the proliferative potentials of WT-NPCs. Characterizations of EV contents through proteomics analysis revealed that iNPC-EVs contained higher levels of growth factor-associated proteins that were predicted to activate the down-stream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. As expected, the proliferative effects of iNPC-derived EVs on WT-NPCs can be blocked by an ERK pathway inhibitor. Our data suggest potent therapeutic effects of iNPC-derived EVs through the promotion of NPC proliferation, release of growth factors, and activation of ERK pathways. These studies will help develop highly efficient cell-free therapeutic strategies for the treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhao Ma
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Kaizhe Wang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Jiabin Pan
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Zhaohuan Fan
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Changhai Tian
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA
| | - Xiaobei Deng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Kangmu Ma
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA
| | - Xiaohuan Xia
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
| | - Yunlong Huang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA.
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930, USA.
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Connor B, Firmin E, McCaughey-Chapman A, Monk R, Lee K, Liot S, Geiger J, Rudolph C, Jones K. Conversion of adult human fibroblasts into neural precursor cells using chemically modified mRNA. Heliyon 2018; 4:e00918. [PMID: 30450440 PMCID: PMC6226601 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct reprogramming offers a unique approach by which to generate neural lineages for the study and treatment of neurological disorders. Our objective is to develop a clinically viable reprogramming strategy to generate neural precursor cells for the treatment of neurological disorders through cell replacement therapy. We initially developed a method for directly generating neural precursor cells (iNPs) from adult human fibroblasts by transient expression of the neural transcription factors, SOX2 and PAX6 using plasmid DNA. This study advances these findings by examining the use of chemically modified mRNA (cmRNA) for direct-to-iNP reprogramming. Chemically modified mRNA has the benefit of being extremely stable and non-immunogenic, offering a clinically suitable gene delivery system. The use of SOX2 and PAX6 cmRNA resulted in high co-transfection efficiency and cell viability compared with plasmid transfection. Neural positioning and fate determinant genes were observed throughout reprogramming with ion channel and synaptic marker genes detected during differentiation. Differentiation of cmRNA-derived iNPs generated immature GABAergic or glutamatergic neuronal phenotypes in conjunction with astrocytes. This represents the first time a cmRNA approach has been used to directly reprogram adult human fibroblasts to iNPs, potentially providing an efficient system by which to generate human neurons for both research and clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Erin Firmin
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Amy McCaughey-Chapman
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ruth Monk
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Lee
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sophie Liot
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Kathryn Jones
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Ma K, Deng X, Xia X, Fan Z, Qi X, Wang Y, Li Y, Ma Y, Chen Q, Peng H, Ding J, Li C, Huang Y, Tian C, Zheng JC. Direct conversion of mouse astrocytes into neural progenitor cells and specific lineages of neurons. Transl Neurodegener 2018; 7:29. [PMID: 30410751 PMCID: PMC6217767 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-018-0132-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cell replacement therapy has been envisioned as a promising treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the ethical concerns of ESCs-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and tumorigenic potential of iPSCs, reprogramming of somatic cells directly into multipotent NPCs has emerged as a preferred approach for cell transplantation. Methods Mouse astrocytes were reprogrammed into NPCs by the overexpression of transcription factors (TFs) Foxg1, Sox2, and Brn2. The generation of subtypes of neurons was directed by the force expression of cell-type specific TFs Lhx8 or Foxa2/Lmx1a. Results Astrocyte-derived induced NPCs (AiNPCs) share high similarities, including the expression of NPC-specific genes, DNA methylation patterns, the ability to proliferate and differentiate, with the wild type NPCs. The AiNPCs are committed to the forebrain identity and predominantly differentiated into glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal subtypes. Interestingly, additional overexpression of TFs Lhx8 and Foxa2/Lmx1a in AiNPCs promoted cholinergic and dopaminergic neuronal differentiation, respectively. Conclusions Our studies suggest that astrocytes can be converted into AiNPCs and lineage-committed AiNPCs can acquire differentiation potential of other lineages through forced expression of specific TFs. Understanding the impact of the TF sets on the reprogramming and differentiation into specific lineages of neurons will provide valuable strategies for astrocyte-based cell therapy in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangmu Ma
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Xiaobei Deng
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Xiaohuan Xia
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Zhaohuan Fan
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Xinrui Qi
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yongxiang Wang
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Yuju Li
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Yizhao Ma
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Qiang Chen
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Hui Peng
- 3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Jianqing Ding
- 4Department of Neurology & Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Chunhong Li
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Yunlong Huang
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Changhai Tian
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- 1Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China.,2Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 China.,3Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA.,5Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
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12
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Golas MM. Human cellular models of medium spiny neuron development and Huntington disease. Life Sci 2018; 209:179-196. [PMID: 30031060 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The loss of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum is the hallmark of Huntington disease (HD), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor, psychiatric, and cognitive symptoms. Transplantation of MSNs or their precursors represents a promising treatment strategy for HD. In initial clinical trials in which HD patients received fetal neurografts directly into the striatum without a pretransplant cell-differentiation step, some patients exhibited temporary benefits. Meanwhile, major challenges related to graft overgrowth, insufficient survival of grafted cells, and limited availability of donated fetal tissue remain. Thus, the development of approaches that allow modeling of MSN differentiation and HD development in cell culture platforms may improve our understanding of HD and translate, ultimately, into HD treatment options. Here, recent advances in the in vitro differentiation of MSNs derived from fetal neural stem cells/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and induced NSCs (iNSCs) as well as advances in direct transdifferentiation are reviewed. Progress in non-allele specific and allele specific gene editing of HTT is presented as well. Cell characterization approaches involving phenotyping as well as in vitro and in vivo functional assays are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika M Golas
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilhelm Meyers Alle 3, Building 1233, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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13
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LaMarca EA, Powell SK, Akbarian S, Brennand KJ. Modeling Neuropsychiatric and Neurodegenerative Diseases With Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:82. [PMID: 29666786 PMCID: PMC5891587 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have revolutionized our ability to model neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, and recent progress in the field is paving the way for improved therapeutics. In this review, we discuss major advances in generating hiPSC-derived neural cells and cutting-edge techniques that are transforming hiPSC technology, such as three-dimensional "mini-brains" and clustered, regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas systems. We examine specific examples of how hiPSC-derived neural cells are being used to uncover the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease, and consider the future of this groundbreaking research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. LaMarca
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Samuel K. Powell
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kristen J. Brennand
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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14
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Scalable Expansion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Progenitors in Stirred Suspension Bioreactor Under Xeno-free Condition. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1502:143-58. [PMID: 26867543 DOI: 10.1007/7651_2015_318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in neural differentiation technology have paved the way to generate clinical grade neural progenitor populations from human pluripotent stem cells. These cells are an excellent source for the production of neural cell-based therapeutic products to treat incurable central nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injuries. This progress can be complemented by the development of robust bioprocessing technologies for large scale expansion of clinical grade neural progenitors under GMP conditions for promising clinical use and drug discovery applications. Here, we describe a protocol for a robust, scalable expansion of human neural progenitor cells from pluripotent stem cells as 3D aggregates in a stirred suspension bioreactor. The use of this platform has resulted in easily expansion of neural progenitor cells for several passages with a fold increase of up to 4.2 over a period of 5 days compared to a maximum 1.5-2-fold increase in the adherent static culture over a 1 week period. In the bioreactor culture, these cells maintained self-renewal, karyotype stability, and cloning efficiency capabilities. This approach can be also used for human neural progenitor cells derived from other sources such as the human fetal brain.
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15
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Connor B. Concise Review: The Use of Stem Cells for Understanding and Treating Huntington's Disease. Stem Cells 2017; 36:146-160. [PMID: 29178352 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Two decades ago, researchers identified that a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene was involved in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD). However, since the identification of the HTT gene, there has been no advance in the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent or reduce the progression of HD. With the recent advances in stem cell biology and human cell reprogramming technologies, several novel and exciting pathways have emerged allowing researchers to enhance their understanding of the pathogenesis of HD, to identify and screen potential drug targets, and to explore alternative donor cell sources for cell replacement therapy. This review will discuss the role of compensatory neurogenesis in the HD brain, the use of stem cell-based therapies for HD to replace or prevent cell loss, and the recent advance of cell reprogramming to model and/or treat HD. These new technologies, coupled with advances in genome editing herald a promising new era for HD research with the potential to identify a therapeutic strategy to alleviate this debilitating disorder. Stem Cells 2018;36:146-160.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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16
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Playne R, Connor B. Understanding Parkinson's Disease through the Use of Cell Reprogramming. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2017; 13:151-169. [PMID: 28083784 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-017-9717-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent progress in the field of somatic cell reprogramming offers exciting new possibilities for the study and treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Reprogramming technology offers the ability to untangle the diverse contributing risk factors for PD, such as ageing, genetics and environmental toxins. In order to gain novel insights into such a complex disease, cell-based models of PD should represent, as closely as possible, aged human dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. However, the generation of high yields of functionally mature, authentic ventral midbrain dopamine (vmDA) neurons has not been easy to achieve. Furthermore, ensuring cells represent aged rather than embryonic neurons has presented a significant challenge. To date, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have received much attention for modelling PD. Nonetheless, direct reprogramming strategies (either to a neuronal or neural stem/progenitor fate) represent a valid alternative that are yet to be extensively explored. Direct reprogramming is faster and more efficient than iPS cell reprogramming, and appears to conserve age-related markers. At present, however, protocols aiming to derive authentic, mature vmDA neurons by direct reprogramming of adult human somatic cells are sorely lacking. This review will discuss the strategies that have been employed to generate vmDA neurons and their potential for the study and treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Playne
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, FMHS, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, FMHS, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
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17
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Smith DK, He M, Zhang CL, Zheng JC. The therapeutic potential of cell identity reprogramming for the treatment of aging-related neurodegenerative disorders. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 157:212-229. [PMID: 26844759 PMCID: PMC5848468 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2016.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neural cell identity reprogramming strategies aim to treat age-related neurodegenerative disorders with newly induced neurons that regenerate neural architecture and functional circuits in vivo. The isolation and neural differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells provided the first in vitro models of human neurodegenerative disease. Investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying stem cell pluripotency revealed that somatic cells could be reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and these cells could be used to model Alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington disease, and Parkinson disease. Additional neural precursor and direct transdifferentiation strategies further enabled the induction of diverse neural linages and neuron subtypes both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we highlight neural induction strategies that utilize stem cells, iPSCs, and lineage reprogramming to model or treat age-related neurodegenerative diseases, as well as, the clinical challenges related to neural transplantation and in vivo reprogramming strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek K Smith
- Department of Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Miao He
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; Department of Family Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.
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18
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Shahbazi E, Mirakhori F, Ezzatizadeh V, Baharvand H. Reprogramming of somatic cells to induced neural stem cells. Methods 2017; 133:21-28. [PMID: 28939501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Revised: 09/02/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent investigations have demonstrated that defined sets of exogenous factors (chemical and/or biochemical) can convert human and mouse somatic cells into induced neural stem cells (iNSCs). Considering the self-renewal and multi-potential differentiation capabilities of iNSCs, generation of these cells has considerably enhanced cell therapy for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. These cells can also serve as models for investigation of the mechanism(s) underlying neurodegenerative diseases and as an asset in drug discovery. Meanwhile, using the process of direct conversion/transdifferentiation, by bypassing pluripotent state and consequently reducing tumorigenesis and genetic instability risks, establishment of several desired cells are feasible. In this review, we describe the pros and cons of different methods employed to directly reprogram somatic cells to iNSCs along with the progress of iNSCs applications and the future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Shahbazi
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Mirakhori
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Vahid Ezzatizadeh
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
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19
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Petersen GF, Strappe PM. Generation of diverse neural cell types through direct conversion. World J Stem Cells 2016; 8:32-46. [PMID: 26981169 PMCID: PMC4766249 DOI: 10.4252/wjsc.v8.i2.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A characteristic of neurological disorders is the loss of critical populations of cells that the body is unable to replace, thus there has been much interest in identifying methods of generating clinically relevant numbers of cells to replace those that have been damaged or lost. The process of neural direct conversion, in which cells of one lineage are converted into cells of a neural lineage without first inducing pluripotency, shows great potential, with evidence of the generation of a range of functional neural cell types both in vitro and in vivo, through viral and non-viral delivery of exogenous factors, as well as chemical induction methods. Induced neural cells have been proposed as an attractive alternative to neural cells derived from embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, with prospective roles in the investigation of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative disease modelling, drug screening, and cellular replacement for regenerative medicine applications, however further investigations into improving the efficacy and safety of these methods need to be performed before neural direct conversion becomes a clinically viable option. In this review, we describe the generation of diverse neural cell types via direct conversion of somatic cells, with comparison against stem cell-based approaches, as well as discussion of their potential research and clinical applications.
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20
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Tian C, Li Y, Huang Y, Wang Y, Chen D, Liu J, Deng X, Sun L, Anderson K, Qi X, Li Y, Lee Mosley R, Chen X, Huang J, Zheng JC. Selective Generation of Dopaminergic Precursors from Mouse Fibroblasts by Direct Lineage Conversion. Sci Rep 2015. [PMID: 26224135 PMCID: PMC4519786 DOI: 10.1038/srep12622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons is a key pathological event of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Limited adult dopaminergic neurogenesis has led to novel therapeutic strategies such as transplantation of dopaminergic precursors (DPs). However, this strategy is currently restrained by a lack of cell source, the tendency for the DPs to become a glial-restricted state, and the tumor formation after transplantation. Here, we demonstrate the direct conversion of mouse fibroblasts into induced DPs (iDPs) by ectopic expression of Brn2, Sox2 and Foxa2. Besides expression with neural progenitor markers and midbrain genes including Corin, Otx2 and Lmx1a, the iDPs were restricted to dopaminergic neuronal lineage upon differentiation. After transplantation into MPTP-lesioned mice, iDPs differentiated into DA neurons, functionally alleviated the motor deficits, and reduced the loss of striatal DA neuronal axonal termini. Importantly, no iDPs-derived astroctyes and neoplasia were detected in mouse brains after transplantation. We propose that the iDPs from direct reprogramming provides a safe and efficient cell source for PD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhai Tian
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yuju Li
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yunlong Huang
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yongxiang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Dapeng Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P. R. China
| | - Jinxu Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xiaobei Deng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Lijun Sun
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Kristi Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xinrui Qi
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yulong Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - R Lee Mosley
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Xiangmei Chen
- Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, P. R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai, Shanghai 201203, P.R. China
| | - Jialin C Zheng
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration and Regenerative Therapy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, China.,Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology.,University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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21
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Meyer S, Wörsdörfer P, Günther K, Thier M, Edenhofer F. Derivation of Adult Human Fibroblasts and their Direct Conversion into Expandable Neural Progenitor Cells. J Vis Exp 2015:e52831. [PMID: 26275015 DOI: 10.3791/52831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) from adult skin fibroblasts and subsequent differentiation into somatic cells provides fascinating prospects for the derivation of autologous transplants that circumvent histocompatibility barriers. However, progression through a pluripotent state and subsequent complete differentiation into desired lineages remains a roadblock for the clinical translation of iPSC technology because of the associated neoplastic potential and genomic instability. Recently, we and others showed that somatic cells cannot only be converted into iPSCs but also into different types of multipotent somatic stem cells by using defined factors, thereby circumventing progression through the pluripotent state. In particular, the direct conversion of human fibroblasts into induced neural progenitor cells (iNPCs) heralds the possibility of a novel autologous cell source for various applications such as cell replacement, disease modeling and drug screening. Here, we describe the isolation of adult human primary fibroblasts by skin biopsy and their efficient direct conversion into iNPCs by timely restricted expression of Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, as well as c-Myc. Sox2-positive neuroepithelial colonies appear after 17 days of induction and iNPC lines can be established efficiently by monoclonal isolation and expansion. Precise adjustment of viral multiplicity of infection and supplementation of leukemia inhibitory factor during the induction phase represent critical factors to achieve conversion efficiencies of up to 0.2%. Thus far, patient-specific iNPC lines could be expanded for more than 12 passages and uniformly display morphological and molecular features of neural stem/progenitor cells, such as the expression of Nestin and Sox2. The iNPC lines can be differentiated into neurons and astrocytes as judged by staining against TUJ1 and GFAP, respectively. In conclusion, we report a robust protocol for the derivation and direct conversion of human fibroblasts into stably expandable neural progenitor cells that might provide a cellular source for biomedical applications such as autologous neural cell replacement and disease modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Meyer
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Würzburg; Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn
| | | | | | - Marc Thier
- Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn; German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg
| | - Frank Edenhofer
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Würzburg; Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, University of Bonn;
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22
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Ho SM, Topol A, Brennand KJ. From "directed differentiation" to "neuronal induction": modeling neuropsychiatric disease. Biomark Insights 2015; 10:31-41. [PMID: 26045654 PMCID: PMC4444490 DOI: 10.4137/bmi.s20066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant behavior and function of neurons are believed to be the primary causes of most neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Human postmortem samples have limited availability and, while they provide clues to the state of the brain after a prolonged illness, they offer limited insight into the factors contributing to disease onset. Conversely, animal models cannot recapitulate the polygenic origins of neuropsychiatric disease. Novel methods, such as somatic cell reprogramming, deliver nearly limitless numbers of pathogenic human neurons for the study of the mechanism of neuropsychiatric disease initiation and progression. First, this article reviews the advent of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology and introduces two major methods, “directed differentiation” and “neuronal induction,” by which it is now possible to generate neurons for modeling neuropsychiatric disease. Second, it discusses the recent applications, and the limitations, of these technologies to in vitro studies of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok-Man Ho
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aaron Topol
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
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23
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Lai S, Zhang M, Xu D, Zhang Y, Qiu L, Tian C, Zheng JC. Direct reprogramming of induced neural progenitors: a new promising strategy for AD treatment. Transl Neurodegener 2015; 4:7. [PMID: 25949812 PMCID: PMC4422611 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-015-0028-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prominent form of dementia, characterized by aggregation of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, loss of synapses and neurons, and degeneration of cognitive functions. Currently, although a variety of medications can relieve some of the symptoms, there is no cure for AD. Recent breakthroughs in the stem cell field provide promising strategies for AD treatment. Stem cells including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are potentials for AD treatment. However, the limitation of cell sources, safety issues, and ethical issues restrict their applications in AD. Recently, the direct reprogramming of induced neural progenitor cells (iNPCs) has shed light on the treatment of AD. In this review, we will discuss the latest progress, challenges, and potential applications of direct reprogramming in AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqiang Lai
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Min Zhang
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Dongsheng Xu
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
- />University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Yiying Zhang
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Lisha Qiu
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Changhai Tian
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
- />University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
| | - Jialin Charlie Zheng
- />Tenth People’s Hospital affiliated to Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072 China
- />University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5930 USA
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24
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Young JS, Morshed RA, Kim JW, Balyasnikova IV, Ahmed AU, Lesniak MS. Advances in stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and engineered cells: delivery vehicles for anti-glioma therapy. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2014; 11:1733-46. [PMID: 25005767 DOI: 10.1517/17425247.2014.937420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A limitation of small molecule inhibitors, nanoparticles (NPs) and therapeutic adenoviruses is their incomplete distribution within the entirety of solid tumors such as malignant gliomas. Currently, cell-based carriers are making their way into the clinical setting as they offer the potential to selectively deliver many types of therapies to cancer cells. AREAS COVERED Here, we review the properties of stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells and engineered cells that possess the tumor-tropic behavior necessary to serve as cell carriers. We also report on the different types of therapeutic agents that have been delivered to tumors by these cell carriers, including: i) therapeutic genes; ii) oncolytic viruses; iii) NPs; and iv) antibodies. The current challenges and future promises of cell-based drug delivery are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION While the emergence of stem cell-mediated therapy has resulted in promising preclinical results and a human clinical trial utilizing this approach is currently underway, there is still a need to optimize these delivery platforms. By improving the loading of therapeutic agents into stem cells and enhancing their migratory ability and persistence, significant improvements in targeted cancer therapy may be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Young
- The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine , 5841 South Maryland Ave., M/C 3026, Chicago, IL 60637 , USA
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25
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Brennand KJ, Landek-Salgado MA, Sawa A. Modeling heterogeneous patients with a clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia with induced pluripotent stem cells. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 75:936-44. [PMID: 24331955 PMCID: PMC4022707 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2013] [Revised: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a devastating complex genetic mental condition that is heterogeneous in terms of clinical etiologies, symptoms, and outcomes. Despite decades of postmortem, neuroimaging, pharmacological, and genetic studies of patients, in addition to animal models, much of the biological mechanisms that underlie the pathology of SZ remain unknown. The ability to reprogram adult somatic cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provides a new tool that supplies live human neurons for modeling complex genetic conditions such as SZ. The purpose of this review is to discuss the technical and clinical constraints currently limiting hiPSC-based studies. We posit that reducing the clinical heterogeneity of hiPSC-based studies, by selecting subjects with common clinical manifestations or rare genetic variants, will help our ability to draw meaningful insights from the necessarily small patient cohorts that can be studied at this time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen J Brennand
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | | | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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26
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Cheng L, Hu W, Qiu B, Zhao J, Yu Y, Guan W, Wang M, Yang W, Pei G. Generation of neural progenitor cells by chemical cocktails and hypoxia. Cell Res 2014; 24:665-79. [PMID: 24638034 PMCID: PMC4042166 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2014.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) can be induced from somatic cells by defined factors. Here we report that NPCs can be generated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts by a chemical cocktail, namely VCR (V, VPA, an inhibitor of HDACs; C, CHIR99021, an inhibitor of GSK-3 kinases and R, Repsox, an inhibitor of TGF-β pathways), under a physiological hypoxic condition. These chemical-induced NPCs (ciNPCs) resemble mouse brain-derived NPCs regarding their proliferative and self-renewing abilities, gene expression profiles, and multipotency for different neuroectodermal lineages in vitro and in vivo. Further experiments reveal that alternative cocktails with inhibitors of histone deacetylation, glycogen synthase kinase, and TGF-β pathways show similar efficacies for ciNPC induction. Moreover, ciNPCs can also be induced from mouse tail-tip fibroblasts and human urinary cells with the same chemical cocktail VCR. Thus our study demonstrates that lineage-specific conversion of somatic cells to NPCs could be achieved by chemical cocktails without introducing exogenous factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Wenxiang Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Binlong Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yongchun Yu
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wuqiang Guan
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Min Wang
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wuzhou Yang
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gang Pei
- 1] State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China [2] School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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27
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Mirakhori F, Zeynali B, Salekdeh GH, Baharvand H. Induced Neural Lineage Cells as Repair Kits: So Close, Yet So Far Away. J Cell Physiol 2014; 229:728-42. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Mirakhori
- School of Biology, College of Science; University of Tehran; Tehran Iran
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Cell Science Research Center; Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Bahman Zeynali
- School of Biology, College of Science; University of Tehran; Tehran Iran
| | - Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology at Cell Science Research Center; Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR; Tehran Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Cell Science Research Center; Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR; Tehran Iran
- Department of Developmental Biology; University of Science and Culture, ACECR; Tehran Iran
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28
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Zou Q, Yan Q, Zhong J, Wang K, Sun H, Yi X, Lai L. Direct conversion of human fibroblasts into neuronal restricted progenitors. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:5250-60. [PMID: 24385434 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.516112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal restricted progenitors (NRPs) represent a type of transitional intermediate cells that lie between multipotent neural progenitors and terminal differentiated neurons during neurogenesis. These NRPs have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into neurons, but not into glial cells, which is considered an advantage for cellular therapy of human neurodegenerative diseases. However, difficulty in the extraction of highly purified NRPs from normal nervous tissue prevents further studies and applications. In this study, we report the conversion of human fetal fibroblasts into human induced NRPs (hiNRPs) in 11 days by using just three defined factors: Sox2, c-Myc, and either Brn2 or Brn4. The hiNRPs exhibited distinct neuronal characteristics, including cell morphology, multiple neuronal marker expression, self-renewal capacity, and a genome-wide transcriptional profile. Moreover, hiNRPs were able to differentiate into various terminal neurons with functional membrane properties but not glial cells. Direct generation of hiNRPs from somatic cells will provide a new source of cells for cellular replacement therapy of human neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingjian Zou
- From the Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
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29
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Watmuff B, Hartley BJ, Hunt CP, Pouton CW, Haynes JM. Pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons as models of neurodegeneration. FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2013. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl.13.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Researchers utilize a number of models of Parkinson’s disease ranging in complexity from immortalized cell lines to nonhuman primates. These models are used to investigate everything from the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, to drugs that may improve patient outcomes. Each model system has advantages and disadvantages, depending on their application. In this review, the authors assess the potential value of embryonic stem and induced-pluripotent stem cells as additions to the crowded Parkinson’s disease in vitro model landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Watmuff
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Brigham Jay Hartley
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Cameron Philip Hunt
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Colin William Pouton
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - John Michael Haynes
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University (Parkville Campus), 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-David Rochaix
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Geneva, 30 Quai Ernest Ansermet, Geneva 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
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31
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Ladran I, Tran N, Topol A, Brennand KJ. Neural stem and progenitor cells in health and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2013; 5:701-15. [PMID: 24068527 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 04/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) have the potential to differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and/or oligodendrocytes. Because these cells can be expanded in culture, they represent a vast source of neural cells. With the recent discovery that patient fibroblasts can be reprogrammed directly into induced NSPCs, the regulation of NSPC fate and function, in the context of cell-based disease models and patient-specific cell-replacement therapies, warrants review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Ladran
- Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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32
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Characterization of induced neural progenitors from skin fibroblasts by a novel combination of defined factors. Sci Rep 2013; 3:1345. [PMID: 23439431 PMCID: PMC3581826 DOI: 10.1038/srep01345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent reports have demonstrated that somatic cells can be directly converted to other differentiated cell types through ectopic expression of sets of transcription factors, directly avoiding the transition through a pluripotent state. Our previous experiments generated induced neural progenitor-like cells (iNPCs) by a novel combination of five transcription factors (Sox2, Brn2, TLX, Bmi1 and c-Myc). Here we demonstrated that the iNPCs not only possess NPC-specific marker genes, but also have qualities of primary brain-derived NPCs (WT-NPCs), including tripotent differentiation potential, mature neuron differentiation capability and synapse formation. Importantly, the mature neurons derived from iNPCs exhibit significant physiological properties, such as potassium channel activity and generation of action potential-like spikes. These results suggest that directly reprogrammed iNPCs closely resemble WT-NPCs, which may suggest an alternative strategy to overcome the restricted proliferative and lineage potential of induced neurons (iNCs) and broaden applications of cell therapy in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Wang Y, Tian C, Zheng JC. FoxO3a contributes to the reprogramming process and the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Dev 2013; 22:2954-63. [PMID: 23815557 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2013.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which are morphologically and functionally similar with embryonic stem (ES) cells, have been successfully generated from somatic cells through defined reprogramming transcription factors. Forkhead class O3a (FoxO3a) has been recently reported to play an important role in the homeostasis and maintenance of certain types of stem cells; however, the role of FoxO3a in the reprogramming process and differentiation of iPS cells remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the function of FoxO3a during the reprogramming process and characterize the properties of iPS cells from FoxO3a-wild type and -null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). Our results show that the FoxO3a-null iPS cells are similar to the wild-type iPS cells in the levels of ES cell markers, alkaline phosphatase activity, and formation of teratoma in vivo. The reprogramming process is delayed in the FoxO3a-null MEFs compared to the wild-type MEFs; whereas the overexpression of FoxO3a partially recovers the impaired reprogramming efficiency in the null group. More importantly, FoxO3a deficiency impairs the neuronal lineage differentiation potential of iPS cells in vitro. These results suggest that FoxO3a affects the reprogramming kinetics and the neuronal lineage differentiation potential of the resulting iPS cells. Therefore, this study demonstrates a novel function of FoxO3a in cell reprogramming, which will help the development of alternative strategies for generating iPS cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiang Wang
- 1 Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Therapy, University of Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha, Nebraska
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34
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Maucksch C, Jones KS, Connor B. Concise review: the involvement of SOX2 in direct reprogramming of induced neural stem/precursor cells. Stem Cells Transl Med 2013; 2:579-83. [PMID: 23817132 DOI: 10.5966/sctm.2012-0179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since induced pluripotent stem cells were first generated from mouse embryonic fibroblasts in 2006, somatic cell reprogramming has become a powerful and valuable tool in many fields of biomedical research, with the potential to lead to the development of in vitro disease models, cell-based drug screening platforms, and ultimately novel cell therapies. Recent research has now demonstrated the direct conversion of fibroblasts into stem, precursor, or mature cell types that are committed in their fate within a specific lineage, such as hematopoietic precursors or mature neurons. This has been achieved by ectopic expression of defined, tissue-specific transcription factors. Several studies have demonstrated direct reprogramming of mouse and human fibroblasts into immature neural stem or precursor cells, either by transient expression of the four pluripotency genes OCT3/4, KLF4, SOX2, and C-MYC or by application of different combinations of up to 11 neural transcription factors. Interestingly, in all of these studies SOX2 was introduced alone or in combination with other transcription factors. In this review we discuss the different combinations of ectopic transcription factors used to generate neural stem/precursor cells from somatic cells, with particular emphasis on SOX2 and its potential to act as a master regulator for reprogramming to a neural precursor state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Maucksch
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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35
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Seffer I, Nemeth Z, Hoffmann G, Matics R, Seffer AG, Koller A. Unexplored potentials of epigenetic mechanisms of plants and animals-theoretical considerations. GENETICS & EPIGENETICS 2013; 5:23-41. [PMID: 25512705 PMCID: PMC4222336 DOI: 10.4137/geg.s11752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Morphological and functional changes of cells are important for adapting to environmental changes and associated with continuous regulation of gene expressions. Genes are regulated–in part–by epigenetic mechanisms resulting in alternating patterns of gene expressions throughout life. Epigenetic changes responding to the environmental and intercellular signals can turn on/off specific genes, but do not modify the DNA sequence. Most epigenetic mechanisms are evolutionary conserved in eukaryotic organisms, and several homologs of epigenetic factors are present in plants and animals. Moreover, in vitro studies suggest that the plant cytoplasm is able to induce a nuclear reassembly of the animal cell, whereas others suggest that the ooplasm is able to induce condensation of plant chromatin. Here, we provide an overview of the main epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene expression and discuss fundamental epigenetic mechanisms and factors functioning in both plants and animals. Finally, we hypothesize that animal genome can be reprogrammed by epigenetic factors from the plant protoplast.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zoltan Nemeth
- Seffer-Renner Medical Clinic, Budapest, Hungary. ; Department of Pathophysiology and Gerontology, Medical School, and Szentagothai Res Centre, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Gyula Hoffmann
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Robert Matics
- Department of Pathophysiology and Gerontology, Medical School, and Szentagothai Res Centre, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - A Gergely Seffer
- Surgery Clinic, Medical School, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Akos Koller
- Department of Pathophysiology and Gerontology, Medical School, and Szentagothai Res Centre, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary. ; Department of Physiology, New York Medical College, Valhalla NY, USA
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36
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Disease modeling and drug screening for neurological diseases using human induced pluripotent stem cells. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2013; 34:755-64. [PMID: 23685955 PMCID: PMC3674515 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2013.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
With the general decline of pharmaceutical research productivity, there are concerns that many components of the drug discovery process need to be redesigned and optimized. For example, the human immortalized cell lines or animal primary cells commonly used in traditional drug screening may not faithfully recapitulate the pathological mechanisms of human diseases, leading to biases in assays, targets, or compounds that do not effectively address disease mechanisms. Recent advances in stem cell research, especially in the development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, provide a new paradigm for drug screening by permitting the use of human cells with the same genetic makeup as the patients without the typical quantity constraints associated with patient primary cells. In this article, we will review the progress made to date on cellular disease models using human stem cells, with a focus on patient-specific iPSCs for neurological diseases. We will discuss the key challenges and the factors that associated with the success of using stem cell models for drug discovery through examples from monogenic diseases, diseases with various known genetic components, and complex diseases caused by a combination of genetic, environmental and other factors.
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37
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Tran NN, Ladran IG, Brennand KJ. Modeling schizophrenia using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived and fibroblast-induced neurons. Schizophr Bull 2013; 39:4-10. [PMID: 23172000 PMCID: PMC3523925 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbs127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Although schizophrenia affects a number of brain regions and produces a range of clinical symptoms, we believe its origins lie at the level of single neurons and simple networks. Owing to this, as well as to its high degree of heritability, we hypothesize that schizophrenia is amenable to cell-based studies in vitro. Using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons and/or fibroblast-induced neurons, a limitless quantity of live human neurons can now be generated from patient skin biopsies. We predict that cell-based studies will ultimately contribute to our understanding of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of this debilitating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristen J. Brennand
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 1425 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, US; tel: 212-659-8259, fax: 212-803-6740, e-mail:
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38
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Maucksch C, Firmin E, Butler-Munro C, Montgomery J, Dottori M, Connor B. Non-Viral Generation of Neural Precursor-like Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts. J Stem Cells Regen Med 2012. [PMID: 24693194 PMCID: PMC3908292 DOI: 10.46582/jsrm.0803009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have reported direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to mature neurons by the introduction of defined neural genes. This technology has potential use in the areas of neurological disease modeling and drug development. However, use of induced neurons for large-scale drug screening and cell-based replacement strategies is limited due to their inability to expand once reprogrammed. We propose it would be more desirable to induce expandable neural precursor cells directly from human fibroblasts. To date several pluripotent and neural transcription factors have been shown to be capable of converting mouse fibroblasts to neural stem/precursor-like cells when delivered by viral vectors. Here we extend these findings and demonstrate that transient ectopic insertion of the transcription factors SOX2 and PAX6 to adult human fibroblasts through use of non-viral plasmid transfection or protein transduction allows the generation of induced neural precursor (iNP) colonies expressing a range of neural stem and pro-neural genes. Upon differentiation, iNP cells give rise to neurons exhibiting typical neuronal morphologies and expressing multiple neuronal markers including tyrosine hydroxylase and GAD65/67. Importantly, iNP-derived neurons demonstrate electrophysiological properties of functionally mature neurons with the capacity to generate action potentials. In addition, iNP cells are capable of differentiating into glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes. This study represents a novel virusfree approach for direct reprogramming of human fibroblasts to a neural precursor fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Maucksch
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| | - E Firmin
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| | - C Butler-Munro
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jm Montgomery
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland , Auckland, New Zealand
| | - M Dottori
- Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne , Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - B Connor
- Department of Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
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