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Danačíková Š, Straka B, Daněk J, Kořínek V, Otáhal J. In vitro human cell culture models in a bench-to-bedside approach to epilepsy. Epilepsia Open 2024; 9:865-890. [PMID: 38637998 PMCID: PMC11145627 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurological disease, affecting nearly 1%-2% of the world's population. Current pharmacological treatment and regimen adjustments are aimed at controlling seizures; however, they are ineffective in one-third of the patients. Although neuronal hyperexcitability was previously thought to be mainly due to ion channel alterations, current research has revealed other contributing molecular pathways, including processes involved in cellular signaling, energy metabolism, protein synthesis, axon guidance, inflammation, and others. Some forms of drug-resistant epilepsy are caused by genetic defects that constitute potential targets for precision therapy. Although such approaches are increasingly important, they are still in the early stages of development. This review aims to provide a summary of practical aspects of the employment of in vitro human cell culture models in epilepsy diagnosis, treatment, and research. First, we briefly summarize the genetic testing that may result in the detection of candidate pathogenic variants in genes involved in epilepsy pathogenesis. Consequently, we review existing in vitro cell models, including induced pluripotent stem cells and differentiated neuronal cells, providing their specific properties, validity, and employment in research pipelines. We cover two methodological approaches. The first approach involves the utilization of somatic cells directly obtained from individual patients, while the second approach entails the utilization of characterized cell lines. The models are evaluated in terms of their research and clinical benefits, relevance to the in vivo conditions, legal and ethical aspects, time and cost demands, and available published data. Despite the methodological, temporal, and financial demands of the reviewed models they possess high potential to be used as robust systems in routine testing of pathogenicity of detected variants in the near future and provide a solid experimental background for personalized therapy of genetic epilepsies. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, but current treatments fail for many patients. Beyond traditional ion channel alterations, various genetic factors contribute to the disorder's complexity. This review explores how in vitro human cell models, either from patients or from cell lines, can aid in understanding epilepsy's genetic roots and developing personalized therapies. While these models require further investigation, they offer hope for improved diagnosis and treatment of genetic forms of epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Šárka Danačíková
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Barbora Straka
- Neurogenetics Laboratory of the Department of Paediatric Neurology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles University and Motol University Hospital, Full Member of the ERN EpiCAREPragueCzech Republic
| | - Jan Daněk
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Vladimír Kořínek
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental BiologyInstitute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
| | - Jakub Otáhal
- Laboratory of Developmental EpileptologyInstitute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPragueCzech Republic
- Department of Pathophysiology, Second Faculty of MedicineCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
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Ghosh A, Majie A, Karmakar V, Chatterjee K, Chakraborty S, Pandey M, Jain N, Roy Sarkar S, Nair AB, Gorain B. In-depth Mechanism, Challenges, and Opportunities of Delivering Therapeutics in Brain Using Intranasal Route. AAPS PharmSciTech 2024; 25:96. [PMID: 38710855 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-024-02810-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Central nervous system-related disorders have become a continuing threat to human life and the current statistic indicates an increasing trend of such disorders worldwide. The primary therapeutic challenge, despite the availability of therapies for these disorders, is to sustain the drug's effective concentration in the brain while limiting its accumulation in non-targeted areas. This is attributed to the presence of the blood-brain barrier and first-pass metabolism which limits the transportation of drugs to the brain irrespective of popular and conventional routes of drug administration. Therefore, there is a demand to practice alternative routes for predictable drug delivery using advanced drug delivery carriers to overcome the said obstacles. Recent research attracted attention to intranasal-to-brain drug delivery for promising targeting therapeutics in the brain. This review emphasizes the mechanisms to deliver therapeutics via different pathways for nose-to-brain drug delivery with recent advancements in delivery and formulation aspects. Concurrently, for the benefit of future studies, the difficulties in administering medications by intranasal pathway have also been highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arya Ghosh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Ankit Majie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Varnita Karmakar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Kaberi Chatterjee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Swarup Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Manisha Pandey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Haryana, Mahendergarh, 123031, India
| | - Neha Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Amity Institute of Pharmacy, Amity University, Noida, U.P., India
| | - Suparna Roy Sarkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India
| | - Anroop B Nair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bapi Gorain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India.
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3
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Li S, Zhao S, Sinson JC, Bajic A, Rosenfeld JA, Neeley MB, Pena M, Worley KC, Burrage LC, Weisz-Hubshman M, Ketkar S, Craigen WJ, Clark GD, Lalani S, Bacino CA, Machol K, Chao HT, Potocki L, Emrick L, Sheppard J, Nguyen MTT, Khoramnia A, Hernandez PP, Nagamani SC, Liu Z, Eng CM, Lee B, Liu P. The clinical utility and diagnostic implementation of human subject cell transdifferentiation followed by RNA sequencing. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:841-862. [PMID: 38593811 PMCID: PMC11080285 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) has recently been used in translational research settings to facilitate diagnoses of Mendelian disorders. A significant obstacle for clinical laboratories in adopting RNA-seq is the low or absent expression of a significant number of disease-associated genes/transcripts in clinically accessible samples. As this is especially problematic in neurological diseases, we developed a clinical diagnostic approach that enhanced the detection and evaluation of tissue-specific genes/transcripts through fibroblast-to-neuron cell transdifferentiation. The approach is designed specifically to suit clinical implementation, emphasizing simplicity, cost effectiveness, turnaround time, and reproducibility. For clinical validation, we generated induced neurons (iNeurons) from 71 individuals with primary neurological phenotypes recruited to the Undiagnosed Diseases Network. The overall diagnostic yield was 25.4%. Over a quarter of the diagnostic findings benefited from transdifferentiation and could not be achieved by fibroblast RNA-seq alone. This iNeuron transcriptomic approach can be effectively integrated into diagnostic whole-transcriptome evaluation of individuals with genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenglan Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sen Zhao
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jefferson C Sinson
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Aleksandar Bajic
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jill A Rosenfeld
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew B Neeley
- Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mezthly Pena
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kim C Worley
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lindsay C Burrage
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Monika Weisz-Hubshman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shamika Ketkar
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William J Craigen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gary D Clark
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Seema Lalani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Carlos A Bacino
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Keren Machol
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Hsiao-Tuan Chao
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Cain Pediatric Research Foundation Laboratories, Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; McNair Medical Institute, The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lorraine Potocki
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Lisa Emrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jennifer Sheppard
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - My T T Nguyen
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anahita Khoramnia
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Sandesh Cs Nagamani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christine M Eng
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Brendan Lee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pengfei Liu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Baylor Genetics, Houston, TX, USA.
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Chen D, Zhao Z, Zhang S, Chen S, Wu X, Shi J, Liu N, Pan C, Tang Y, Meng C, Zhao X, Tao B, Liu W, Chen D, Ding H, Zhang P, Tang Z. Evolving Therapeutic Landscape of Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Emerging Cutting-Edge Advancements in Surgical Robots, Regenerative Medicine, and Neurorehabilitation Techniques. Transl Stroke Res 2024:10.1007/s12975-024-01244-x. [PMID: 38558011 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-024-01244-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the most serious form of stroke and has limited available therapeutic options. As knowledge on ICH rapidly develops, cutting-edge techniques in the fields of surgical robots, regenerative medicine, and neurorehabilitation may revolutionize ICH treatment. However, these new advances still must be translated into clinical practice. In this review, we examined several emerging therapeutic strategies and their major challenges in managing ICH, with a particular focus on innovative therapies involving robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, stem cell transplantation, in situ neuronal reprogramming, and brain-computer interfaces. Despite the limited expansion of the drug armamentarium for ICH over the past few decades, the judicious selection of more efficacious therapeutic modalities and the exploration of multimodal combination therapies represent opportunities to improve patient prognoses after ICH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Chen
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhixian Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shenglun Zhang
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shiling Chen
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xuan Wu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jian Shi
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chao Pan
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yingxin Tang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cai Meng
- School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Xingwei Zhao
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bo Tao
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenjie Liu
- Beijing WanTeFu Medical Instrument Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Diansheng Chen
- Institute of Robotics, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Han Ding
- School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Zhouping Tang
- Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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5
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Niceforo A, Zholudeva LV, Fernandes S, Lane MA, Qiang L. Challenges and Efficacy of Astrocyte-to-Neuron Reprogramming in Spinal Cord Injury: In Vitro Insights and In Vivo Outcomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.25.586619. [PMID: 38585866 PMCID: PMC10996511 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.25.586619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to the disruption of neural pathways, causing loss of neural cells, with subsequent reactive gliosis and tissue scarring that limit endogenous repair. One potential therapeutic strategy to address this is to target reactive scar-forming astrocytes with direct cellular reprogramming to convert them into neurons, by overexpression of neurogenic transcription factors. Here we used lentiviral constructs to overexpress Ascl1 or a combination of microRNAs (miRs) miR124, miR9/9*and NeuroD1 transfected into cultured and in vivo astrocytes. In vitro experiments revealed cortically-derived astrocytes display a higher efficiency (70%) of reprogramming to neurons than spinal cord-derived astrocytes. In a rat cervical SCI model, the same strategy induced only limited reprogramming of astrocytes. Delivery of reprogramming factors did not significantly affect patterns of breathing under baseline and hypoxic conditions, but significant differences in average diaphragm amplitude were seen in the reprogrammed groups during eupneic breathing, hypoxic, and hypercapnic challenges. These results show that while cellular reprogramming can be readily achieved in carefully controlled in vitro conditions, achieving a similar degree of successful reprogramming in vivo is challenging and may require additional steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Niceforo
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | | | - Silvia Fernandes
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | - Michael A. Lane
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
| | - Liang Qiang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
- Marion Murray Spinal Cord Research Center, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA
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6
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Hirayama M, Mure LS, Le HD, Panda S. Neuronal reprogramming of mouse and human fibroblasts using transcription factors involved in suprachiasmatic nucleus development. iScience 2024; 27:109051. [PMID: 38384840 PMCID: PMC10879699 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is composed of heterogenous populations of neurons that express signaling peptides such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) and regulate circadian rhythms in behavior and physiology. SCN neurons acquire functional and morphological specializations from waves of transcription factors (TFs) that are expressed during neurogenesis. However, the in vitro generation of SCN neurons has never been achieved. Here we supplemented a highly efficient neuronal conversion protocol with TFs that are expressed during SCN neurogenesis, namely Six3, Six6, Dlx2, and Lhx1. Neurons induced from mouse and human fibroblasts predominantly exhibited neuronal properties such as bipolar or multipolar morphologies, GABAergic neurons with expression of VIP. Our study reveals a critical contribution of these TFs to the development of vasoactive intestinal peptide (Vip) expressing neurons in the SCN, suggesting the regenerative potential of neuronal subtypes contained in the SCN for future SCN regeneration and in vitro disease remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Hirayama
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ludovic S. Mure
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hiep D. Le
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Satchidananda Panda
- Regulatory Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
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7
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Bellon A. Comparing stem cells, transdifferentiation and brain organoids as tools for psychiatric research. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:127. [PMID: 38418498 PMCID: PMC10901833 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02780-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The inaccessibility of neurons coming directly from patients has hindered our understanding of mental illnesses at the cellular level. To overcome this obstacle, six different cellular approaches that carry the genetic vulnerability to psychiatric disorders are currently available: Olfactory Neuroepithelial Cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Pluripotent Monocytes, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Induced Neuronal cells and more recently Brain Organoids. Here we contrast advantages and disadvantages of each of these six cell-based methodologies. Neuronal-like cells derived from pluripotent monocytes are presented in more detail as this technique was recently used in psychiatry for the first time. Among the parameters used for comparison are; accessibility, need for reprograming, time to deliver differentiated cells, differentiation efficiency, reproducibility of results and cost. We provide a timeline on the discovery of these cell-based methodologies, but, our main goal is to assist researchers selecting which cellular approach is best suited for any given project. This manuscript also aims to help readers better interpret results from the published literature. With this goal in mind, we end our work with a discussion about the differences and similarities between cell-based techniques and postmortem research, the only currently available tools that allow the study of mental illness in neurons or neuronal-like cells coming directly from patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Bellon
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Hershey, PA, USA.
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology, Hershey, PA, USA.
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Song Y, Soto J, Wong SY, Wu Y, Hoffman T, Akhtar N, Norris S, Chu J, Park H, Kelkhoff DO, Ang CE, Wernig M, Kasko A, Downing TL, Poo MM, Li S. Biphasic regulation of epigenetic state by matrix stiffness during cell reprogramming. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadk0639. [PMID: 38354231 PMCID: PMC10866547 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk0639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
We investigate how matrix stiffness regulates chromatin reorganization and cell reprogramming and find that matrix stiffness acts as a biphasic regulator of epigenetic state and fibroblast-to-neuron conversion efficiency, maximized at an intermediate stiffness of 20 kPa. ATAC sequencing analysis shows the same trend of chromatin accessibility to neuronal genes at these stiffness levels. Concurrently, we observe peak levels of histone acetylation and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity in the nucleus on 20 kPa matrices, and inhibiting HAT activity abolishes matrix stiffness effects. G-actin and cofilin, the cotransporters shuttling HAT into the nucleus, rises with decreasing matrix stiffness; however, reduced importin-9 on soft matrices limits nuclear transport. These two factors result in a biphasic regulation of HAT transport into nucleus, which is directly demonstrated on matrices with dynamically tunable stiffness. Our findings unravel a mechanism of the mechano-epigenetic regulation that is valuable for cell engineering in disease modeling and regenerative medicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Song
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jennifer Soto
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Sze Yue Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yifan Wu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Tyler Hoffman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Navied Akhtar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Sam Norris
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Julia Chu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Hyungju Park
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu 41068, South Korea
| | - Douglas O. Kelkhoff
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Cheen Euong Ang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Pathology and Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Department of Pathology and Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrea Kasko
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Timothy L. Downing
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Mu-ming Poo
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Institute of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Song Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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9
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Marzoog BA. Transcription Factors in Brain Regeneration: A Potential Novel Therapeutic Target. Curr Drug Targets 2024; 25:46-61. [PMID: 38444255 DOI: 10.2174/0113894501279977231210170231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Transcription factors play a crucial role in providing identity to each cell population. To maintain cell identity, it is essential to balance the expression of activator and inhibitor transcription factors. Cell plasticity and reprogramming offer great potential for future therapeutic applications, as they can regenerate damaged tissue. Specific niche factors can modify gene expression and differentiate or transdifferentiate the target cell to the required fate. Ongoing research is being carried out on the possibilities of transcription factors in regenerating neurons, with neural stem cells (NSCs) being considered the preferred cells for generating new neurons due to their epigenomic and transcriptome memory. NEUROD1/ASCL1, BRN2, MYTL1, and other transcription factors can induce direct reprogramming of somatic cells, such as fibroblasts, into neurons. However, the molecular biology of transcription factors in reprogramming and differentiation still needs to be fully understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basheer Abdullah Marzoog
- World-Class Research Center, Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare», I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia
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10
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Mu J, Hao P, Duan H, Zhao W, Wang Z, Yang Z, Li X. Non-human primate models of focal cortical ischemia for neuronal replacement therapy. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2023; 43:1456-1474. [PMID: 37254891 PMCID: PMC10414004 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x231179544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence, stroke remains incurable due to the limited regeneration capacity in the central nervous system. Neuronal replacement strategies are highly diverse biomedical fields that attempt to replace lost neurons by utilizing exogenous stem cell transplants, biomaterials, and direct neuronal reprogramming. Although these approaches have achieved encouraging outcomes mostly in the rodent stroke model, further preclinical validation in non-human primates (NHP) is still needed prior to clinical trials. In this paper, we briefly review the recent progress of promising neuronal replacement therapy in NHP stroke studies. Moreover, we summarize the key characteristics of the NHP as highly valuable translational tools and discuss (1) NHP species and their advantages in terms of genetics, physiology, neuroanatomy, immunology, and behavior; (2) various methods for establishing NHP focal ischemic models to study the regenerative and plastic changes associated with motor functional recovery; and (3) a comprehensive analysis of experimentally and clinically accessible outcomes and a potential adaptive mechanism. Our review specifically aims to facilitate the selection of the appropriate NHP cortical ischemic models and efficient prognostic evaluation methods in preclinical stroke research design of neuronal replacement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Mu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Hao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hongmei Duan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zijue Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoyang Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration, School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, China
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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11
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Capuz A, Osien S, Cardon T, Karnoub MA, Aboulouard S, Raffo-Romero A, Duhamel M, Cizkova D, Trerotola M, Devos D, Kobeissy F, Vanden Abeele F, Bonnefond A, Fournier I, Rodet F, Salzet M. Heimdall, an alternative protein issued from a ncRNA related to kappa light chain variable region of immunoglobulins from astrocytes: a new player in neural proteome. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:526. [PMID: 37587118 PMCID: PMC10432539 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06037-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The dogma "One gene, one protein" is clearly obsolete since cells use alternative splicing and generate multiple transcripts which are translated into protein isoforms, but also use alternative translation initiation sites (TISs) and termination sites on a given transcript. Alternative open reading frames for individual transcripts give proteins originate from the 5'- and 3'-UTR mRNA regions, frameshifts of mRNA ORFs or from non-coding RNAs. Longtime considered as non-coding, recent in-silico translation prediction methods enriched the protein databases allowing the identification of new target structures that have not been identified previously. To gain insight into the role of these newly identified alternative proteins in the regulation of cellular functions, it is crucial to assess their dynamic modulation within a framework of altered physiological modifications such as experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, we carried out a longitudinal proteomic study on rat SCI from 12 h to 10 days. Based on the alternative protein predictions, it was possible to identify a plethora of newly predicted protein hits. Among these proteins, some presented a special interest due to high homology with variable chain regions of immunoglobulins. We focus our interest on the one related to Kappa variable light chains which is similarly highly produced by B cells in the Bence jones disease, but here expressed in astrocytes. This protein, name Heimdall is an Intrinsically disordered protein which is secreted under inflammatory conditions. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that the Heimdall interactome contained proteins related to astrocyte fate keepers such as "NOTCH1, EPHA3, IPO13" as well as membrane receptor protein including "CHRNA9; TGFBR, EPHB6, and TRAM". However, when Heimdall protein was neutralized utilizing a specific antibody or its gene knocked out by CRISPR-Cas9, sprouting elongations were observed in the corresponding astrocytes. Interestingly, depolarization assays and intracellular calcium measurements in Heimdall KO, established a depolarization effect on astrocyte membranes KO cells were more likely that the one found in neuroprogenitors. Proteomic analyses performed under injury conditions or under lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation, revealed the expression of neuronal factors, stem cell proteins, proliferation, and neurogenesis of astrocyte convertor factors such as EPHA4, NOTCH2, SLIT3, SEMA3F, suggesting a role of Heimdall could regulate astrocytic fate. Taken together, Heimdall could be a novel member of the gatekeeping astrocyte-to-neuroprogenitor conversion factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Capuz
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Sylvain Osien
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Tristan Cardon
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Mélodie Anne Karnoub
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Soulaimane Aboulouard
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Antonella Raffo-Romero
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Marie Duhamel
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Dasa Cizkova
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 10, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Centre for Experimental and Clinical Regenerative Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Marco Trerotola
- Laboratory of Cancer Pathology, Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), University 'G. d'Annunzio', Chieti, Italy
- Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University 'G. d'Annunzio', Chieti, Italy
| | - David Devos
- Université de Lille, INSERM, U1172, CHU-Lille, Lille Neuroscience Cognition Research Centre, 1 place de Verdun, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Fabien Vanden Abeele
- Université de Lille, INSERM U1003, Laboratory of Cell Physiology, 59650, Villeneuve d'Ascq, France
| | - Amélie Bonnefond
- Univ. Lille, Inserm UMR1283, CNRS UMR8199, European Genomic Institute for Diabetes (EGID), Institut Pasteur de Lille, CHU de Lille, 1 place de Verdun, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Isabelle Fournier
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Franck Rodet
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France.
| | - Michel Salzet
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, U-1192 - Laboratoire Protéomique, Réponse Inflammatoire et Spectrométrie de Masse-PRISM, F-59000, Lille, France.
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75005, Paris, France.
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12
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Lear BP, Moore DL. Moving CNS axon growth and regeneration research into human model systems. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1198041. [PMID: 37425013 PMCID: PMC10324669 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1198041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Axon regeneration is limited in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) due to both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Rodent studies have shown that developmental age can drive differences in intrinsic axon growth ability, such that embryonic rodent CNS neurons extend long axons while postnatal and adult CNS neurons do not. In recent decades, scientists have identified several intrinsic developmental regulators in rodents that modulate growth. However, whether this developmentally programmed decline in CNS axon growth is conserved in humans is not yet known. Until recently, there have been limited human neuronal model systems, and even fewer age-specific human models. Human in vitro models range from pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to directly reprogrammed (transdifferentiated) neurons derived from human somatic cells. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each system, and how studying axon growth in human neurons can provide species-specific knowledge in the field of CNS axon regeneration with the goal of bridging basic science studies to clinical trials. Additionally, with the increased availability and quality of 'omics datasets of human cortical tissue across development and lifespan, scientists can mine these datasets for developmentally regulated pathways and genes. As there has been little research performed in human neurons to study modulators of axon growth, here we provide a summary of approaches to begin to shift the field of CNS axon growth and regeneration into human model systems to uncover novel drivers of axon growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Darcie L. Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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13
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Sierra-Delgado JA, Sinha-Ray S, Kaleem A, Ganjibakhsh M, Parvate M, Powers S, Zhang X, Likhite S, Meyer K. In Vitro Modeling as a Tool for Testing Therapeutics for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and IGHMBP2-Related Disorders. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:867. [PMID: 37372153 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. The most common form of SMA is caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene, located on 5q (SMA). On the other hand, mutations in IGHMBP2 lead to a large disease spectrum with no clear genotype-phenotype correlation, which includes Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Muscular Distress type 1 (SMARD1), an extremely rare form of SMA, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth 2S (CMT2S). We optimized a patient-derived in vitro model system that allows us to expand research on disease pathogenesis and gene function, as well as test the response to the AAV gene therapies we have translated to the clinic. We generated and characterized induced neurons (iN) from SMA and SMARD1/CMT2S patient cell lines. After establishing the lines, we treated the generated neurons with AAV9-mediated gene therapy (AAV9.SMN (Zolgensma) for SMA and AAV9.IGHMBP2 for IGHMBP2 disorders (NCT05152823)) to evaluate the response to treatment. The iNs of both diseases show a characteristic short neurite length and defects in neuronal conversion, which have been reported in the literature before with iPSC modeling. SMA iNs respond to treatment with AAV9.SMN in vitro, showing a partial rescue of the morphology phenotype. For SMARD1/CMT2S iNs, we were able to observe an improvement in the neurite length of neurons after the restoration of IGHMBP2 in all disease cell lines, albeit to a variable extent, with some lines showing better responses to treatment than others. Moreover, this protocol allowed us to classify a variant of uncertain significance on IGHMBP2 on a suspected SMARD1/CMT2S patient. This study will further the understanding of SMA, and SMARD1/CMT2S disease in particular, in the context of variable patient mutations, and might further the development of new treatments, which are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shrestha Sinha-Ray
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Abuzar Kaleem
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Meysam Ganjibakhsh
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Mohini Parvate
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Samantha Powers
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Xiaojin Zhang
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Shibi Likhite
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Kathrin Meyer
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
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14
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Santos-França PL, David LA, Kassem F, Meng XQ, Cayouette M. Time to see: How temporal identity factors specify the developing mammalian retina. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 142:36-42. [PMID: 35760728 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) give rise to the variety of neural cell types of the retina has been a question of major interest over the last few decades. While environmental cues and transcription factor networks have been shown to control specific cell fate decisions, how RPCs alter fate output over time to control proper histogenesis remains poorly understood. In recent years, the identification of "temporal identity factors (TIFs)", which control RPC competence states to ensure that the right cell types are produced at the right time, has contributed to increasing our understanding of temporal patterning in the retina. Here, we review the different TIFs identified to date in the mammalian retina and discuss the underlying mechanisms by which they are thought to operate. We conclude by speculating on how identification of temporal patterning mechanisms might support the development of new therapeutic approaches against visual impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro L Santos-França
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Luke Ajay David
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Fatima Kassem
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Xiang Qi Meng
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Molecular Biology Program, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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15
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Zhou Y, Zhang K, Wang F, Chen J, Chen S, Wu M, Lai M, Zhang Y, Zhou W. Polypyrimidine tract binding protein knockdown reverses depression-like behaviors and cognition impairment in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1174341. [PMID: 37181622 PMCID: PMC10172502 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1174341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives Depression is a common comorbidity of dementia and may be a risk factor for dementia. Accumulating evidence has suggested that the cholinergic system plays a central role in dementia and depression, and the loss of cholinergic neurons is associated with memory decline in aging and Alzheimer's patients. A specific loss of cholinergic neurons in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) is correlated with depression and dysfunction of cognition in mice. In this study, we examined the potential regenerative mechanisms of knockdown the RNA-binding protein polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) in reversing depression-like behaviors and cognition impairment in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons. Methods We lesioned cholinergic neurons in mice induced by injection of 192 IgG-saporin into HDB; then, we injected either antisense oligonucleotides or adeno-associated virus-shRNA (GFAP promoter) into the injured area of HDB to deplete PTB followed by a broad range of methodologies including behavioral examinations, Western blot, RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Results We found that the conversion of astrocytes to newborn neurons by using antisense oligonucleotides on PTB in vitro, and depletion of PTB using either antisense oligonucleotides or adeno-associated virus-shRNA into the injured area of HDB could specifically transform astrocytes into cholinergic neurons. Meanwhile, knockdown of PTB by both approaches could relieve the depression-like behaviors shown by sucrose preference, forced swimming or tail-suspension tests, and alleviate cognitive impairment such as fear conditioning and novel object recognition in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons. Conclusion These findings suggest that supplementing cholinergic neurons after PTB knockdown may be a promising therapeutic strategy to revert depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiying Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Addiction Research, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangmin Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Addiction Research, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jiali Chen
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ningbo Medical Treatment Center, Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shanshan Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Addiction Research, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Manqing Wu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Miaojun Lai
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Addiction Research, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yisheng Zhang
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ningbo Medical Treatment Center, Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- *Correspondence: Yisheng Zhang,
| | - Wenhua Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Addiction Research, Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
- Wenhua Zhou,
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16
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Portela-Lomba M, Simón D, Fernández de Sevilla D, Moreno-Flores MT, Sierra J. Small molecules fail to induce direct reprogramming of adult rat olfactory ensheathing glia to mature neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1110356. [PMID: 36910262 PMCID: PMC9998535 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1110356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
An approach to generate new neurons after central nervous system injury or disease is direct reprogramming of the individual's own somatic cells into differentiated neurons. This can be achieved either by transduction of viral vectors that express neurogenic transcription factors and/or through induction with small molecules, avoiding introducing foreign genetic material in target cells. In this work, we propose olfactory ensheathing glia (OEG) as a candidate for direct reprogramming to neurons with small molecules due to its well-characterized neuro-regenerative capacity. After screening different combinations of small molecules in different culture conditions, only partial reprogramming was achieved: induced cells expressed neuronal markers but lacked the ability of firing action potentials. Our work demonstrates that direct conversion of adult olfactory ensheathing glia to mature, functional neurons cannot be induced only with pharmacological tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Portela-Lomba
- School of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diana Simón
- School of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Fernández de Sevilla
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mª Teresa Moreno-Flores
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Sierra
- School of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.,School of Medicine, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid, Spain
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17
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Sattarov R, Toresson H, Orbjörn C, Mattsson-Carlgren N. Direct Conversion of Fibroblast into Neurons for Alzheimer's Disease Research: A Systematic Review. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:805-828. [PMID: 37661882 PMCID: PMC10578293 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder without a cure. Innovative disease models, such as induced neurons (iNs), could enhance our understanding of AD mechanisms and accelerate treatment development. However, a review of AD human iN studies is necessary to consolidate knowledge. OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to examine the current body of literature on AD human iN cells and provide an overview of the findings to date. METHODS We searched two databases for relevant studies published between 2010 and 2023, identifying nine studies meeting our criteria. RESULTS Reviewed studies indicate the feasibility of generating iNs directly from AD patients' fibroblasts using chemical induction or viral vectors. These cells express mature neuronal markers, including MAP-2, NeuN, synapsin, and tau. However, most studies were limited in sample size and primarily focused on autosomal dominant familial AD (FAD) rather than the more common sporadic forms of AD. Several studies indicated that iNs derived from FAD fibroblasts exhibited abnormal amyloid-β metabolism, a characteristic feature of AD in humans. Additionally, elevated levels of hyperphosphorylated tau, another hallmark of AD, were reported in some studies. CONCLUSION Although only a limited number of small-scale studies are currently available, AD patient-derived iNs hold promise as a valuable model for investigating AD pathogenesis. Future research should aim to conduct larger studies, particularly focusing on sporadic AD cases, to enhance the clinical relevance of the findings for the broader AD patient population. Moreover, these cells can be utilized in screening potential novel treatments for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Sattarov
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Håkan Toresson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Camilla Orbjörn
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren
- Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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18
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Yang R, Pan J, Wang Y, Xia P, Tai M, Jiang Z, Chen G. Application and prospects of somatic cell reprogramming technology for spinal cord injury treatment. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1005399. [PMID: 36467604 PMCID: PMC9712200 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1005399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious neurological trauma that is challenging to treat. After SCI, many neurons in the injured area die due to necrosis or apoptosis, and astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and other non-neuronal cells become dysfunctional, hindering the repair of the injured spinal cord. Corrective surgery and biological, physical and pharmacological therapies are commonly used treatment modalities for SCI; however, no current therapeutic strategies can achieve complete recovery. Somatic cell reprogramming is a promising technology that has gradually become a feasible therapeutic approach for repairing the injured spinal cord. This revolutionary technology can reprogram fibroblasts, astrocytes, NG2 cells and neural progenitor cells into neurons or oligodendrocytes for spinal cord repair. In this review, we provide an overview of the transcription factors, genes, microRNAs (miRNAs), small molecules and combinations of these factors that can mediate somatic cell reprogramming to repair the injured spinal cord. Although many challenges and questions related to this technique remain, we believe that the beneficial effect of somatic cell reprogramming provides new ideas for achieving functional recovery after SCI and a direction for the development of treatments for SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riyun Yang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Jingying Pan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yankai Wang
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Panhui Xia
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Mingliang Tai
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Zhihao Jiang
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Center for Basic Medical Research, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and the Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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19
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Vaz A, Ribeiro I, Pinto L. Frontiers in Neurogenesis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223567. [PMID: 36428996 PMCID: PMC9688671 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most intriguing dogmas in neurosciences-the empirical lack of brain neuronal regeneration in adulthood onwards to late life-began to be debunked initially by research groups focused on understanding postnatal (early days/weeks of murine and guinea pigs) neurodevelopmental and neuroplastic events [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreia Vaz
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Bn’ML, Behavioral and Molecular Lab, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Inês Ribeiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Luísa Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s–PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Bn’ML, Behavioral and Molecular Lab, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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20
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Nakamura T, Iwata M, Hamano M, Eguchi R, Takeshita JI, Yamanishi Y. Small compound-based direct cell conversion with combinatorial optimization of pathway regulations. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:ii99-ii105. [PMID: 36124791 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Direct cell conversion, direct reprogramming (DR), is an innovative technology that directly converts source cells to target cells without bypassing induced pluripotent stem cells. The use of small compounds (e.g. drugs) for DR can help avoid carcinogenic risk induced by gene transfection; however, experimentally identifying small compounds remains challenging because of combinatorial explosion. RESULTS In this article, we present a new computational method, COMPRENDRE (combinatorial optimization of pathway regulations for direct reprograming), to elucidate the mechanism of small compound-based DR and predict new combinations of small compounds for DR. We estimated the potential target proteins of DR-inducing small compounds and identified a set of target pathways involving DR. We identified multiple DR-related pathways that have not previously been reported to induce neurons or cardiomyocytes from fibroblasts. To overcome the problem of combinatorial explosion, we developed a variant of a simulated annealing algorithm to identify the best set of compounds that can regulate DR-related pathways. Consequently, the proposed method enabled to predict new DR-inducing candidate combinations with fewer compounds and to successfully reproduce experimentally verified compounds inducing the direct conversion from fibroblasts to neurons or cardiomyocytes. The proposed method is expected to be useful for practical applications in regenerative medicine. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The code supporting the current study is available at the http://labo.bio.kyutech.ac.jp/~yamani/comprendre. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toru Nakamura
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
| | - Michio Iwata
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
| | - Momoko Hamano
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
| | - Ryohei Eguchi
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Takeshita
- Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Yamanishi
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Iizuka, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
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21
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Baldassari S, Cervetto C, Amato S, Fruscione F, Balagura G, Pelassa S, Musante I, Iacomino M, Traverso M, Corradi A, Scudieri P, Maura G, Marcoli M, Zara F. Vesicular Glutamate Release from Feeder-FreehiPSC-Derived Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810545. [PMID: 36142455 PMCID: PMC9501332 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) represent one of the main and powerful tools for the in vitro modeling of neurological diseases. Standard hiPSC-based protocols make use of animal-derived feeder systems to better support the neuronal differentiation process. Despite their efficiency, such protocols may not be appropriate to dissect neuronal specific properties or to avoid interspecies contaminations, hindering their future translation into clinical and drug discovery approaches. In this work, we focused on the optimization of a reproducible protocol in feeder-free conditions able to generate functional glutamatergic neurons. This protocol is based on a generation of neuroprecursor cells differentiated into human neurons with the administration in the culture medium of specific neurotrophins in a Geltrex-coated substrate. We confirmed the efficiency of this protocol through molecular analysis (upregulation of neuronal markers and neurotransmitter receptors assessed by gene expression profiling and expression of the neuronal markers at the protein level), morphological analysis, and immunfluorescence detection of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic markers at synaptic boutons. The hiPSC-derived neurons acquired Ca2+-dependent glutamate release properties as a hallmark of neuronal maturation. In conclusion, our study describes a new methodological approach to achieve feeder-free neuronal differentiation from hiPSC and adds a new tool for functional characterization of hiPSC-derived neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Baldassari
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Chiara Cervetto
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56100 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Sarah Amato
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Floriana Fruscione
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Simone Pelassa
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Ilaria Musante
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Monica Traverso
- Paediatric Neurology and Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
| | - Anna Corradi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Paolo Scudieri
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Guido Maura
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
| | - Manuela Marcoli
- Department of Pharmacy (DIFAR), Section of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, 16148 Genova, Italy
- Interuniversity Center for the Promotion of the 3Rs Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), 56100 Pisa, Italy
- Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Viale Benedetto XV, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via G. Gaslini 5, 16147 Genova, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Largo Paolo Daneo 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
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22
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Ghazale H, Park E, Vasan L, Mester J, Saleh F, Trevisiol A, Zinyk D, Chinchalongporn V, Liu M, Fleming T, Prokopchuk O, Klenin N, Kurrasch D, Faiz M, Stefanovic B, McLaurin J, Schuurmans C. Ascl1 phospho-site mutations enhance neuronal conversion of adult cortical astrocytes in vivo. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:917071. [PMID: 36061596 PMCID: PMC9434350 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.917071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct neuronal reprogramming, the process whereby a terminally differentiated cell is converted into an induced neuron without traversing a pluripotent state, has tremendous therapeutic potential for a host of neurodegenerative diseases. While there is strong evidence for astrocyte-to-neuron conversion in vitro, in vivo studies in the adult brain are less supportive or controversial. Here, we set out to enhance the efficacy of neuronal conversion of adult astrocytes in vivo by optimizing the neurogenic capacity of a driver transcription factor encoded by the proneural gene Ascl1. Specifically, we mutated six serine phospho-acceptor sites in Ascl1 to alanines (Ascl1SA6) to prevent phosphorylation by proline-directed serine/threonine kinases. Native Ascl1 or Ascl1SA6 were expressed in adult, murine cortical astrocytes under the control of a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). When targeted to the cerebral cortex in vivo, mCherry+ cells transduced with AAV8-GFAP-Ascl1SA6-mCherry or AAV8-GFAP-Ascl1-mCherry expressed neuronal markers within 14 days post-transduction, with Ascl1SA6 promoting the formation of more mature dendritic arbors compared to Ascl1. However, mCherry expression disappeared by 2-months post-transduction of the AAV8-GFAP-mCherry control-vector. To circumvent reporter issues, AAV-GFAP-iCre (control) and AAV-GFAP-Ascl1 (or Ascl1SA6)-iCre constructs were generated and injected into the cerebral cortex of Rosa reporter mice. In all comparisons of AAV capsids (AAV5 and AAV8), GFAP promoters (long and short), and reporter mice (Rosa-zsGreen and Rosa-tdtomato), Ascl1SA6 transduced cells more frequently expressed early- (Dcx) and late- (NeuN) neuronal markers. Furthermore, Ascl1SA6 repressed the expression of astrocytic markers Sox9 and GFAP more efficiently than Ascl1. Finally, we co-transduced an AAV expressing ChR2-(H134R)-YFP, an optogenetic actuator. After channelrhodopsin photostimulation, we found that Ascl1SA6 co-transduced astrocytes exhibited a significantly faster decay of evoked potentials to baseline, a neuronal feature, when compared to iCre control cells. Taken together, our findings support an enhanced neuronal conversion efficiency of Ascl1SA6 vs. Ascl1, and position Ascl1SA6 as a critical transcription factor for future studies aimed at converting adult brain astrocytes to mature neurons to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Ghazale
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - EunJee Park
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lakshmy Vasan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James Mester
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Fermisk Saleh
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Trevisiol
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dawn Zinyk
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Vorapin Chinchalongporn
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mingzhe Liu
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Taylor Fleming
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Natalia Klenin
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Deborah Kurrasch
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Maryam Faiz
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bojana Stefanovic
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - JoAnne McLaurin
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Carol Schuurmans
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Carol Schuurmans,
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23
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Wang J, Chen S, Pan C, Li G, Tang Z. Application of Small Molecules in the Central Nervous System Direct Neuronal Reprogramming. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:799152. [PMID: 35875485 PMCID: PMC9301571 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.799152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The lack of regenerative capacity of neurons leads to poor prognoses for some neurological disorders. The use of small molecules to directly reprogram somatic cells into neurons provides a new therapeutic strategy for neurological diseases. In this review, the mechanisms of action of different small molecules, the approaches to screening small molecule cocktails, and the methods employed to detect their reprogramming efficiency are discussed, and the studies, focusing on neuronal reprogramming using small molecules in neurological disease models, are collected. Future research efforts are needed to investigate the in vivo mechanisms of small molecule-mediated neuronal reprogramming under pathophysiological states, optimize screening cocktails and dosing regimens, and identify safe and effective delivery routes to promote neural regeneration in different neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gaigai Li
- *Correspondence: Gaigai Li, ; Zhouping Tang,
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