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Scheffer IE, Zuberi S, Mefford HC, Guerrini R, McTague A. Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2024; 10:61. [PMID: 39237642 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-024-00546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies, the most severe group of epilepsies, are characterized by seizures and frequent epileptiform activity associated with developmental slowing or regression. Onset typically occurs in infancy or childhood and includes many well-defined epilepsy syndromes. Patients have wide-ranging comorbidities including intellectual disability, psychiatric features, such as autism spectrum disorder and behavioural problems, movement and musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal and sleep problems, together with an increased mortality rate. Problems change with age and patients require substantial support throughout life, placing a high psychosocial burden on parents, carers and the community. In many patients, the aetiology can be identified, and a genetic cause is found in >50% of patients using next-generation sequencing technologies. More than 900 genes have been identified as monogenic causes of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies and many cell components and processes have been implicated in their pathophysiology, including ion channels and transporters, synaptic proteins, cell signalling and metabolism and epigenetic regulation. Polygenic risk score analyses have shown that common variants also contribute to phenotypic variability. Holistic management, which encompasses antiseizure therapies and care for multimorbidities, is determined both by epilepsy syndrome and aetiology. Identification of the underlying aetiology enables the development of precision medicines to improve the long-term outcome of patients with these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid E Scheffer
- Epilepsy Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
- Florey and Murdoch Children's Research Institutes, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Sameer Zuberi
- Paediatric Neurosciences Research Group, School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Paediatric Neurosciences, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK
| | - Heather C Mefford
- Center for Paediatric Neurological Disease Research, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Renzo Guerrini
- Neuroscience Department, Children's Hospital Meyer IRCCS, Florence, Italy
- University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Amy McTague
- Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK
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2
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Schuster J, Lu X, Dang Y, Klar J, Wenz A, Dahl N, Chen X. Epigenetic insights into GABAergic development in Dravet Syndrome iPSC and therapeutic implications. eLife 2024; 12:RP92599. [PMID: 39190448 PMCID: PMC11349296 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92599] [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] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a devastating early-onset refractory epilepsy syndrome caused by variants in the SCN1A gene. A disturbed GABAergic interneuron function is implicated in the progression to DS but the underlying developmental and pathophysiological mechanisms remain elusive, in particularly at the chromatin level. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from DS cases and healthy donors were used to model disease-associated epigenetic abnormalities of GABAergic development. Chromatin accessibility was assessed at multiple time points (Day 0, Day 19, Day 35, and Day 65) of GABAergic differentiation. Additionally, the effects of the commonly used anti-seizure drug valproic acid (VPA) on chromatin accessibility were elucidated in GABAergic cells. The distinct dynamics in the chromatin profile of DS iPSC predicted accelerated early GABAergic development, evident at D19, and diverged further from the pattern in control iPSC with continued differentiation, indicating a disrupted GABAergic maturation. Exposure to VPA at D65 reshaped the chromatin landscape at a variable extent in different iPSC-lines and rescued the observed dysfunctional development of some DS iPSC-GABA. The comprehensive investigation on the chromatin landscape of GABAergic differentiation in DS-patient iPSC offers valuable insights into the epigenetic dysregulations associated with interneuronal dysfunction in DS. Moreover, the detailed analysis of the chromatin changes induced by VPA in iPSC-GABA holds the potential to improve the development of personalized and targeted anti-epileptic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Schuster
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Xi Lu
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Yonglong Dang
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Joakim Klar
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Amelie Wenz
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Niklas Dahl
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
| | - Xingqi Chen
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University and Science for Life LaboratoryUppsalaSweden
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3
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Garcia MF, Retallick-Townsley K, Pruitt A, Davidson E, Dai Y, Fitzpatrick SE, Sen A, Cohen S, Livoti O, Khan S, Dossou G, Cheung J, Deans PJM, Wang Z, Huckins L, Hoffman E, Brennand K. Dynamic convergence of autism disorder risk genes across neurodevelopment. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609190. [PMID: 39229156 PMCID: PMC11370590 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Over a hundred risk genes underlie risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but the extent to which they converge on shared downstream targets to increase ASD risk is unknown. To test the hypothesis that cellular context impacts the nature of convergence, here we apply a pooled CRISPR approach to target 29 ASD loss-of-function genes in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural progenitor cells, glutamatergic neurons, and GABAergic neurons. Two distinct approaches (gene-level and network-level analyses) demonstrate that convergence is greatest in mature glutamatergic neurons. Convergent effects are dynamic, varying in strength, composition, and biological role between cell types, increasing with functional similarity of the ASD genes examined, and driven by cell-type-specific gene co-expression patterns. Stratification of ASD genes yield targeted drug predictions capable of reversing gene-specific convergent signatures in human cells and ASD-related behaviors in zebrafish. Altogether, convergent networks downstream of ASD risk genes represent novel points of individualized therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Fernandez Garcia
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Kayla Retallick-Townsley
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - April Pruitt
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Elizabeth Davidson
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Yi Dai
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Sarah E Fitzpatrick
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Annabel Sen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Sophie Cohen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Olivia Livoti
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Suha Khan
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Grace Dossou
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Jen Cheung
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - P J Michael Deans
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Zuoheng Wang
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Laura Huckins
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Ellen Hoffman
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Kristen Brennand
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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4
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Pereira MF, Shyti R, Testa G. In and out: Benchmarking in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and xenografting approaches for an integrative brain disease modeling pipeline. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:767-795. [PMID: 38865969 PMCID: PMC11390705 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Human cellular models and their neuronal derivatives have afforded unprecedented advances in elucidating pathogenic mechanisms of neuropsychiatric diseases. Notwithstanding their indispensable contribution, animal models remain the benchmark in neurobiological research. In an attempt to harness the best of both worlds, researchers have increasingly relied on human/animal chimeras by xenografting human cells into the animal brain. Despite the unparalleled potential of xenografting approaches in the study of the human brain, literature resources that systematically examine their significance and advantages are surprisingly lacking. We fill this gap by providing a comprehensive account of brain diseases that were thus far subjected to all three modeling approaches (transgenic rodents, in vitro human lineages, human-animal xenografting) and provide a critical appraisal of the impact of xenografting approaches for advancing our understanding of those diseases and brain development. Next, we give our perspective on integrating xenografting modeling pipeline with recent cutting-edge technological advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene F Pereira
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20122 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
| | - Reinald Shyti
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20122 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
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5
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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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6
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Qu G, Merchant JP, Clatot J, DeFlitch LM, Frederick DJ, Tang S, Salvatore M, Zhang X, Li J, Anderson SA, Goldberg EM. Targeted blockade of aberrant sodium current in a stem cell-derived neuron model of SCN3A encephalopathy. Brain 2024; 147:1247-1263. [PMID: 37935051 PMCID: PMC10994535 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad376] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Missense variants in SCN3A encoding the voltage-gated sodium (Na+) channel α subunit Nav1.3 are associated with SCN3A-related neurodevelopmental disorder (SCN3A-NDD), a spectrum of disease that includes epilepsy and malformation of cortical development. How genetic variation in SCN3A leads to pathology remains unclear, as prior electrophysiological work on disease-associated variants has been performed exclusively in heterologous cell systems. To further investigate the mechanisms of SCN3A-NDD pathogenesis, we used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to modify a control human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line to express the recurrent de novo missense variant SCN3A c.2624T>C (p.Ile875Thr). With the established Ngn2 rapid induction protocol, we generated glutamatergic forebrain-like neurons (iNeurons), which we showed to express SCN3A mRNA and Nav1.3-mediated Na+ currents. We performed detailed whole-cell patch clamp recordings to determine the effect of the SCN3A-p.Ile875Thr variant on endogenous Na+ currents in, and intrinsic excitability of, human neurons. Compared to control iNeurons, variant-expressing iNeurons exhibit markedly increased slowly-inactivating/persistent Na+ current, abnormal firing patterns with paroxysmal bursting and plateau-like potentials with action potential failure, and a hyperpolarized voltage threshold for action potential generation. We then validated these findings using a separate iPSC line generated from a patient harbouring the SCN3A-p.Ile875Thr variant compared to a corresponding CRISPR-corrected isogenic control line. Finally, we found that application of the Nav1.3-selective blocker ICA-121431 normalizes action potential threshold and aberrant firing patterns in SCN3A-p.Ile1875Thr iNeurons; in contrast, consistent with action as a Na+ channel blocker, ICA-121431 decreases excitability of control iNeurons. Our findings demonstrate that iNeurons can model the effects of genetic variation in SCN3A yet reveal a complex relationship between gain-of-function at the level of the ion channel versus impact on neuronal excitability. Given the transient expression of SCN3A in the developing human nervous system, selective blockade or suppression of Nav1.3-containing Na+ channels could represent a therapeutic approach towards SCN3A-NDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojie Qu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Julie P Merchant
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jérôme Clatot
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Leah M DeFlitch
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Danny J Frederick
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sheng Tang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Madeleine Salvatore
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Jianping Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Stewart A Anderson
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ethan M Goldberg
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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7
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Alowaysi M, Al-Shehri M, Badkok A, Attas H, Aboalola D, Baadhaim M, Alzahrani H, Daghestani M, Zia A, Al-Ghamdi K, Al-Ghamdi A, Zakri S, Aouabdi S, Tegner J, Alsayegh K. Generation of iPSC lines (KAIMRCi003A, KAIMRCi003B) from a Saudi patient with Dravet syndrome carrying homozygous mutation in the CPLX1 gene and heterozygous mutation in SCN9A. Hum Cell 2024; 37:502-510. [PMID: 38110787 PMCID: PMC10890977 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-01016-z] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
The most prevalent form of epileptic encephalopathy is Dravet syndrome (DRVT), which is triggered by the pathogenic variant SCN1A in 80% of cases. iPSCs with different SCN1A mutations have been constructed by several groups to model DRVT syndrome. However, no studies involving DRVT-iPSCs with rare genetic variants have been conducted. Here, we established two DRVT-iPSC lines harboring a homozygous mutation in the CPLX1 gene and heterozygous mutation in SCN9A gene. Therefore, the derivation of these iPSC lines provides a unique cellular platform to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular dysfunctions consequent to CPLX1 and SCN9A mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Alowaysi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Al-Shehri
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amani Badkok
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanouf Attas
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Doaa Aboalola
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moayad Baadhaim
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hajar Alzahrani
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mustafa Daghestani
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asima Zia
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Al-Ghamdi
- Forensic Laboratories, Criminal Evidence Department, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asayil Al-Ghamdi
- Forensic Laboratories, Criminal Evidence Department, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samer Zakri
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sihem Aouabdi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jesper Tegner
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khaled Alsayegh
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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8
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Mao M, Mattei C, Rollo B, Byars S, Cuddy C, Berecki G, Heighway J, Pachernegg S, Menheniott T, Apted D, Jia L, Dalby K, Nemiroff A, Mullen S, Reid CA, Maljevic S, Petrou S. Distinctive In Vitro Phenotypes in iPSC-Derived Neurons From Patients With Gain- and Loss-of-Function SCN2A Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0692232023. [PMID: 38148154 PMCID: PMC10883610 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0692-23.2023] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
SCN2A encodes NaV1.2, an excitatory neuron voltage-gated sodium channel and a major monogenic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders, including developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) and autism. Clinical presentation and pharmocosensitivity vary with the nature of SCN2A variant dysfunction and can be divided into gain-of-function (GoF) cases with pre- or peri-natal seizures and loss-of-function (LoF) patients typically having infantile spasms after 6 months of age. We established and assessed patient induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) - derived neuronal models for two recurrent SCN2A DEE variants with GoF R1882Q and LoF R853Q associated with early- and late-onset DEE, respectively. Two male patient-derived iPSC isogenic pairs were differentiated using Neurogenin-2 overexpression yielding populations of cortical-like glutamatergic neurons. Functional properties were assessed using patch clamp and multielectrode array recordings and transcriptomic profiles obtained with total mRNA sequencing after 2-4 weeks in culture. At 3 weeks of differentiation, increased neuronal activity at cellular and network levels was observed for R1882Q iPSC-derived neurons. In contrast, R853Q neurons showed only subtle changes in excitability after 4 weeks and an overall reduced network activity after 7 weeks in vitro. Consistent with the reported efficacy in some GoF SCN2A patients, phenytoin (sodium channel blocker) reduced the excitability of neurons to the control levels in R1882Q neuronal cultures. Transcriptomic alterations in neurons were detected for each variant and convergent pathways suggested potential shared mechanisms underlying SCN2A DEE. In summary, patient iPSC-derived neuronal models of SCN2A GoF and LoF pathogenic variants causing DEE show specific functional and transcriptomic in vitro phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Mao
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Cristiana Mattei
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Ben Rollo
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sean Byars
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Claire Cuddy
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Geza Berecki
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Heighway
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Svenja Pachernegg
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Trevelyan Menheniott
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Danielle Apted
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Linghan Jia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Kelley Dalby
- Rogcon Biosciences, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Alex Nemiroff
- Rogcon Biosciences, Cambridge, MA 02142
- Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Saul Mullen
- Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3084, Australia
| | - Christopher A Reid
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Snezana Maljevic
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Steven Petrou
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia
- Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142
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9
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Chi W, Kiskinis E. Integrative analysis of epilepsy-associated genes reveals expression-phenotype correlations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3587. [PMID: 38351047 PMCID: PMC10864290 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53494-2] [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: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a highly prevalent neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. Patients exhibit broad genetic, molecular, and clinical diversity involving mild to severe comorbidities. The factors that contribute to this phenotypic diversity remain unclear. Here we used publicly available datasets to systematically interrogate the expression pattern of 230 epilepsy-associated genes across human tissues, developmental stages, and central nervous system (CNS) cellular subtypes. We grouped genes based on their curated phenotypes into 3 broad classes: core epilepsy genes (CEG), where seizures are the dominant phenotype, developmental and epileptic encephalopathy genes (DEEG) that are associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, and seizure-related genes (SRG), which are characterized by the presence of seizures and gross brain malformations. We find that compared to the other two groups of genes, DEEGs are highly expressed within the adult CNS, exhibit the highest and most dynamic expression in various brain regions across development, and are significantly enriched in GABAergic neurons. Our analysis provides an overview of the expression pattern of epilepsy-associated genes with spatiotemporal resolution and establishes a broad expression-phenotype correlation in epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanhao Chi
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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10
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El Mouhi H, Amllal N, Abbassi M, Nedbour A, Jalte M, Lyahyai J, Chafai Elalaoui S, Bouguenouch L, Chaouki S. Identification of novel and de novo variant in the SCN1A gene confirms Dravet syndrome in Moroccan child: a case report. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:233. [PMID: 38282049 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-09200-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy characterised by recurrent seizures and cognitive impairment. It is mainly caused by variant in the SCN1A gene in 90% of cases, which codes for the α subunit of the voltage-gated sodium channel. In this study, we present one suspected case of Dravet syndrome in Moroccan child that underwent exome analysis and were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The variant was identified in the SCN1A gene, and is a new variant that has never been described in the literature. The variant was found de nova in our case, indicating that it was not inherited from the parents. The variant, SCN1A c.965-2A>G p.(?), is located at the splice site and results in an unknown modification of the protein. This variant is considered pathogenic on the basis of previous studies. These results contribute to our knowledge of the SCN1A gene mutations associated with Dravet syndrome and underline the importance of genetic analysis in the diagnosis and confirmation of this disorder. Further studies are needed to better understand the functional consequences of this variant and its implications for therapeutic strategies in Dravet syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hinde El Mouhi
- Laboratory of Biomedical and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco.
- Engineering Science and Technology Doctoral Study Center, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco.
| | - Nada Amllal
- Research Team in Genomics and Molecular Epidemiology of Genetic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute of Health, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Meriame Abbassi
- Laboratory of Biomedical and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco
- The Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques, Fez, Morocco
| | - Ayoub Nedbour
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco
| | - Meryem Jalte
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Environment, Agri-Food, and Health (LBEAH), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
| | - Jaber Lyahyai
- Research Team in Genomics and Molecular Epidemiology of Genetic Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Laila Bouguenouch
- Laboratory of Biomedical and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Oncogenetics, University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco
| | - Sana Chaouki
- Laboratory of Biomedical and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy and Dental Medicine, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco
- Department of Pediatrics, CHU Hassan II, Fez, Morocco
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11
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Ma Y, Bendl J, Hartley BJ, Fullard JF, Abdelaal R, Ho SM, Kosoy R, Gochman P, Rapoport J, Hoffman GE, Brennand KJ, Roussos P. Activity-Dependent Transcriptional Program in NGN2+ Neurons Enriched for Genetic Risk for Brain-Related Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:187-198. [PMID: 37454787 PMCID: PMC10787819 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Converging evidence from large-scale genetic and postmortem studies highlights the role of aberrant neurotransmission and genetic regulation in brain-related disorders. However, identifying neuronal activity-regulated transcriptional programs in the human brain and understanding how changes contribute to disease remain challenging. METHODS To better understand how the activity-dependent regulome contributes to risk for brain-related disorders, we profiled the transcriptomic and epigenomic changes following neuronal depolarization in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived glutamatergic neurons (NGN2) from 6 patients with schizophrenia and 5 control participants. RESULTS Multiomic data integration associated global patterns of chromatin accessibility with gene expression and identified enhancer-promoter interactions in glutamatergic neurons. Within 1 hour of potassium chloride-induced depolarization, independent of diagnosis, glutamatergic neurons displayed substantial activity-dependent changes in the expression of genes regulating synaptic function. Depolarization-induced changes in the regulome revealed significant heritability enrichment for schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease, adding to mounting evidence that sequence variation within activation-dependent regulatory elements contributes to the genetic risk for brain-related disorders. Gene coexpression network analysis elucidated interactions among activity-dependent and disease-associated genes and pointed to a key driver (NAV3) that interacted with multiple genes involved in axon guidance. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we demonstrated that deciphering the activity-dependent regulome in glutamatergic neurons reveals novel targets for advanced diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Ma
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jaroslav Bendl
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Brigham J Hartley
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, New York, New York
| | - John F Fullard
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Rawan Abdelaal
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, New York, New York
| | - Seok-Man Ho
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, New York, New York
| | - Roman Kosoy
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Peter Gochman
- Childhood Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Judith Rapoport
- Childhood Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Gabriel E Hoffman
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Black Family Stem Cell Institute, New York, New York.
| | - Panos Roussos
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Genetics and Genomic Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York; Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
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12
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van Hugte EJH, Lewerissa EI, Wu KM, Scheefhals N, Parodi G, van Voorst TW, Puvogel S, Kogo N, Keller JM, Frega M, Schubert D, Schelhaas HJ, Verhoeven J, Majoie M, van Bokhoven H, Nadif Kasri N. SCN1A-deficient excitatory neuronal networks display mutation-specific phenotypes. Brain 2023; 146:5153-5167. [PMID: 37467479 PMCID: PMC10689919 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a severe epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by (febrile) seizures, behavioural problems and developmental delay. Eighty per cent of patients with Dravet syndrome have a mutation in SCN1A, encoding Nav1.1. Milder clinical phenotypes, such as GEFS+ (generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus), can also arise from SCN1A mutations. Predicting the clinical phenotypic outcome based on the type of mutation remains challenging, even when the same mutation is inherited within one family. This clinical and genetic heterogeneity adds to the difficulties of predicting disease progression and tailoring the prescription of anti-seizure medication. Understanding the neuropathology of different SCN1A mutations may help to predict the expected clinical phenotypes and inform the selection of best-fit treatments. Initially, the loss of Na+-current in inhibitory neurons was recognized specifically to result in disinhibition and consequently seizure generation. However, the extent to which excitatory neurons contribute to the pathophysiology is currently debated and might depend on the patient clinical phenotype or the specific SCN1A mutation. To examine the genotype-phenotype correlations of SCN1A mutations in relation to excitatory neurons, we investigated a panel of patient-derived excitatory neuronal networks differentiated on multi-electrode arrays. We included patients with different clinical phenotypes, harbouring various SCN1A mutations, along with a family in which the same mutation led to febrile seizures, GEFS+ or Dravet syndrome. We hitherto describe a previously unidentified functional excitatory neuronal network phenotype in the context of epilepsy, which corresponds to seizurogenic network prediction patterns elicited by proconvulsive compounds. We found that excitatory neuronal networks were affected differently, depending on the type of SCN1A mutation, but did not segregate according to clinical severity. Specifically, loss-of-function mutations could be distinguished from missense mutations, and mutations in the pore domain could be distinguished from mutations in the voltage sensing domain. Furthermore, all patients showed aggravated neuronal network responses at febrile temperatures compared with controls. Finally, retrospective drug screening revealed that anti-seizure medication affected GEFS+ patient- but not Dravet patient-derived neuronal networks in a patient-specific and clinically relevant manner. In conclusion, our results indicate a mutation-specific excitatory neuronal network phenotype, which recapitulates the foremost clinically relevant features, providing future opportunities for precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline J H van Hugte
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Epileptology, ACE Kempenhaeghe, 5591 VE Heeze, The Netherlands
| | - Elly I Lewerissa
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Ka Man Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicky Scheefhals
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Giulia Parodi
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics, and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS), University of Genova, 16145 GE Genova, Italy
| | - Torben W van Voorst
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Puvogel
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Naoki Kogo
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jason M Keller
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Monica Frega
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk Schubert
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Helenius J Schelhaas
- Department of Neurology, Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), 2103 SW Heemstede, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Verhoeven
- Department of Epileptology, ACE Kempenhaeghe, 5591 VE Heeze, The Netherlands
| | - Marian Majoie
- Department of Epileptology, ACE Kempenhaeghe, 5591 VE Heeze, The Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nael Nadif Kasri
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboudumc, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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13
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Powell SK, Liao W, O’Shea C, Kammourh S, Ghorbani S, Rigat R, Elahi R, Deans PJM, Le DJ, Agarwal P, Seow WQ, Wang KC, Akbarian S, Brennand KJ. Schizophrenia Risk Mapping and Functional Engineering of the 3D Genome in Three Neuronal Subtypes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.17.549339. [PMID: 37502907 PMCID: PMC10370055 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.17.549339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Common variants associated with schizophrenia are concentrated in non-coding regulatory sequences, but their precise target genes are context-dependent and impacted by cell-type-specific three-dimensional spatial chromatin organization. Here, we map long-range chromosomal conformations in isogenic human dopaminergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons to track developmentally programmed shifts in the regulatory activity of schizophrenia risk loci. Massive repressive compartmentalization, concomitant with the emergence of hundreds of neuron-specific multi-valent chromatin architectural stripes, occurs during neuronal differentiation, with genes interconnected to genetic risk loci through these long-range chromatin structures differing in their biological roles from genes more proximal to sequences conferring heritable risk. Chemically induced CRISPR-guided chromosomal loop-engineering for the proximal risk gene SNAP91 and distal risk gene BHLHE22 profoundly alters synaptic development and functional activity. Our findings highlight the large-scale cell-type-specific reorganization of chromosomal conformations at schizophrenia risk loci during neurodevelopment and establish a causal link between risk-associated gene-regulatory loop structures and neuronal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K. Powell
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Will Liao
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, 10029
| | - Callan O’Shea
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Sarah Kammourh
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Sadaf Ghorbani
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Raymond Rigat
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Rahat Elahi
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - PJ Michael Deans
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
| | - Derek J. Le
- Department of Dermatology, Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, California, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
| | - Poonam Agarwal
- Department of Dermatology, Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, California, USA
| | - Wei Qiang Seow
- Department of Dermatology, Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, California, USA
| | - Kevin C. Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 94305, California, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
- Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, 94304, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Kristen J. Brennand
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, 06511
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14
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Deans PJM, Seah C, Johnson J, Gonzalez JG, Townsley K, Cao E, Schrode N, Stahl E, O’Reilly P, Huckins LM, Brennand KJ. Non-additive effects of schizophrenia risk genes reflect convergent downstream function. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.03.20.23287497. [PMID: 36993466 PMCID: PMC10055596 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.20.23287497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Genetic studies of schizophrenia (SCZ) reveal a complex polygenic risk architecture comprised of hundreds of risk variants, the majority of which are common in the population at-large and confer only modest increases in disorder risk. Precisely how genetic variants with individually small predicted effects on gene expression combine to yield substantial clinical impacts in aggregate is unclear. Towards this, we previously reported that the combinatorial perturbation of four SCZ risk genes ("eGenes", whose expression is regulated by common variants) resulted in gene expression changes that were not predicted by individual perturbations, being most non-additive among genes associated with synaptic function and SCZ risk. Now, across fifteen SCZ eGenes, we demonstrate that non-additive effects are greatest within groups of functionally similar eGenes. Individual eGene perturbations reveal common downstream transcriptomic effects ("convergence"), while combinatorial eGene perturbations result in changes that are smaller than predicted by summing individual eGene effects ("sub-additive effects"). Unexpectedly, these convergent and sub-additive downstream transcriptomic effects overlap and constitute a large proportion of the genome-wide polygenic risk score, suggesting that functional redundancy of eGenes may be a major mechanism underlying non-additivity. Single eGene perturbations likewise fail to predict the magnitude or directionality of cellular phenotypes resulting from combinatorial perturbations. Overall, our results indicate that polygenic risk cannot be extrapolated from experiments testing one risk gene at a time and must instead be empirically measured. By unravelling the interactions between complex risk variants, it may be possible to improve the clinical utility of polygenic risk scores through more powerful prediction of symptom onset, clinical trajectory, and treatment response, or to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- PJ Michael Deans
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Carina Seah
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Jessica Johnson
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Judit Garcia Gonzalez
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Kayla Townsley
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Evan Cao
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
| | - Nadine Schrode
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Eli Stahl
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Paul O’Reilly
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Laura M. Huckins
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Kristen J. Brennand
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Genetics, Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genomics, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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15
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Identification of marker genes to monitor residual iPSCs in iPSC-derived products. Cytotherapy 2023; 25:59-67. [PMID: 36319564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2022.09.010] [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: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Engineered tissues and cell therapies based on human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) represent a promising approach for novel medicines. However, iPSC-derived cells and tissues may contain residual undifferentiated iPSCs that could lead to teratoma formation after implantation into patients. As a consequence, highly sensitive and specific methods for detecting residual undifferentiated iPSCs are indispensable for safety evaluations of iPSC-based therapies. The present study provides an approach for identifying potential marker genes for iPSC impurities in iPSC-derived cells using RNA sequencing data from iPSCs and various differentiated cell types. METHODS Identifying iPSC marker genes for each cell type individually provided a larger and more specific set of potential marker genes than considering all cell types in the analysis. Thus, the authors focused on identifying markers for iPSC impurities in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iCMs) and validated the selected genes by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The sensitivity of the candidate genes was determined by spiking different amounts of iPSCs into iCMs and their performance was compared with the previously suggested marker lin-28 homolog A (LIN28A). RESULTS Embryonic stem cell-related gene (ESRG), long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 678 (LINC00678), CaM kinase-like vesicle-associated (CAMKV), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), chondromodulin (CNMD), LINE1-type transposase domain containing 1 (L1DT1), LIN28A, lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK), vertebrae development-associated (VRTN) and zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 10 (ZSCAN10) detected contaminant iPSCs among iCMs with a limit of detection that ranged from 0.001% to 0.1% depending on the gene and iCM batch used. CONCLUSIONS Using the example of iCMs, the authors provide a strategy for identifying a set of highly specific and sensitive markers that can be used for quality assessment of iPSC-derived products.
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16
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Abstract
Recent advances in genomics have revealed a wide spectrum of genetic variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders at an unprecedented scale. An increasing number of studies have consistently identified mutations-both inherited and de novo-impacting the function of specific brain circuits. This suggests that, during brain development, alterations in distinct neural circuits, cell types, or broad regulatory pathways ultimately shaping synapses might be a dysfunctional process underlying these disorders. Here, we review findings from human studies and animal model research to provide a comprehensive description of synaptic and circuit mechanisms implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. We discuss how specific synaptic connections might be commonly disrupted in different disorders and the alterations in cognition and behaviors emerging from imbalances in neuronal circuits. Moreover, we review new approaches that have been shown to restore or mitigate dysfunctional processes during specific critical windows of brain development. Considering the heterogeneity of neurodevelopmental disorders, we also highlight the recent progress in developing improved clinical biomarkers and strategies that will help to identify novel therapeutic compounds and opportunities for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Exposito-Alonso
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
- Current affiliation: Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Beatriz Rico
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
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17
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Seah C, Breen MS, Rusielewicz T, Bader HN, Xu C, Hunter CJ, McCarthy B, Deans PJM, Chattopadhyay M, Goldberg J, Desarnaud F, Makotkine I, Flory JD, Bierer LM, Staniskyte M, Noggle SA, Huckins LM, Paull D, Brennand KJ, Yehuda R. Modeling gene × environment interactions in PTSD using human neurons reveals diagnosis-specific glucocorticoid-induced gene expression. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1434-1445. [PMID: 36266471 PMCID: PMC9630117 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop following severe trauma, but the extent to which genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to individual clinical outcomes is unknown. Here, we compared transcriptional responses to hydrocortisone exposure in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived glutamatergic neurons and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from combat veterans with PTSD (n = 19 hiPSC and n = 20 PBMC donors) and controls (n = 20 hiPSC and n = 20 PBMC donors). In neurons only, we observed diagnosis-specific glucocorticoid-induced changes in gene expression corresponding with PTSD-specific transcriptomic patterns found in human postmortem brains. We observed glucocorticoid hypersensitivity in PTSD neurons, and identified genes that contribute to this PTSD-dependent glucocorticoid response. We find evidence of a coregulated network of transcription factors that mediates glucocorticoid hyper-responsivity in PTSD. These findings suggest that induced neurons represent a platform for examining the molecular mechanisms underlying PTSD, identifying biomarkers of stress response, and conducting drug screening to identify new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Seah
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael S Breen
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tom Rusielewicz
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Heather N Bader
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Changxin Xu
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Barry McCarthy
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - P J Michael Deans
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mitali Chattopadhyay
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jordan Goldberg
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frank Desarnaud
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Iouri Makotkine
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janine D Flory
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Linda M Bierer
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Migle Staniskyte
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott A Noggle
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura M Huckins
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel Paull
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Department of Psychiatry or Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience or Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Center for Psychedelic Psychotherapy and Trauma Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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18
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Concise Review: Stem Cell Models of SCN1A-Related Encephalopathies—Current Perspective and Future Therapies. Cells 2022; 11:cells11193119. [PMID: 36231081 PMCID: PMC9561991 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the SCN1A gene can cause a variety of phenotypes, ranging from mild forms, such as febrile seizures and generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus, to severe, such as Dravet and non-Dravet developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Until now, more than two thousand pathogenic variants of the SCN1A gene have been identified and different pathogenic mechanisms (loss vs. gain of function) described, but the precise molecular mechanisms responsible for the deficits exhibited by patients are not fully elucidated. Additionally, the phenotypic variability proves the involvement of other genetic factors in its final expression. This is the reason why animal models and cell line models used to explore the molecular pathology of SCN1A-related disorders are only of limited use. The results of studies based on such models cannot be directly translated to affected individuals because they do not address each patient’s unique genetic background. The generation of functional neurons and glia for patient-derived iPSCs, together with the generation of isogenic controls using CRISPR/Cas technology, and finally, the 3D brain organoid models, seem to be a good way to solve this problem. Here, we review SCN1A-related encephalopathies, as well as the stem cell models used to explore their molecular basis.
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19
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Feng Y, Shuman T. Blame it on the Inputs: Overexcited Entorhinal Inputs Drive Dentate Gyrus Hyperexcitability in a Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome. Epilepsy Curr 2022; 22:372-374. [DOI: 10.1177/15357597221112801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Feng
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tristan Shuman
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Chang BL, Chang KH. Stem Cell Therapy in Treating Epilepsy. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:934507. [PMID: 35833086 PMCID: PMC9271895 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.934507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common disabling chronic neurological disorder characterized by an enduring propensity for the generation of seizures that result from abnormal hypersynchronous firing of neurons in the brain. Over 20–30% of epilepsy patients fail to achieve seizure control or soon become resistant to currently available therapies. Prolonged seizures or uncontrolled chronic seizures would give rise to neuronal damage or death, astrocyte activation, reactive oxygen species production, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Stem cell therapy is potentially a promising novel therapeutic strategy for epilepsy. The regenerative properties of stem cell-based treatment provide an attractive approach for long-term seizure control, particularly in drug-resistant epilepsy. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), neural stem cells (NSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) are capable of differentiating into specialized cell types has been applied for epilepsy treatment in preclinical animal research and clinical trials. In this review, we focused on the advances in stem cell therapy for epilepsies. The goals of stem cell transplantation, its mechanisms underlying graft effects, the types of grafts, and their therapeutic effects were discussed. The cell and animal models used for investigating stem cell technology in epilepsy treatment were summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-Luen Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Bao-Luen Chang
| | - Kuo-Hsuan Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
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21
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Tanenhaus A, Stowe T, Young A, McLaughlin J, Aeran R, Lin IW, Li J, Hosur R, Chen M, Leedy J, Chou T, Pillay S, Vila MC, Kearney JA, Moorhead M, Belle A, Tagliatela S. Cell-Selective Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated SCN1A Gene Regulation Therapy Rescues Mortality and Seizure Phenotypes in a Dravet Syndrome Mouse Model and Is Well Tolerated in Nonhuman Primates. Hum Gene Ther 2022; 33:579-597. [PMID: 35435735 PMCID: PMC9242722 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy caused by monoallelic loss-of-function variants in the SCN1A gene. SCN1A encodes for the alpha subunit of the voltage-gated type I sodium channel (NaV1.1), the primary voltage-gated sodium channel responsible for generation of action potentials in GABAergic inhibitory interneurons. In these studies, we tested the efficacy of an adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) SCN1A gene regulation therapy, AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A, designed to target transgene expression to GABAergic inhibitory neurons and reduce off-target expression within excitatory cells, in the Scn1a+/- mouse model of DS. Biodistribution and preliminary safety were evaluated in nonhuman primates (NHPs). AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A was engineered to upregulate SCN1A expression levels within GABAergic inhibitory interneurons to correct the underlying haploinsufficiency and circuit dysfunction. A single bilateral intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A in Scn1a+/- postnatal day 1 mice led to increased SCN1A mRNA transcripts, specifically within GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, and NaV1.1 protein levels in the brain. This was associated with a significant decrease in the occurrence of spontaneous and hyperthermia-induced seizures, and prolonged survival for over a year. In NHPs, delivery of AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A by unilateral ICV injection led to widespread vector biodistribution and transgene expression throughout the brain, including key structures involved in epilepsy and cognitive behaviors, such as hippocampus and cortex. AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A was well tolerated, with no adverse events during administration, no detectable changes in clinical observations, no adverse findings in histopathology, and no dorsal root ganglion-related toxicity. Our results support the clinical development of AAV9-REGABA-eTFSCN1A (ETX101) as an effective and targeted disease-modifying approach to SCN1A+ DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Tanenhaus
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Timothy Stowe
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Andrew Young
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - John McLaughlin
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rangoli Aeran
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - I. Winnie Lin
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jianmin Li
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Ming Chen
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer Leedy
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Tiffany Chou
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sirika Pillay
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Jennifer A. Kearney
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Martin Moorhead
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Archana Belle
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Tagliatela
- Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA.,Correspondence: Stephanie Tagliatela, Encoded Therapeutics, Inc., 341 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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22
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Genetics and gene therapy in Dravet syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:108043. [PMID: 34053869 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a well-established electro-clinical condition first described in 1978. A main genetic cause was identified with the discovery of a loss-of-function SCN1A variant in 2001. Mechanisms underlying the phenotypic variations have subsequently been a main topic of research. Various genetic modifiers of clinical severities have been elucidated through many rigorous studies on genotype-phenotype correlations and the recent advances in next generation sequencing technology. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of the regulation of gene expression and remarkable progress on genome-editing technology using the CRISPR-Cas9 system provide significant opportunities to overcome hurdles of gene therapy, such as enhancing NaV1.1 expression. This article reviews the current understanding of genetic pathology and the status of research toward the development of gene therapy for Dravet syndrome. This article is part of the Special Issue "Severe Infantile Epilepsies".
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23
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Scalise S, Zannino C, Lucchino V, Lo Conte M, Scaramuzzino L, Cifelli P, D’Andrea T, Martinello K, Fucile S, Palma E, Gambardella A, Ruffolo G, Cuda G, Parrotta EI. Human iPSC Modeling of Genetic Febrile Seizure Reveals Aberrant Molecular and Physiological Features Underlying an Impaired Neuronal Activity. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051075. [PMID: 35625812 PMCID: PMC9138645 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in SCN1A gene, encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) NaV1.1, are widely recognized as a leading cause of genetic febrile seizures (FS), due to the decrease in the Na+ current density, mainly affecting the inhibitory neuronal transmission. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neurons (idNs) from a patient belonging to a genetically well-characterized Italian family, carrying the c.434T > C mutation in SCN1A gene (hereafter SCN1AM145T). A side-by-side comparison of diseased and healthy idNs revealed an overall maturation delay of SCN1AM145T cells. Membranes isolated from both diseased and control idNs were injected into Xenopus oocytes and both GABA and AMPA currents were successfully recorded. Patch-clamp measurements on idNs revealed depolarized action potential for SCN1AM145T, suggesting a reduced excitability. Expression analyses of VGSCs and chloride co-transporters NKCC1 and KCC2 showed a cellular “dysmaturity” of mutated idNs, strengthened by the high expression of SCN3A, a more fetal-like VGSC isoform, and a high NKCC1/KCC2 ratio, in mutated cells. Overall, we provide strong evidence for an intrinsic cellular immaturity, underscoring the role of mutant NaV1.1 in the development of FS. Furthermore, our data are strengthening previous findings obtained using transfected cells and recordings on human slices, demonstrating that diseased idNs represent a powerful tool for personalized therapy and ex vivo drug screening for human epileptic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Scalise
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Clara Zannino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Valeria Lucchino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Michela Lo Conte
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Luana Scaramuzzino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Pierangelo Cifelli
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of Aquila, 67100 Aquila, Italy;
| | - Tiziano D’Andrea
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome, Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (T.D.); (S.F.); (E.P.)
| | | | - Sergio Fucile
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome, Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (T.D.); (S.F.); (E.P.)
- IRCCS Neuromed, Via Atinense, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy;
| | - Eleonora Palma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome, Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (T.D.); (S.F.); (E.P.)
| | - Antonio Gambardella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (A.G.); (E.I.P.)
| | - Gabriele Ruffolo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome, Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (T.D.); (S.F.); (E.P.)
- IRCCS San Raffaele Roma, Via della Pisana, 00163 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (G.R.); (G.C.)
| | - Giovanni Cuda
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (S.S.); (C.Z.); (V.L.); (M.L.C.); (L.S.)
- Correspondence: (G.R.); (G.C.)
| | - Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (A.G.); (E.I.P.)
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24
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Simkin D, Ambrosi C, Marshall KA, Williams LA, Eisenberg J, Gharib M, Dempsey GT, George AL, McManus OB, Kiskinis E. 'Channeling' therapeutic discovery for epileptic encephalopathy through iPSC technologies. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:392-405. [PMID: 35427475 PMCID: PMC9119009 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and gene editing technologies have revolutionized the field of in vitro disease modeling, granting us access to disease-pertinent human cells of the central nervous system. These technologies are particularly well suited for the study of diseases with strong monogenic etiologies. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in children, with approximately half of all genetic cases caused by mutations in ion channel genes. These channelopathy-associated epilepsies are clinically diverse, mechanistically complex, and hard to treat. Here, we review the genetic links to epilepsy, the opportunities and challenges of iPSC-based approaches for developing in vitro models of channelopathy-associated disorders, the available tools for effective phenotyping of iPSC-derived neurons, and discuss the potential therapeutic approaches for these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina Simkin
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Kelly A Marshall
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Jordyn Eisenberg
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mennat Gharib
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Alfred L George
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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25
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Schuster J, de Guidi C, Tripathi R, Klar J, Dahl N. Generation of a human iPSC line (UUIGPi015-A) from a patient with Dravet syndrome and a 2.9 Mb deletion spanning SCN1A on chromosome 2. Stem Cell Res 2022; 60:102712. [DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2022.102712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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26
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Weng OY, Li Y, Wang LY. Modeling Epilepsy Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells-Derived Neuronal Cultures Carrying Mutations in Ion Channels and the Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Pathway. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:810081. [PMID: 35359577 PMCID: PMC8960276 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.810081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects over 65 million people globally. It is characterized by periods of seizure activity of the brain as a result of excitation and inhibition (E/I) imbalance, which is regarded as the core underpinning of epileptic activity. Both gain- and loss-of-function (GOF and LOF) mutations of ion channels, synaptic proteins and signaling molecules along the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway have been linked to this imbalance. The pathogenesis of epilepsy often has its roots in the early stage of brain development. It remains a major challenge to extrapolate the findings from many animal models carrying these GOF or LOF mutations to the understanding of disease mechanisms in the developing human brain. Recent advent of the human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) technology opens up a new avenue to recapitulate patient conditions and to identify druggable molecular targets. In the following review, we discuss the progress, challenges and prospects of employing hPSCs-derived neural cultures to study epilepsy. We propose a tentative working model to conceptualize the possible impact of these GOF and LOF mutations in ion channels and mTOR signaling molecules on the morphological and functional remodeling of intrinsic excitability, synaptic transmission and circuits, ultimately E/I imbalance and behavioral phenotypes in epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavia Yifang Weng
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Sick Kids Research Institutes, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sick Kids Research Institutes, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yun Li
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Sick Kids Research Institutes, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Yun Li,
| | - Lu-Yang Wang
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sick Kids Research Institutes, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Lu-Yang Wang,
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Mattis J, Somarowthu A, Goff KM, Jiang E, Yom J, Sotuyo N, Mcgarry LM, Feng H, Kaneko K, Goldberg EM. Corticohippocampal circuit dysfunction in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome. eLife 2022; 11:e69293. [PMID: 35212623 PMCID: PMC8920506 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dravet syndrome (DS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder due to pathogenic variants in SCN1A encoding the Nav1.1 sodium channel subunit, characterized by treatment-resistant epilepsy, temperature-sensitive seizures, developmental delay/intellectual disability with features of autism spectrum disorder, and increased risk of sudden death. Convergent data suggest hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) pathology in DS (Scn1a+/-) mice. We performed two-photon calcium imaging in brain slice to uncover a profound dysfunction of filtering of perforant path input by DG in young adult Scn1a+/- mice. This was not due to dysfunction of DG parvalbumin inhibitory interneurons (PV-INs), which were only mildly impaired at this timepoint; however, we identified enhanced excitatory input to granule cells, suggesting that circuit dysfunction is due to excessive excitation rather than impaired inhibition. We confirmed that both optogenetic stimulation of entorhinal cortex and selective chemogenetic inhibition of DG PV-INs lowered seizure threshold in vivo in young adult Scn1a+/- mice. Optogenetic activation of PV-INs, on the other hand, normalized evoked responses in granule cells in vitro. These results establish the corticohippocampal circuit as a key locus of pathology in Scn1a+/- mice and suggest that PV-INs retain powerful inhibitory function and may be harnessed as a potential therapeutic approach toward seizure modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Mattis
- Department of Neurology, The Perelman School of Medicine at The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ala Somarowthu
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Kevin M Goff
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Evan Jiang
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Jina Yom
- College of Arts and Sciences, The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Nathaniel Sotuyo
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Laura M Mcgarry
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Huijie Feng
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Keisuke Kaneko
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Ethan M Goldberg
- Department of Neurology, The Perelman School of Medicine at The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, The Perelman School of Medicine at The University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
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28
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Yokoi R, Shigemoto-Kuroda T, Matsuda N, Odawara A, Suzuki I. Electrophysiological responses to seizurogenic compounds dependent on E/I balance in human iPSC-derived cortical neural networks. J Pharmacol Sci 2022; 148:267-278. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Panagiotakos G, Pasca SP. A matter of space and time: Emerging roles of disease-associated proteins in neural development. Neuron 2022; 110:195-208. [PMID: 34847355 PMCID: PMC8776599 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent genetic studies of neurodevelopmental disorders point to synaptic proteins and ion channels as key contributors to disease pathogenesis. Although many of these proteins, such as the L-type calcium channel Cav1.2 or the postsynaptic scaffolding protein SHANK3, have well-studied functions in mature neurons, new evidence indicates that they may subserve novel, distinct roles in immature cells as the nervous system is assembled in prenatal development. Emerging tools and technologies, including single-cell sequencing and human cellular models of disease, are illuminating differential isoform utilization, spatiotemporal expression, and subcellular localization of ion channels and synaptic proteins in the developing brain compared with the adult, providing new insights into the regulation of developmental processes. We propose that it is essential to consider the temporally distinct and cell-specific roles of these proteins during development and maturity in our framework for understanding neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Panagiotakos
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Sergiu P Pasca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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30
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Miura Y, Li MY, Revah O, Yoon SJ, Narazaki G, Pașca SP. Engineering brain assembloids to interrogate human neural circuits. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:15-35. [PMID: 34992269 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00632-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The development of neural circuits involves wiring of neurons locally following their generation and migration, as well as establishing long-distance connections between brain regions. Studying these developmental processes in the human nervous system remains difficult because of limited access to tissue that can be maintained as functional over time in vitro. We have previously developed a method to convert human pluripotent stem cells into brain region-specific organoids that can be fused and integrated to form assembloids and study neuronal migration. In contrast to approaches that mix cell lineages in 2D cultures or engineer microchips, assembloids leverage self-organization to enable complex cell-cell interactions, circuit formation and maturation in long-term cultures. In this protocol, we describe approaches to model long-range neuronal connectivity in human brain assembloids. We present how to generate 3D spheroids resembling specific domains of the nervous system and then how to integrate them physically to allow axonal projections and synaptic assembly. In addition, we describe a series of assays including viral labeling and retrograde tracing, 3D live imaging of axon projection and optogenetics combined with calcium imaging and electrophysiological recordings to probe and manipulate the circuits in assembloids. The assays take 3-4 months to complete and require expertise in stem cell culture, imaging and electrophysiology. We anticipate that these approaches will be useful in deciphering human-specific aspects of neural circuit assembly and in modeling neurodevelopmental disorders with patient-derived cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Miura
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Min-Yin Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Omer Revah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Se-Jin Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Genta Narazaki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sergiu P Pașca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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31
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McTague A, Rossignoli G, Ferrini A, Barral S, Kurian MA. Genome Editing in iPSC-Based Neural Systems: From Disease Models to Future Therapeutic Strategies. Front Genome Ed 2021; 3:630600. [PMID: 34713254 PMCID: PMC8525405 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2021.630600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic advances for neurological disorders are challenging due to limited accessibility of the human central nervous system and incomplete understanding of disease mechanisms. Many neurological diseases lack precision treatments, leading to significant disease burden and poor outcome for affected patients. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology provides human neuronal cells that facilitate disease modeling and development of therapies. The use of genome editing, in particular CRISPR-Cas9 technology, has extended the potential of iPSCs, generating new models for a number of disorders, including Alzheimers and Parkinson Disease. Editing of iPSCs, in particular with CRISPR-Cas9, allows generation of isogenic pairs, which differ only in the disease-causing mutation and share the same genetic background, for assessment of phenotypic differences and downstream effects. Moreover, genome-wide CRISPR screens allow high-throughput interrogation for genetic modifiers in neuronal phenotypes, leading to discovery of novel pathways, and identification of new therapeutic targets. CRISPR-Cas9 has now evolved beyond altering gene expression. Indeed, fusion of a defective Cas9 (dCas9) nuclease with transcriptional repressors or activation domains allows down-regulation or activation of gene expression (CRISPR interference, CRISPRi; CRISPR activation, CRISPRa). These new tools will improve disease modeling and facilitate CRISPR and cell-based therapies, as seen for epilepsy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Genome engineering holds huge promise for the future understanding and treatment of neurological disorders, but there are numerous barriers to overcome. The synergy of iPSC-based model systems and gene editing will play a vital role in the route to precision medicine and the clinical translation of genome editing-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy McTague
- Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giada Rossignoli
- Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arianna Ferrini
- Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Barral
- Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Developmental Neurosciences, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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Kim J, Choi H, Kang EK, Ji GY, Kim Y, Choi IS. In Vitro Studies on Therapeutic Effects of Cannabidiol in Neural Cells: Neurons, Glia, and Neural Stem Cells. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26196077. [PMID: 34641624 PMCID: PMC8512311 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26196077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
(‒)-Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the major phytocannabinoids extracted from the Cannabis genus. Its non-psychoactiveness and therapeutic potential, partly along with some anecdotal—if not scientific or clinical—evidence on the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, have led researchers to investigate the biochemical actions of CBD on neural cells. This review summarizes the previously reported mechanistic studies of the CBD actions on primary neural cells at the in vitro cell-culture level. The neural cells are classified into neurons, microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neural stem cells, and the CBD effects on each cell type are described. After brief introduction on CBD and in vitro studies of CBD actions on neural cells, the neuroprotective capability of CBD on primary neurons with the suggested operating actions is discussed, followed by the reported CBD actions on glia and the CBD-induced regeneration from neural stem cells. A summary section gives a general overview of the biochemical actions of CBD on neural cells, with a future perspective. This review will provide a basic and fundamental, but crucial, insight on the mechanistic understanding of CBD actions on neural cells in the brain, at the molecular level, and the therapeutic potential of CBD in the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases, although to date, there seem to have been relatively limited research activities and reports on the cell culture-level, in vitro studies of CBD effects on primary neural cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungnam Kim
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (J.K.); (H.C.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Hyunwoo Choi
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (J.K.); (H.C.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Eunhye K. Kang
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (J.K.); (H.C.); (E.K.K.)
| | - Gil Yong Ji
- Cannabis Medical, Inc., Sandong-ro 433-31, Eumbong-myeon, Asan-si 31418, Korea; (G.Y.J.); (Y.K.)
| | - Youjeong Kim
- Cannabis Medical, Inc., Sandong-ro 433-31, Eumbong-myeon, Asan-si 31418, Korea; (G.Y.J.); (Y.K.)
| | - Insung S. Choi
- Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Korea; (J.K.); (H.C.); (E.K.K.)
- Correspondence:
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Shcheglovitov A, Peterson RT. Screening Platforms for Genetic Epilepsies-Zebrafish, iPSC-Derived Neurons, and Organoids. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1478-1489. [PMID: 34595731 PMCID: PMC8608971 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01115-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in molecular and cellular engineering, such as human cell reprogramming, genome editing, and patient-specific organoids, have provided unprecedented opportunities for investigating human disorders in both animals and human-based models at an improved pace and precision. This progress will inevitably lead to the development of innovative drug-screening platforms and new patient-specific therapeutics. In this review, we discuss recent advances that have been made using zebrafish and human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons and organoids for modeling genetic epilepsies. We also provide our prospective on how these models can potentially be combined to build new screening platforms for antiseizure and antiepileptogenic drug discovery that harness the robustness and tractability of zebrafish models as well as the patient-specific genetics and biology of iPSC-derived neurons and organoids.
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34
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Song S, Ashok A, Williams D, Kaufman M, Duff K, Sproul A. Efficient Derivation of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Stably Expressing Direct Reprogramming Factors. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e141. [PMID: 34102035 PMCID: PMC8191582 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
It is essential to generate isolated populations of human neuronal subtypes in order to understand cell-type-specific roles in brain function and susceptibility to disease pathology. Here we describe a protocol for in-parallel generation of cortical glutamatergic (excitatory) and GABAergic (inhibitory) neurons from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) by using the neurogenic transcription factors Ngn2 and a combination of Ascl1 and Dlx2, respectively. In contrast to the majority of neural transdifferentiation protocols that use transient lentiviral infection, the use of stable hPSC lines carrying doxycycline-inducible transcription factors allows neuronal differentiation to be initiated by addition of doxycycline and neural medium. This article presents a method to generate lentivirus from cultured mammalian cells and establish stable transcription factor-expressing cell lines (Basic Protocol 1), followed by a method for monolayer excitatory and inhibitory neuronal differentiation from the established lines (Basic Protocol 2). The resulting neurons reproducibly exhibit properties consistent with human cortical neurons, including the expected morphologies, expression of glutamatergic and GABAergic genes, and functional properties. Our approach enables the scalable and rapid production of human neurons suitable for modeling human brain diseases in a subtype-specific manner and examination of differential cellular vulnerability. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Lentivirus production and generation of stable hPSC lines Support Protocol 1: Expansion and maintenance of hPSCs Basic Protocol 2: Differentiation of EX- and IN-neurons Support Protocol 2: Experimental methods for validation of EX- and IN-neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saera Song
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Archana Ashok
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Damian Williams
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Maria Kaufman
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Karen Duff
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- Current address: UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Sproul
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
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35
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Current Pharmacologic Strategies for Treatment of Intractable Epilepsy in Children. Int Neurourol J 2021; 25:S8-18. [PMID: 34053206 PMCID: PMC8171244 DOI: 10.5213/inj.2142166.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Epileptic encephalopathy (EE) is a devastating pediatric disease that features medically resistant seizures, which can contribute to global developmental delays. Despite technological advancements in genetics, the neurobiological mechanisms of EEs are not fully understood, leaving few therapeutic options for affected patients. In this review, we introduce the most common EEs in pediatrics (i.e., Ohtahara syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) and their molecular mechanisms that cause excitation/inhibition imbalances. We then discuss some of the essential molecules that are frequently dysregulated in EEs. Specifically, we explore voltage-gated ion channels, synaptic transmission-related proteins, and ligand-gated ion channels in association with the pathophysiology of Ohtahara syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Finally, we review currently available antiepileptic drugs used to treat seizures in patients with EEs. Since these patients often fail to achieve seizure relief even with the combination therapy, further extensive research efforts to explore the involved molecular mechanisms will be required to develop new drugs for patients with intractable epilepsy.
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Specchio N, Curatolo P. Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: what we do and do not know. Brain 2021; 144:32-43. [PMID: 33279965 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental encephalopathies, including intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorder, are frequently associated with infant epilepsy. Epileptic encephalopathy is used to describe an assumed causal relationship between epilepsy and developmental delay. Developmental encephalopathies pathogenesis more independent from epilepsy is supported by the identification of several gene variants associated with both developmental encephalopathies and epilepsy, the possibility for gene-associated developmental encephalopathies without epilepsy, and the continued development of developmental encephalopathies even when seizures are controlled. Hence, 'developmental and epileptic encephalopathy' may be a more appropriate term than epileptic encephalopathy. This update considers the best studied 'developmental and epileptic encephalopathy' gene variants for illustrative support for 'developmental and epileptic encephalopathy' over epileptic encephalopathy. Moreover, the interaction between epilepsy and developmental encephalopathies is considered with respect to influence on treatment decisions. Continued research in genetic testing will increase access to clinical tests, earlier diagnosis, better application of current treatments, and potentially provide new molecular-investigated treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Specchio
- Department of Neuroscience, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Full Member of European Reference Network on Rare and Complex Epilepsies EpiCARE, Piazza S, 00165 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Systems Medicine Department, Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Tor Vergata University Hospital of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
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37
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Ademuwagun IA, Rotimi SO, Syrbe S, Ajamma YU, Adebiyi E. Voltage Gated Sodium Channel Genes in Epilepsy: Mutations, Functional Studies, and Treatment Dimensions. Front Neurol 2021; 12:600050. [PMID: 33841294 PMCID: PMC8024648 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.600050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic epilepsy occurs as a result of mutations in either a single gene or an interplay of different genes. These mutations have been detected in ion channel and non-ion channel genes. A noteworthy class of ion channel genes are the voltage gated sodium channels (VGSCs) that play key roles in the depolarization phase of action potentials in neurons. Of huge significance are SCN1A, SCN1B, SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A genes that are highly expressed in the brain. Genomic studies have revealed inherited and de novo mutations in sodium channels that are linked to different forms of epilepsies. Due to the high frequency of sodium channel mutations in epilepsy, this review discusses the pathogenic mutations in the sodium channel genes that lead to epilepsy. In addition, it explores the functional studies on some known mutations and the clinical significance of VGSC mutations in the medical management of epilepsy. The understanding of these channel mutations may serve as a strong guide in making effective treatment decisions in patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibitayo Abigail Ademuwagun
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Solomon Oladapo Rotimi
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Department of Biochemistry, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
| | - Steffen Syrbe
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ezekiel Adebiyi
- Covenant University Bioinformatics Research, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria
- Division of Applied Bioinformatics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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38
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Two-photon calcium imaging of seizures in awake, head-fixed mice. Cell Calcium 2021; 96:102380. [PMID: 33676317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2021.102380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Epilepsy is a severe neurological disorder defined by spontaneous seizures. Current treatment options fail in a large proportion of patients, while questions as to the basic mechanisms of seizure initiation and propagation remain. Advances in imaging of seizures in experimental model systems could lead to a better understanding of mechanisms of seizures and epilepsy. Recent studies have used two-photon calcium imaging (2 P imaging) in awake, behaving mice in head-fixed preparations to image seizures in vivo at high speed and cellular-level resolution to identify key seizure-related cell classes. Here, we discuss such advances and present 2 P imaging data of excitatory neurons and defined subsets of cerebral cortex GABAergic inhibitory interneurons during naturalistic seizures in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome (Scn1a+/- mice) along with other behavioral measures. Results demonstrate differential recruitment of discrete interneuron subclasses, which could inform mechanisms of seizure generation and propagation in Dravet syndrome and other epilepsies.
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Garcia-Rosa S, de Freitas Brenha B, Felipe da Rocha V, Goulart E, Araujo BHS. Personalized Medicine Using Cutting Edge Technologies for Genetic Epilepsies. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:813-831. [PMID: 32933463 PMCID: PMC8686309 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200915151909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is the most common chronic neurologic disorder in the world, affecting 1-2% of the population. Besides, 30% of epilepsy patients are drug-resistant. Genomic mutations seem to play a key role in its etiology and knowledge of strong effect mutations in protein structures might improve prediction and the development of efficacious drugs to treat epilepsy. Several genetic association studies have been undertaken to examine the effect of a range of candidate genes for resistance. Although, few studies have explored the effect of the mutations into protein structure and biophysics in the epilepsy field. Much work remains to be done, but the plans made for exciting developments will hold therapeutic potential for patients with drug-resistance. In summary, we provide a critical review of the perspectives for the development of individualized medicine for epilepsy based on genetic polymorphisms/mutations in light of core elements such as transcriptomics, structural biology, disease model, pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics in a manner to improve the success of trial designs of antiepileptic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Garcia-Rosa
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Material (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Bianca de Freitas Brenha
- Laboratory of Embryonic Genetic Regulation, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Felipe da Rocha
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Material (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ernesto Goulart
- Human Genome and Stem-Cell Research Center (HUG-CEL), Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruno Henrique Silva Araujo
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Center for Research in Energy and Material (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Sabitha KR, Shetty AK, Upadhya D. Patient-derived iPSC modeling of rare neurodevelopmental disorders: Molecular pathophysiology and prospective therapies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 121:201-219. [PMID: 33370574 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The pathological alterations that manifest during the early embryonic development due to inherited and acquired factors trigger various neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Besides major NDDs, there are several rare NDDs, exhibiting specific characteristics and varying levels of severity triggered due to genetic and epigenetic anomalies. The rarity of subjects, paucity of neural tissues for detailed analysis, and the unavailability of disease-specific animal models have hampered detailed comprehension of rare NDDs, imposing heightened challenge to the medical and scientific community until a decade ago. The generation of functional neurons and glia through directed differentiation protocols for patient-derived iPSCs, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and 3D brain organoid models have provided an excellent opportunity and vibrant resource for decoding the etiology of brain development for rare NDDs caused due to monogenic as well as polygenic disorders. The present review identifies cellular and molecular phenotypes demonstrated from patient-derived iPSCs and possible therapeutic opportunities identified for these disorders. New insights to reinforce the existing knowledge of the pathophysiology of these disorders and prospective therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- K R Sabitha
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Ashok K Shetty
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Dinesh Upadhya
- Centre for Molecular Neurosciences, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.
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Khan TA, Revah O, Gordon A, Yoon SJ, Krawisz AK, Goold C, Sun Y, Kim CH, Tian Y, Li MY, Schaepe JM, Ikeda K, Amin ND, Sakai N, Yazawa M, Kushan L, Nishino S, Porteus MH, Rapoport JL, Bernstein JA, O'Hara R, Bearden CE, Hallmayer JF, Huguenard JR, Geschwind DH, Dolmetsch RE, Paşca SP. Neuronal defects in a human cellular model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Nat Med 2020; 26:1888-1898. [PMID: 32989314 PMCID: PMC8525897 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1043-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a highly penetrant and common genetic cause of neuropsychiatric disease. Here we generated induced pluripotent stem cells from 15 individuals with 22q11DS and 15 control individuals and differentiated them into three-dimensional (3D) cerebral cortical organoids. Transcriptional profiling across 100 days showed high reliability of differentiation and revealed changes in neuronal excitability-related genes. Using electrophysiology and live imaging, we identified defects in spontaneous neuronal activity and calcium signaling in both organoid- and 2D-derived cortical neurons. The calcium deficit was related to resting membrane potential changes that led to abnormal inactivation of voltage-gated calcium channels. Heterozygous loss of DGCR8 recapitulated the excitability and calcium phenotypes and its overexpression rescued these defects. Moreover, the 22q11DS calcium abnormality could also be restored by application of antipsychotics. Taken together, our study illustrates how stem cell derived models can be used to uncover and rescue cellular phenotypes associated with genetic forms of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Themasap A Khan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Program in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Omer Revah
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aaron Gordon
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Se-Jin Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna K Krawisz
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carleton Goold
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yishan Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chul Hoon Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuan Tian
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Interdepartmental PhD Program in Bioinformatics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Min-Yin Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julia M Schaepe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kazuya Ikeda
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Noriaki Sakai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Masayuki Yazawa
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leila Kushan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Seiji Nishino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Judith L Rapoport
- National Institute of Mental Health, Child Psychiatry Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Ruth O'Hara
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joachim F Hallmayer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - John R Huguenard
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Institute of Precision Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Sergiu P Paşca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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42
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Hirose S, Tanaka Y, Shibata M, Kimura Y, Ishikawa M, Higurashi N, Yamamoto T, Ichise E, Chiyonobu T, Ishii A. Application of induced pluripotent stem cells in epilepsy. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 108:103535. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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Turner TJ, Zourray C, Schorge S, Lignani G. Recent advances in gene therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders with epilepsy. J Neurochem 2020; 157:229-262. [PMID: 32880951 PMCID: PMC8436749 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders can be caused by mutations in neuronal genes fundamental to brain development. These disorders have severe symptoms ranging from intellectually disability, social and cognitive impairments, and a subset are strongly linked with epilepsy. In this review, we focus on those neurodevelopmental disorders that are frequently characterized by the presence of epilepsy (NDD + E). We loosely group the genes linked to NDD + E with different neuronal functions: transcriptional regulation, intrinsic excitability and synaptic transmission. All these genes have in common a pivotal role in defining the brain architecture and function during early development, and when their function is altered, symptoms can present in the first stages of human life. The relationship with epilepsy is complex. In some NDD + E, epilepsy is a comorbidity and in others seizures appear to be the main cause of the pathology, suggesting that either structural changes (NDD) or neuronal communication (E) can lead to these disorders. Furthermore, grouping the genes that cause NDD + E, we review the uses and limitations of current models of the different disorders, and how different gene therapy strategies are being developed to treat them. We highlight where gene replacement may not be a treatment option, and where innovative therapeutic tools, such as CRISPR‐based gene editing, and new avenues of delivery are required. In general this group of genetically defined disorders, supported increasing knowledge of the mechanisms leading to neurological dysfunction serve as an excellent collection for illustrating the translational potential of gene therapy, including newly emerging tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Turner
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Clara Zourray
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.,Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, London, UK
| | | | - Gabriele Lignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
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Inglis GAS, Zhou Y, Patterson DG, Scharer CD, Han Y, Boss JM, Wen Z, Escayg A. Transcriptomic and epigenomic dynamics associated with development of human iPSC-derived GABAergic interneurons. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:2579-2595. [PMID: 32794569 PMCID: PMC7471504 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons (GINs) are a heterogeneous population of inhibitory neurons that collectively contribute to the maintenance of normal neuronal excitability and network activity. Identification of the genetic regulatory elements and transcription factors that contribute toward GIN function may provide new insight into the pathways underlying proper GIN activity while also indicating potential therapeutic targets for GIN-associated disorders, such as schizophrenia and epilepsy. In this study, we examined the temporal changes in gene expression and chromatin accessibility during GIN development by performing transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons at 22, 50 and 78 days (D) post-differentiation. We observed 13 221 differentially accessible regions (DARs) of chromatin that associate with temporal changes in gene expression at D78 and D50, relative to D22. We also classified families of transcription factors that are increasingly enriched at DARs during differentiation, indicating regulatory networks that likely drive GIN development. Collectively, these data provide a resource for examining the molecular networks regulating GIN functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Andrew S Inglis
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Dillon G Patterson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Christopher D Scharer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yanfei Han
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jeremy M Boss
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zhexing Wen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Andrew Escayg
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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45
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CRISPR/dCas9-based Scn1a gene activation in inhibitory neurons ameliorates epileptic and behavioral phenotypes of Dravet syndrome model mice. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 141:104954. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
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46
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Xu Y, Zhao M, Han Y, Zhang H. GABAergic Inhibitory Interneuron Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Treatment. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:660. [PMID: 32714136 PMCID: PMC7344222 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized clinically by severe cognitive deficits and pathologically by amyloid plaques, neuronal loss, and neurofibrillary tangles. Abnormal amyloid β-protein (Aβ) deposition in the brain is often thought of as a major initiating factor in AD neuropathology. However, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory interneurons are resistant to Aβ deposition, and Aβ decreases synaptic glutamatergic transmission to decrease neural network activity. Furthermore, there is now evidence suggesting that neural network activity is aberrantly increased in AD patients and animal models due to functional deficits in and decreased activity of GABA inhibitory interneurons, contributing to cognitive deficits. Here we describe the roles played by excitatory neurons and GABA inhibitory interneurons in Aβ-induced cognitive deficits and how altered GABA interneurons regulate AD neuropathology. We also comprehensively review recent studies on how GABA interneurons and GABA receptors can be exploited for therapeutic benefit. GABA interneurons are an emerging therapeutic target in AD, with further clinical trials urgently warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilan Xu
- Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration Laboratory, Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Manna Zhao
- Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration Laboratory, Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Yuying Han
- Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration Laboratory, Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration Laboratory, Department of Basic Medicine, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, China
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47
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Kluckova D, Kolnikova M, Lacinova L, Jurkovicova-Tarabova B, Foltan T, Demko V, Kadasi L, Ficek A, Soltysova A. A Study among the Genotype, Functional Alternations, and Phenotype of 9 SCN1A Mutations in Epilepsy Patients. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10288. [PMID: 32581296 PMCID: PMC7314844 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67215-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.1 (SCN1A) are linked to various epileptic phenotypes with different severities, however, the consequences of newly identified SCN1A variants on patient phenotype is uncertain so far. The functional impact of nine SCN1A variants, including five novel variants identified in this study, was studied using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings measurement of mutant Nav1.1 channels expressed in HEK293T mammalian cells. E78X, W384X, E1587K, and R1596C channels failed to produce measurable sodium currents, indicating complete loss of channel function. E788K and M909K variants resulted in partial loss of function by exhibiting reduced current density, depolarizing shifts of the activation and hyperpolarizing shifts of the inactivation curves, and slower recovery from inactivation. Hyperpolarizing shifts of the activation and inactivation curves were observed in D249E channels along with slower recovery from inactivation. Slower recovery from inactivation was observed in E78D and T1934I with reduced current density in T1934I channels. Various functional effects were observed with the lack of sodium current being mainly associated with severe phenotypes and milder symptoms with less damaging channel alteration. In vitro functional analysis is thus fundamental for elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of epilepsy, to guide patients' treatment, and finally indicate misdiagnosis of SCN1A related epilepsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Kluckova
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
| | - Miriam Kolnikova
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Comenius University Medical School and National Institute of Children's Diseases, Limbova 1, Bratislava, 833 40, Slovakia
| | - Lubica Lacinova
- Center of Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 840 05, Slovakia
| | - Bohumila Jurkovicova-Tarabova
- Center of Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravská cesta 9, Bratislava, 840 05, Slovakia
| | - Tomas Foltan
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Comenius University Medical School and National Institute of Children's Diseases, Limbova 1, Bratislava, 833 40, Slovakia
| | - Viktor Demko
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
| | - Ludevit Kadasi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andrej Ficek
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Soltysova
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Ilkovicova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia.
- Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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Ihry RJ, Salick MR, Ho DJ, Sondey M, Kommineni S, Paula S, Raymond J, Henry B, Frias E, Wang Q, Worringer KA, Ye C, Russ C, Reece-Hoyes JS, Altshuler RC, Randhawa R, Yang Z, McAllister G, Hoffman GR, Dolmetsch R, Kaykas A. Genome-Scale CRISPR Screens Identify Human Pluripotency-Specific Genes. Cell Rep 2020; 27:616-630.e6. [PMID: 30970262 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) generate a variety of disease-relevant cells that can be used to improve the translation of preclinical research. Despite the potential of hPSCs, their use for genetic screening has been limited by technical challenges. We developed a scalable and renewable Cas9 and sgRNA-hPSC library in which loss-of-function mutations can be induced at will. Our inducible mutant hPSC library can be used for multiple genome-wide CRISPR screens in a variety of hPSC-induced cell types. As proof of concept, we performed three screens for regulators of properties fundamental to hPSCs: their ability to self-renew and/or survive (fitness), their inability to survive as single-cell clones, and their capacity to differentiate. We identified the majority of known genes and pathways involved in these processes, as well as a plethora of genes with unidentified roles. This resource will increase the understanding of human development and genetics. This approach will be a powerful tool to identify disease-modifying genes and pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Ihry
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Max R Salick
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Insitro, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Daniel J Ho
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marie Sondey
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Abbvie, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sravya Kommineni
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Casma Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Steven Paula
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Joe Raymond
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Beata Henry
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Elizabeth Frias
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Qiong Wang
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Kathleen A Worringer
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Chaoyang Ye
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Blueprint Medicines, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Carsten Russ
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John S Reece-Hoyes
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Robert C Altshuler
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ranjit Randhawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Axcella Health, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zinger Yang
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Gregory McAllister
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Sana Biotechnology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Gregory R Hoffman
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Sana Biotechnology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ricardo Dolmetsch
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ajamete Kaykas
- Department of Neuroscience, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Insitro, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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In Vitro Differentiated Human Stem Cell-Derived Neurons Reproduce Synaptic Synchronicity Arising during Neurodevelopment. Stem Cell Reports 2020; 15:22-37. [PMID: 32559460 PMCID: PMC7363884 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) typically show regular spiking and synaptic activity but lack more complex network activity critical for brain development, such as periodic depolarizations including simultaneous involvement of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. We generated human iPSC-derived neurons exhibiting spontaneous oscillatory activity after cultivation of up to 6 months, which resembles early oscillations observed in rodent neurons. This behavior was found in neurons generated using a more “native” embryoid body protocol, in contrast to a “fast” protocol based on NGN2 overexpression. A comparison with published data indicates that EB-derived neurons reach the maturity of neurons of the third trimester and NGN2-derived neurons of the second trimester of human gestation. Co-culturing NGN2-derived neurons with astrocytes only led to a partial compensation and did not reliably induce complex network activity. Our data will help selection of the appropriate iPSC differentiation assay to address specific questions related to neurodevelopmental disorders. Spontaneous oscillatory activity in iPSC-derived neurons after 4–6 months in culture The activity resembled early oscillations seen in rodent neurons during development Cell growth affects developmental changes of neuronal excitability Biological age of neurons is determined based on electrophysiological activity
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50
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Shirakawa T, Suzuki I. Approach to Neurotoxicity using Human iPSC Neurons: Consortium for Safety Assessment using Human iPS Cells. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2020; 21:780-786. [DOI: 10.2174/1389201020666191129103730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 10/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Neurotoxicity, as well as cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, resulting from administration of
a test article is considered a major adverse effect both pre-clinically and clinically. Among the different
types of neurotoxicity occurring during the drug development process, seizure is one of the most serious
one. Seizure occurrence is usually assessed using in vivo animal models, the Functional Observational
Battery, the Irwin test or electroencephalograms. In in vitro studies, a number of assessments can
be performed using animal organs/cells. Interestingly, recent developments in stem cell biology, especially
the development of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells, are enabling the assessment of
neurotoxicity in human iPS cell-derived neurons. Further, a Multi-Electrode Array (MEA) using rodent
neurons is a useful tool for identifying seizure-inducing compounds. The Consortium for Safety Assessment
using Human iPS Cells (CSAHi; http://csahi.org/en/) was established in 2013 by the Japan
Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) to verify the application of human iPS cell-derived
neuronal cells to drug safety evaluation. The Neuro Team of CSAHi has been attempting to evaluate the
seizure risk of compounds using the MEA platform. Here, we review the current status of neurotoxicity
and recent work, including problems related to the use of the MEA assay with human iPS neuronal
cell-derived neurons, and future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Shirakawa
- Consortium for Safety Assessment using Human iPS Cells (CSAHi), Neuro Team, Japan
| | - Ikuro Suzuki
- Consortium for Safety Assessment using Human iPS Cells (CSAHi), Neuro Team, Japan
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