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Scarnati MS, Halikere A, Pang ZP. Using human stem cells as a model system to understand the neural mechanisms of alcohol use disorders: Current status and outlook. Alcohol 2019; 74:83-93. [PMID: 30087005 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which include alcohol abuse and dependence, are among the most common types of neuropsychiatric disorders in the United States (U.S.). Approximately 14% of the U.S. population is affected in a single year, thus placing a tremendous burden on individuals from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Animal models have been pivotal in revealing the basic mechanisms of how alcohol impacts neuronal function, yet there are currently limited effective therapies developed based on these studies. This is mainly due to a limited understanding of the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying AUDs in humans, which leads to a lack of targeted therapeutics. Furthermore, compounding factors including genetic background, gene copy number variants, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) as well as environmental and social factors that affect and promote the development of AUDs are complex and heterogeneous. Recent developments in stem cell biology, especially the human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell development and differentiation technologies, has provided us a unique opportunity to model neuropsychiatric disorders like AUDs in a manner that is highly complementary to animal studies, but that maintains fidelity with complex human genetic contexts. Patient-specific neuronal cells derived from iPS cells can then be used for drug discovery and precision medicine, e.g. for pathway-directed development in alcoholism. Here, we review recent work employing iPS cell technology to model and elucidate the genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms of AUDs in a human neuronal background and provide our perspective on future development in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Scarnati
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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2
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Fantuzzo JA, De Filippis L, McGowan H, Yang N, Ng YH, Halikere A, Liu JJ, Hart RP, Wernig M, Zahn JD, Pang ZP. μNeurocircuitry: Establishing in vitro models of neurocircuits with human neurons. Technology (Singap World Sci) 2017; 5:87-97. [PMID: 28781993 PMCID: PMC5541685 DOI: 10.1142/s2339547817500054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurocircuits in the human brain govern complex behavior and involve connections from many different neuronal subtypes from different brain regions. Recent advances in stem cell biology have enabled the derivation of patient-specific human neuronal cells of various subtypes for the study of neuronal function and disease pathology. Nevertheless, one persistent challenge using these human-derived neurons is the ability to reconstruct models of human brain circuitry. To overcome this obstacle, we have developed a compartmentalized microfluidic device, which allows for spatial separation of cell bodies of different human-derived neuronal subtypes (excitatory, inhibitory and dopaminergic) but is permissive to the spreading of projecting processes. Induced neurons (iNs) cultured in the device expressed pan-neuronal markers and subtype specific markers. Morphologically, we demonstrate defined synaptic contacts between selected neuronal subtypes by synapsin staining. Functionally, we show that excitatory neuronal stimulation evoked excitatory postsynaptic current responses in the neurons cultured in a separate chamber.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Fantuzzo
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Lidia De Filippis
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Viale Cappuccini 1, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy
| | - Heather McGowan
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nan Yang
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yi-Han Ng
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jing-Jing Liu
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 265 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jefrey D Zahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, 675 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, 1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
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Oni EN, Halikere A, Li G, Toro-Ramos AJ, Swerdel MR, Verpeut JL, Moore JC, Bello NT, Bierut LJ, Goate A, Tischfield JA, Pang ZP, Hart RP. Increased nicotine response in iPSC-derived human neurons carrying the CHRNA5 N398 allele. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34341. [PMID: 27698409 PMCID: PMC5048107 DOI: 10.1038/srep34341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in nicotinic receptor alpha 5 (CHRNA5) has been associated with increased risk of addiction-associated phenotypes in humans yet little is known the underlying neural basis. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were derived from donors homozygous for either the major (D398) or the minor (N398) allele of the nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs16969968, in CHRNA5. To understand the impact of these nicotinic receptor variants in humans, we differentiated these iPSCs to dopamine (DA) or glutamatergic neurons and then tested their functional properties and response to nicotine. Results show that N398 variant human DA neurons differentially express genes associated with ligand receptor interaction and synaptic function. While both variants exhibited physiological properties consistent with mature neuronal function, the N398 neuronal population responded more actively with an increased excitatory postsynaptic current response upon the application of nicotine in both DA and glutamatergic neurons. Glutamatergic N398 neurons responded to lower nicotine doses (0.1 μM) with greater frequency and amplitude but they also exhibited rapid desensitization, consistent with previous analyses of N398-associated nicotinic receptor function. This study offers a proof-of-principle for utilizing human neurons to study gene variants contribution to addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen N Oni
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey &Dept. of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Guohui Li
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey &Dept. of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Mavis R Swerdel
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jessica L Verpeut
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jennifer C Moore
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University and RWJMS, Piscataway, NJ, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Nicholas T Bello
- Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Laura J Bierut
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Neuroscience Department, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University and RWJMS, Piscataway, NJ, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey &Dept. of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University and RWJMS, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.,Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University and RWJMS, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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De Filippis L, Halikere A, McGowan H, Moore JC, Tischfield JA, Hart RP, Pang ZP. Ethanol-mediated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in iPS cells and iPS cells-derived neural progenitor cells. Mol Brain 2016; 9:51. [PMID: 27160314 PMCID: PMC4862119 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0221-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alcohol abuse produces an enormous impact on health, society, and the economy. Currently, there are very limited therapies available, largely due to the poor understanding of mechanisms underlying alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in humans. Oxidative damage of mitochondria and cellular proteins aggravates the progression of neuroinflammation and neurological disorders initiated by alcohol abuse. Results Here we show that ethanol exposure causes neuroinflammation in both human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and human neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Ethanol exposure for 24 hours or 7 days does not affect the proliferation of iPS cells and NPCs, but primes an innate immune-like response by activating the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway. This leads to an increase of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3+ (LC3B+) autophagic puncta and impairment of the mitochondrial and lysosomal distribution. In addition, a decrease of mature neurons derived from differentiating NPCs is evident in ethanol pre-exposed compared to control NPCs. Moreover, a second insult of a pro-inflammatory factor in addition to ethanol preexposure enhances innate cellular inflammation in human iPS cells. Conclusions This study provides strong evidence that neuronal inflammation contributes to the pathophysiology of AUDs through the activation of the inflammasome pathway in human cellular models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia De Filippis
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Heather McGowan
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Jennifer C Moore
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA.,Human Genetic Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA
| | - Jay A Tischfield
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA.,Human Genetic Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Human Genetic Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, room 3233D, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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Francis NL, Bennett NK, Halikere A, Pang ZP, Moghe PV. Self-Assembling Peptide Nanofiber Scaffolds for 3-D Reprogramming and Transplantation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2016; 2:1030-1038. [PMID: 32582837 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
While cell transplantation presents a potential strategy to treat the functional deficits of neurodegenerative diseases or central nervous system injuries, the poor survival rate of grafted cells in vivo is a major barrier to effective therapeutic treatment. In this study, we investigated the role of a peptide-based nanofibrous scaffold composed of the self-assembling peptide RADA16-I to support the reprogramming and maturation of human neurons in vitro and to transplant these neurons in vivo. The induced human neurons were generated via the single transcriptional factor transduction of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are a promising cell source for regenerative therapies. These neurons encapsulated within RADA16-I scaffolds displayed robust neurite outgrowth and demonstrated high levels of functional activity in vitro compared to that of 2-D controls, as determined by live cell calcium imaging. When evaluated in vivo as a transplantation vehicle for adherent, functional networks of neurons, monodisperse RADA16-I microspheres significantly increased survival (over 100-fold greater) compared to the conventional transplantation of unsupported neurons in suspension. The scaffold-encapsulated neurons integrated well in vivo within the injection site, extending neurites several hundred microns long into the host brain tissue. Overall, these results suggest that this biomaterial platform can be used to successfully improve the outcome of cell transplantation and neuro-regenerative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola L Francis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Neal K Bennett
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Prabhas V Moghe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States.,Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
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Carlson AL, Bennett NK, Francis NL, Halikere A, Clarke S, Moore JC, Hart RP, Paradiso K, Wernig M, Kohn J, Pang ZP, Moghe PV. Generation and transplantation of reprogrammed human neurons in the brain using 3D microtopographic scaffolds. Nat Commun 2016; 7:10862. [PMID: 26983594 PMCID: PMC4800432 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell replacement therapy with human pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons has the potential to ameliorate neurodegenerative dysfunction and central nervous system injuries, but reprogrammed neurons are dissociated and spatially disorganized during transplantation, rendering poor cell survival, functionality and engraftment in vivo. Here, we present the design of three-dimensional (3D) microtopographic scaffolds, using tunable electrospun microfibrous polymeric substrates that promote in situ stem cell neuronal reprogramming, neural network establishment and support neuronal engraftment into the brain. Scaffold-supported, reprogrammed neuronal networks were successfully grafted into organotypic hippocampal brain slices, showing an ∼3.5-fold improvement in neurite outgrowth and increased action potential firing relative to injected isolated cells. Transplantation of scaffold-supported neuronal networks into mouse brain striatum improved survival ∼38-fold at the injection site relative to injected isolated cells, and allowed delivery of multiple neuronal subtypes. Thus, 3D microscale biomaterials represent a promising platform for the transplantation of therapeutic human neurons with broad neuro-regenerative relevance. Human pluripotent stem cell derived neurons have the potential for cell replacement therapy for brain injury and disease but problems on transplantation need to be overcome. Here, the authors use a microtopographic scaffold to graft neurons into both hippocampal organoids and the mouse brain striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron L Carlson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Neal K Bennett
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Nicola L Francis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Apoorva Halikere
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, USA.,Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Stephen Clarke
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Jennifer C Moore
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, 145 Bevier Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Ronald P Hart
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.,Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, 145 Bevier Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Kenneth Paradiso
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Joachim Kohn
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, New Jersey Center for Biomaterials, 145 Bevier Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Zhiping P Pang
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, USA.,Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 89 French Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Prabhas V Moghe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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