1
|
Sweetat S, Casden N, Behar O. Improved neuron protection following cortical injury in the absence of Semaphorin4B. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1076281. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1076281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Injury to the central nervous system induces neuronal cell death and astrogliosis, an astrocyte-mediated response that has both a beneficial and detrimental impact on surrounding neuronal cells. The circumstance however, in which astrogliosis improves neuronal survival after an injury is not fully characterized. We have recently shown that Semaphorin4B (Sema4B) in the cortex is mostly expressed by astrocytes, and in its absence, astrocyte activation after an injury is altered. Here we find that in Sema4B knockout mice, neuronal cell death is reduced; as a result, more neurons survive near the injury site. Sema4B protein applied directly to neurons does not affect neuronal survival. In contrast, survival of wild-type neurons is increased when plated on glial culture isolated from the Sema4B knockout mice, as compared to Sema4B heterozygous cultures. Furthermore, this increased survival is also observed with conditioned medium collected from glial cultures of Sema4B knockout mice compared to heterozygous mice. This indicates that the increased survival is glial cell-dependent and mediated by a secreted factor(s). Together, our results imply that following injury, the lack of Sema4B expression in glial cells improves neuronal survival either as a result of reduced toxic factors, or perhaps increased survival factors under these conditions.
Collapse
|
2
|
Zats LP, Ahmad L, Casden N, Lee MJ, Belzer V, Adato O, Bar Cohen S, Ko SHB, Filbin MG, Unger R, Lauffenburger DA, Segal RA, Behar O. An affinity for brainstem microglia in pediatric high-grade gliomas of brainstem origin. Neurooncol Adv 2022; 4:vdac117. [PMID: 35990702 PMCID: PMC9389428 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High-grade gliomas (HGG) in children have a devastating prognosis and occur in a remarkable spatiotemporal pattern. Diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), including diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), typically occur in mid-childhood, while cortical HGGs are more frequent in older children and adults. The mechanisms behind this pattern are not clear. Methods We used mouse organotypic slice cultures and glial cell cultures to test the impact of the microenvironment on human DIPG cells. Comparing the expression between brainstem and cortical microglia identified differentially expressed secreted proteins. The impact of some of these proteins on DIPGs was tested. Results DIPGs, pediatric HGGs of brainstem origin, survive and divide more in organotypic slice cultures originating in the brainstem as compared to the cortex. Moreover, brainstem microglia are better able to support tumors of brainstem origin. A comparison between the two microglial populations revealed differentially expressed genes. One such gene, interleukin-33 (IL33), is highly expressed in the pons of young mice and its DIPG receptor is upregulated in this context. Consistent with this observation, the expression levels of IL33 and its receptor, IL1RL1, are higher in DIPG biopsies compared to low-grade cortical gliomas. Furthermore, IL33 can enhance proliferation and clonability of HGGs of brainstem origin, while blocking IL33 in brainstem organotypic slice cultures reduced the proliferation of these tumor cells. Conclusions Crosstalk between DIPGs and the brainstem microenvironment, in particular microglia, through IL33 and other secreted factors, modulates spatiotemporal patterning of this HGG and could prove to be an important future therapeutic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Liat Peretz Zats
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Labiba Ahmad
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Natania Casden
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Meelim J Lee
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA
| | - Vitali Belzer
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Orit Adato
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan , Israel
| | - Shaked Bar Cohen
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| | - Seung-Hyun B Ko
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA
| | - Mariella G Filbin
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center , Boston, MA
| | - Ron Unger
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University , Ramat Gan , Israel
| | | | - Rosalind A Segal
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA , USA
- Departments of Cancer Biology and Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute , Boston, MA
| | - Oded Behar
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Birger A, Ben-Dor I, Ottolenghi M, Turetsky T, Gil Y, Sweetat S, Perez L, Belzer V, Casden N, Steiner D, Izrael M, Galun E, Feldman E, Behar O, Reubinoff B. Human iPSC-derived astrocytes from ALS patients with mutated C9ORF72 show increased oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. EBioMedicine 2019; 50:274-289. [PMID: 31787569 PMCID: PMC6921360 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [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: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons (MNs). It was shown that human astrocytes with mutations in genes associated with ALS, like C9orf72 (C9) or SOD1, reduce survival of MNs. Astrocyte toxicity may be related to their dysfunction or the release of neurotoxic factors. Methods We used human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes from ALS patients carrying C9orf72 mutations and non-affected donors. We utilized these cells to investigate astrocytic induced neuronal toxicity, changes in astrocyte transcription profile as well as changes in secretome profiles. Findings We report that C9-mutated astrocytes are toxic to MNs via soluble factors. The toxic effects of astrocytes are positively correlated with the length of astrocyte propagation in culture, consistent with the age-related nature of ALS. We show that C9-mutated astrocytes downregulate the secretion of several antioxidant proteins. In line with these findings, we show increased astrocytic oxidative stress and senescence. Importantly, media conditioned by C9-astrocytes increased oxidative stress in wild type MNs. Interpretation Our results suggest that dysfunction of C9-astrocytes leads to oxidative stress of themselves and MNs, which probably contributes to neurodegeneration. Our findings suggest that therapeutic strategies in familial ALS must not only target MNs but also focus on astrocytes to abrogate nervous system injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasya Birger
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel; Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Israel Ben-Dor
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Miri Ottolenghi
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Tikva Turetsky
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Yaniv Gil
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Sahar Sweetat
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Liat Perez
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Vitali Belzer
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Natania Casden
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Debora Steiner
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Michal Izrael
- Kadimastem Ltd., Sapir 7, Weizmann Science Park, Nes-Ziona, Israel
| | - Eithan Galun
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Eva Feldman
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Oded Behar
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12272, 91120 Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Benjamin Reubinoff
- The Sidney and Judy Swartz Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center of The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy & The Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Casden N, Behar O. An approach for accelerated isolation of genetically manipulated cell clones with reduced clonal variability. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.217661. [PMID: 30796102 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.217661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic editing methods, such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system, are routinely used to study gene function in somatic cells. Owing to the heterogeneity of mutations, it is necessary to purify cell clones grown from high dilution to the point of colony formation, which can be a time-consuming process. Here, we tested a modified approach in which we seeded cells at high dilution, together with non-edited carrier cells. As a comparison, cells were also grown at high dilution with conditioned medium from a high-density culture. When using carrier cells or conditioned medium, the formation of cell colonies is accelerated. Additionally, clones grown with carrier cells are more similar to the parental lines in terms of their tumorigenic properties. Surprisingly, key signaling cascades are highly divergent between clones isolated from low-density cultures, even with conditioned medium, in contrast to clones isolated with carrier cells. Thus, our study uncovers a significant limitation using the common approach of isolating cell clones following genetic modifications and suggests an alternative method that mitigates the problem of heterogeneity of gene expression between clones.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natania Casden
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12271, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.,The Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12271, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Oded Behar
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12271, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel .,The Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, P.O. Box 12271, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| |
Collapse
|