技术资料

The translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) is a multifunctional outer mitochondrial membrane protein associated with various aspects of mitochondrial physiology and multiple roles in health and disease. Here,we aimed to analyse the role of TSPO in the regulation of mitochondrial and cellular functions in a human neuronal cell model. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and generated TSPO knockout (KO) and control (CTRL) variants of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). In a multimodal phenotyping approach,we investigated cellular and mitochondrial functions in neural progenitor cells (NPCs),astrocytes,and neurons differentiated from hiPSC CTRL and TSPO KO cell lines. Our analysis revealed reduced mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis,altered Ca2+ levels in the cytosol and mitochondrial matrix,a depolarised MMP,and increased levels of reactive oxygen species,as well as a reduced cell size. Notably,TSPO deficiency was accompanied by reduced expression of the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC). We also observed a reduced TSPO and VDAC expression in cells derived from patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). Considering the modulatory function of TSPO and the similar functional phenotype of cells derived from patients with depression,we discuss a role of TSPO in the etiology or pathology of MDD. In summary,our findings indicate a general impairment of mitochondrial function in TSPO knockout (KO) cells. This deepens our insight into the intricate role of TSPO in a range of physiological and pathological processes. View Publication

hiPSC-derived blood–brain barrier (BBB) models are valuable for pharmacological and physiological studies,yet their translational potential is limited due to insufficient cell phenotypes and the neglection of the complex environment of the BBB. This study evaluates the plasma compatibility with hiPSC-derived microvascular endothelial-like cells to enhance the translational potential of in vitro BBB models. Therefore,plasma samples (sodium/lithium heparin,citrate,EDTA) and serum from healthy donors were tested on hiPSC-derived microvascular endothelial-like cells at concentrations of 100%,75%,and 50%. After 24 h,cell viability parameters were assessed. The impact of heparin-anticoagulated plasmas was further evaluated regarding barrier function and endothelial phenotype of differentiated endothelial-like cells. Finally,sodium-heparin plasma was tested in an isogenic triple-culture BBB model with continuous TEER measurements for 72 h. Only the application of heparin-anticoagulated plasmas did not significantly alter viability parameters compared to medium. Furthermore,heparin plasmas improved barrier function without increasing cell density and induced a von Willebrand factor signal. Finally,continuous TEER measurements of the triple-culture model confirmed the positive impact of sodium-heparin plasma on barrier function. Consequently,heparin-anticoagulated plasmas were proven to be compatible with hiPSC-derived microvascular endothelial-like cells. Thereby,the translational potential of BBB models can be substantially improved in the future. View Publication

An inter-regional cortical tract is one of the most fundamental architectural motifs that integrates neural circuits to orchestrate and generate complex functions of the human brain. To understand the mechanistic significance of inter-regional projections on development of neural circuits,we investigated an in vitro neural tissue model for inter-regional connections,in which two cerebral organoids are connected with a bundle of reciprocally extended axons. The connected organoids produced more complex and intense oscillatory activity than conventional or directly fused cerebral organoids,suggesting the inter-organoid axonal connections enhance and support the complex network activity. In addition,optogenetic stimulation of the inter-organoid axon bundles could entrain the activity of the organoids and induce robust short-term plasticity of the macroscopic circuit. These results demonstrated that the projection axons could serve as a structural hub that boosts functionality of the organoid-circuits. This model could contribute to further investigation on development and functions of macroscopic neuronal circuits in vitro. Connecting cerebral organoids with an axon bundle models inter-regional projections and enhances neural activity. Optogenetic stimulation induces short-term plasticity,offering insights into macroscopic circuit development and functionality. View Publication

SummaryPattern recognition receptors (PRRs) induce host defense but can also induce exacerbated inflammatory responses. This raises the question of whether other mechanisms are also involved in early host defense. Using transcriptome analysis of disrupted transcripts in herpes simplex virus (HSV)-infected cells,we find that HSV infection disrupts the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription network in neurons and epithelial cells. Importantly,HIF activation leads to control of HSV replication. Mechanistically,HIF activation induces autophagy,which is essential for antiviral activity. HSV-2 infection in vivo leads to hypoxia in CNS neurons,and mice with neuron-specific HIF1/2? deficiency exhibit elevated viral load and augmented PRR signaling and inflammatory gene expression in the CNS after HSV-2 infection. Data from human stem cell-derived neuron and microglia cultures show that HIF also exerts antiviral and inflammation-restricting activity in human CNS cells. Collectively,the HIF transcription factor system senses virus-induced hypoxic stress to induce cell-intrinsic antiviral responses and limit inflammation. Graphical abstract Highlights•HSV-1 and -2 disrupt the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) network in permissive cells•HIF activation induces autophagy,which exerts anti-HSV activity in neurons•Neuronal HIF activation regulates infection and inflammation in the infected brain Using transcriptome analysis of disrupted transcripts in herpes simplex virus-infected cells,Farahani et al. identify the hypoxia-inducible factor gene network to possess antiviral activity through induction of autophagy. This contributes to antiviral defense and regulation of inflammation during infection in the CNS. View Publication

Diabetes involves the death or dysfunction of pancreatic ?-cells. Analysis of bulk sequencing from human samples and studies using in vitro and in vivo models suggest that endoplasmic reticulum and inflammatory signaling play an important role in diabetes progression. To better characterize cell type-specific stress response,we perform multiplexed single-cell RNA sequencing to define the transcriptional signature of primary human islet cells exposed to endoplasmic reticulum and inflammatory stress. Through comprehensive pair-wise analysis of stress responses across pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cell types,we define changes in gene expression for each cell type under different diabetes-associated stressors. We find that ?-,?-,and ductal cells have the greatest transcriptional response. We utilize stem cell-derived islets to study islet health through the candidate gene CIB1,which was upregulated under stress in primary human islets. Our findings provide insights into cell type-specific responses to diabetes-associated stress and establish a resource to identify targets for diabetes therapeutics. Endoplasmic reticulum and inflammatory stress are associated with diabetes. Maestas et al. use single-cell sequencing to profile primary human islets under stress and identified tissue and cell-type responses. View Publication

Stargardt disease (STGD),predominantly caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene,is a leading cause of inherited retinal degeneration. Although several lines of mice expressing disease-causing variants have been produced,mice due to the lack of macular may not be the perfect model to mimic the characteristics of STGD. To address this knowledge gap,we generated retinal organoids from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) harboring ABCA4 mutations and performed biological validation. The generated retinal organoids were subjected to single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) at major developmental stages (40,90,150,200,and 260 days),and we additionally compared the transcriptomics with our recently published control retinal organoids to further confirm the reliability of the dataset. By using iPSCs carrying most common variant in Chinese STGD patients,the dataset not only provides a powerful resource for studying STGD,but also offers novels insight into the developmental mechanisms underlying ABCA4-associated pathological changes in the retinal organoid system. View Publication

ABSTRACTHuman induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are an invaluable endless cell source for generating various therapeutic cells and tissues. However,their differentiation into specific cell lineages,such as definitive endoderm (DE) and pancreatic progenitor (PP),often suffers from poor reproducibility,due partially to their pluripotency. In this work,we investigated the impact of iPSC confluency during cell self?renewal and seeding density on cell metabolic activity,glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation shift,and differentiation potential toward DE and PP lineages. Our findings demonstrated that cell seeding strategy influences cellular metabolic activity and the robustness of iPSC differentiation. iPSCs maintained at higher seeding density exhibited lower initial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and metabolic activity. There is an optimal seeding density to ensure sufficient oxygen consumption during differentiation and to yield high expression of SOX17 in the DE lineage and high PDX1/NKX6.1 dual?positive cells in PPs. Interestingly,we found that cell confluency at the time of harvest has less impact on the efficacy of pancreatic lineage formation or metabolic activity. This study sheds light on the interplay between metabolic activity and iPSC lineage specification,offering new insights into the robustness of iPSC self?renewal and differentiation for creating human tissues. Graphical Abstract and Lay SummaryHuman induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation into specific cell lineages often shows poor reproducibility due to cell pluripotency. This study demonstrated impact of iPSC seeding strategy on metabolic activity and differentiation potential,offering new insights into the robustness of iPSC self?renewal and differentiation for creating human tissues. View Publication

Biallelic mutations in PIGK cause GPI biosynthesis defect 22 (GPIBD22),characterized with developmental delay,hypotonia,and cerebellar atrophy. The understanding of the underlying causes is limited due to the lack of suitable disease models. To address this gap,we generated a mouse model with PIGK deficits,specifically in Purkinje cells (Pcp2-cko) and an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model using the c.87dupT mutant (KI) found in GPIBD22 patients. Pcp2-cko mice demonstrated cerebellar atrophy,ataxia and progressive Purkinje cells loss which were accompanied by increased apoptosis and neuroinflammation. Similarly,KI iPSCs exhibited increased apoptosis and accelerated neural rosette formation,indicating that PIGK defects could impact early neural differentiation that confirmed by the RNA-Seq results of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). The increased apoptosis and accelerated NPC differentiation in KI iPSCs are associated with excessive unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway activation,and can be rescued by UPR pathway inhibitor. Our study reveals potential pathogenic mechanism of GPIBD22 and providing new insights into the therapeutic strategy for GPIBD. View Publication

Differentiation approaches to obtain mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have gradually developed over the last few decades. The problem is that different protocols give different MSC types,making further research difficult. Here,we tried three different approaches to differentiate embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from early mesoderm to MSCs using serum-containing or xeno-free differentiation medium and observed differences in the cells’ morphology,doubling rate,ability to form colonies,surface marker analysis,and multilineage differentiation potential of the obtained cell lines. We concluded that the xeno-free medium best fits the criteria of MSCs’ morphology,growth kinetics,and surface marker characterization. In contrast,the serum-containing medium gives better potential for further MSC differentiation into osteogenic,chondrogenic,and adipogenic lineages. View Publication

Simple SummaryAtypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors (ATRTs) and diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) are lethal pediatric brain tumors that can resist chemotherapy and be influenced by their microenvironment. Astrocytes are the key components of the brain tumor microenvironment and can support tumor growth. We investigated the effects of astrocytes on cisplatin sensitivity in pediatric brain cancer cells. The crosstalk between astrocytes and cancer cells activated astrocytes and promoted cancer cell proliferation. Moreover,the tumor cells expressed elevated levels of drug resistance genes in the presence of astrocytes. In conclusion,astrocytes can significantly improve the growth of these tumor cells and modulate their chemosensitivity,highlighting their role in therapeutic resistance. AbstractBackground: ATRTs and DIPGs are deadly pediatric brain tumors with poor prognosis. These tumors can develop resistance to chemotherapies,which may be significantly influenced by their microenvironment. Since astrocytes are the most abundant glial cell type in the brain microenvironment and may support tumor growth and chemoresistance,this study investigated the effects of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived astrocytes (iPSC-astrocytes) on cisplatin sensitivity in CHLA-05-ATRT and SF8628 (DIPG) cells. iPSCs provide an unlimited and standardized source of nascent astrocytes,which enables modeling the interaction between childhood brain tumor cells and iPSC-astrocytes within a controlled coculture system. Methods: To study the effects on tumor growth,the iPSC-astrocytes were cocultured with tumor cells. Additionally,the tumor cells were exposed to various concentrations of cisplatin to evaluate their chemosensitivity in the presence of astrocytes. Results: The paracrine interaction of iPSC-astrocytes with tumor cells upregulated astrocyte activation markers GFAP and STAT3 and promoted tumor cell proliferation. Moreover,the cisplatin treatment significantly decreased the viability of CHLA-05-ATRT and SF8628 cells. However,tumor cells exhibited reduced sensitivity to cisplatin in the coculture with iPSC-astrocytes. During cisplatin treatment,DIPG cells in particular showed upregulation of resistance markers,ERK1,STAT3,and MTDH,which are associated with enhanced proliferation and invasion. They also had increased expression of APEX1,which is involved in the base excision repair pathway following cisplatin-induced DNA damage. Conclusion: These findings underscore the significance of the tumor microenvironment in modulating tumor cell survival and chemosensitivity. View Publication

The transcription factor Growth Factor Independence 1B (GFI1B) recruits Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 A (LSD1/KDM1A) to stimulate gene programs relevant for megakaryocyte and platelet biology. Inherited pathogenic GFI1B variants result in thrombocytopenia and bleeding propensities with varying intensity. Whether these affect similar gene programs is unknow. Here we studied transcriptomic effects of four patient-derived GFI1B variants (GFI1BT174N,H181Y,R184P,Q287*) in MEG01 megakaryoblasts. Compared to normal GFI1B,each variant affected different gene programs with GFI1BQ287* uniquely failing to repress myeloid traits. In line with this,single cell RNA-sequencing of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived megakaryocytes revealed a 4.5-fold decrease in the megakaryocyte/myeloid cell ratio in GFI1BQ287* versus normal conditions. Inhibiting the GFI1B-LSD1 interaction with small molecule GSK-LSD1 resulted in activation of myeloid genes in normal iPSC-derived megakaryocytes similar to what was observed for GFI1BQ287* iPSC-derived megakaryocytes. Thus,GFI1B and LSD1 facilitate gene programs relevant for megakaryopoiesis while simultaneously repressing programs that induce myeloid differentiation. Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells,the authors show that the transcription factor GFI1B and the lysine demethylase KDM1A/LSD1 promote gene programs while repressing those involved in myeloid differentiation. View Publication

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a hepatology emergency with rapid hepatic destruction,multiple organ failures,and high mortality. Despite decades of research,established ALF has minimal therapeutic options. Here,we report that the small bioactive compound SCM-198 increases the survival of male ALF mice to 100%,even administered 24?hours after ALF establishment. We identify adiponectin receptor 2 (AdipoR2) as a selective target of SCM-198,with the AdipoR2 R335 residue being critical for the binding and signaling of SCM-198-AdipoR2 and AdipoR2 Y274 residue serving as a molecular switch for Ca2+ influx. SCM-198-AdipoR2 binding causes Ca2+ influx and elevates the phosphorylation levels of CaMKII and NOS3 in the AdipoR2-CaM-CaMKII-NOS3 complex identified in this study,rapidly inducing nitric oxide production for liver protection in murine ALF. SCM-198 also protects human ESC-derived liver organoids from APAP/TAA injuries. Thus,selectively targeting the AdipoR2-CaM-CaMKII-NOS3 axis by SCM-198 is a rapid-acting therapeutic strategy for advanced ALF. Late-stage acute liver failure (ALF) has limited therapies. The authors show that the bioactive compound SCM-198 extends the ALF treatment window from 3 to 24?hours in mice by selectively targeting the identified AdipoR2-CaM-CaMKII-NOS3-NO axis. View Publication