The foundations of cell reprogramming were laid by Yamanaka and co-workers, who showed that somatic cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent cells (induced pluripotency). Since this discovery, the field of regenerative medicine has seen advancements. For example, because they can differentiate into multiple cell types, pluripotent stem cells are considered vital components in regenerative medicine aimed at the functional restoration of damaged tissue. Despite years of research, both replacement and restoration of failed organs/ tissues have remained elusive scientific feats. However, with the inception of cell engineering and nuclear reprogramming, useful solutions have been identified to counter the need for compatible and sustainable organs. By combining the science underlying genetic engineering and nuclear reprogramming with regenerative medicine, scientists have engineered cells to make gene and stem cell therapies applicable and effective. These approaches have enabled the targeting of various pathways to reprogramme cells, i.e., make them behave in beneficial ways in a patient-specific manner. Technological advancements have clearly supported the concept and realization of regenerative medicine. Genetic engineering is used for tissue engineering and nuclear reprogramming and has led to advances in regenerative medicine. Targeted therapies and replacement of traumatized , damaged, or aged organs can be realized through genetic engineering. Furthermore, the success of these therapies has been validated through thousands of clinical trials. Scientists are currently evaluating induced tissue-specific stem cells (iTSCs), which may lead to tumour-free applications of pluripotency induction. In this review, we present state-of-the-art genetic engineering that has been used in regenerative medicine. We also focus on ways that genetic engineering and nuclear reprogramming have transformed regenerative medicine and have become unique therapeutic niches.
- MeSH
- genetické inženýrství MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky metabolismus cytologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- přeprogramování buněk * MeSH
- regenerativní lékařství * MeSH
- tkáňové inženýrství MeSH
- vývojová biologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
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.
- MeSH
- buněčné kultury * MeSH
- epilepsie * genetika terapie MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- neurony metabolismus MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Lithium (Li) is one of the most effective drugs for treating bipolar disorder (BD), however, there is presently no way to predict response to guide treatment. The aim of this study is to identify functional genes and pathways that distinguish BD Li responders (LR) from BD Li non-responders (NR). An initial Pharmacogenomics of Bipolar Disorder study (PGBD) GWAS of lithium response did not provide any significant results. As a result, we then employed network-based integrative analysis of transcriptomic and genomic data. In transcriptomic study of iPSC-derived neurons, 41 significantly differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified in LR vs NR regardless of lithium exposure. In the PGBD, post-GWAS gene prioritization using the GWA-boosting (GWAB) approach identified 1119 candidate genes. Following DE-derived network propagation, there was a highly significant overlap of genes between the top 500- and top 2000-proximal gene networks and the GWAB gene list (Phypergeometric = 1.28E-09 and 4.10E-18, respectively). Functional enrichment analyses of the top 500 proximal network genes identified focal adhesion and the extracellular matrix (ECM) as the most significant functions. Our findings suggest that the difference between LR and NR was a much greater effect than that of lithium. The direct impact of dysregulation of focal adhesion on axon guidance and neuronal circuits could underpin mechanisms of response to lithium, as well as underlying BD. It also highlights the power of integrative multi-omics analysis of transcriptomic and genomic profiling to gain molecular insights into lithium response in BD.
- MeSH
- antimanika farmakologie terapeutické užití MeSH
- bipolární porucha * farmakoterapie genetika MeSH
- celogenomová asociační studie * metody MeSH
- farmakogenetika metody MeSH
- fokální adheze * účinky léků genetika MeSH
- genomika metody MeSH
- genové regulační sítě * účinky léků genetika MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky účinky léků metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lithium * farmakologie terapeutické užití MeSH
- multiomika MeSH
- neurony metabolismus účinky léků MeSH
- sloučeniny lithia farmakologie terapeutické užití MeSH
- stanovení celkové genové exprese metody MeSH
- transkriptom * genetika účinky léků MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
Alpers' syndrome is an early-onset neurodegenerative disorder usually caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of polymerase-gamma (POLG), which is essential for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. The disease is progressive, incurable, and inevitably it leads to death from drug-resistant status epilepticus. The neurological features of Alpers' syndrome are intractable epilepsy and developmental regression, with no effective treatment; the underlying mechanisms are still elusive, partially due to lack of good experimental models. Here, we generated the patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from one Alpers' patient carrying the compound heterozygous mutations of A467T (c.1399G>A) and P589L (c.1766C>T), and further differentiated them into cortical organoids and neural stem cells (NSCs) for mechanistic studies of neural dysfunction in Alpers' syndrome. Patient cortical organoids exhibited a phenotype that faithfully replicated the molecular changes found in patient postmortem brain tissue, as evidenced by cortical neuronal loss and depletion of mtDNA and complex I (CI). Patient NSCs showed mitochondrial dysfunction leading to ROS overproduction and downregulation of the NADH pathway. More importantly, the NAD+ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) significantly ameliorated mitochondrial defects in patient brain organoids. Our findings demonstrate that the iPSC model and brain organoids are good in vitro models of Alpers' disease; this first-in-its-kind stem cell platform for Alpers' syndrome enables therapeutic exploration and has identified NR as a viable drug candidate for Alpers' disease and, potentially, other mitochondrial diseases with similar causes.
- MeSH
- DNA polymeráza gama MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mitochondriální DNA genetika MeSH
- mitochondriální nemoci * MeSH
- mutace MeSH
- NAD genetika MeSH
- niacinamid analogy a deriváty MeSH
- pyridinové sloučeniny * MeSH
- Schilderova difuzní cerebroskleróza * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines were generated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from a patient diagnosed with spontaneous late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) carrying ApoE3/3 gene and one age-, sex-, and ApoE-matched healthy control. Reprogramming was done using a commercially available Epi5 Reprogramming Kit containing OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, LIN28, and L-MYC as reprogramming factors. The pluripotency of the iPSC lines was verified by the expression of pluripotency markers and by their capacity to differentiate into all three embryonic germ layers in vitro. These newly established iPSC lines offer a valuable platform for in vitro modeling of AD.
- MeSH
- Alzheimerova nemoc * genetika metabolismus MeSH
- apolipoprotein E3 genetika MeSH
- buněčná diferenciace MeSH
- genotyp MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky * metabolismus MeSH
- Krüppel-like faktor 4 MeSH
- leukocyty mononukleární metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
During the past two decades, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been widely used to study human neural development and disease. Especially in the field of Alzheimer's disease (AD), remarkable effort has been put into investigating molecular mechanisms behind this disease. Then, with the advent of 3D neuronal cultures and cerebral organoids (COs), several studies have demonstrated that this model can adequately mimic familial and sporadic AD. Therefore, we created an AD-CO model using iPSCs derived from patients with familial AD forms and explored early events and the progression of AD pathogenesis. Our study demonstrated that COs derived from three AD-iPSC lines with PSEN1(A246E) or PSEN2(N141I) mutations developed the AD-specific markers in vitro, yet they also uncover tissue patterning defects and altered development. These findings are complemented by single-cell sequencing data confirming this observation and uncovering that neurons in AD-COs likely differentiate prematurely.
Aim: Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are inefficiently derived from somatic cells by overexpression of defined transcription factors. Overexpression of H2A histone variant macroH2A1.1, but not macroH2A1.2, leads to increased iPSC reprogramming by unclear mechanisms. Materials & methods: Cleavage under targets and tagmentation (CUT&Tag) allows robust epigenomic profiling of a low cell number. We performed an integrative CUT&Tag-RNA-Seq analysis of macroH2A1-dependent orchestration of iPSCs reprogramming using human endothelial cells. Results: We demonstrate wider genome occupancy, predicted transcription factors binding, and gene expression regulated by macroH2A1.1 during reprogramming, compared to macroH2A1.2. MacroH2A1.1, previously associated with neurodegenerative pathologies, specifically activated ectoderm/neural processes. Conclusion: CUT&Tag and RNA-Seq data integration is a powerful tool to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms occurring during cell reprogramming.
- MeSH
- endoteliální buňky metabolismus MeSH
- histony * metabolismus MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky * metabolismus MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- přeprogramování buněk genetika MeSH
- sekvenování transkriptomu MeSH
- transkripční faktory genetika MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by a mutation in the HTT gene. To generate human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), we used dermal fibroblasts from 1 healthy adult control (K-Pic2), 1 HD manifest patient (M-T2), 1 healthy juvenile control (jK-N1), and 1 juvenile HD patient (jHD-V1). HD stage of patients was assessed by neurological tests and donors were without comorbidities and were non-smokers. Characterization showed that the obtained hiPSCs have the same number of CAG repeats as the parental fibroblast lines, express pluripotency markers and have the ability to differentiate into all 3 germ layers.
Technologie indukované pluripotence, která umožňuje přípravu prakticky jakéhokoliv buněčného modelu, potřebného pro výzkum vybraného onemocnění, se stává významným nástrojem v boji proti pandemii koronaviru SARS‐CoV-2 a případně i jiným formám pandemií, které se mohou s velkou pravděpodobností objevit v blízké, či vzdálené budoucnosti. Je výhodné, pokud lidstvo v předstihu disponuje arzenálem vhodných modelových systémů, které je možné v případě potřeby nasadit do boje a využít i pro vývoj nových terapeutických a diagnostických strategií. S ohledem na aktuální epidemickou situaci se tak významným způsobem může zkrátit čas, nezbytný pro nalezení vhodného léčebného postupu či zavedení spolehlivého diagnostického setu. Indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky mají zároveň potenciál použití při regeneraci tkáně, poškozené samotnou infekcí. Jejich značnou výhodou na poli regenerativní medicíny je imunologicky atraktivní možnost využití tělu vlastních, tzv. autologních buněk, bez nutnosti nasazení imunosupresivní terapie po transplantaci.
Technology of induced pluripotency allows the preparation of any cell model for research of any selected disease and becomes the important tool also in the field of SARS‐CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and other forms of pandemics that can appear in near or far future. It is beneficial for humankind to have an arsenal of useful model systems that can be immediately used in development of novel therapeutic or diagnostic strategies whenever needed. The possible use of newly developed therapy or diagnostic set can be greatly accelerated during pandemic situation. Induced pluripotent stem cells that can be prepared by technology of induced pluripotency also have great potential in tissue regeneration for tissues damaged by coronavirus infection. Immunologically very attractive is the fact that induced pluripotent stem cells can be applied (transplanted) without the use of aggressive immunosuppressive treatment.
- MeSH
- biologické modely MeSH
- COVID-19 terapie MeSH
- indukované pluripotentní kmenové buňky * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- organoidy MeSH
- techniky in vitro * metody MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- přehledy MeSH
Here, we present newly derived in vitro model for modeling Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Our new cell line was derived by reprogramming of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (isolated from blood from pediatric patient) with Sendai virus encoding Yamanaka factors. Derived iPS cells are capable to differentiate in vitro into three germ layers as verified by immunocytochemistry. When differentiated in special medium, our iPSc formed spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes. As cardiomyopathy is the main clinical complication in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the cell line bearing the dystrophin gene mutation might be of interest to the research community.
