Dataset Information

Neural stem cells derived from the developing forebrain of YAC128 mice exhibit pathological features of Huntington's disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is the main cause of HD and is associated with impaired mitochondrial dynamics, ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy, as well as tauopathy. In this study, we aimed to establish a new neural stem cell line for HD studies.

Materials and methods

YAC128 mice are a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC)-based transgenic mouse model of HD. These mice express a full-length human mutant HTT gene with 128 CAG repeats and exhibit various pathophysiological features of HD. In this study, we isolated a new neural stem cell line from the forebrains of YAC128 mouse embryos (E12.5) and analysed its characteristics using cellular and biochemical methods.

Results

Compared to wild-type (WT) NSCs, the YAC128 NSC line exhibited greater proliferation and migration capacity. In addition to mHTT expression, increased intracellular Ca²⁺ levels and dysfunctional mitochondrial membrane potential were observed in the YAC128 NSCs. YAC128 NSCs had defects in mitochondrial dynamics, including a deficit in mitochondrial axonal transport and unbalanced fusion and fission processes. YAC128 NSCs also displayed decreased voltage response variability and Na⁺ current amplitude. Additionally, the ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagy systems were impaired in the YAC128 NSCs.

Conclusions

We have established a new neural stem line from YAC128 transgenic mice, which may serve as a useful resource for studying HD pathogenesis and drug screening.

SUBMITTER: Li E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7574873 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Neural stem cells derived from the developing forebrain of YAC128 mice exhibit pathological features of Huntington's disease.

Li Endan E Park Hee Ra HR Hong Chang Pyo CP Kim Younghoon Y Choi Jiwoo J Lee Suji S Park Hyun Jung HJ Lee Bomi B Kim Tae Aug TA Kim Seong Jin SJ Kim Hyun Sook HS Song Jihwan J

Cell proliferation 20200831 10

<h4>Objectives</h4>Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Mutant huntingtin (mHTT) is the main cause of HD and is associated with impaired mitochondrial dynamics, ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy, as well as tauopathy. In this study, we aimed to establish a new neural stem cell line for HD studies.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>YAC128 mice are a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC)-based tr ...[more]

PMID: 32865873

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Project description:Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuronal loss and motor dysfunction. Although there is no effective treatment, stem cell transplantation offers a promising therapeutic strategy, but the safety and efficacy of this approach needs to be optimized. The purpose of this study was to test the potential of intra-striatal transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells (iPS-NSCs) for treating HD. For this purpose, we developed mouse adenovirus-generated iPSCs, differentiated them into neural stem cells in vitro, labeled them with Hoechst, and transplanted them bilaterally into striata of 10-month old wild type (WT) and HD YAC128 mice. We assessed the efficiency of these transplanted iPS-NSCs to reduce motor deficits in YAC128 mice by testing them on an accelerating rotarod task at 1 day prior to transplantation, and then weekly for 10 weeks. Our results showed an amelioration of locomotor deficits in YAC128 mice that received iPS-NSC transplantations. Following testing, the mice were sacrificed, and their brains were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and Western blot (WB). The results from our histological examinations revealed no signs of tumors and evidence that many iPS-NSCs survived and differentiated into region-specific neurons (medium spiny neurons) in both WT and HD mice, as confirmed by co-labeling of Hoechst-labeled transplanted cells with NeuN and DARPP-32. Also, counts of Hoechst-labeled cells revealed that a higher proportion were co-labeled with DARPP-32 and NeuN in HD-, compared to WT- mice, suggesting a dissimilar differentiation pattern in HD mice. Whereas significant decreases were found in counts of NeuN- and DARPP-32-labeled cells, and for neuronal density measures in striata of HD vehicle controls, such decrements were not observed in the iPS-NSCs-transplanted-HD mice. WB analysis showed increase of BDNF and TrkB levels in striata of transplanted HD mice compared to HD vehicle controls. Collectively, our data suggest that iPS-NSCs may provide an effective option for neuronal replacement therapy in HD.

Project description:One of the key regulatory mechanisms of brain size and neuronal diversity is through control of NB identity via cell fate maintenance. Dedifferentiation is the reversion of differentiated cells to a stem cell like fate, whereby, the gene expression program of mature cells is altered and genes associated with multipotency are expressed. Beyond the fact that misexpression of these factors and pathways caused the formation of ectopic NBs, whether these dedifferentiated NBs faithfully produce the correct number and types of neurons or glial cells, or undergo timely terminal differentiation, has not been assessed. These characteristics are key determinants of overall CNS size and function, thus are important parameters when considering whether dedifferentiation leads to tumourigenesis or can be appropriately utilized for regenerative purposes. Appropriate terminal differentiation as well as neuronal diversity are key characteristics of NSCs, and are specified through temporal patterning of the NSCs driven by the successive expression of temporal transcription factors (tTFs). In this study, we found that ectopic NSCs induced via bHLH transcription factor Deadpan (Dpn) expression in the optic lobes of the developing Drosophila CNS fail to undergo appropriate temporal progression, where they express mid-tTF, Sloppy-paired 1 (Slp-1) at the expense of late-tTF Tailless (Tll); consequently generating an excess of Twin of eyeless (Toy) positive neurons and fewer Reversed polarity (Repo) positive glial cells. Dpn overexpression also resulted in stalled progression through the cell cycle, and a failure to undergo timely terminal differentiation. Mechanistically, DamID studies demonstrated that Dpn directly binds to both Dichaete (D), a Sox-box transcription factor known to repress Slp-1, as well as a number of cell cycle genes. Promoting cell cycle progression or overexpression of D were able to re-trigger the progression of the temporal series in dedifferentiated NBs, restoring both neuronal diversity and timely NB terminal differentiation.

Dataset Information

Neural stem cells derived from the developing forebrain of YAC128 mice exhibit pathological features of Huntington's disease.

Objectives

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Neural stem cells derived from the developing forebrain of YAC128 mice exhibit pathological features of Huntington's disease.

Similar Datasets

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