Molecular barcodes and single cell transcriptomics to map graft diversity and lineage of human DA neurons in a rat xenograft model of Parkinson’s Disease
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ABSTRACT: Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) differentiated into dopamine (DA) neurons via a ventral floor plate intermediate provide an unlimited cell source for cell replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, histology and scRNA-seq profiling of resulting grafts in in vivo models have revealed that seemingly homogenous cell preparations give rise to heterogenous grafts not only made up of dopamine neurons. Here, we used single nuclei RNA-seq combined with molecular barcode tracing delivered to the PSC-derived DA progenitors both in vitro and in vivo to show that three cell types (neurons, astrocytes and vascular leptomeningeal cells, VLMCs) make up the cellular composition of the grafts and that these cell types all share a common progenitor. Additionally, barcoding proliferative cells in vivo 1 month after transplantation, showed that a fraction of the cells retained their multipotent potential also after transplantation. Single-cell chromatin accessibility and RNA expression paired maps identified seemingly subtle chromatin accessibility differences among progenitors supporting their homogeneity, and together with the tracing data shows that the PSC-derived floor plate cells used for transplantation are tri-potent, giving rise to dopamine neurons, astrocytes and VLMCs.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE200610 | GEO | 2023/05/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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