SnRNA-Seq data of human iPSC-midbrain organoids without and with microglia
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: The human brain is a complex, three-dimensional structure. To better recapitulate the brain complexity, recent efforts focused on the development of human specific midbrain organoids. Midbrain organoids consist of differentiated and functional neurons, which contain active synapses, as well as astroglia and oligodendrocytes. However, the absence of microglia, with their ability to phagocyte apoptotic cells and debris represents a major disadvantage for the midbrain organoid system. Additionally, neuro-inflammation-related disease modeling is not possible in the absence of microglia. So far, no studies about the effects of iPSC-derived microglia in brain organoid neural cells have been published. Here we describe an approach to derive microglia from human iPSCs and integrate them into midbrain organoids. Using single nuclear RNA sequencing in collaboration with the RIKEN institute we provide a detailed characterization of the microglia in brain organoids as well as of the influence their presence has on the other cells of the organoids.
Project description:Astroglia are integral to brain development and the emergence of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, studying the pathophysiology of human astroglia using brain organoid models has been hindered by inefficient astrogliogenesis. In this study, we introduce a robust method for generating astroglia-enriched organoids through BMP4 treatment during the neural differentiation phase of organoid development. Our RNA sequencing analysis reveals that astroglia developed within these organoids exhibit advanced developmental characteristics and enhanced synaptic functions compared to those grown under traditional two-dimensional conditions, particularly highlighted by increased neurexin (NRXN)-neuroligin (NLGN) signaling. Cell adhesion molecules, such as NRXN and NLGN, are essential in regulating interactions between astroglia and neurons. We further discovered that brain organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) harboring the autism-associated NLGN3 R451C mutation exhibit increased astrogliogenesis. Notably, the NLGN3 R451C astroglia demonstrate enhanced branching, indicating a more intricate morphology. Interestingly, our RNA sequencing data suggest that these mutant astroglia significantly upregulate pathways that support neural functions when compared to isogenic wild-type astroglia. Our findings establish a novel astroglia-enriched organoid model, offering a valuable platform for probing the roles of human astroglia in brain development and related disorders.
Project description:Recent advances in three dimensional (3D) culture systems have led to the generation of brain organoids that share resemblance to different parts of the human brains; however, a 3D organoid model of the midbrain that contains functional midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons has not been reported. In this study, we develop a method to differentiate human PSCs into a large multicellular organoid-like structure that contains distinct layers of neuronal cells with a transcriptomic profile that resembles human prenatal midbrain. Importantly, we detected electrically active and functionally mature mDA neurons, and dopamine production in our 3D midbrain-like organoids (MLOs). In contrast to human mDA neurons generated using non-3D methods or in the MLOs generated from mouse embryonic stem cells, our human MLOs uniquely produced neuromelanin-like granules that were structurally similar to those isolated from human substantia nigra tissues. Thus our MLOs bearing features of the human midbrain may provide a novel tractable in vitro system to study the human midbrain and its related diseases.
Project description:Patient-derived organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells have emerged as a model for studying human diseases beyond conventional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture. As such, the development of robust methods to study global proteostasis and protein turnover in organoids will remain essential as organoid models evolve. To solve this problem, we have designed a workflow to reproducibly extract proteins from brain organoids, measure global protein turnover using mass spectrometry, and statistically investigate turnover differences between genotypes. We also provide robust methodology for data filtering in turnover determination and for statistical treatment of turnover data. Using human midbrain organoids (hMO) as a model system, our method accurately characterized the half-lives of 773 midbrain proteins. We compared these half-lives both to Parkin knockout hMOs and to previously reported data from primary cell cultures and in vivo models. Taken together, this method will facilitate the study of proteostasis in organoid models of human disease and will provide an analytical and statistical framework to measure protein turnover in organoids of all cell types.
Project description:Microglia are specialised brain-resident macrophages that arise from primitive macrophages colonising the embryonic brain. Microglia contribute to multiple aspects of brain development, but their precise roles in early human brain remain poorly understood due to limited access to relevant tissues. The generation of brain organoids from induced human pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) recapitulates some key features of human embryonic brain development, but current approaches do not incorporate microglia and thus are lacking. Here, we generated microgliasufficient brain organoids by co-culturing brain organoids with primitive-like macrophages generated from the same human iPSC (iMac). In organoid co-cultures, iMac differentiated into cells with microglia-like phenotypes and functions (iMicro), and modulated neuronal progenitor cell (NPC) differentiation, limiting NPC proliferation and promoting axonogenesis. Mechanistically, iMicro contained high levels of PLIN2+ lipid droplets that exported cholesterol and its esters which weretaken up by NPC in the organoids. We also detected PLIN2+ lipid droplet-loaded microglia in mouse and human embryonic brain. Overall, our approach significantly advances current human brain organoid approaches by incorporating microglial
Project description:Microglia are specialised brain-resident macrophages that arise from primitive macrophages colonising the embryonic brain. Microglia contribute to multiple aspects of brain development, but their precise roles in early human brain remain poorly understood due to limited access to relevant tissues. The generation of brain organoids from induced human pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) recapitulates some key features of human embryonic brain development, but current approaches do not incorporate microglia and thus are lacking. Here, we generated microgliasufficient brain organoids by co-culturing brain organoids with primitive-like macrophages generated from the same human iPSC (iMac). In organoid co-cultures, iMac differentiated into cells with microglia-like phenotypes and functions (iMicro), and modulated neuronal progenitor cell (NPC) differentiation, limiting NPC proliferation and promoting axonogenesis. Mechanistically, iMicro contained high levels of PLIN2+ lipid droplets that exported cholesterol and its esters which weretaken up by NPC in the organoids. We also detected PLIN2+ lipid droplet-loaded microglia in mouse and human embryonic brain. Overall, our approach significantly advances current human brain organoid approaches by incorporating microglial
Project description:Fetal microglia had a protective role once differentiated in the brain, as their absence increased infection burden and neuronal death. Conversely, monocyte depletion reduced non-productive neuroinflammation. We used Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify transcriptional profiles linked to the protective versus detrimental contributions of mononuclear phagocyte subsets during ZIKV infection in the fetal brain.
Project description:Recent advances in generating 3 dimensional (3D) organoid systems from stem cells offer new possibilities for disease modeling. In this study, we generate isogenic 3D midbrain organoids with or without a Parkinson’s disease-associated LRRK2 G2019S mutation. LRRK2-G2019S midbrain organoids derived from LRRK2 targeted human iPSCs in vitro have LRRK2-associated sporadic Parkinson's disease phenotypes. Midbrain-like 3D organoids expressing LRRK2-G2019S showed dynamic changes in globle gene expression.
Project description:To study the effect of GLI3 knockout on early brain organoid development, we collected single-cell multiome data from 18 day old brain organoids
Project description:Cerebral organoids, three-dimensional cultures that model organogenesis, provide a new platform to investigate human brain development. High cost, variability and tissue heterogeneity limit accessibility and broad applications of current organoid technologies. Here we developed a miniaturized spinning bioreactor (SpinΩ) to generate forebrain-specific organoids from human iPSCs. These organoids recapitulate key features of human cortical development, including progenitor zone organization, neurogenesis, gene expression, and importantly, a distinct human-specific outer radial glia cell layer. We have also developed protocols to generate midbrain and hypothalamic organoids. Finally, we employed this forebrain organoid platform to model Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure. Quantitative analyses revealed that preferential, productive ZIKA infection of cortical neural progenitors leads to increased cell death and reduced proliferation, resulting in decreased neuronal cell layer volume that resembles microcephaly. Together, our brain region-specific organoids and SpinΩ provide an accessible and versatile platform for modeling human brain development and diseases, and for compound testing.