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Functional Retinal Pigment Epithelium-like Cells from Human Fibroblasts

ABSTRACT: The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) provides vital support to photoreceptor cells and its dysfunction is associated with the onset and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Surgical provision of RPE cells may ameliorate AMD and thus it would be valuable to develop sources of patient-matched RPE cells for this application of regenerative medicine. We describe here the generation of functional RPE-like cells from fibroblasts that represent an important step toward that goal. We identified candidate master transcriptional regulators of RPEs using a novel computational method and then used these regulators to guide exploration of the transcriptional regulatory circuitry of RPE cells and to reprogram human fibroblasts into RPE-like cells. The RPE-like cells share key features with RPEs derived from healthy individuals, including morphology, gene expression and function, and thus represent a step toward the goal of generating patient-matched RPE cells for treatment of macular degeneration.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE64264 | GEO | 2015/09/23

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA270548

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is caused by the degeneration of the macular photoreceptors. This is preceded by development of subretinal protein aggregates (drusen) and degeneration of the macular retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The underlying pathogenesis remains unknown, but the immune system is suspected to play a key role in it. Aging of the immune system, immunosenescence, includes changes in T cell sub-populations and results in low-level chronic inflammation. Because AMD exclusively occurs in patients over 55 years of age, we hypothesize that aging of the T cell compartment may be implicated in AMD pathogenesis. Methodology and principal findings: Using an in vitro co-culture system, we investigated the effects of activated T cells on a human RPE cell line (ARPE-19). Differential gene expression in the RPE cells of complement factor genes was identified using microarrays, and selected gene transcripts from the alternative complement pathway were validated by q-RT-PCR. Protein expression was determined by ELISA and immunoblotting. Co-culture with activated T cells increased RPE mRNA and protein expression of complement component C3, factors B, H, H-like 1, CD46, CD59, and clusterin, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: RPE cells responded to inflammatory assault caused by exposure to T cell-derived cytokines by upregulating expression of many complement factors from the alternative pathway. This may have implications for RPE ability to deal with complement attack, and opsonization and removal of debris from the RPE-choroidal interface. We speculate that regulation of the complement system in response to inflammatory assault may play a vital role in RPE pathology and drusen biogenesis. Experiment Overall Design: 10 samples investigating variations of co-cultures of RPE cells and T-cells. Variable parameters include the cell type, the co-culturing of the counter-part cell type and the orientation of the system (apical vs basolateral).

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Functional Retinal Pigment Epithelium-like Cells from Human Fibroblasts

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