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- Aguilo, Francesca, et al.
(author)
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THAP1 : role in mouse embryonic stem cell survival and differentiation
- 2017
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In: Stem Cell Reports. - : Cell Press. - 2213-6711. ; 9:1, s. 92-107
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- THAP1 (THAP [Thanatos-associated protein] domain-containing, apoptosis-associated protein 1) is a ubiquitously expressed member of a family of transcription factors with highly conserved DNA-binding and protein-interacting regions. Mutations in THAP1 cause dystonia, DYT6, a neurologic movement disorder. THAP1 downstream targets and the mechanism via which it causes dystonia are largely unknown. Here, we show that wild-type THAP1 regulates embryonic stem cell (ESC) potential, survival, and proliferation. Our findings identify THAP1 as an essential factor underlying mouse ESC survival and to some extent, differentiation, particularly neuroectodermal. Loss of THAP1 or replacement with a disease-causing mutation results in an enhanced rate of cell death, prolongs Nanog, Prdm14, and/or Rex1 expression upon differentiation, and results in failure to upregulate ectodermal genes. ChIP-Seq reveals that these activities are likely due in part to indirect regulation of gene expression.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Brownjohn, Philip W, et al.
(author)
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Phenotypic Screening Identifies Modulators of Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing in Human Stem Cell Models of Alzheimer's Disease.
- 2017
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In: Stem cell reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2213-6711. ; 8:4, s. 870-882
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human stem cell models have the potential to provide platforms for phenotypic screens to identify candidate treatments and cellular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and the accumulation of APP-derived amyloid β (Aβ) peptides are key processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We designed a phenotypic small-molecule screen to identify modulators of APP processing in trisomy 21/Down syndrome neurons, a complex genetic model of AD. We identified the avermectins, commonly used as anthelmintics, as compounds that increase the relative production of short Aβ peptides at the expense of longer, potentially more toxic peptides. Further studies demonstrated that this effect is not due to an interaction with the core γ-secretase responsible for Aβ production. This study demonstrates the feasibility of phenotypic drug screening in human stem cell models of Alzheimer-type dementia, and points to possibilities for indirectly modulating APP processing, independently of γ-secretase modulation.
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| 6. |
- Lehnen, Daniela, et al.
(author)
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IAP-Based Cell Sorting Results in Homogeneous Transplantable Dopaminergic Precursor Cells Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
- 2017
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In: Stem Cell Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2213-6711. ; 9:4, s. 1207-1220
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons can relieve motor deficits in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinical translation of differentiation protocols requires standardization of production procedures, and surface-marker-based cell sorting is considered instrumental for reproducible generation of defined cell products. Here, we demonstrate that integrin-associated protein (IAP) is a cell surface marker suitable for enrichment of hPSC-derived mesDA progenitor cells. Immunomagnetically sorted IAP+ mesDA progenitors showed increased expression of ventral midbrain floor plate markers, lacked expression of pluripotency markers, and differentiated into mature dopaminergic (DA) neurons in vitro. Intrastriatal transplantation of IAP+ cells sorted at day 16 of differentiation in a rat model of PD resulted in functional recovery. Grafts from sorted IAP+ mesDA progenitors were more homogeneous in size and DA neuron density. Thus, we suggest IAP-based sorting for reproducible prospective enrichment of mesDA progenitor cells in clinical cell replacement strategies. In this article, Knöbel and colleagues identified IAP as a cell surface marker for mesDA progenitor cells. Immunomagnetic sorting for IAP+ led to reproducible and homogeneous cell compositions. Intrastriatal transplantation of sorted cells at day 16 of differentiation in a PD rat model resulted in functional recovery, and grafts were more homogeneous in size and DA neuron density than unsorted cells.
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| 9. |
- Pereira, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Direct Reprogramming of Resident NG2 Glia into Neurons with Properties of Fast-Spiking Parvalbumin-Containing Interneurons
- 2017
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In: Stem Cell Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 2213-6711. ; 9:3, s. 742-751
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Converting resident glia into functional and subtype-specific neurons in vivo by delivering reprogramming genes directly to the brain provides a step forward toward the possibility of treating brain injuries or diseases. To date, it has been possible to obtain GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons via in vivo conversion, but the precise phenotype of these cells has not yet been analyzed in detail. Here, we show that neurons reprogrammed using Ascl1, Lmx1a, and Nurr1 functionally mature and integrate into existing brain circuitry and that the majority of the reprogrammed neurons have properties of fast-spiking, parvalbumin-containing interneurons. When testing different combinations of genes for neural conversion with a focus on pro-neural genes and dopamine fate determinants, we found that functional neurons can be generated using different gene combinations and in different brain regions and that most of the reprogrammed neurons become interneurons, independently of the combination of reprogramming factors used. In this study, Parmar, Ottosson, and colleagues show how endogenous NG2 glia can be reprogrammed into GABAergic interneurons of different subtypes, the majority of them with properties of fast-spiking parvalbumin-containing interneurons. This neuronal subtype has been implicated in several neurological diseases, and the findings can open up new therapeutic options.
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