Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier Formation and Cerebral Cavernous Malformations in human PSCs- and primary tissue-derived organoids
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ABSTRACT: The human blood-brain barrier (hBBB) is a highly specialized structure that regulates passage across blood and CNS compartments. Despite its critical physiological role, there are no reliable in vitro models that can mimic hBBB development and function. Here, we constructed hBBB assembloids from brain and blood vessel organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells. We validated the acquisition of BBB-specific molecular, cellular, transcriptomic, and functional characteristics and uncovered an extensive neuro-vascular crosstalk with a spatial pattern within hBBB assembloids. When we used patient-derived hBBB assembloids to model cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), we found that these assembloids recapitulated the cavernoma anatomy and BBB breakdown observed in patients. Upon comparison of phenotypes and transcriptome between patient-derived hBBB assembloids and primary human cavernomas tissues, we uncovered CCM-related molecular and cellular alterations. Taken together, we report hBBB assembloids that mimic core properties of the human BBB and identify a potentially underlying cause of CCMs.
Project description:The human blood-brain barrier (hBBB) is a highly specialized structure that regulates passage across blood and CNS compartments. Despite its critical physiological role, there are no reliable in vitro models that can mimic hBBB development and function. Here, we constructed hBBB assembloids from brain and blood vessel organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells. We validated the acquisition of BBB-specific molecular, cellular, transcriptomic, and functional characteristics and uncovered an extensive neuro-vascular crosstalk with a spatial pattern within hBBB assembloids. When we used patient-derived hBBB assembloids to model cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), we found that these assembloids recapitulated the cavernoma anatomy and BBB breakdown observed in patients. Upon comparison of phenotypes and transcriptome between patient-derived hBBB assembloids and primary human cavernomas tissues, we uncovered CCM-related molecular and cellular alterations. Taken together, we report hBBB assembloids that mimic core properties of the human BBB and identify a potentially underlying cause of CCMs.
Project description:Throughout the various stages of tooth development, reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are the driving force, for instance crucially involved in the differentiation of mature enamel-forming ameloblasts and dentin-producing odontoblasts. Here we established mouse tooth ‘assembloids’, comprised of tooth organoid-derived dental epithelial cells (from mouse molars and incisors) cultured together with molar dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), to mimic these developmental interactions. Assembloids from both tooth types were grown both in basal- and differentiation-inducing conditions. Single cell transcriptomics analysis was applied to in detail characterize and validate the newly developed mouse tooth assembloid model and evaluate the induced differentiation processes.
Project description:The blood brain barrier (BBB) protects the central nervous system from toxins and pathogens in the blood by regulating permeation of molecules through the barrier interface. In vitro BBB models described to date reproduce some aspects of BBB functionality, but also suffer from incomplete phenotypic expression of brain endothelial traits, difficulty in reproducibility and fabrication, or overall cost. To address these limitations, we describe a three-dimensional (3D) BBB model based on a hybrid paper/nanofiber scaffold. The cell culture platform utilizes lens paper as a framework to accommodate 3D culture of astrocytes. An electrospun nanofiber layer is coated onto one face of the paper to mimic the basement membrane and support growth of an organized two-dimensional layer of endothelial cells (ECs). Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived ECs and astrocytes are co-cultured to develop a human BBB model. Morphological and spatial organization of model are validated with confocal microscopy. Measurements of transendothelial resistance and permeability demonstrate the BBB model develops a high-quality barrier and responds to hyperosmolar treatments. RNA-sequencing shows introduction of astrocytes both regulates EC tight junction proteins and improves endothelial phenotypes related to vasculogenesis. This model shows promise as a model platform for future in vitro studies of the BBB.
Project description:The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is lined by brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) which regulate transport into and out of the brain. We used human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell types to model BBB function within 2D and 3D in vitro models. We compare gene expression between different iPSC-derived cell types, and specifically profile the response of iPSC-derived BMEC-like cells (iBMECs) to differentiation media volume, microenvironmental cues, and cytokines.
Project description:Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier Formation and Cerebral Cavernous Malformations in human PSCs- and primary tissue-derived organoids
Project description:Modeling the Blood-Brain Barrier Formation and Cerebral Cavernous Malformations in human PSCs- and primary tissue-derived organoids
Project description:In this study, by transcriptome-wide approach we demonstrate that lncRNAs are prevalent in CCMs disease and are likely to play critical roles in regulating important signaling pathways involved in the disease progression. We believe, that detailed future investigations on these set of identified lncRNAs can provide useful insights into the biology and, ultimately, in preventing this debilitating disease.
Project description:Functional and structural dysfunction of the blood brain barrier (BBB) leads to severe alterations in brain physiology and is believed to trigger neurodegeneration. To investigate the molecular mechanisms driving the BBB dysfunction, very few human BBB cell culture models are available; of which, the human microvascular endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3) is the most widely used. Thus far, array-based approaches or targeted seqeuncing based approaches have been employed to characterize the gene expression of the hCMEC/D3 model. However,The goal of this study is to perform deep transcriptomic sequencing of the BBB cell line and obtain features like gene expression, expressed single nucleotide variants, alternate splice forms, circular RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and micro RNAs. We have developed blood brain barriers transcriptomics landscape using RNA sequencing and micro RNA seqeuncing data obtained from replicates of hCMEC/D3 BBB cell line.
Project description:Functional and structural dysfunction of the blood brain barrier (BBB) leads to severe alterations in brain physiology and is believed to trigger neurodegeneration. To investigate the molecular mechanisms driving the BBB dysfunction, very few human BBB cell culture models are available;of which, the human microvascular endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3) is the most widely used. Thus far, array-based approaches or targeted seqeuncing based approaches have been employed to characterize the gene expression of the hCMEC/D3 model. However,The goal of this study is to perform deep transcriptomic sequencing of the BBB cell line and obtain features like gene expression, expressed single nucleotide variants, alternate splice forms, circular RNAs, long non-coding RNAs and micro RNAs. We have developed blood brain barriers transcriptomics landscape using RNA and micro RNA sequencing data obtained from replicates of hCMEC/D3 BBB cell line.
Project description:A reliable animal model that can mimic the GBM intracranial infiltration and Blood-brain barrier (BBB) interaction is necessary for effective therapeutics development. Here, we report a zebrafish-based orthotopic GBM xenograft model, in which GBM cells from different species and even patients, can robustly propagate and faithfully reproduce their histological characteristics. Single-cell RNA-seq indicates a transcriptomic adaption of GBM xenografts to infiltrative phenotype within the zebrafish brains. We also provide evidence that the BBB in zebrafish larva is molecularly and functionally intact and can interact with GBM cells in similar ways as in mammals, which together enables this model to accurately identify BBB penetrating drugs. Using GBM patients’ samples, we further generate zebrafish patient-derived orthotopic xenografts (z-PDOX) and proof-of-concept experiments indicate the short-term temozolomide response in z-PDOX can predict the long-term prognosis of corresponding GBM patients. These together illustrate the value of zebrafish GBM model in drug discovery and precision medicine.