Photostimulation Promotes Maturation of Human Stem Cell-Derived Photoreceptors
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE299921 | GEO | 2025/07/17
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Inherited retinal diseases and aged related macular degeneration are main causes of blindness that involves irreversible photoreceptor loss. Gene therapy approaches do not prevent photoreceptor degeneration during disease progression, and to date protocols for generating photoreceptors from pluripotent stem cells do not exist. Therefore, transplantation of photoreceptors containing retinal organoids is considered a potential option. However, in vitro formation of organoids requires animal-derived materials and they vary considerably in cell composition between batches, which strongly limits their applications in therapy. Here, we show that human recombinant retina-specific laminin isoform LN523, normally present in the extra cellular matrix ECM surrounding photoreceptors, supports differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells to photoreceptor progenitors in vitro. Using a rabbit macular degeneration model, the transplanted and engrafted cells mature in vivo and form synaptic connectivity with the host retina. Furthermore, addition of a rod-derived cone viability factor increased the formation of cone photoreceptors. These results may pave the way for cell therapy treatment of macular degeneration.
2023-03-26 | GSE161414 | GEO
Project description:Inherited retinal diseases and aged related macular degeneration are main causes of blindness that involves irreversible photoreceptor loss. Gene therapy approaches do not prevent photoreceptor degeneration during disease progression, and to date protocols for generating photoreceptors from pluripotent stem cells do not exist. Therefore, transplantation of photoreceptors containing retinal organoids is considered a potential option. However, in vitro formation of organoids requires animal-derived materials and they vary considerably in cell composition between batches, which strongly limits their applications in therapy. Here, we show that human recombinant retina-specific laminin isoform LN523, normally present in the extra cellular matrix ECM surrounding photoreceptors, supports differentiation of pluripotent embryonic stem cells to photoreceptor progenitors in vitro. Using a rabbit macular degeneration model, the transplanted and engrafted cells mature in vivo and form synaptic connectivity with the host retina. Furthermore, addition of a rod-derived cone viability factor increased the formation of cone photoreceptors. These results may pave the way for cell therapy treatment of macular degeneration.
2023-03-26 | GSE161416 | GEO
Project description:Investigating neuronal and photoreceptor regeneration in the retina of zebrafish has begun to yield insights into both the cellular and molecular means by which this lower vertebrate is able to repair its central nervous system. However, knowledge about the signaling molecules in the local microenvironment of a retinal injury and the transcriptional events they activate during neuronal death and regeneration is still lacking. To identify genes involved in photoreceptor regeneration, we combined light-induced photoreceptor lesions, laser-capture microdissection (LCM) of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and analysis of gene expression to characterize transcriptional changes for cells in the ONL as photoreceptors die and are regenerated. Using this approach, we were able to characterize aspects of the molecular signature of injured and dying photoreceptors, cone photoreceptor progenitors and microglia within the ONL. We validated changes in gene expression and characterized the cellular expression for three novel, extracellular signaling molecules that we hypothesize are involved in regulating regenerative events in the retina. Experiment Overall Design: As a means to identify genes necessary for photoreceptor regeneration, we evaluated transcriptional changes for cells in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) as photoreceptors die and are regenerated. To accomplish this, we combined light-induced photoreceptor lesions, laser-capture microdissection (LCM) of the ONL and analysis of gene expression using oligonucleotide arrays.
2008-10-26 | E-GEOD-13068 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Investigating neuronal and photoreceptor regeneration in the retina of zebrafish has begun to yield insights into both the cellular and molecular means by which this lower vertebrate is able to repair its central nervous system. However, knowledge about the signaling molecules in the local microenvironment of a retinal injury and the transcriptional events they activate during neuronal death and regeneration is still lacking. To identify genes involved in photoreceptor regeneration, we combined light-induced photoreceptor lesions, laser-capture microdissection (LCM) of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and analysis of gene expression to characterize transcriptional changes for cells in the ONL as photoreceptors die and are regenerated. Using this approach, we were able to characterize aspects of the molecular signature of injured and dying photoreceptors, cone photoreceptor progenitors and microglia within the ONL. We validated changes in gene expression and characterized the cellular expression for three novel, extracellular signaling molecules that we hypothesize are involved in regulating regenerative events in the retina.
2008-10-08 | GSE13068 | GEO
Project description:Alternative splicing (AS) is a crucial mechanism contributing to proteomic diversity, which is highly regulated in tissue-specific and development-specific patterns. Retinal tissue exhibits one of the highest levels of AS. In particular, photoreceptors have a distinctive AS pattern involving the inclusion of microexons not found in other cell types. PROM1 whose encoded protein Prominin-1 is located in photoreceptor outer segments (OSs), undergoes exon 4 inclusion from the 12th post-conception week of human development through adulthood. Exon 4 skipping in PROM1 is associated with late-onset mild maculopathy, however its role in photoreceptor maturation and function is unknown. In this study retinal organoids, a valuable model system, were employed in combination with phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligos (PMOs) to assess the role of exon 4 AS in the development of human retina. Our data demonstrate that 55% skipping of PROM1 exon 4 resulted in decreased Prominin-1 expression by 40%, detectable photoreceptor cilium defects and impaired transport of specific OS proteins in cone photoreceptors, such as cone opsin. Transcriptomic and Western blot analyses revealed decreased expression of cone, inner segment and connecting cilium basal body markers, and increased expression of genes associated with stress response and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and downregulation of autophagy. Together these data indicate that cones may be more sensitive to PROM1 exon 4 skipping, corroborating the pathogenesis of late-onset mild maculopathy. Importantly, the use of retinal organoids provides a valuable platform to study AS and unravel disease mechanisms in a more physiologically relevant context, opening avenues for further research and potential therapeutic interventions.
2024-09-30 | GSE262977 | GEO
Project description:To better understand the mechanistic basis of aging and its relationship with retinal degeneration, we examined gene expression changes in aging rod photoreceptors. Rod photoreceptor cell death is a feature of normal retinal aging and is accelerated in many retinal degenerative diseases, including AMD, the leading cause of untreatable adult blindness in the United States and other western countries. To our knowledge, the examination of age-related gene expression changes in a specific neuronal cell-type is novel, and it has allowed us to identify significant age-related changes with better resolution than is possible with whole retina samples. We used flow cytometry and a transgenic mouse with GFP-tagged rod photoreceptors to purify this specific cell population, and gene expression changes were evaluated at three time points using microarrays and quantitative RT-PCR. Our results suggest that aging is progressive, beginning even in young adult mice. Although rod photoreceptors are highly specialized neurons, our analyses revealed changes in consensus pathways of aging, including oxidative phosphorylation and stress responses affecting transcription and inflammation. In addition, we identified stress response processes that may be especially relevant for the aging retina and retinal diseases, such as angiogenesis and nuclear receptor signaling pathways that affect retinoid and lipid metabolism. We used flow cytometry and a transgenic mouse with GFP-tagged rod photoreceptors to purify this specific cell population, and gene expression changes were evaluated at three time points using microarrays and quantitative RT-PCR.
2010-06-14 | E-GEOD-22317 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Subretinal transplantation of human retinal organoid-derived cells can potentially restore vision lost in photoreceptor dystrophies. Prior studies analyzed the maturation, integration, and function of transplanted organoid cells in the subretinal region, but detailed molecular analysis of transplanted photoreceptor and of cells that migrate to other retinal layers has not been conducted. Here, we characterized migratory and non-migratory organoid-derived cells following subretinal transplantation into a dystrophic host. Retinal organoids derived from Crx-tdTomato+ H9 human embryonic stem cells (hESC) (aged D134) were transplanted into immunodeficient Rd1/NS mice. Graft-derived cells using single-cell RNA sequencing and histological analysis were analyzed 4.5 months later. Age-matched human retinal organoids maintained in vitro served as controls. Graft-derived cells migrated to all retinal layers, and underwent long-distance tangential migration. Transcriptomic analysis of transplanted cells identified two cell types not found in cultured controls – PAX2-positive retinal astrocytes, and ARX/NKX2-2/HOXC8-positive brain/spinal cord-like neural precursors. Some migrating cells were proliferative, but overall less proliferation was observed in the transplants than the cultured organoids. Transplanted rod and cone photoreceptors remained in the subretinal space, and were more mature than age-matched photoreceptors in cultured organoids. This study shows that extrinsic signals present in the degenerative subretinal space promote maturation of photoreceptors in transplanted retinal organoids, while also inducing formation of migratory cell populations that are not normally derived from retinal progenitors, either in cultured organoids or in vivo. This has important implications for the design and safety of cell-based therapies for treating photoreceptor dystrophies.
2023-05-10 | GSE197847 | GEO
Project description:Stem cell based-cell therapies are considered to be promising treatments for retinal disorders with dysfunction or death of photoreceptors. However, the enrichment of human photoreceptors at specific developmental stage suitable for transplantation is highly challenging so far. This study aimed to generate a specific photoreceptor reporter human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, which harbored an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) sequence at the endogenous locus of the pan photoreceptor marker Recoverin (RCVRN). After confirmation of the successful targeting and gene stability, three-dimensional retinal organoids were induced from this report line. The RCVRN-eGFP reporter faithfully replicated endogenous RCVRN expression and revealed the developmental characteristics of photoreceptors during retinal differentiation. The RCVRN-eGFP specifically and steadily labeled photoreceptor cells from photoreceptor precursors to mature rods and cones. Additionally, abundant eGFP positive photoreceptors could be enriched by fluorescence activated cell sorting and the further RNA sequencing analysis of these purified cells revealed transcriptome signatures and gene networks of photoreceptors. Moreover, potential cluster of differentiation biomarkers were extracted here for enrichment of photoreceptors for clinical applications. Altogether, the RCVRN-eGFP reporter hiPSC line was successfully established and the first global expression database of RCVRN positive photoreceptors was constructed. These achievements will provide a powerful tool for dynamically monitoring photoreceptor cell development and purification of human photoreceptors at specific developmental stage, thus facilitating the photoreceptor cell therapy for the advanced outer retinal disorders.
2022-04-07 | GSE196355 | GEO
Project description:Purpose: Autologous cell replacement shows great promise for the treatment of inherited retinal degeneration. While mature differentiation protocols exist to produce retinal organoids from patient-derived stem cells, not all cell types present in these organoids are desirable for transplant. To increase the potency of future cell therapies, methods for isolating photoreceptors from dissociated retinal organoids are needed. In this work, we show how partial dissociation can be used to exploit the spatial organization of retinal organoids to produce highly pure photoreceptor populations without the use of specialized sorting devices or reagents such as xenobiotic antibodies. Methods: Retinal organoids were generated as we have described previously. For flow cytometry experiments, organoids were dissociated using papain for 30 minutes or for 90 minutes followed by trituration. For scRNAseq experiments, liberated cells were collected from papain-dissociating organoids at 20-minute intervals. At the conclusion of the experiment, remaining tissue was fully dissociated. A control 60-minute full dissociation was performed in parallel. Photoreceptor purity was assessed via flow cytometry and scRNAseq. Results: Photoreceptors desired for transplant are typically found in the outer layers of retinal organoids, suggesting that partial dissociation could selectively release these cells. Flow cytometry results indicating an increase in purity of CD133+ cells from 21.1% to 91.7% when cells were partially dissociated as compared to full dissociation. A time dependent release of photoreceptors, with a maximum purity of 96% CRX+ cells at 40 minutes as compared to 66% pure for traditional dissociation. Conclusions: By timing the dissociation of retinal organoids, highly pure photoreceptor cell populations suitable for cell replacement therapies can be obtained under cGMP without the use of sorting reagents or equipment.
2024-09-02 | GSE266526 | GEO
Project description:Mutations in RP2 lead to a severe form of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP). RP2 functions as a GTPase activating protein (GAP) for the small GTPase ARL3, which is essential for cilia function and for photoreceptor development and maintenance. The mechanisms of RP2 associated retinal degeneration in humans are poorly understood, and genetically engineered animal models of RP2 XLRP present with differing retinal phenotypes and slow degeneration suggesting potential species differences. Here, we developed CRISPR gene edited isogenic RP2 knock-out (RP2 KO) induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and RP2 patient derived iPSC to produce 3D retinal organoids as a human retinal disease model. The isogenic RP2 KO retinal organoids and two unrelated RP2 patient iPSC lines produced retinal organoids with a defined photoreceptor cell layer (ONL) containing rod and cone photoreceptors. Strikingly the RP2 KO and RP2 patient derived organoids showed a thinning of the ONL by 180 days (D180) of culture, which was associated with a spike in cell death in the ONL at D150 of differentiation. RNA sequencing confirmed induction of cell death pathways in the RP2 null organoids at this stage. Photoreceptor cell death and ONL thinning was attributed to cells undergoing terminal rod cell differentiation characterized by reduced RHO expression and fewer rhodopsin immunoreactive photoreceptors. Gene augmentation with a human RP2 transgene in an AAV2/5 vector efficiently transduced RP2 KO organoids and led to high levels of RP2 expression in both rods and cones. Importantly, the viral transduction significantly increased ONL thickness and restored rhodopsin expression, suggesting rescue of the RP2 degeneration phenotype. These data show that 3D retinal organoids can be used to model molecular defects associated with inherited retinal disease, photoreceptor cell death and also to test potential therapies targeted to prevent photoreceptor degeneration.
2020-07-08 | GSE148300 | GEO