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Establishment of human Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy model using iPSC-derived retinal organoids

ABSTRACT: Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondrial disease caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations, leading to central vision loss and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration. Progress in understanding LHON and developing treatments has been limited by the lack of human-like models. In this study, we aimed to establish a human retinal model of LHON using retinal organoids (ROs) from LHON patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (LHON-iPSCs). We first confirmed LHON-iPSCs were successfully differentiated into ROs (LHON-ROs). LHON-RO showed a reduction in RGC numbers and the density of neural axons. Additionally, both mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production were decreased in LHON-RO. Finally, treatment with idebenone, the only approved therapeutic agent for LHON, improved RGC numbers in LHON-RO. This model replicates key clinical features of LHON, including RGC and axonal loss, and demonstrates idebenone’s therapeutic potential. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of the LHON-RO model revealed impaired mitophagy, suggesting novel therapeutic targets for LHON. Thus, the LHON-RO model offers a valuable platform for studying LHON pathogenesis and evaluating treatments.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE305550 | GEO | 2025/09/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Although mitochondrial activity is critical for angiogenesis, its mechanism is not entirely clear. Here, we investigate the angiogenic functions of three separate nuclear genes that encode for mitochondrial proteins, including mitochondrial transcriptional factor (TFAM), respiratory complex IV component (COX10), and a mitochondrial redox protein thioredoxin 2 (TRX2), which are responsible for distinct mitochondrial functions. We aim to investigate if mitochondrial activities regulate common endothelial cell (EC) signaling pathways during angiogenesis. The silencing of Tfam, Cox10, or Trx2 in an in vitro 3D sprouting assay attenuates EC sprouting, which correlated with reduced EC proliferation but not with ROS generation or EC apoptosis. Mice with an inducible deletion of Tfam, Cox10, or Trx2 exhibit retarded retinal vessel growth without penetration into the deep plexi at early ages (P5-P12). The three mutant mice develop arteriovenous malformations (AVM) with microaneurysm formation in the microvessels at advanced ages (P12-P30); the hypovasculature and microaneurysm phenotypes resemble that of aged human retinas and human primitive retinal vascular abnormalities such as Coats’ disease, Leber’s military aneurysms and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy. Single-cell RNA-seq analyses of retinal ECs suggest that the three mutant mice have common EC clusters with reduced gene expressions in anion transporters, actin organization, extracellular matrix, and angiogenesis. These EC clusters also have increased gene expressions in endothelial-mesenchymal transition and arterial markers, correlating with enhanced TGFbR signaling in Tfam, Cox10, or Trx2-deficient mice. Importantly, pharmacological blockade by TGFbR inhibitors attenuated retinal vessel growth retardation and AVM formation in all three mutant mice. Our study demonstrates that mitochondrial dysfunction induces TGF-b receptor-mediated arteriovenous malformations and microaneurysm formation in mouse retinas, and provide a novel model and therapeutic intervention for human primitive retinal vascular abnormalities, which are characterized by retinal vascular malformations and are associated with many pathological complications such as diabetes and hypertension that can result in vision loss.

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Establishment of human Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy model using iPSC-derived retinal organoids

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