Project description:Parkinson's disease (PD) is a challenging neurodegenerative disorder. Recently, therapy of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has emerged as a significant advancement in regenerative medicine. Melatonin (MT), acting as a mitochondrial targeting hormone, exhibits neuroprotective properties in neurodegenerative diseases and modulates stem cell differentiation through mitochondrial dynamics. However, the precise mechanism by which MT influences dopaminergic (DA) neuronal differentiation in hiPSCs through regulating mitochondrial dynamics remains unclear. In this study, we developed and optimized a technical protocol for the in vitro functional neuronal differentiation of hiPSCs. Our findings demonstrate that MT enhances the differentiation potential of hiPSCs toward neuroectoderm and significantly improves the efficiency of NSCs differentiation into DA neurons within hiPSCs. Using the specific MT receptor inhibitor, Luzindole, we confirmed its inhibitory effect on MT-mediated promotion of neural differentiation. Mechanistically, we propose that MT enhances functional DA neuron differentiation from hiPSCs by activating mitochondrial dynamics-mediated WNT/β-catenin signaling pathways. Additionally, we elucidated the critical role of mitofusin2 (MFN2) in enhancing the directed differentiation of DA neurons from hiPSCs. In vivo studies validated the efficacy of MT-treated hiPSC-derived DA progenitor cells in regenerating tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive DA neurons and improving motor function in PD mouse models. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential clinical relevance of MT-enhanced differentiation of hiPSCs into DA neurons, offering promising implications for the treatment of PD.
Project description:Dopaminergic (DA) neurons marked by the dopamine transporter (DAT) have multiple physiological functions and are involved in the regulation of mental and neurological diseases, prompting in-depth studies into their development and functions. This research explores the spatiotemporal proteomic and transcriptomic changes in DAT+ DA neurons within key brain regions involved in DA signaling—the nucleus accumbens (NAc), substantia nigra (SNc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Utilizing cutting-edge multi-omics techniques, such as ultrasensitive trace sample proteomics and SMART_x0002_seq2 for transcriptomics, we examine the DA neuronal system at critical postnatal milestones: postnatal day 7 (P7), postnatal day 30 (P30), and postnatal day 60 (P60). The study reveals unique molecular profiles within DA neuron populations, showcasing their varied functional roles and developmental progression. Immunofluorescence mapping illustrates these molecular distributions, validating the quantitative data and highlighting the dynamic molecular structure of DA neurons. Our findings notably highlight a marked increase over time in Aldh1a1 expression, an essential enzyme for retinoic acid production, suggesting its evolving role in neuronal development and specific functions. This comprehensive analysis offers a profound molecular perspective on DAT+ DA neuron development, enhancing our understanding of their functional diversity and potential relevance in DA-related diseases.
Project description:FGFR1 is upregulated in a proportion of luminal breast cancer. This experiment investigates the role of FGFR1 in activating the cGAS-STING pathway. Data include RNA sequencing of the tamoxifen-resistant T47D (TR-T47D) cell line after knock down by short hairpin RNA with and without treatment with the synthetic double-stranded DNA polymer poly(dA:dT). Sample set is comprised of 4 treatment groups and 4 replicates of each: ish-control +/- polyd(dA:dT), shFGFR1 +/- polyd(dA:dT).