Stem Cells and Neurogenesis for Brain Development, Degeneration and Therapy

2016 ◽  
pp. 217-243
Author(s):  
Justin Peer ◽  
Hainan Zhang ◽  
Hui Peng ◽  
Krysten Vance ◽  
Yunlong Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Development

scholarly journals Zika virus impairs growth in human neurospheres and brain organoids

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia P Garcez ◽  
Erick C Loiola ◽  
Rodrigo F Madeiro da Costa ◽  
Luiza Higa ◽  
Pablo Trindade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Brain Cells ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Human Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Human Brain Development

Since the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), reports of microcephaly have increased dramatically in Brazil; however, causality between the widespread epidemic and malformations in fetal brains has not been confirmed. Here, we examine the effects of ZIKV infection in human neural stem cells growing as neurospheres and cerebral organoids. Using immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, we show that ZIKV targets human brain cells, reducing their viability and growth as neurospheres and cerebral organoids. These results suggest that ZIKV abrogates neurogenesis during human brain development.

scholarly journals Multipotent neural stem cells generate glial cells of the central complex through transit amplifying intermediate progenitors in Drosophila brain development

2011 ◽  
Vol 356 (2) ◽  
pp. 553-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gudrun Viktorin ◽  
Nadia Riebli ◽  
Anna Popkova ◽  
Angela Giangrande ◽  
Heinrich Reichert
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Glial Cells ◽  
Central Complex ◽  
Intermediate Progenitors ◽  
Drosophila Brain

scholarly journals ZIKA virus effects on neuroprogenitors are exacerbated by the main pyriproxyfen metabolite via thyroid hormone signaling disruption

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petra Spirhanzlova ◽  
Anthony Sébillot ◽  
Pieter Vancamp ◽  
Jean-David Gothié ◽  
Sébastien Le Mével ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Thyroid Hormone ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Hormone Signaling ◽  
Main Metabolite ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
North Eastern

AbstractNorth-Eastern Brazil saw intensive application of the insecticide pyriproxyfen (PPF) during the microcephaly outbreak caused by Zika virus (ZIKV). ZIKV requires the neural RNA-binding protein Musashi-1 to replicate. TH represses MSI1. Being a suspected TH disruptor, we hypothesized that co-exposure to the main metabolite of PPF, 4’-OH-PPF, would exacerbate ZIKV effects through increased MSI1 expression. This was tested using in vitro mouse neurospheres and an in vivo TH signaling reporter model, Xenopus laevis. TH signaling was decreased by 4’-OH-PPF in both models. In mouse-derived neurospheres the metabolite reduced neuroprogenitor proliferation as well as markers of neuronal differentiation. The results demonstrated that 4’-OH-PPF significantly induced MSI1 at both the mRNA and protein level, as well as Fasn mRNA. Other TH target genes were also significantly modified. Importantly, several key genes implicated in neuroprogenitor fate and commitment were not dysregulated by 4’-OH-PPF alone, but were in combination with ZIKV infection. These included the neuroprogenitor markers Nestin, Egfr, Gfap, Dlx2 and Dcx. Unexpectedly, 4’-OH-PPF decreased ZIKV replication, although only at the fourth and last day of incubation, and RNA copy numbers stayed within the same order of magnitude. However, intracellular RNA content of neuroprogenitors was significantly decreased in the combined presence of the PPF metabolite and ZIKV. We conclude that 4’-OH-PPF interferes with TH action in vivo and in vitro, inhibiting neuroprogenitor proliferation. In the presence of ZIKV, TH signaling pathways crucial for cortical development are significantly impacted. This provides another example of viral effects that are exacerbated by drug or pesticide use.Significance statementIn 2015, an increase in children born with unusually small heads (microcephaly) in North-Eastern Brazil was linked to infection with the ZIKA virus. An insecticide with thyroid hormone disruptive properties was used in the same areas. We investigated whether simultaneous exposure to the insecticide could increase viral susceptibility. The main metabolite 4’-OH-PPF dysregulated thyroid hormone signaling pathways crucial for brain development in both models used. Neural stem cells proliferated less and contained more Musashi-1, a protein the virus needs to replicate. Infecting stem cells pre-exposed to the endocrine disruptor did not amplify viral replication, but aggravated expression of genes implicated in brain development. Our results suggest the insecticide is particularly deleterious to brain development in areas with ZIKA virus prevalence.

scholarly journals Genome-wide Studies Reveal the Essential and Opposite Roles of ARID1A in Controlling Human Cardiogenesis and Neurogenesis from Pluripotent Stem Cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juli Liu ◽  
Sheng Liu ◽  
Hongyu Gao ◽  
Lei Han ◽  
Xiaona Chu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Neural Development ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Human Heart ◽  
Chromatin Accessibility ◽  
Open Chromatin ◽  
Neurogenic Genes ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Early Human

AbstractBackgroundEarly human heart and brain development simultaneously occur during embryogenesis. Notably, in human newborns, congenital heart defects strongly associate with neurodevelopmental abnormalities, suggesting a common gene/complex underlying both cardiogenesis and neurogenesis. However, due to lack of in vivo studies, the molecular mechanisms that govern both early human heart and brain development remain elusive.ResultsHere, we report ARID1A, which is a DNA-binding-subunit of the SWI/SNF epigenetic complex, controls both neurogenesis and cardiogenesis from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) via employing distinct mechanisms. Knockout of ARID1A (ARID1A-/-) led to spontaneous differentiation of neural cells together with globally enhanced expression of neurogenic genes in undifferentiated hESCs. Additionally, when compared with WT hESCs, cardiac differentiation from ARID1A-/- hESCs was prominently suppressed, whereas neural differentiation was significantly promoted. Whole genome-wide scRNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and ChIP-seq analyses revealed that ARID1A was required to open chromatin accessibility on promoters of essential cardiogenic genes, and temporally associated with key cardiogenic transcriptional factors T and MEF2C during early cardiac development. However, during early neural development, transcription of most essential neurogenic genes was dependent on ARID1A, which could interact with a known neural restrictive silencer factor REST/NRSF.ConclusionsWe uncovered the opposite roles by ARID1A to govern both early cardiac and neural development from pluripotent stem cells. Global chromatin accessibility on cardiogenic genes is dependent on ARID1A, whereas transcriptional activity of neurogenic genes is under control by ARID1A, possibly through ARID1A-REST/NRSF interaction.

scholarly journals Zika virus impairs growth in human neurospheres and brain organoids

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia P Garcez ◽  
Erick C Loiola ◽  
Rodrigo F Madeiro da Costa ◽  
Luiza Higa ◽  
Pablo Trindade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Human Brain ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Brain Cells ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Human Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Human Brain Development

Since the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), reports of microcephaly have increased dramatically in Brazil; however, causality between the widespread epidemic and malformations in fetal brains has not been confirmed. Here, we examine the effects of ZIKV infection in human neural stem cells growing as neurospheres and cerebral organoids. Using immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, we show that ZIKV targets human brain cells, reducing their viability and growth as neurospheres and cerebral organoids. These results suggest that ZIKV abrogates neurogenesis during human brain development.

scholarly journals Advancing Knowledge of Down Syndrome Brain Development and Function With Human Stem Cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-92
Author(s):  
Anita Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Human Stem Cells ◽  
Down Syndrome Brain ◽  
Induced Pluripotent ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Disease Specific

Abstract Our bodies are made up of over 250 specific cell types, and all initially arise from stem cells during embryonic development. Stem cells have two characteristics that make them unique: (1) they are pluripotent, meaning that they can differentiate into all cell types of the body, and (2) they are capable of self-renewal to generate more of themselves and are thus able to populate an organism. Human pluripotent stem cells were first isolated from human embryos twenty years ago (Thomson et al., 1998) and more recently, technology to reprogram somatic cells, such as skin and blood, to induced pluripotent stem cells has emerged (Park et al., 2008; Takahashi et al., 2007; Yu et al., 2007). Induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, are particularly valuable as disease specific iPSCs can be generated from individuals with specific genetic mutations diseases. Researchers have harnessed the power of stem cells to understand many aspects of developmental biology in model organisms (e.g. worms, mice) and more recently, in humans. Human stem cells in culture recapitulate development. For example, formation of the brain occurs prenatally and follows a specific pattern of timing and cell generation. Human stem cells in the culture dish follow a similar pattern when exposed to developmental cues and can thus be used to understand aspects of prenatal human brain development that are not accessible by other means. Disease-specific iPSCs are a valuable tool to model neural development in specific neurodevelopmental disorders like Down syndrome. Down syndrome is a classic developmental disorder; mistakes that are made during development of a particular organ system result in the characteristics of the disorder. In the brain, mistakes during prenatal brain development lead to intellectual disability. Trisomy 21 (Ts21) iPSCs generated from somatic cells of Down syndrome individuals may enable us to understand the mistakes made during Down syndrome brain development.

Activin and TGF-β Effects on Brain Development and Neural Stem Cells

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 844-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Griselda Rodriguez-Martinez ◽  
Ivan Velasco
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Tgf Beta

Sox2 protects neural stem cells from apoptosis via up-regulating survivin expression

2013 ◽  
Vol 450 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruopeng Feng ◽  
Shixin Zhou ◽  
Yinan Liu ◽  
Daijun Song ◽  
Zhilin Luan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Brain Development ◽  
Molecular Mechanism ◽  
Cell Apoptosis ◽  
Survivin Expression ◽  
Caspase 9 ◽  
Apoptotic Pathway ◽  
Self Renewal

The transcription factor Sox2 [SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 2] is essential for the regulation of self-renewal and homoeostasis of NSCs (neural stem cells) during brain development. However, the downstream targets of Sox2 and its underlying molecular mechanism are largely unknown. In the present study, we found that Sox2 directly up-regulates the expression of survivin, which inhibits the mitochondria-dependent apoptotic pathway in NSCs. Although overexpression of Sox2 elevates survivin expression, knockdown of Sox2 results in a decrease in survivin expression, thereby initiating the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis related to caspase 9 activation. Furthermore, cell apoptosis owing to knockdown of Sox2 can be rescued by ectopically expressing survivin in NSCs as well as in the mouse brain, as demonstrated by an in utero-injection approach. In short, we have found a novel Sox2/survivin pathway that regulates NSC survival and homoeostasis, thus revealing a new mechanism of brain development, neurological degeneration and such aging-related disorders.

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