Lysosomal and network alterations in human mucopolysaccharidosis type VII iPSC-derived neural cells

Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficient β-glucuronidase (β-gluc) activity. Significantly reduced β-gluc activity leads to accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in many tissues, including the brain. Numerous combinations of mutations in GUSB (the gene that codes for β-gluc) cause a range of neurological features that make disease prognosis and treatment challenging. Currently, there is little understanding of the molecular basis for MPS VII brain anomalies. To identify a neuronal phenotype that could be used to complement genetic analyses, we generated two iPSC clones derived from skin fibroblasts of an MPS VII patient. We found that MPS VII neurons exhibited reduced β-gluc activity and showed previously established disease-associated phenotypes, including GAGs accumulation, expanded endocytic compartments, accumulation of lipofuscin granules, more autophagosomes, and altered lysosome function. Addition of recombinant β-gluc to MPS VII neurons, which mimics enzyme replacement therapy, restored disease-associated phenotypes to levels similar to the healthy control. MPS VII neural cells cultured as 3D neurospheroids showed upregulated GFAP gene expression, which was associated with astrocyte reactivity, and downregulation of GABAergic neuron markers. Spontaneous calcium imaging analysis of MPS VII neurospheroids showed reduced neuronal activity and altered network connectivity in patient-derived neurospheroids compared to a healthy control. These results demonstrate the interplay between reduced β-gluc activity, GAG accumulation and alterations in neuronal activity, and provide a human experimental model for elucidating the bases of MPS VII-associated cognitive defects

To understand neuronal dysfunction in MPS VII using human iPSC-derived cells.

Les processus moléculaires mis en jeu lors de maladies de surcharge lysosomale (MSL) et qui conduisent à des dysfonctions neuronales sont peu connus. Afin de mieux comprendre comment s’opèrent ces dysfonctions neuronales associées à la mucopolysaccharidose de type VII (MPS VII), une MSL causée par la déficience en l’activité enzymatique de la ß-glucuronidase, nous avons généré des neurones humains MPS VII à partir cellules souches pluripotentes induites (iPSC). Grâce à la reprogrammation des fibroblastes de patients MPS VII, nous avons généré et caractérisé des neuroprécurseurs dérivés d’iPSC (NSC) et des neurones. Les iPSC MPS VII ont été positives pour les tests de pluripotence (activité de la phosphatase alcaline, expression des marqueurs de pluripotence SSEA3, TRA-2-49 et Nanog par immunofluorescence et expression des gènes de pluripotence SOX2, Oct4 et Lin28 par qRT-PCR, formation des corps embryonnaires et génération de cellules dérivées des trois feuillets embryonnaires in vivo par la formation de tératomes) et présentaient un caryotype normal. Les NSC dérivés d’iPSC exprimaient les marqueurs Nestin et SOX2, et ont été utilisés pour générer des neurones. Les neurones MPS VII exprimaient des marqueurs neuronaux comme MAP2, formaient des synapses et présentaient une activité calcium-dépendante.Afin d’identifier les dysfonctions moléculaires présentes dans la MPS VII, nous avons comparé les NSC et les neurones, avec ou sans milieu conditionné contenant l’enzyme recombinante humaine de la ß-glucuronidase (rhGUS), enzyme actuellement utilisée en phase 1/2, de chez Ultragenyx. Cette enzyme est internalisée par les cellules, rejoint leurs lysosomes et corrige les dysfonctions lysosomales de la MPS VII, restaurant ainsi un phénotype cellulaire physiologique (phénomène aussi appelé ‘enzyme replacement therapy’ (ERT)). Ces diverses conditions nous permettent d’éviter la variabilité clonale des iPSC, et de mieux identifier les déficiences neuronales, corrigées par l’ERT, qui sont associées à la MPS VII.The molecular pathways linking lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) to neuronal dysfunction are poorly understood. To better understand neuronal dysfunction associated with mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII), a LSD due to deficiency in ß-glucuronidase activity, we generated human MPS VII neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Starting from MPS VII patient fibroblasts, iPSC-derived neural stem cells (NSC) and neurons were generated and characterized. MPS VII iPSC were positive for pluripotency tests (alkaline phosphatase activity, expression of pluripotency markers SSEA3, TRA-2-49 and Nanog by immunostaining and pluripotency gene SOX2, Oct4 and Lin28 expression by qRT-PCR, embryonic bodies formation and generation of cells derivated from the three germ layers in vivo by teratoma formation) and had a normal karyotype. IPSC-derived NSC expressed the markers Nestin and SOX2, and were used to generate neurons. MPS VII neurons expressed mature neuronal markers as MAP2, formed synapses and displayed a calcium-dependent activity. To identify molecular defects in MPS VII, we compared NSC and neurons, with or without conditioned medium containing a recombinant human ß-glucuronidase (rhGUS), enzyme currently used in phase 1/2, from Ultragenyx. This enzyme is taken up by cells, reaches their lysosoms and corrects MPS VII lysosoms dysfunctions, restoring cells to healthy phenotype (phenomena also called enzyme replacement therapy (ERT)). Our assays allow us to circumvent clonal variability associated with iPSC, and to better identify neuronal defects, corrected by ERT, which are associated with MPS VII disease

Les adénovirus non-humains

Chaque année, des cas de zoonoses (passage d’un pathogène d’une espèce animale à l’homme) sont recensés sur l’ensemble de la planète. Souvent d’origine virale, ces infections se sont parfois avérées mortelles chez l’homme. Réservoirs de nombreux pathogènes dangereux pour l’homme, les chauves-souris ont particulièrement été incriminées ces 20 dernières années. Le développement des sociétés humaines et les modifications environnementales favorisent les interactions hôtes-réservoirs, amplifiant ainsi l’émergence de zoonoses. Dans ce contexte impliquant la virologie, les bouleversements socioculturels et environnementaux, nous nous sommes interrogés sur la possibilité que des adénovirus de chauves-souris et/ou de primates non-humains puissent, un jour, constituer un risque pour l’homme

Corrective GUSB transfer to the canine mucopolysaccharidosis VII cornea using a helper-dependent canine adenovirus vector.

International audienceCorneal transparency is maintained, in part, by specialized fibroblasts called keratocytes, which reside in the fibrous lamellae of the stroma. Corneal clouding, a condition that impairs visual acuity, is associated with numerous diseases, including mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type VII. MPS VII is due to deficiency in β-glucuronidase (β-glu) enzymatic activity, which leads to accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and secondary accumulation of gangliosides. Here, we tested the efficacy of canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) vectors to transduce keratocyte in vivo in mice and nonhuman primates, and ex vivo in dog and human corneal explants. Following efficacy studies, we asked if we could treat corneal clouding by the injection a helper-dependent (HD) CAV-2 vector (HD-RIGIE) harboring the human cDNA coding for β-glu (GUSB) in the canine MPS VII cornea. β-Glu activity, GAG content, and lysosome morphology and physiopathology were analyzed. We found that HD-RIGIE injections efficiently transduced coxsackievirus adenovirus receptor-expressing keratocytes in the four species and, compared to mock-injected controls, improved the pathology in the canine MPS VII cornea. The key criterion to corrective therapy was the steady controlled release of β-glu and its diffusion throughout the collagen-dense stroma. These data support the continued evaluation of HD CAV-2 vectors to treat diseases affecting corneal keratocytes

Lysosomal and network alterations in human mucopolysaccharidosis type VII iPSC-derived neurons

Abstract Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII (MPS VII) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficient β-glucuronidase (β-gluc) activity. Significantly reduced β-gluc activity leads to accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in many tissues, including the brain. Numerous combinations of mutations in GUSB (the gene that codes for β-gluc) cause a range of neurological features that make disease prognosis and treatment challenging. Currently, there is little understanding of the molecular basis for MPS VII brain anomalies. To identify a neuronal phenotype that could be used to complement genetic analyses, we generated two iPSC clones derived from skin fibroblasts of an MPS VII patient. We found that MPS VII neurons exhibited reduced β-gluc activity and showed previously established disease-associated phenotypes, including GAGs accumulation, expanded endocytic compartments, accumulation of lipofuscin granules, more autophagosomes, and altered lysosome function. Addition of recombinant β-gluc to MPS VII neurons, which mimics enzyme replacement therapy, restored disease-associated phenotypes to levels similar to the healthy control. MPS VII neural cells cultured as 3D neurospheroids showed upregulated GFAP gene expression, which was associated with astrocyte reactivity, and downregulation of GABAergic neuron markers. Spontaneous calcium imaging analysis of MPS VII neurospheroids showed reduced neuronal activity and altered network connectivity in patient-derived neurospheroids compared to a healthy control. These results demonstrate the interplay between reduced β-gluc activity, GAG accumulation and alterations in neuronal activity, and provide a human experimental model for elucidating the bases of MPS VII-associated cognitive defects