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Wer trägt Schuld? Untersuchung von Genen innerhalb der 22q11.2-Deletion als potenzielle Risikofaktoren für Parkinson mittels humaner iPS-Zellen und CRISPR-Perturbation

Antragstellerin Laurin Heinrich, Ph.D.
Fachliche Zuordnung Experimentelle Modelle zum Verständnis von Erkrankungen des Nervensystems
Förderung Förderung von 2021 bis 2023
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 471227244
 
Erstellungsjahr 2024

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

Adults with genomic deletions on chromosome 22q11.2, which include a 3 megabase genomic region with approximately 41 protein-coding genes expressed in the human brain, have a higher risk of developing typical Parkinson's disease (PD); however, it is unclear which of these genes contribute to the neurodegenerative process. The goal is to identify genes in the 22q11 deletion that contribute to causal molecular mechanisms of neuronal dysfunction and predispose to a neurodegenerative process reminiscent of PD due to diminished gene dosage. (i) Using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), I investigate whether iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons from 22q11DS patients replicate pathophysiological phenotypes associated with PD. (ii) Implementing CRISPR perturbation will allow us to identify biological targets and pathways. I show successful differentiation of human iPSCs from 22q11DS patients and controls into neurons that express genetic markers for midbrain dopaminergic identity and neuronal maturation. In iPSC-derived neuronal progenitors, I found no differences in reactive oxygen species (ROS), ATP levels, or endolysosomal activity in cultures from 22q11DS compared to controls. By contrast, I detected increased levels of ROS in neurons (30 days in vitro) derived from 22q11DS patients compared to controls. I further detected enhanced endolysosomal activity with LysoTracker and increased ATP concentrations in 22q11DS neurons. Significant differences in mitochondrial function and density could only be detected between individual control and patient lines in neuronal progenitor cells and neurons (DIV30). Our findings are consistent with data from 22q11DS mouse models indicating increased ROS levels in cortical projection neurons and animal models of PD. The developed protocols for CRISPR perturbation in 22q11DS and control iPSCs will allow us to reversibly regulate gene expression and systematically increase protein levels of deleted genes in the 22q11.2 deletion in human iPSC-derived neurons to identify causative genes.

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