Biology subjects

Chatrousse, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Chatrousse, L..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Advanced human cerebral organoids as a model for investigating glioma stem cell interactions with microglia and vascular cells and response to radiotherapy

The recent development of human brain organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) enables the modeling of brain biology and pathophysiology, such as gliomas. However, most models lack vascular and/or immune systems, both of which play essential roles in maintaining brain health and in pathophysiological mechanisms. We have established a new method for generating vascularized complex cerebral organoids (CCOs) containing microglial cells (brain-resident macrophages) by incorporating bipotent hematopoietic/endothelial progenitors derived from the same IPSC lines during the early stages of development. This approach led to the formation of extensive vascular-like structures with blood-brain barrier characteristics, which were perfused upon transplantation into immunodeficient mice. Additionally, microglial cells exhibiting typical phenotypes and functionalities also developed within the CCOs. By coculturing CCOs with glioma stem cells, we demonstrated that this model effectively recapitulates the tumor niche of glioblastoma, showing vascular co-option, reprogramming of microglia into tumor-associated macrophages, and recurrence after radiotherapy. In conclusion, our vascularized and immunocompetent CCO model will be invaluable for understanding human brain development, exploring how this process is disrupted in diseases like gliomas, and discovering new therapeutic strategies.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Pharmacological modulation of developmental and synaptic phenotypes in human SHANK3 deficient stem cell-derived neuronal models

One sentence summaryThis study describes the use of SHANK3 deficient stem cell-derived neuronal models to screen and characterize small molecules that partially rescued developmental and synaptic defects related to Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMDS). Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMDS) arises from mutations in the terminal region of chromosome 22q13, impacting the SHANK3 gene. The resulting deficiency of the postsynaptic density scaffolding protein SHANK3 is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We examined 12 different PMDS patient and CRISPR-engineered stem cell-derived neuronal models and controls and found that reduced expression of SHANK3 leads to neuronal hyperdifferentiation, increased synapse formation, and decreased neuronal activity. We performed automated imaging-based screening of 7,120 target-annotated small molecules and identified three compounds that rescued SHANK3-dependent neuronal hyperdifferentiation. One compound, Benproperine, rescued the decreased colocalization of Actin Related Protein 2/3 Complex Subunit 2 (ARPC2) with {beta}-actin and rescued increased synapse formation in SHANK3 deficient neurons when administered early during differentiation. Neuronal activity was only mildly affected, highlighting Benproperines effects as a neurodevelopmental modulator. This study demonstrates that small molecular compounds that reverse developmental phenotypes can be identified in human neuronal PMDS models.

neuroscience↗