Winanto, Khong, Z.J., Soh, B. et al. Organoid cultures of MELAS neural cells reveal hyperactive Notch signaling that impacts neurodevelopment. Cell Death Dis 11, 182 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-020-2383-6
Abstract:
Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), typically maternally inherited, can result in severe neurological conditions. There is currently no cure for mitochondrial DNA diseases and treatments focus on management of the symptoms rather than correcting the defects downstream of the mtDNA mutation. Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is one such mitochondrial disease that affects many bodily systems, particularly the central nervous system and skeletal muscles. Given the motor deficits seen in MELAS patients, we investigate the contribution of motor neuron pathology to MELAS. Using a spinal cord organoid system derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of a MELAS patient, as well as its isogenically corrected control, we found that high levels of Notch signaling underlie neurogenesis delays and neurite outgrowth defects that are associated with MELAS neural cultures. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the gamma-secretase inhibitor DAPT can reverse these neurodevelopmental defects.
License type:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Funding Info:
This work is supported by the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, as well as the following grants to S.-Y.N.: NRF-NRFF2018-03 (National Research Foundation Singapore), NMRC/OFYIRG/0011/2016 (National Medical Research Council, Singapore), and partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81871162) to Y.F. We thank the Advanced Molecular Pathology Lab of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology for their assistance with cryosectioning of the organoids. We also thank the Nikon Imaging Centre, Singapore for their assistance with microscopy.