Abstract
Sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) exclusively affects elderly people. Using direct conversion of AD patient fibroblasts into induced neurons (iNs), we generated an age-equivalent neuronal model. AD patient-derived iNs exhibit strong neuronal transcriptome signatures characterized by downregulation of mature neuronal properties and upregulation of immature and progenitor-like signaling pathways. Mapping iNs to longitudinal neuronal differentiation trajectory data demonstrated that AD iNs reflect a hypo-mature neuronal identity characterized by markers of stress, cell cycle, and de-differentiation. Epigenetic landscape profiling revealed an underlying aberrant neuronal state that shares similarities with malignant transformation and age-dependent epigenetic erosion. To probe for the involvement of aging, we generated rejuvenated iPSC-derived neurons that showed no significant disease-related transcriptome signatures, a feature that is consistent with epigenetic clock and brain ontogenesis mapping, which indicate that fibroblast-derived iNs more closely reflect old adult brain stages. Our findings identify AD-related neuronal changes as age-dependent cellular programs that impair neuronal identity.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1533-1548.e6 |
Journal | Cell Stem Cell |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2 Sep 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We are grateful to all donors participating in this study. We thank F. Schön, D. Frantal, K. Diffenderfer, L. Moore, C. Herrera, and M. Suarez-Cubero for technical assistance; J. Ouyang for sharing data; M.L. Gage and A.A. Mansour for editorial comments; and https://www.mertensdesignlab.com for illustrations. This work was supported by the European Union (EU) grants ERC-STG-2019-852086 and H2020-MSCA-IF-2017-797205 ; the BrightFocus Foundation ; National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant K99-AG056679 ; the Chen Foundation ; Austrian Science Fund grant FWF-I5057 (J.M.); American Heart Association (AHA)-Allen Initiative award 19PABH134610000 ; the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation ; NIA R01 grants AG056306 , AG056511 , and AG057706 ; the JPB Foundation ; the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust ; Annette C. Merle-Smith ; the G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation ; the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund ; Stichting ASC Academy ; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant RT2-01927 (F.H.G.); the Austrian Science Fund FWF-SPIN (L.T.); the Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship (D.A.R.); the Alzheimer Nederland Foundation (D.P.F.); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant DFG-SFB1160-IMPATH ; the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (M.K.); the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program (S.S.); the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation (L.T., L.K.); the Dr. Otto Seibert-Foundation (L.K.); the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) MADGIC program through the Austrian Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Bildungsministerium (BMBWF) (F.E.); the Hungarian ANN-135291 (A.S.); and the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC; AG062429 ) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
Funding Information:
We are grateful to all donors participating in this study. We thank F. Sch?n, D. Frantal, K. Diffenderfer, L. Moore, C. Herrera, and M. Suarez-Cubero for technical assistance; J. Ouyang for sharing data; M.L. Gage and A.A. Mansour for editorial comments; and https://www.mertensdesignlab.com for illustrations. This work was supported by the European Union (EU) grants ERC-STG-2019-852086 and H2020-MSCA-IF-2017-797205; the BrightFocus Foundation; National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant K99-AG056679; the Chen Foundation; Austrian Science Fund grant FWF-I5057 (J.M.); American Heart Association (AHA)-Allen Initiative award 19PABH134610000; the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation; NIA R01 grants AG056306, AG056511, and AG057706; the JPB Foundation; the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; Annette C. Merle-Smith; the G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation; the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Family Fund; Stichting ASC Academy; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant RT2-01927 (F.H.G.); the Austrian Science Fund FWF-SPIN (L.T.); the Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship (D.A.R.); the Alzheimer Nederland Foundation (D.P.F.); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft grant DFG-SFB1160-IMPATH; the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (M.K.); the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program (S.S.); the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation (L.T. L.K.); the Dr. Otto Seibert-Foundation (L.K.); the EU Joint Programme ? Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) MADGIC program through the Austrian Bundesministerium f?r Bildung, Wissenschaft und Forschung, Bildungsministerium (BMBWF) (F.E.); the Hungarian ANN-135291 (A.S.); and the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC; AG062429) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Conceptualization, J.M. D.G. and F.H.G.; Methodology, J.M. J.R.H. L.T. S.T.S. J.C.M.S. and L.B.; Software, J.M. J.R.H. S.T.S. J.C.M.S. L.K. S.H. A.C.M.P. and M.K.; Formal Analysis, J.M. J.R.H. L.T. S.T.S. J.C.M.S. L.B. D.P.F. R.L. L.Z.-Y. L.K. S.S. A.C.M.P. S.H.Y. and M.K.; Investigation, J.M. J.R.H. L.T. S.T.S. J.C.M.S. L.B. D.A.R. H.L. D.Z. D.P.F. R.K.A. R.L. L.Z.-Y. L.K. S.H.Y. M.K. and A.S.; Resources, J.M. F.E. C.K.G. M.K. L.S.B.G. D.G. and F.H.G.; Data Curation, J.M. J.R.H. L.K. and A.C.M.P.; Writing ? Original Draft, J.M. and F.H.G.; Writing ? Review & Editing, J.M. D.G. and F.H.G. F.H.G. is an advisory board member of Cell Stem Cell.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
Keywords
- Alzheimer's disease
- aging
- de-differentiation
- induced neurons (iNs)
- neuronal cell cycle re-entry
- rejuvenation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Genetics
- Cell Biology