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SummaryToxic signaling by extrasynaptic NMDA receptors (eNMDARs) is considered an important promoter of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease progression. To exploit this therapeutically, we take advantage of TwinF interface (TI) inhibition, a pharmacological principle that, contrary to classical NMDAR pharmacology, allows selective elimination of eNMDAR-mediated toxicity via disruption of the NMDAR/TRPM4 death signaling complex while sparing the vital physiological functions of synaptic NMDARs. Post-disease onset treatment of the SOD1G93A ALS mouse model with FP802, a modified TI inhibitor with a safe pharmacology profile, stops the progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, resulting in a reduction in the serum biomarker neurofilament light chain, improved motor performance, and an extension of life expectancy. FP802 also effectively blocks NMDA-induced death of neurons in ALS patient-derived forebrain organoids. These results establish eNMDAR toxicity as a key player in ALS pathogenesis. TI inhibitors may provide an effective treatment option for ALS patients. Graphical abstract Highlights•eNMDARs promote ALS disease progression via the NMDAR/TRPM4 death signaling complex•TwinF interface inhibitor FP802 disrupts the NMDAR/TRPM4 death signaling complex•FP802 is therapeutically effective in an ALS mouse model•FP802 protects against NMDA-induced death in brain organoids from ALS patient iPSCs Yan et al. find that FP802, which provides neuroprotection by detoxifying eNMDARs through disruption of the NMDAR/TRPM4 complex, halts motor neuron loss in an ALS mouse model, reduces serum NfL levels, improves motor performance, and extends life expectancy. FP802 is also neuroprotective in brain organoids derived from ALS patients.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neuron (iPSC-dSN) models are a valuable resource for the study of neurotoxicity but are affected by poor replicability and reproducibility, often due to a lack of optimization. Here, we identify experimental factors related to culture conditions that substantially impact cellular drug response in vitro and determine optimal conditions for improved replicability and reproducibility. Treatment duration and cell seeding density were both found to be significant factors, while cell line differences also contributed to variation. A replicable dose–response in viability was demonstrated after 48-h exposure to docetaxel or paclitaxel. Additionally, a replicable dose-dependent reduction in neurite outgrowth was demonstrated, demonstrating the applicability of the model for the examination of additional phenotypes. Overall, we have established an optimized iPSC-dSN model for the study of taxane-induced neurotoxicity.

AbstractIntroductionPathogenic variants in canonical transforming growth factor ? (TGF?) signaling genes predispose patients to thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD), predominantly in aortic root. Although TAAD pathogenesis associated with TGF? receptor defects is well characterized, distinct and redundant mechanisms of TGF? isoforms in TAAD incidence and severity remain elusive.ObjectiveHere we examined the biological role of TGFB2 in smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation and investigated how TGFB2 defects can lead to regional TAAD manifestations.MethodsTo characterize the role of TGFB2 in SMC differentiation and function, we employed human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived SMC differentiation, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, three-dimensional SMC constructs, and human aortic tissue samples.ResultsDespite the similar effects of different TGF? isoforms on hiPSC-derived SMC differentiation, siRNA experiments revealed that TGFB2 distinctively displays TGFBR3 dependence for signal transduction, an understudied TGF? receptor in TAAD. Molecular evaluation of different thoracic aorta regions suggested TGFB2 and TGFBR3 enrichment in the aortic root tunica media. TGFB2 haploinsufficiency (TGFB2KO/+) and TGFB2 neutralization impaired the differentiation of second heart field-derived SMCs. TGFBR3KO/KO prevented the molecular rescue of TGFB2KO/+ by TGFB2 supplementation indicating the involvement of TGFBR3 in TGFB2-mediated SMC differentiation. Lastly, a missense TGFB2 variant (TGFB2G276R/+) caused mechanical defects in SMC tissue ring constructs that were rescued by TGFB2 supplementation or genetic correction.ConclusionOur data suggests the distinct regulation and action of TGFB2 in SMCs populating the aortic root, while redundant activities of TGF? isoforms provide implications about the milder TAAD aggressiveness of pathogenic TGFB2 variants. Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from various adult cells, genetically modified and differentiated into diverse cell populations. Type I interferons (IFN-Is) have multiple immunotherapeutic applications; however, their systemic administration can lead to severe adverse outcomes. One way of overcoming the limitation is to introduce cells able to enter the site of pathology and to produce IFN-Is locally. As a first step towards the generation of such cells, here, we aimed to generate human iPSCs overexpressing interferon-beta (IFNB, IFNB-iPSCs). IFNB-iPSCs were obtained by CRISPR/Cas9 editing of the previously generated iPSC line K7-4Lf. IFNB-iPSCs overexpressed IFNB RNA and produced a functionally active IFN-?. The cells displayed typical iPSC morphology and expressed pluripotency markers. Following spontaneous differentiation, IFNB-iPSCs formed embryoid bodies and upregulated endoderm, mesoderm, and some ectoderm markers. However, an upregulation of key neuroectoderm markers, PAX6 and LHX2, was compromised. A negative effect of IFN-? on iPSC neuroectoderm differentiation was confirmed in parental iPSCs differentiated in the presence of a recombinant IFN-?. The study describes new IFN-?-producing iPSC lines suitable for the generation of various types of IFN-?-producing cells for future experimental and clinical applications, and it unravels an inhibitory effect of IFN-? on stem cell neuroectoderm differentiation.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) serve as a valuable in vitro model for studying early human developmental processes due to their ability to differentiate into all three germ layers. Here, we present a comprehensive multi-omics dataset generated by differentiating hESCs into cardiomyocytes via the mesodermal lineage, collecting samples at 10 distinct time points. We measured mRNA levels by mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq), translation levels by ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq), and protein levels by quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Technical validation confirmed high quality and reproducibility across all datasets, with strong correlations between replicates. This extensive dataset provides critical insights into the complex regulatory mechanisms of cardiomyocyte differentiation and serves as a valuable resource for the research community, aiding in the exploration of mammalian development and gene regulation.

SummaryFocusing on the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) holds great promise. However, the specific events in neural cells preceding AD onset remain elusive. To address this, we utilized human-induced pluripotent stem cells carrying APPswe mutation to explore the initial changes associated with AD progression. We observed enhanced neural activity and early neuronal differentiation in APPswe cerebral organoids cultured for one month. This phenomenon was also evident when neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were differentiated into neurons. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses of NPCs and neurons confirmed altered expression of neurogenesis-related genes in APPswe NPCs. We also found that the upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is crucial for early neuronal differentiation in these cells. In addition, APPswe neurons remained immature after initial differentiation with increased susceptibility to toxicity, providing valuable insights into the premature exit from the neural progenitor state and the increased vulnerability of neural cells in AD. Graphical abstract Highlights•APPswe organoids show increased neural activity and early differentiation•Enhanced ROS levels are necessary but insufficient to accelerate differentiation•Transcriptome analysis of APPswe NPCs shows gene expression shift to differentiation•Premature neural cells with APPswe exhibit increased vulnerability to toxicity Molecular biology; Neuroscience; Cell biology