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BackgroundAniridia is a rare panocular disease caused by gene mutation in the PAX6, which is essential for eye development. Aniridia is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, but its phenotype can vary significantly among individuals with the same mutation. Animal models, such as drosophila, zebrafish, and rodents, have been used to study aniridia through Pax6 deletions. Recently, patient-derived limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have been used to model the disease in vitro, providing new insights into therapeutic strategies.MethodsIn this study, corneal organoids were generated from hiPSCs derived from aniridia patients with three different PAX6 nonsense mutations, allowing for a detailed comparison between diseased and healthy control models. These organoids structurally mimicked the human cornea and were used to investigate histologic and metabolomic differences between healthy and aniridia-derived samples.ResultsUntargeted metabolomic analysis revealed significant metabolic differences between wild-type (WT) and aniridia-associated keratopathy (AAK) hiPSCs. Further metabolomic profiling at different time points demonstrated distinct metabolic shifts, with amino acid metabolism pathways being consistently enriched in AAK organoids.ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the profound impact of AAK mutations on metabolism, particularly in amino acid biosynthesis and energy metabolism pathways.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12886-024-03831-w.

The blood?brain barrier (BBB) is a critical selective interface between the central nervous system (CNS) and the blood circulation. BBB dysfunction plays an important role in the neurological damage caused by sepsis. However, the mechanisms underlying the disruption of the BBB during sepsis remain unclear. We established a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived BBB model and reported that treating with sepsis patient serum leads to structural and functional disruption of the BBB. In a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced mouse model of sepsis, we also observed disruption of the BBB, inflammation in the brain, and impairments in cognition. In both models, we found that the expression of TREM-1 was significantly increased in endothelial cells. TREM-1 knockout specifically in endothelial cells alleviated BBB dysfunction and cognitive impairments. Further study revealed that TREM-1 affects the expression of genes involved in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. The protective effects of TREM-1 inhibition on the BBB and cognition were abrogated by PI3K inhibitors. Our findings suggest that endothelial TREM-1 induces sepsis-induced BBB disruption and cognitive impairments via the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Targeting endothelial TREM-1 or the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway may be a promising strategy to maintain BBB integrity and improve cognitive function in sepsis patients.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-025-03469-5.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a multifactorial type of retinal degeneration represents the most common cause for blindness in elderly. Polymorphisms in complement factor-H increase, while absence of factor-H-related protein-1 (FHR1) decreases the AMD risk, currently explained by their opposing relationship. Here we identify a FHR1-driven pathway fostering chronic cellular inflammation. FHR1 accumulates below the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in AMD donor tissue and similarly the murine homolog, muFHR1 is abundant in three AMD-relevant mouse models. These mouse models express the muFHR1 receptor EGF-like module-containing mucin-like hormone receptor 1 (Emr1) on the RPE and on invading mononuclear phagocytes (MP), where both cells form clusters via muFHR1/Emr1. FHR1 ignited EMR2-dependent Ca2+-signals and gene expression in both human RPE cell line and in vivo where muFHR1 affects Emr1+ cells (RPE and MP) gene expression shown by RNAseq analysis. As muFHR1 deletion in mice revealed significantly reduced MP invasion and neoangiogenesis in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization, we hypothesize that FHR1 accumulates, stabilizes and activates MP in the stage of RPE degeneration.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-025-03499-z.

During the first month of pregnancy, the brain and spinal cord are formed through a process called neurulation. However, this process can be altered by low serum levels of folic acid, environmental factors, or genetic predispositions. In 2018, a surveillance study in Botswana, a country with a high incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and lacking mandatory food folate fortification programs, found that newborns whose mothers were taking dolutegravir (DTG) during the first trimester of pregnancy had an increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). As a result, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued guidelines emphasizing the potential risks associated with the use of DTG-based antiretroviral therapies during pregnancy. To elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the DTG-induced NTDs, we sought to assess the potential neurotoxicity of DTG in stem cell-derived brain organoids. The gene expression of brain organoids developed in the presence of DTG was analyzed by RNA sequencing, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Optical Coherence Elastography (OCE), and Brillouin microscopy. The sequencing data shows that DTG induces the expression of the folate receptor (FOLR1) and modifies the expression of genes required for neurogenesis. The Brillouin frequency shift observed at the surface of DTG-exposed brain organoids indicates an increase in superficial tissue stiffness. In contrast, reverberant OCE measurements indicate decreased organoid volumes and internal stiffness.