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BackgroundHuman-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have attracted significant interest for use in disease modeling, drug discovery and potential therapeutic applications. However, conventional hiPSC-CM cryopreservation protocols largely use dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the cryoprotectant (CPA), which is linked with a loss of post-thaw recovery and function for various cell types and is not ideal for therapeutic protocols. Additionally, the effect of freezing parameters such as cooling rate and nucleation temperature on post-thaw recovery of hiPSC-CMs has not been explored.MethodshiPSC-CMs were generated by Wnt pathway inhibition, followed by sodium l-lactate purification. Subsequently, biophysical characterization of the cells was performed. A differential evolution (DE) algorithm was utilized to determine the optimal composition of a mixture of a sugar, sugar alcohol and amino acid to replace DMSO as the CPA. The hiPSC-CMs were subjected to controlled-rate freezing at different cooling rates and nucleation temperatures. The optimum freezing parameters were identified by post-thaw recoveries and the partitioning ratio obtained from low temperature Raman spectroscopy studies. The post-thaw osmotic behavior of hiPSC-CMs was studied by measuring diameter of cells resuspended in the isotonic culture medium over time. Immunocytochemistry and calcium transient studies were performed to evaluate post-thaw function.ResultshiPSC-CMs were found to be slightly larger than hiPSCs and exhibited a large osmotically inactive volume. The best-performing DMSO-free solutions enabled post-thaw recoveries over 90%, which was significantly greater than DMSO (69.4?±?6.4%). A rapid cooling rate of 5 °C/min and a low nucleation temperature of -8 °C was found to be optimal for hiPSC-CMs. hiPSC-CMs displayed anomalous osmotic behavior post-thaw, dropping sharply in volume after resuspension. Post-thaw function was preserved when hiPSC-CMs were frozen with the best-performing DMSO-free CPA or DMSO and the cells displayed similar cardiac markers pre-freeze and post-thaw.ConclusionsIt was shown that a CPA cocktail of naturally-occurring osmolytes could effectively replace DMSO for preserving hiPSC-CMs while preserving morphology and function. Understanding the anomalous osmotic behavior and managing the excessive dehydration of hiPSC-CMs could be crucial to improve post-thaw outcomes. Effective DMSO-free cryopreservation would accelerate the development of drug discovery and therapeutic applications of hiPSC-CMs.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-025-04384-5.

With the advent of increasingly sophisticated organoids, there is growing demand for technology to replicate the interactions between multiple tissues or organs. This is challenging to achieve, however, due to the varying culture conditions of the different cell types that make up each tissue. Current methods often require complicated microfluidic setups, but fragile tissue samples tend not to fare well with rough handling. Furthermore, the more complicated the human system to be replicated, the more difficult the model becomes to operate. Here, we present the development of a multi-tissue chip platform that takes advantage of the modularity and convenient handling ability of a CUBE device. We first developed a blood-brain barrier-in-a-CUBE by layering astrocytes, pericytes, and brain microvascular endothelial cells in the CUBE, and confirmed the expression and function of important tight junction and transporter proteins in the blood-brain barrier model. Then, we demonstrated the application of integrating Tissue-in-a-CUBE with a chip in simulating the in vitro testing of the permeability of a drug through the blood-brain barrier to the brain and its effect on treating the glioblastoma brain cancer model. We anticipate that this platform can be adapted for use with organoids to build complex human systems in vitro by the combination of multiple simple CUBE units. Development of platform to integrate multiple Tissue-in-a-CUBEs in a chip for tissue-tissue interaction, demonstrated by simulating the testing of the permeability and effect of a cancer drug in a BBB-Brain cancer model.

Background/Objectives: High-altitude environments have a significant detrimental impact on the cognitive functions of the brain. Qi Jing Wan (QJW), a traditional herbal formula composed of Angelica sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, and Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati, has demonstrated potential efficacy in treating cognitive disorders. However, its effects on cognitive dysfunction in plateau hypoxic environments remain unclear. Methods: In this study, acute and chronic plateau cognitive impairment mouse models were constructed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effects of QJW and its significant active ingredient, diosgenin (Dio). Behavioral experiments were conducted to assess learning and memory in mice. Morphological changes in hippocampal neurons and synapses were assessed, and microglial activation and inflammatory factor levels were measured to evaluate brain damage. Potential active ingredients capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier were identified through chemical composition analysis and network database screening, followed by validation in animal and brain organoid experiments. Transcriptomics analysis, immunofluorescence staining, and molecular docking techniques were employed to explore the underlying mechanisms. Results: QJW significantly enhanced learning and memory abilities in plateau model mice, reduced structural damage to hippocampal neurons, restored NeuN expression, inhibited inflammatory factor levels and microglial activation, and improved hippocampal synaptic damage. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that Dio alleviated hypoxic brain damage and protected cognitive function by regulating the expression of PDE4C. Conclusions: These findings indicate that QJW and its significant active ingredient Dio effectively mitigate hypoxic brain injury and prevent cognitive impairment in high-altitude environments.

ABSTRACTRecent evidence suggests that atorvastatin exacerbates paclitaxel neurotoxicity via P?glycoprotein inhibition. We used a translational approach to investigate if atorvastatin or simvastatin exacerbates (i) paclitaxel neurotoxicity in human sensory neurons and (ii) paclitaxel?induced peripheral neuropathy (PIPN) in cancer patients. Paclitaxel neurotoxicity was assessed by quantifying neuronal networks of human induced pluripotent stem cell?derived sensory neurons (iPSC?SNs) with and without atorvastatin or simvastatin exposure. We estimated the odds ratio (OR) of early paclitaxel discontinuation due to PIPN in a nationwide cohort of paclitaxel?treated women (2014–2018), comparing atorvastatin users to simvastatin users and nonusers of statins. Only the highest concentration of atorvastatin (100?nM) significantly exacerbated paclitaxel neurotoxicity in iPSC?SNs (p?<?0.05). Among 576 paclitaxel?treated women, atorvastatin use was not significantly associated with early paclitaxel discontinuation due to PIPN, with adjusted ORs of 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34–1.88] compared with simvastatin, and 1.24 [95% CI 0.44–3.53] compared with nonuse. Supplementary analyses showed varying but statistically nonsignificant results. Our in vitro findings suggest that atorvastatin, not simvastatin, significantly worsens paclitaxel neurotoxicity. However, no link was found between atorvastatin use and early paclitaxel discontinuation due to PIPN. Larger, well?designed studies are required to clarify the discrepancy between in vitro and clinical data and the inconsistencies with previous clinical evidence.