Defined Xeno-free and Feeder-free Culture Conditions for the Generation of Human iPSC-derived Retinal Cell Models

The production of specialized cells from pluripotent stem cells provides a powerful tool to develop new approaches for regenerative medicine. The use of ...

Engineering Transplantation-suitable Retinal Pigment Epithelium Tissue Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Several pathological conditions of the eye affect the functionality and/or the survival of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). These include some forms ...

Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, F-75012 Paris, France

Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, F-75012

Progress in retinal-cell therapy derived from human pluripotent stem cells currently faces technical challenges that require the development of easy and standardized protocols. Here, we developed a simple retinal differentiation method, based on confluent human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC), bypassing embryoid body formation and the use of exogenous molecules, coating, or Matrigel. In 2 wk, we generated both retinal pigmented epithelial cells and self-forming neural retina (NR)-like structures containing retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). We report sequential differentiation from RPCs to the seven neuroretinal cell types in maturated NR-like structures as floating cultures, thereby revealing the multipotency of RPCs generated from integration-free hiPSCs. Furthermore, Notch pathway inhibition boosted the generation of photoreceptor precursor cells, crucial in establishing cell therapy strategies. This innovative process proposed here provides a readily efficient and scalable approach to produce retinal cells for regenerative medicine and for drug-screening purposes, as well as an in vitro model of human retinal development and disease.

From confluent human iPS cells to self-forming neural retina and retinal pigmented epithelium.

Human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells could be used as an unlimited source of retinal cells for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases. Although much progress has been made in the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells towards different retinal lineages, the production of retinal cells from hiPS cells for therapeutic approaches require the development of easy and standardized protocols. In this chapter, we describe a simple and effective protocol for retinal differentiation of hiPS cells bypassing embryoid body formation and the use of exogenous molecules and substrates. In 2 weeks, confluent hiPS cells cultured in pro-neural medium can generate both retinal pigmented epithelial cells and self-forming neural retina-like structures containing retinal progenitor cells. These progenitors can be differentiated into all retinal cell types, including retinal ganglion cells and precursors of photoreceptors, which could find important applications in regenerative medicine. This differentiation system and the resulting hiPS-derived retinal cells will also offer opportunity to study the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human retinal development, and the establishment of in vitro models of human retinal degenerative diseases. 

Production of Retinal Cells from Confluent Human iPS Cells.

A human iPSC line was generated from fibroblasts of a patient affected with autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) carrying the mutation p.Gly56Arg in the NR2E3 gene. The transgene-free iPSCs were generated with the human OSKM transcription factors using the Sendai-virus reprogramming system. iPSCs contained the expected c.166G>A substitution in exon 2 of NR2E3, expressed the expected pluripotency markers, displayed in vivo differentiation potential to the three germ layers and had normal karyotype. This cellular model will provide a powerful tool to study the pathogenesis of NR2E3-associated RP. Resource table.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line from a patient with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa due to a mutation in the NR2E3 gene.

A human iPS cell line was generated from fibroblasts of a phenotypically unaffected patient from a family with PRPF31-associated retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The transgene-free iPS cells were generated with the human OSKM transcription factors using the Sendai-virus reprogramming system. iPS cells contained the expected c.709-734dup substitution in exon 8 of PRPF31, expressed the expected pluripotency markers, displayed in vivo differentiation potential to the three germ layers and had normal karyotype. This cellular model will provide a powerful tool to study the unusual pattern of inheritance of PRPF31-associated RP.

Establishment of an induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell line from dermal fibroblasts of an asymptomatic patient with dominant PRPF31 mutation.

We identified herein additional patients with rod-cone dystrophy (RCD) displaying mutations in , encoding the ciliary centrosomal protein kizuna and performed functional characterization of the respective protein in human fibroblasts and of its mouse ortholog PLK1S1 in the retina. Mutation screening was done by targeted next generation sequencing and subsequent Sanger sequencing validation.  mRNA levels were assessed on blood and serum-deprived human fibroblasts from a control individual and a patient, compound heterozygous for the c.52G>T (p.Glu18*) and c.119_122del (p.Lys40Ilefs*14) mutations in . KIZ localization, documentation of cilium length and immunoblotting were performed in these two fibroblast cell lines. In addition, PLK1S1 immunolocalization was conducted in mouse retinal cryosections and isolated rod photoreceptors. Analyses of additional RCD patients enabled the identification of two homozygous mutations in , the known c.226C>T (p.Arg76*) mutation and a novel variant, the c.3G>A (p.Met1?) mutation. Albeit the expression levels of  were three-times lower in the patient than controls in whole blood cells, further analyses in control- and mutant  patient-derived fibroblasts unexpectedly revealed no significant difference between the two genotypes. Furthermore, the averaged monocilia length in the two fibroblast cell lines was similar, consistent with the preserved immunolocalization of KIZ at the basal body of the primary cilia. Analyses in mouse retina and isolated rod photoreceptors showed PLK1S1 localization at the base of the photoreceptor connecting cilium. In conclusion, two additional patients with mutations in  were identified, further supporting that defects in KIZ/PLK1S1, detected at the basal body of the primary cilia in fibroblasts, and the photoreceptor connecting cilium in mouse, respectively, are involved in RCD. However, albeit the mutations were predicted to lead to nonsense mediated mRNA decay, we could not detect changes upon expression levels, protein localization or cilia length in -mutated fibroblast cells. Together, our findings unveil the limitations of fibroblasts as a cellular model for RCD and call for other models such as induced pluripotent stem cells to shed light on retinal pathogenic mechanisms of  mutations.

Further Insights into the Ciliary Gene and Protein KIZ and Its Murine Ortholog PLK1S1 Mutated in Rod-Cone Dystrophy.

Replacing defective retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells with those derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is a potential strategy for treating retinal degenerative diseases. Early clinical trials have demonstrated that hESC-derived or hiPSC-derived RPE cells can be delivered safely as a suspension to the human eye. The next step is transplantation of hESC/hiPSC-derived RPE cells as cell sheets that are more physiological. We have developed a tissue-engineered product consisting of hESC-derived RPE cells grown as sheets on human amniotic membrane as a biocompatible substrate. We established a surgical approach to engraft this tissue-engineered product into the subretinal space of the eyes of rats with photoreceptor cell loss. We show that transplantation of the hESC-RPE cell sheets grown on a human amniotic membrane scaffold resulted in rescue of photoreceptor cell death and improved visual acuity in rats with retinal degeneration compared to hESC-RPE cells injected as a cell suspension. These results suggest that tissue-engineered hESC-RPE cell sheets produced under good manufacturing practice conditions may be a useful approach for treating diseases of retinal degeneration.

Human ESC-derived retinal epithelial cell sheets potentiate rescue of photoreceptor cell loss in rats with retinal degeneration.

Photoreceptor degenerative diseases are a major cause of blindness for which cell replacement is one of the most encouraging strategies. For stem cell-based therapy using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), it is crucial to obtain a homogenous photoreceptor cell population. We confirmed that the cell surface antigen CD73 is exclusively expressed in hiPSC-derived photoreceptors by generating a fluorescent cone rod homeobox (Crx) reporter hiPSC line using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. We demonstrated that CD73 targeting by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) is an effective strategy to separate a safe population of transplantable photoreceptors. CD73+ photoreceptor precursors can be isolated in large numbers and transplanted into rat eyes, showing capacity to survive and mature in close proximity to host inner retina of a model of photoreceptor degeneration. These data demonstrate that CD73+ photoreceptor precursors hold great promise for a future safe clinical translation.

Olivier Goureau

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Institut de la Vision

Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, F-75012 Paris, France

Defined Xeno-free and Feeder-free Culture Conditions for the Generation of Human iPSC-derived Retinal Cell Models

Engineering Transplantation-suitable Retinal Pigment Epithelium Tissue Derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Institut de la Vision