Impaired neural differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells generated from a mouse model of Sandhoff disease

PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e55856. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055856. Epub 2013 Jan 31.

Abstract

Sandhoff disease (SD) is a glycosphingolipid storage disease that arises from mutations in the Hexb gene and the resultant deficiency in β-hexosaminidase activity. This deficiency results in aberrant lysosomal accumulation of the ganglioside GM2 and related glycolipids, and progressive deterioration of the central nervous system. Dysfunctional glycolipid storage causes severe neurodegeneration through a poorly understood pathogenic mechanism. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology offers new opportunities for both elucidation of the pathogenesis of diseases and the development of stem cell-based therapies. Here, we report the generation of disease-specific iPSCs from a mouse model of SD. These mouse model-derived iPSCs (SD-iPSCs) exhibited pluripotent stem cell properties and significant accumulation of GM2 ganglioside. In lineage-directed differentiation studies using the stromal cell-derived inducing activity method, SD-iPSCs showed an impaired ability to differentiate into early stage neural precursors. Moreover, fewer neurons differentiated from neural precursors in SD-iPSCs than in the case of the wild type. Recovery of the Hexb gene in SD-iPSCs improved this impairment of neuronal differentiation. These results provide new insights as to understanding the complex pathogenic mechanisms of SD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation* / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / ultrastructure
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / ultrastructure
  • Phenotype
  • Sandhoff Disease / etiology*
  • Sandhoff Disease / genetics
  • beta-Hexosaminidase beta Chain / genetics
  • beta-Hexosaminidase beta Chain / metabolism

Substances

  • beta-Hexosaminidase beta Chain

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the High-Tech Research Center Project, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan (S0801043); the Program for Research on Intractable Diseases of Health and Labor Science Research; the Program for the Promotion of Fundamental Studies in Health Sciences of the National Institute of Biomedical Innovation (ID: 09-15); and the JSPS Asia/Africa Scientific Platform Program; and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS ID: 21390314). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.