Biology subjects

Panman, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Panman, L..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

iPSC-derived hepatocytes accurately recapitulate population diversity in alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and offer a novel in vitro model for large-scale drug efficacy screening studies.

BackgroundAlpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) is a hereditary recessive disorder caused by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene. It is a clinically under-recognised disease characterised by low circulating A1AT levels and intracellular accumulation of misfolded A1AT in hepatocytes. Deposition of excessive abnormal A1AT in the liver leads to liver failure, yet no specific treatments are available due to the lack of physiologically relevant disease modelling platforms. MethodsWe have hypothesised that human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes can provide an efficient platform to study A1ATD. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we have generated wild-type and A1ATD iPSC-derived hepatocytes (Opti-HEP) from healthy and A1ATD donors and developed a bioassay that mimics the accumulation of misfolded A1AT in the liver. Responses to the reference drug carbamazepine (CBZ), known to reduce intracellular misfolded A1AT levels, and RNA-based therapeutics were subsequently investigated. ResultsAll lines successfully differentiated into hepatocytes as measured by comparable key hepatic and disease markers to those seen in primary human hepatocytes. The diseased lines displayed increased intracellular accumulation of misfolded A1AT compared to isogenic controls. Diseased cell lines showed significant decreases in intracellular accumulation of polymeric A1AT following transfection with RNA-based therapeutics, but a differential response upon treatment with CBZ. ConclusionWe have developed a specific and robust in vitro model of A1ATD that recapitulates disease pathophysiology and responds to small molecule-based treatments and advanced therapeutic strategies. These data demonstrate the suitability of this model for large-scale efficacy screening studies for the treatment of A1ATD and help pave the way towards the development of novel therapies.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

Development of optimised human iPSC-derived hepatocytes with improved liver function for in vitro metabolic disease modelling and toxicity studies

Background & AimsLiver disease is a rising cause of mortality worldwide. Primary human hepatocytes (PHH) and hepatocellular cancer cells are currently used in drug development, however, they come with limitations, including limited supply, rapid loss of function, and tumorigenic origin. In addition, current iPSC differentiation protocols lead to the generation of hepatocyte-like cells with compromised liver-related features. We hypothesised that optimisation of iPSC differentiation protocols can lead to the generation of hepatocyte-like cells with improved metabolic functionality for disease modelling and toxicity screening studies. MethodsHealthy human iPSCs were differentiated to hepatocyte-like cells (Opti-HEP) using a novel 3-step differentiation protocol. Hepatocyte functionality was assessed, including liver maturity marker expression, urea synthesis, de novo gluconeogenesis, and CYP450 expression, activity, and induction. Suitability of Opti-HEP to predict drug-induced liver injury (DILI) was evaluated by cell viability assays. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing was employed to generate in vitro inherited metabolic disease models. ResultsOpti-HEP expressed similar liver maturity marker levels to those seen in primary human hepatocytes (PHH), in addition to functional urea and gluconeogenesis pathways. CYP450 expression and activity were comparable between Opti-HEP and PHH, with both cell types showing similar levels of CYP3A4 induction upon 1,25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 treatment. Opti-HEP accurately predicted DILI, following treatment with 7 drugs of known DILI liability. CRISPR-derived Opti-HEP harbouring mutations for inherited metabolic disorders (Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency, Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis Type 2, Citrullinemia Type 1) recapitulated key pathophysiological disease features, including reduced protein expression, impaired urea secretion, and bile acid transport. ConclusionsWe demonstrate the generation of optimised iPSC-derived hepatocytes with enhanced liver functionality that is comparable to PHH. These data alongside the expansion capacity and amenability of these cells highlight the opportunities this model can offer in the space of disease modelling and large-scale drug efficacy and hepatotoxicity screening.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2023

The antipsychotic medications aripiprazole, brexpiprazole and cariprazine are off-target respiratory chain complex I inhibitors

Antipsychotic drugs are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia and provide adjunct therapies for other prevalent psychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. However, they also induce debilitating extrapyramidal syndromes (EPS), such as Parkinsonism, in a significant minority of patients. The majority of antipsychotic drugs function as dopamine receptor antagonists in the brain while the most recent third-generation, such as aripiprazole, act as partial agonists. Despite showing good clinical efficacy, these newer agents are still associated with EPS in [~]5-15% of patients. However, it is not fully understand how these movement disorders develop. Here, we combine clinically-relevant drug concentrations with mutliscale model systems to show that aripiprazole and its primary active metabolite induce mitochondrial toxicity inducing robust declines in cellular ATP and viability. Aripiprazole, brexpiprazole and cariprazine were shown to directly inhibit respiratory complex I through its ubiquinone-binding channel. Importantly, all three drugs induced mitochondrial toxicity in primary embryonic mouse neurons, with greater bioenergetic inhibition in ventral midbrain neurons than forebrain neurons. Finally, chronic feeding with aripiprazole resulted in structural damage to mitochondria in the brain and thoracic muscle of adult Drosophila melanogaster consistent with locomotor dysfunction. Taken together, we show that antipsychotic drugs acting as partial dopamine receptor agonists exhibit off-target mitochondrial liabilities targeting complex I.

pharmacology and toxicology↗

bioRxiv2022

Zfp503/Nlz2 is Required for RPE Differentiation and Optic Fissure Closure

PurposeUveal coloboma is a congenital eye malformation caused by failure of the optic fissure to close in early human development. Despite significant progress in identifying genes whose regulation is important for executing this closure, mutations are detected in a minority of cases using known gene panels, implying additional genetic complexity. We have previously shown knock down of znf503 (the ortholog of mouse Zfp503) in zebrafish causes coloboma. Here we characterize Zfp503 knock out (KO) mice and evaluate transcriptomic profiling of mutant vs. wild-type (WT) retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Choroid. MethodsZfp503 KO mice were generated by gene targeting using homologous recombination. Embryos were characterized grossly and histologically. Patterns and level of developmentally relevant proteins/genes were examined with immunostaining/in situ hybridization. The transcriptomic profile of E11.5 KO RPE/choroid was compared to that of WT. ResultsZfp503 is dynamically expressed in developing mouse eyes and that loss of its expression results in uveal coloboma. KO embryos exhibit altered mRNA levels and expression patterns of several key transcription factors involved in eye development, including Otx2, Mitf, Pax6, Pax2, Vax1 and Vax2, resulting in reduced melanin pigmentation in the presumptive RPE and its differentiation into neural-retina-like lineages. Comparison of RNA-Seq data from wild type and KO E11.5 embryos demonstrated reduced expression of melanin-related genes and significant overlap with genes known to be dynamically regulated at the optic fissure. ConclusionsThese results demonstrate a critical role of Zfp503 in RPE differentiation and in optic fissure closure.

developmental biology↗