Biology subjects

Testa, V.

Publications and source records attributed to Testa, V..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Astrocytic Ceruloplasmin Deficiency Triggers Iron Toxicity and Neurodegeneration in a LRRK2 Parkinson's Tri-Culture Model

Astrocytes and microglia carrying the LRRK2-G2019S mutation contribute to non-cell- autonomous dopaminergic neuron (DAn) degeneration in Parkinsons disease (PD), but the mechanisms underlying their interplay remain unclear. Here, we developed a novel induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived tri-culture system comprising healthy DAn and either LRRK2-mutant or isogenic control iPSC-derived astrocytes and microglia. Using integrated functional assays and transcriptomic profiling, we found that mutant astrocytes adopt a hyperreactive state, driving microglial activation and subsequent DAn degeneration. Mechanistically, we identified a selective downregulation of ceruloplasmin (CP), a copper-dependent ferroxidase, in mutant astrocytes, leading to disrupted iron homeostasis with accumulation of Fe2+ and ROS. This iron dysregulation mediated both microglial reactivity and neurodegeneration. Notably, pharmacological restoration of CP re-established iron homeostasis, reduced microglial activation, and protected DAn from degeneration. Our findings uncover a novel astrocyte-microglia-neuron axis driving PD pathogenesis and showcase the power of our unique stem cell tri-culture platform for dissecting disease mechanisms and discovering therapeutic targets.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

α-Synuclein aggregates induce mitochondrial damage and trigger innate immunity to drive neuron-microglia communication

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) enable direct intercellular transfer of macromolecules, organelles, and pathogenic protein aggregates. While -synuclein (-Syn) aggregates are known to promote TNT formation, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Here, using human neuronal and microglial cell lines, as well as iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons and microglia, we show that -Syn aggregates induce severe mitochondrial damage, leading to cytosolic release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and activation of the cGAS-STING-NF- {kappa}B-IRF3 pathway. This innate immune response drives actin cytoskeleton remodeling and the formation of TNT-like structures, promoting intercellular transfer of -Syn from neurons to microglia. Additionally, neuronal cells transfer damaged mitochondria to microglia, where they undergo lysosome-mediated degradation. Neuron-to-microglia communication under -Syn- induced stress also triggers a bystander inflammatory response in microglia, suggesting a neuroimmune activation. Our findings identify mitochondrial damage and STING-mediated inflammation as key drivers of TNT formation and -Syn propagation, highlighting new potential targets to modulate disease progression in Synucleinopathies.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2024

LRRK2-mutant microglia trigger dopaminergic neurodegeneration when activated by neuromelanin

Parkinsons disease (PD) is a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of neuromelanin (NM)-containing dopamine neurons (DAn) in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. Non-neuronal cells are increasingly recognized as contributors to PD. We generated human microglia-like cells (hMG) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from patients with LRRK2 PD-causing mutations, gene-corrected isogenic controls, and healthy donors. While neither genotype induced neurodegeneration in healthy DAn, LRRK2 hMG become hyperreactive to LPS stimulation, exhibiting increased cytokine expression, reactive oxygen species, and phagocytosis. When exposed to NM-containing particles, but not -synuclein fibrils, LRRK2 hMG trigger DAn degeneration, in a process that is prevented by pre-treatment with the immunomodulatory drug ivermectin. Finally, post-mortem analysis of midbrain tissue of LRRK2-PD patients show increased microglia activation around NM-containing neurons, confirming our in vitro findings. Overall, our work highlights NM-activated microglias role in PD progression, and provides a model for testing therapeutic targets.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Time-resolved single-cell RNAseq profiling identifies a novel Fabp5-expressing subpopulation of inflammatory myeloid cells in chronic spinal cord injury

Innate immune responses following spinal cord injury (SCI) participate in early secondary pathogenesis and wound healing events. Here, we used time-resolved scRNAseq to map transcriptional profiles of SC tissue-resident and infiltrating myeloid cells post-SCI. Our work identifies a novel subpopulation of Fabp5+ inflammatory myeloid cells, comprising both resident and infiltrating cells and displaying a delayed cytotoxic profile at the lesion epicentre, which may serve as a target for future therapeutics.

neuroscience↗