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Modeling Brain Pathology of Niemann‐Pick Disease Type C Using Patient‐Derived Neurons
Author(s) -
Burbulla Lena F.,
Mc Donald Jessica M.,
Valdez Clarissa,
Gao Fanding,
Bigio Eileen H.,
Krainc Dimitri
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
movement disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.352
H-Index - 198
eISSN - 1531-8257
pISSN - 0885-3185
DOI - 10.1002/mds.28463
Subject(s) - neurodegeneration , induced pluripotent stem cell , pathology , neurite , biology , niemann–pick disease, type c , neuroscience , lysosomal storage disease , niemann–pick disease , alzheimer's disease , amyloid precursor protein , disease , pathological , medicine , embryonic stem cell , biochemistry , in vitro , gene
Background Niemann‐Pick disease type C (NPC) is a rare autosomal‐recessive lysosomal storage disease that is also associated with progressive neurodegeneration. NPC shares many pathological features with Alzheimer's disease, including neurofibrillary tangles, axonal spheroids, β‐amyloid deposition, and dystrophic neurites. Here, we examined if these pathological features could be detected in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‐derived neurons from NPC patients. Methods Brain tissues from 8 NPC patients and 5 controls were analyzed for histopathological and biochemical markers of pathology. To model disease in culture, iPSCs from NPC patients and controls were differentiated into cortical neurons. Results We found hyperphosphorylated tau, altered processing of amyloid precursor protein, and increased Aβ42 in NPC postmortem brains and in iPSC‐derived cortical neurons from NPC patients. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that the main pathogenic phenotypes typically found in NPC brains were also observed in patient‐derived neurons, providing a useful model for further mechanistic and therapeutic studies of NPC. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society