Characterization of Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities in iPSC-Derived Striatal Cultures from Patients with Huntington’s Disease

BACKGROUND: Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by atrophy of certain regions of the brain in a progressive manner. HD patients experience behavioral changes and uncontrolled movements which can be primarily attributed to the atrophy of striatal neurons. Previous publications describe the models of the HD striatum using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from HD patients with a juvenile onset (JHD). In this model, the JHD iPSC-derived striatal cultures had altered neurodevelopment and contained a high number of nestin expressing progenitor cells at 42 days of differentiation. OBJECTIVE: To further characterize the altered neurodevelopmental phenotype and evaluate potential phenotypic reversal. METHODS: Differentiation of human iPSCs towards striatal fate and characterization by means of immunocytochemistry and stereological quantification. RESULTS: Here this study demonstrates a distinct delay in the differentiation of the JHD neural progenitor population. However, reduction of the JHD aberrant progenitor populations can be accomplished either by targeting the canonical Notch signaling pathway or by treatment with HTT antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this data is postulated to reflect a potential overall developmental delay in JHD.