Modeling the mature CNS: A predictive screening platform for neurodegenerative disease drug discovery

BACKGROUND: Mature primary neuronal cultures are an important model of the nervous system, but limited scalability has been a major challenge in their use for drug discovery of neurodegenerative diseases. This work describes a method for improving scalability through the use of larger format microtiter plates while preserving culture quality. NEW METHOD: Here we describe a method and quality control procedures for growing embryonic day 18 rat hippocampal/cortical neuronal cultures in 384-well microtiter plates for three weeks in vitro. RESULTS: We use these cultures in two assays measuring intracellular lipid vesicle trafficking and synapse density for routine screening of small molecule libraries. Together this culture system and screening platform have successfully identified therapeutics capable of improving cognitive function in transgenic models of Alzheimer’s disease that have advanced to clinical trials, validating their translational applicability. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Our method enables the growth of healthy, mature neurons in larger format microtiter plates than in traditional primary neuronal culturing protocols, making it ideal for drug screening and mechanism of action studies. CONCLUSION: The predictive capacity of this culture system and screening platform provides a method for rapidly identifying novel disease-modifying neurodegenerative therapeutics.