Healthy cardiac myocytes can decrease sympathetic hyperexcitability in the early stages of hypertension

Journal article

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) offer an unprecedented opportunity to generate model systems that facilitate a mechanistic understanding of human disease. Current differentiation protocols are capable of generating cardiac myocytes (hiPSC-CM) and sympathetic neurons (hiPSC-SN). However, the ability of hiPSC-derived neurocardiac co-culture systems to replicate the human phenotype in disease modelling is still in its infancy. Here, we adapted current methods for efficient and replicable induction of hiPSC-CM and hiPSC-SN. Expression of cell-type-specific proteins were confirmed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence staining. The utility of healthy hiPSC-CM was tested with pressor agents to develop a model of cardiac hypertrophy. Treatment with angiotensin II (AngII) resulted in: (i) cell and nuclear enlargement, (ii) enhanced fetal gene expression, and (iii) FRET-activated cAMP responses to adrenergic stimulation. AngII or KCl increased intracellular calcium transients in hiPSC-SN. Immunostaining in neurocardiac co-cultures demonstrated anatomical innervation to myocytes, where myocyte cytosolic cAMP responses were enhanced by forskolin compared with monocultures. In conclusion, human iPSC-derived cardiac myocytes and sympathetic neurons replicated many features of the anatomy and (patho)physiology of these cells, where co-culture preparations behaved in a manner that mimicked key physiological responses seen in other mammalian systems. This article is part of the theme issue 'The heartbeat: its molecular basis and physiological mechanisms'

Authors: Davis, H; Liu, K; Li, N; Li, D; Paterson, DJ

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• Journal: Frontiers in Synaptic Neuroscience
• Volume: 14
• Pages: 949150-949150
• Article number: 949150
• Publication date: 2022-08-04
• DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2022.949150
• EISSN: 1663-3563
• ISSN: 1663-3563
• Language: English
• Keywords: Neuroscience; Medicine; Myocyte; Cardiology; Internal medicine; Psychology