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The aim of the study was to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients with various forms of Parkinson's disease (PD), and to create on this basis a platform for studying the pathogenesis of the disease at the molecular and cellular level with the development of a protocol of the stem cell differentiation.Materials and Methods. iPSCs were derived from cultured skin fibroblasts, taken from five patients with various forms of PD (PARK8, PARK2, GBA-associated and sporadic forms), and reprogrammed with the help of lentiviral vectors and on the basis of Sendai virus. The obtained iPSCs clones were cultured to the stage of embryonic bodies and, after spontaneous differentiation, stained immunocytochemically. Gene expression and neural markers in these iPSCs lines were analysed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.Results. The obtained iPSCs clones had a normal 46 XY karyotype, stained specifically with Oct4, Nanog, TRA-1-81 and SSEA-4 antibodies, and expressed marker genes responsible for maintaining the pluripotent condition. In the cultures of differentiated iPSCs, cells positively stained for the markers of the three primary germ layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) have been revealed. An effective protocol of iPSCs differentiation into dopaminergic neurons has been worked out, and confirmed by the expression of the specific markertyrosine hydroxylase enzyme.Conclusion. On the basis of explicitly characterized iPSCs from patients with various forms of PD and the developed cellular protocol, a platform for studying the pathogenesis of PD at the molecular and cellular level has been created. Obtaining cell population enriched with dopaminergic neurons opens a perspective for their application for personalized cell replacement PD therapy.

Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have the potential to give rise to a new era in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. As a unique source of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons, iPS cells provide unparalleled capabilities for investigating the pathogenesis of PD, the development of novel anti-parkinsonian drugs, and personalized therapy design. Significant progress in developmental biology of midbrain DA neurons laid the foundation for their efficient derivation from iPS cells. The introduction of 3D culture methods to mimic the brain microenvironment further expanded the vast opportunities of iPS cell-based research of the neurodegenerative diseases. However, while the benefits for basic and applied studies provided by iPS cells receive widespread coverage in the current literature, the drawbacks of this model in its current state, and in particular, the aspects of differentiation protocols requiring further refinement are commonly overlooked. This review summarizes the recent data on general and subtype-specific features of midbrain DA neurons and their development. Here, we review the current protocols for derivation of DA neurons from human iPS cells and outline their general weak spots. The associated gaps in the contemporary knowledge are considered and the possible directions for future research that may assist in improving the differentiation conditions and increase the efficiency of using iPS cell-derived neurons for PD drug development are discussed.

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Neuroprotective properties of endocannabinoids N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA) and N-docosahexaenoyl dopamine (DHDA) were examined in neuronal precursor cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells and subjected to oxidative stress. Both compounds exerted neuroprotective activity, which was enhanced by elevating the concentration of the endocannabinoids within the 0.1-10 µM range. However, both agents at 10 µM concentration showed a marked toxic effect resulting in death of ~30% of the cells. Finally, antagonists of cannabinoid receptors as well as the receptor of the TRPV1 endovanilloid system did not hamper the neuroprotective effects of these endocannabinoids.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. In most cases, the development of the disease is sporadic and is not associated with any currently known mutations associated with PD. It is believed that changes associated with the epigenetic regulation of gene expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis of this disease. The study of individuals with an almost identical genetic background, such as monozygotic twins, is one of the best approaches to the analysis of such changes. A whole-transcriptome analysis of dermal fibroblasts obtained from three pairs of monozygotic twins discordant for PD was carried out in this work. Twenty-nine differentially expressed genes were identified in the three pairs of twins. These genes were included in seven processes within two clusters, according to the results of an enrichment analysis. The cluster with the greatest statistical significance included processes associated with the regulation of the differentiation of fat cells, the action potential, and the regulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission. The most significant genes, which occupied a central position in this cluster, were PTGS2, SCN9A, and GRIK2. These genes can be considered as potential candidate genes for PD.

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This review considers different methods for obtaining induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and their use in biochemical and biomedical research. Some viral and nonviral methods for obtaining iPS cells are described. Basic factors involved in reprogramming are considered. It is also demonstrated that the most suitable source of iPS cells are skin fibroblasts. Properties of iPS cells and embryonic stem cells are compared, and some advantages of iPS cells for biological and biomedical investigations are emphasized. The possibilities for application of iPS cells in the development of cell models of some neurodegenerative diseases, drug screening, and cell therapy are also considered.