A Screen Using iPSC-Derived Hepatocytes Reveals NAD+ as a Potential Treatment for mtDNA Depletion Syndrome
Ran Jing,
James L. Corbett,
Jun Cai,
Gyda C. Beeson,
Craig C. Beeson,
Sherine S. Chan,
David P. Dimmock,
Lynn Lazcares,
Aron M. Geurts,
John J. Lemasters,
Stephen A. Duncan
Affiliations
Ran Jing
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
James L. Corbett
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Jun Cai
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Gyda C. Beeson
Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Craig C. Beeson
Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Sherine S. Chan
Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
David P. Dimmock
Human Molecular Genetics Center and Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, 3020 Children’s Way, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
Lynn Lazcares
Division of Pediatric Pathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
Aron M. Geurts
Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
John J. Lemasters
Center for Cell Death, Injury and Regeneration, Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
Stephen A. Duncan
Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: Patients with mtDNA depletion syndrome 3 (MTDPS3) often die as children from liver failure caused by severe reduction in mtDNA content. The identification of treatments has been impeded by an inability to culture and manipulate MTDPS3 primary hepatocytes. Here we generated DGUOK-deficient hepatocyte-like cells using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and used them to identify drugs that could improve mitochondrial ATP production and mitochondrial function. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) was found to improve mitochondrial function in DGUOK-deficient hepatocyte-like cells by activating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α). NAD treatment also improved ATP production in MTDPS3-null rats and in hepatocyte-like cells that were deficient in ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase subunit M2B (RRM2B), suggesting that it could be broadly effective. Our studies reveal that DGUOK-deficient iPSC-derived hepatocytes recapitulate the pathophysiology of MTDPS3 in culture and can be used to identify therapeutics for mtDNA depletion syndromes. : Jing et al. show that a drug screen using iPSC-derived hepatocytes that harbor a mutation in the DGUOK gene leads to the identification of potential treatments for mtDNA depletion syndromes. NAD, a bioactive form of niacin, increases ATP production and mitochondrial function in DGUOK-deficient hepatocytes and rats. Keywords: liver disease, iPSC-derived hepatocytes, inborn errors in hepatic metabolism, drug screen, mitochondrial disease
