Vascular defects associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia revealed in patient-derived isogenic iPSCs in 3D vessels on chip

Orlova, V.V.; Nahon, D.M.; Cochrane, A.; Cao, X.; Freund, C.; Hil, F. van den; Westermann, C.J.J.; Snijder, R.J.; Amstel, J.K.P. van; Dijke, P. ten; Lebrin, F.; Mager, H.J.; Mummery, C.L.

doi:doi:10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.05.022

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disease characterized by weak blood vessels. HHT1 is caused by mutations in the ENDOGLIN (ENG) gene. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a patient with rare mosaic HHT1 with tissues containing both mutant (ENG(c.)(1678C>)(T)) and normal cells, enabling derivation of isogenic diseased and healthy hiPSCs, respectively. We showed reduced ENG expression in HHT1 endothelial cells (HHT1-hiPSC-ECs), reflecting haploinsufficiency. HHT1(c.)(1678C)(>T)-hiPSC-ECs and the healthy isogenic control behaved similarly in two-dimensional (2D) culture, forming functionally indistinguishable vascular networks. However, when grown in 3D organ-on-chip devices under microfluidic flow, lumenized vessels formed in which defective vascular organization was evident: interaction between inner ECs and surrounding pericytes was decreased, and there was evidence for vascular leakage. Organs on chip thus revealed features of HHT...Show moreHereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disease characterized by weak blood vessels. HHT1 is caused by mutations in the ENDOGLIN (ENG) gene. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a patient with rare mosaic HHT1 with tissues containing both mutant (ENG(c.)(1678C>)(T)) and normal cells, enabling derivation of isogenic diseased and healthy hiPSCs, respectively. We showed reduced ENG expression in HHT1 endothelial cells (HHT1-hiPSC-ECs), reflecting haploinsufficiency. HHT1(c.)(1678C)(>T)-hiPSC-ECs and the healthy isogenic control behaved similarly in two-dimensional (2D) culture, forming functionally indistinguishable vascular networks. However, when grown in 3D organ-on-chip devices under microfluidic flow, lumenized vessels formed in which defective vascular organization was evident: interaction between inner ECs and surrounding pericytes was decreased, and there was evidence for vascular leakage. Organs on chip thus revealed features of HHT in hiPSC-derived blood vessels that were not evident in conventional 2D assays.Show less

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Vascular defects associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia revealed in patient-derived isogenic iPSCs in 3D vessels on chip