Published online Jun 26, 2015. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v7.i5.823
Peer-review started: December 6, 2014
First decision: February 7, 2015
Revised: March 5, 2015
Accepted: April 1, 2015
Article in press: April 7, 2015
Published online: June 26, 2015
Processing time: 206 Days and 10.5 Hours
Pathogenic mutations involving DNA repeat expansions are responsible for over 20 different neuronal and neuromuscular diseases. All result from expanded tracts of repetitive DNA sequences (mostly microsatellites) that become unstable beyond a critical length when transmitted across generations. Nearly all are inherited as autosomal dominant conditions and are typically associated with anticipation. Pathologic unstable repeat expansions can be classified according to their length, repeat sequence, gene location and underlying pathologic mechanisms. This review summarizes the current contribution of mutant pluripotent stem cells (diseased human embryonic stem cells and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells) to the research of unstable repeat pathologies by focusing on particularly large unstable noncoding expansions. Among this class of disorders are Fragile X syndrome and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and myotonic dystrophy type 2, Friedreich ataxia and C9 related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and/or frontotemporal dementia, Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and potentially more. Common features that are typical to this subclass of conditions are RNA toxic gain-of-function, epigenetic loss-of-function, toxic repeat-associated non-ATG translation and somatic instability. For each mechanism we summarize the currently available stem cell based models, highlight how they contributed to better understanding of the related mechanism, and discuss how they may be utilized in future investigations.
Core tip: This review summarizes the current contribution of mutant pluripotent stem cells (diseased HESCs and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells) to the research of unstable repeat pathologies by focusing on particularly large unstable noncoding expansions. It demonstrates their importance as an unlimited cell source for generating rarely available impaired cells in culture, and as a model system for exploring the mechanisms that are involved with this class of mutations. For each mechanism we describe the currently available stem cell based models, highlight how they contributed to better understanding of the related mechanism, and discuss how they may be utilized in future investigations.