Fluorescent hiPSC-derived MYH6-mScarlet cardiomyocytes for real-time tracking, imaging, and cardiotoxicity assays

Reeja Maria Cherian, Chandra Prajapati, Kirsi Penttinen, Martta Häkli, Janne T. Koivisto, Mari Pekkanen-Mattila, Katriina Aalto-Setälä

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
31 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) hold great potential in the cardiovascular field for human disease modeling, drug development, and regenerative medicine. However, multiple hurdles still exist for the effective utilization of hiPSC-CMs as a human-based experimental platform that can be an alternative to the current animal models. To further expand their potential as a research tool and bridge the translational gap, we have generated a cardiac-specific hiPSC reporter line that differentiates into fluorescent CMs using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology. The CMs illuminated with the mScarlet fluorescence enable their non-invasive continuous tracking and functional cellular phenotyping, offering a real-time 2D/3D imaging platform. Utilizing the reporter CMs, we developed an imaging-based cardiotoxicity screening system that can monitor distinct drug-induced structural toxicity and CM viability in real time. The reporter fluorescence enabled visualization of sarcomeric disarray and displayed a drug dose-dependent decrease in its fluorescence. The study also has demonstrated the reporter CMs as a biomaterial cytocompatibility analysis tool that can monitor dynamic cell behavior and maturity of hiPSC-CMs cultured in various biomaterial scaffolds. This versatile cardiac imaging tool that enables real time tracking and high-resolution imaging of CMs has significant potential in disease modeling, drug screening, and toxicology testing.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)145–163
Number of pages19
JournalCELL BIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY
Volume39
Issue number1
Early online date2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023
Publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Publication forum classification

  • Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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