
Glioblastoma (GBM) integrates extensively into brain-wide neuronal circuits; however, neuron-tumor interactions have largely been studied with glutamatergic neurons in animal models. The role of neuromodulatory circuits for GBM biology in all-human cell systems remains unclear. Here, we report a co-culture system employing patient-derived GBM organoids and human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cholinergic neurons. We provided evidence of structural human cholinergic synaptic inputs onto GBM cells via trans-monosynaptic tracing and electron microscopy and functional synaptic interactions through the metabotropic CHRM3 receptor via calcium imaging. Deep single-cell RNA sequencing of co-cultures compared to GBM monocultures further revealed shifts in tumor transcriptional profiles toward a more proliferative state, with contributions from both diffusible factors and direct contacts, the latter of which are dependent on cholesterol biosynthesis. Together, our findings support the role of cholinergic inputs in promoting GBM progression and highlight hiPSC-derived co-culture models as a useful platform for cancer neuroscience.
Report, Humans; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/cytology; Coculture Techniques/methods; Glioblastoma/pathology; Glioblastoma/metabolism; Glioblastoma/genetics; Cholinergic Neurons/metabolism; Cholinergic Neurons/pathology; Synapses/metabolism; Organoids/metabolism; Organoids/pathology; Brain Neoplasms/pathology; Brain Neoplasms/metabolism; Receptor, Muscarinic M3/metabolism; cancer neuroscience; cholinergic neurons; glioblastoma; glioma; human iPSC; neuron-to-glioma synapse; single-cell; synapse; tumor organoids
Report, Humans; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/cytology; Coculture Techniques/methods; Glioblastoma/pathology; Glioblastoma/metabolism; Glioblastoma/genetics; Cholinergic Neurons/metabolism; Cholinergic Neurons/pathology; Synapses/metabolism; Organoids/metabolism; Organoids/pathology; Brain Neoplasms/pathology; Brain Neoplasms/metabolism; Receptor, Muscarinic M3/metabolism; cancer neuroscience; cholinergic neurons; glioblastoma; glioma; human iPSC; neuron-to-glioma synapse; single-cell; synapse; tumor organoids
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 2 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
