Massive iron accumulation in PKAN-derived neurons and astrocytes: light on the human pathological phenotype

Neurodegeneration associated with defective pantothenate kinase-2 (PKAN) is an early-onset monogenic autosomal-recessive disorder. The hallmark of the disease is the massive accumulation of iron in the globus pallidus brain region of patients. PKAN is caused by mutations in the PANK2 gene encoding the mitochondrial enzyme pantothenate kinase-2, whose function is to catalyze the first reaction of the CoA biosynthetic pathway. To date, the way in which this alteration leads to brain iron accumulation has not been elucidated. Starting from previously obtained hiPS clones, we set up a differentiation protocol able to generate inhibitory neurons. We obtained striatal-like medium spiny neurons composed of approximately 70–80% GABAergic neurons and 10–20% glial cells. Within this mixed population, we detected iron deposition in both PKAN cell types, however, the viability of PKAN GABAergic neurons was strongly affected. CoA treatment was able to reduce cell death and, notably, iron overload. Further differentiation of hiPS clones in a pure population of astrocytes showed particularly evident iron accumulation, with approximately 50% of cells positive for Perls staining. The analysis of these PKAN astrocytes indicated alterations in iron metabolism, mitochondrial morphology, respiratory activity, and oxidative status. Moreover, PKAN astrocytes showed signs of ferroptosis and were prone to developing a stellate phenotype, thus gaining neurotoxic features. This characteristic was confirmed in iPS-derived astrocyte and glutamatergic neuron cocultures, in which PKAN glutamatergic neurons were less viable in the presence of PKAN astrocytes. This newly generated astrocyte model is the first in vitro disease model recapitulating the human phenotype and can be exploited to deeply clarify the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the disease.