Global gene expression analysis of human iPSC-derived Retinal Pigmented Epithelial (RPE) cells from LCA patients and unaffected persons

Our purpose was to investigate genes and molecular mechanisms involved in patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Fibroblasts from two unrelated clinically-identified patients (Coriell) were reprogrammed to pluripotency by retroviral transduction. These human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs) were differentiated into neural stem cells (NSC) that mimicked the neural tube stage and retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells that could be targeted by the disease. A genome wide transcriptome analysis was performed with Affymetrix Exon Array GeneChip®, comparing LCA-hiPSCs derivatives to controls. The aim was to identify differentially expressed genes which may be associated with early developmental defect before the establishment of mature retinal circuitry. We analyzed iPSC-derived retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells from LCA patient's fibroblast (n=2) and iPSC-derivedretinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells from healthy people fibroblast (n=2). A total of 13 samples were analyzed : 9 RPE cells derived from iPSC LCA and 4 RPE cells derived from wild-type iPSC.