Evaluation of Sensory Neuron Functionality in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Modeling with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC)

• Grant number: 24/22246-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Patricia Cristina Baleeiro Beltrão Braga
• Grantee: Nathalia Carrijo Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, with its etiology involving both genetic and environmental risk factors. Patients exhibit impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as repetitive behavior patterns, and often display hyper- or hyposensitivity to sensory stimuli. Perceptual function alterations in autistic individuals affect major sensory modalities, leading to social and emotional impairments and impacting their quality of life. Given that the nervous system is the primary system affected, investigating the mechanisms involved in ASD must include cellular types inherent to this tissue. Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based cellular models have proven to be powerful tools for studying ASD, as they not only retain the genetic information of individuals but also allow the production of various target cell types affected by this condition. Despite sensory symptoms being highly characteristic of ASD, there are no studies exploring the mechanisms behind these symptoms. Recently, our group successfully established a protocol to produce neural crest progenitor cells and peripheral sensory neurons from iPSCs derived from exfoliated human deciduous teeth. In this project, we will use this protocol to generate PNS cells from individuals with ASD and investigate their morphological, molecular, and functional characteristics to identify the causes of hyper- or hyposensitivity. We hope this study will open new opportunities for therapeutic interventions, improving the quality of life for autistic individuals. (AU)