On the utilization of the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model to study substance use disorders: A scoping review protocol

Abstract

Introduction Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cells derived from somatic cells via reprogramming techniques. The iPSC approach has been increasingly used in neuropsychiatric research in the last decade. Though substance use disorders (SUDs) are a commonly occurring psychiatric disorder, the application of iPSC model in addiction research has been limited. No comprehensive review has been reported. We conducted a scoping review to collate existing evidence on the iPSC technologies applied to SUD research. We aim to identify current knowledge gaps and limitations in order to advance the use of iPSCs in the SUD field. Methods and analysis We employed a scoping review using the methodological framework first created by Arksey and O’Malley and further updated by Levac et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). We adopted the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Protocols (PRISMA-P) to report items for the protocol. We searched evidence from four electronic databases: PubMed®, Embase®, Web of Science™, and Scopus®. Primary research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were included and limited to studies published in English, at the time from 2007 to March 2022. This is an “ongoing” scoping review. Searched studies will be independently screened, selected, and extracted by two reviewers. Disagreement will be solved by the third reviewer and discussion. Extracted data will be analyzed in descriptive and quantitative approaches, then summarized and presented in appropriate formats. Results will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline and disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations. Conclusion To our best knowledge, this is the first comprehensive scoping review of iPSC methods specifically applied to a broad range of addictive drugs/substances that lead to SUDs or misuse behavior. Registration This protocol is registered on Zenodo repository (https://zenodo.org/) with doi:10.5281/zenodo.7915252.

Investigating the neurobiology of maternal opioid use disorder and prenatal opioid exposure using brain organoid technology

“…Considering these outstanding challenges, the usage of iPSC-derived brain organoids and spheroids to model OUD and POE seems to be in its proverbial infancy ( McNeill et al, 2020 ; Niemis et al, 2023 ). Moving forward, it will be necessary to expand research beyond just using 3D cultures as platforms for opioid screening and testing, as has been the status quo.…”

“…Despite the heightened prevalence and severity of OUD relative to other neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders, research using brain organoid cultures to model and study this condition has been surprisingly sparse ( McNeill et al, 2020 ; Niemis et al, 2023 ). Nevertheless, several advances have been made in recent years with regard to recapitulating and exploring the cellular and molecular neurobiology of OUD in vitro .…”