Epigenomic alterations and neural development anomalies in induced pluripotent stem cells from sporadic Alzheimer's disease

Reprogramming of adult somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) resets the aging clock. However, primed iPSCs can retain cell-of-origin epigenomic marks, especially those linked to heterochromatin. Here, we show that iPSCs produced from fibroblasts of late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) cases retain epigenomic alterations that correlate with developmental anomalies and neurodegeneration. Compared to controls, AD iPSCs show reduced BMI1 expression and H3K9me3 levels and an altered DNA methylome. Gene Ontology analysis of differentially methylated DNA regions reveals terms linked to cell-cell adhesion and synapses, with MEF2C-binding sites being the most enriched at differentially methylated DNA regions. Upon noggin exposure, AD iPSCs show less-efficient neural induction and forebrain specification, together with elevated WNT signaling. Mature AD neurons present a mixed cell lineage identity phenotype and reduced MEF2C expression. AD glial cells express neuronal, cell proliferation, and stem cell-related genes. Despite these anomalies, AD iPSCs generate cortical neurons in normal proportion and readily form cerebral organoids showing AD-related pathologies. These findings implicate reprogramming-resistant epigenomic alterations or genetic variants working in trans on the epigenome in AD pathophysiology.