Optimizing NGN2 Dosage Enhances the Neuronal Enrichment of iPSC-Derived Neuronal Cultures

Proteomic analysis of highly neuron-enriched iPSC-derived cultures can provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of neurological disease by minimizing confounding signals from non-neuronal populations. However, single-cell iPSC clones with stable NGN2 integration at the AAVS1 locus exhibit spontaneous loss of the mCherry reporter. In addition, following NGN2 induction, cultures frequently contain proliferative progenitor cells that compromise neuronal physical integrity. Here, we show that increased DNA methylation of the EF1-α promoter is associated with mCherry silencing. Importantly, reporter silencing does not affect iNeuron derivation, as evidenced by two lines of evidence. First, single-cell proteomic analysis indicated that mCherry silencing does not drive detectable proteomic divergence in undifferentiated iPSCs. Second, bulk proteomics and immunofluorescence analyses indicated that iPSC-derived neuronal cultures, whether expressing or lacking mCherry, resemble cortical glutamatergic neurons. Instead, the primary confounding factor in iNeuron generation was suboptimal neuronal conversion, which led to cell aggregates comprised of actively proliferating progenitor cells and astrocytes as the culture developed. We found that a 4-day period of NGN2 induction substantially increases neuronal maturation and the expression of neuronal-specific markers. Moreover, transient inhibition of Notch signaling is consistent with a reduction in progenitor cells. Finally, we observed that monoallelic NGN2 integration, rather than biallelic integration, preferentially increases expression of the CNS neuronal marker GPM6A over PNS markers (PRPH, POU4F1, ILS1).