HDAC and PI3K Antagonists Cooperate to Inhibit Growth of MYC-Driven Medulloblastoma Scientists used an animal model of MYC-driven medulloblastoma to screen for drugs that decrease viability of tumor cells. Among the most effective compounds were histone deacetylase inhibitors. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release The TLX-miR-219 Cascade Regulates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation in Neurodevelopment and Schizophrenia iPSC Model Researchers showed that the nuclear receptor TLX, an essential regulator of neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and self-renewal, inhibits miR-219 processing. miR-219 suppresses mouse NSC proliferation downstream of TLX. [Nat Commun] Abstract Promotion of Mitochondrial Biogenesis by Necdin Protects Neurons against Mitochondrial Insults Scientists identified necdin as a potent PGC-1α stabilizer that promotes mitochondrial biogenesis via PGC-1α in mammalian neurons. Expression of genes encoding mitochondria-specific proteins decreases significantly in necdin-null cortical neurons, where mitochondrial function and expression of the PGC-1α protein are reduced. [Nat Commun] Full Article Pharmacological Bypass of Cockayne Syndrome B Function in Neuronal Differentiation Mutation of Cockayne syndrome B affects neuronal gene expression and differentiation, so scientists attempted to bypass its function by expressing downstream target genes. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release α-Tubulin Tyrosination and CLIP-170 Phosphorylation Regulate the Initiation of Dynein-Driven Transport in Neurons The authors used in vitro reconstitution assays with single-molecule resolution, live-cell transport assays in primary neurons, computational image analysis, and computer simulations to investigate the factors regulating retrograde transport initiation in the distal axon. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract Guiding Migration of Transplanted Glial Progenitor Cells in the Injured Spinal Cord Scientists explored the possibility of producing a migratory stream of glial-restricted progenitors via directional cues to create a supportive pathway for axon regeneration. [Sci Rep] Full Article P2Y4 Nucleotide Receptor in Neuronal Precursors Induces Glutamatergic Subtype Markers in Their Descendant Neurons Investigators found that the expression of the nucleotide receptor P2Y4 was transiently augmented in the course of neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells, which was after loss of pluripotency but prior to terminal differentiation of neurons. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract Enrichment of Oligodendrocyte Progenitors from Differentiated Neural Precursors by Clonal Sphere Preparations To make clonal neurospheres from human embryonic stem cell (ESC)/induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) colonies, scientists found that a monolayer differentiation phase helps to increase the numbers of neural precursor cells. They compared a direct isolation of neural stem cells from human ESC/iPSCs colonies with monolayer neural differentiation, followed by clonal neural stem cell sphere preparations. [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract Pretreatment of Mouse Neural Stem Cells with Carbon Monoxide-Releasing Molecule-2 Interferes with NF-κB p65 Signaling and Suppresses Iron Overload-Induced Apoptosis Researchers showed that iron overload induced apoptosis of C17.2 cells, a cell line originally cloned from mouse neural stem cells and immortalized by v-myc. Pretreatment with carbon monoxide-releasing molecule-2 markedly protected C17.2 cells against iron overload in a dose-dependent manner. [Cell Mol Neurobiol] Abstract |