Neural Cell News Volume 10.34 | Aug 31 2016

TOP STORY

Identification of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Zika Virus Infection and Induced Neural Cell Death via a Drug Repurposing Screen

Scientists performed a drug repurposing screen of ~6,000 compounds that included approved drugs, clinical trial drug candidates and pharmacologically active compounds; they identified compounds that either inhibit Zika virus (ZIKV) infection or suppress infection-induced caspase-3 activity in different neural cells. [Nat Med] Full Article | Press Release | Video

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Cell-Type-Specific Alternative Splicing Governs Cell Fate in the Developing Cerebral Cortex

Reseachers interrogated the functional role of alternative splicing in neural development, they analyzed purified neural progenitor cells and neurons from developing cerebral cortices, revealing hundreds of differentially spliced exons that preferentially alter key protein domains—especially in cytoskeletal proteins—and can harbor disease-causing mutations. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Zika Virus Infects Neural Progenitors in the Adult Mouse Brain and Alters Proliferation

Using 6-week-old mice triply deficient in interferon regulatory factor as a model, investigators showed that blood-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) administration can lead to pronounced evidence of ZIKV infection in these adult neural stem cells, leading to cell death and reduced proliferation. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Grphical Abstract

Origin of the U87MG Glioma Cell Line: Good News and Bad News

Scientists found that the DNA profile of the widely used glioma cell line U87MG is different from that of the original cells and that it is likely to be a bona fide human glioblastoma cell line of unknown origin. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract | Press Release

Principal Cell Activity Induces Spine Relocation of Adult-Born Interneurons in the Olfactory Bulb

The authors revealed a new form of structural remodeling where mature spines of adult-born but not early-born neurons relocate in an activity-dependent manner. Principal cell activity induces directional growth of spine head filopodia followed by spine relocation. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Microglia Contact Induces Synapse Formation in Developing Somatosensory Cortex

Investigator’s data demonstrated microglial-induced spine formation and provided further insights into immune system regulation of neuronal circuit development, with potential implications for developmental disorders of immune and brain dysfunction. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Decrease of a Current Mediated by Kv1.3 Channels Causes Striatal Cholinergic Interneuron Hyperexcitability in Experimental Parkinsonism

Scientists showed that disruption of the Kv1 channel-mediated function causes hyperexcitability of striatal cholinergic interneurons in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Expandable and Rapidly Differentiating Human Induced Neural Stem Cell Lines for Multiple Tissue Engineering Applications

Researchers established stable human induced neural stem cell lines through the direct reprogramming of neonatal fibroblasts and adult adipose-derived stem cells. [Cell Rep] Full Article

Inhibition of Glioblastoma Tumorspheres by Combined Treatment with 2-Deoxyglucose and Metformin

Investigators hypothesized that dual inhibition of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation could effectively suppress glioblastoma tumorspheres. [Neuro Oncol] Abstract

Dynamics of Mechanosensitive Neural Stem Cell Differentiation

Scientists investigated adult neural stem cell fate commitment using an oligonucleotide-crosslinked extracellular matrix platform that for the first time offers dynamic and reversible control of stiffness. [Stem Cells] Abstract

Pre-B-Cell Colony-Enhancing Factor Protects Against Apoptotic Neuronal Death and Mitochondrial Damage in Ischemia

Scientists demonstrated that Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor plays a brain and neuronal protective role in ischemic stroke. They investigated the mechanism of its neuroprotective effect after ischemia in the primary cultured mouse cortical neurons. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Distribution of CGRP and TRPV2 in Human Paranasal Sinuses

Researchers report that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 2 (TRPV2)-containing trigeminal ganglion neurons probably innervate the paranasal sinus mucosae, and project into spinal and principal trigeminal sensory nuclei. [Cells Tissues Organs] Abstract

Disentangling Neural Cell Diversity Using Single-Cell Transcriptomics

The authors provide a conceptual and practical guide to classification of neural cell types using single-cell gene expression profiling technologies. [Nat Neurosci] Full Article

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the neural cell research field.

NSF Announces $55 Million Toward National Research Priorities

The NSF has made 11 awards totaling $55 million aimed at building research capacity to address fundamental questions about the brain and develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems. [National Science Foundation] Press Release

Nature Publishes Results from Pre-Clinical Research and Phase 1b Study of Biogen’s Investigational Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Aducanumab

Results from pre-clinical research and PRIME, the Phase Ib study of Biogen’s investigational treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease, aducanumab, were published in Nature. [Biogen] Press Release

Neurocrine Announces FDA Conditional Acceptance of Proprietary Name INGREZZA™ for VMAT2 Inhibitor Valbenazine

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has conditionally accepted the proprietary name “INGREZZA™” for the Company’s once-daily vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor valbenazine. [Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc] Press Release

How DNA Could Store All the World’s Data

Modern archiving technology cannot keep up with the growing tsunami of bits. But nature may hold an answer to that problem already. [Nature News] Editorial

Stop Ignoring Misconduct

Efforts to reduce irreproducibility in research must also tackle the temptation to cheat, argue Donald S. Kornfeld and Sandra L. Titus. [Nature Comment] Editorial

China Tackles Antimicrobial Resistance

China, the world’s largest consumer of human and animal antibiotics, has pledged to step up research and development into new antimicrobials and to rein in overuse of existing medicines to counter growing global antimicrobial resistance. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW Keystone Symposium: PI3K Pathways in Immunology, Growth Disorders and Cancer
January 19-23, 2017
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Assistant Professor – Neural Circuits (University of Pittsburgh)

NEW Group Leader – Stem Cells and Ageing (The University of Queensland)

Faculty – Developmental Neurobiology (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Postdoctoral Position/Academic Advisor – Neural Engineering (University of Freiburg)

Research Group Leader – Neuroscience (Chica and Heinz Schaller Foundation)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Sensorimotor Neuroscience (Western University)

Postdoctoral Position – Neural Substrates of Taste-Guided Behaviors (University of Illinois)

Faculty Positions – Neural Engineering (University of Pittsburgh)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience (University of California Riverside)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Neuroscience/Stem Cell Biology (State University of New York)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Neuroscience (Max Planck Society)

Faculty Positions – Brain Research (IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at Peking University)

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