Neural Cell News Volume 10.39 | Oct 05 2016

TOP STORY

Chd8 Mediates Cortical Neurogenesis via Transcriptional Regulation of Cell Cycle and Wnt Signaling

The authors reported that Chd8 knockdown during cortical development results in defective neural progenitor proliferation and differentiation that ultimately manifests in abnormal neuronal morphology and behaviors in adult mice. [Nat Neurosci] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Reallocation of Olfactory Cajal-Retzius Cells Shapes Neocortex Architecture

Researchers investigated how early born Cajal-Retzius (CR) neurons, which regulate the assembly of cortical circuits, maintain a dense superficial distribution in the growing neocortex. They found that CR cell density is sustained by an activity-dependent importation of olfactory CR cells, which migrate into the neocortex after they have acted as axonal guidepost cells in the olfactory system. [Neuron] Abstract

Predicting the Functional States of Human iPSC-Derived Neurons with Single-Cell RNA-Seq and Electrophysiology

By combining patch clamping, morphological and transcriptome analysis on single-human neurons in vitro, investigators defined a continuum of poor to highly functional electrophysiological states of differentiated neurons. [Mol Psychiatry] Abstract

Zika Virus Infection Induces Cranial Neural Crest Cells to Produce Cytokines at Levels Detrimental for Neurogenesis

The authors reported that cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs) are productively infected by Zika virus (ZIKV), but not by the related dengue virus. ZIKV-infected CNCCs undergo limited apoptosis but secrete cytokines that promote death and drive aberrant differentiation of neural progenitor cultures. [Cell Host Microbe] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

Prokineticin-2 Upregulation during Neuronal Injury Mediates a Compensatory Protective Response against Dopaminergic Neuronal Degeneration

Scientists demonstrated that prokineticin-2 (PK2) expression is highly induced in nigral dopaminergic neurons during early stages of degeneration in multiple models of Parkinson’s disease, including PK2 reporter mice and MitoPark mice. [Nat Commun] Full Article | Press Release

A Regulatory Circuit of miR-125b/miR-20b and Wnt Signaling Controls Glioblastoma Phenotypes through FZD6-Modulated Pathways

Researchers reported that canonical Wnt signaling that is active in proneural but inactive in mesenchymal (MES) glioblastoma comprise a regulatory circuit involving TCF4-miR-125b/miR-20b-FZD6. FZD6 acts as a negative regulator of this circuit by activating CaMKII–TAK1–NLK signaling, which, in turn, attenuates Wnt pathway activity while promoting STAT3 and NF-κB signaling that are important regulators of the MES-associated phenotype. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Inhibiting Poly(ADP-Ribosylation) Improves Axon Regeneration

Scientists identified novel intrinsic regulators of axon regeneration: poly(ADP-ribose) glycohodrolases (PARGs) and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases. PARGs, which remove poly(ADP-ribose) from proteins, act in injured C. elegans GABA motor neurons to enhance axon regeneration. [elife] Full Article

MyT1 Counteracts the Neural Progenitor Program to Promote Vertebrate Neurogenesis

Scientists showed that Ascl1 induces the transcription factor MyT1 while promoting neuronal differentiation. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Loss of Dendritic Complexity Precedes Neurodegeneration in a Mouse Model with Disrupted Mitochondrial Distribution in Mature Dendrites

The authors used mouse knockout strategies to demonstrate that Miro1, as opposed to Miro2, is the primary regulator of mitochondrial transport in both axons and dendrites. Miro1 deletion leads to depletion of mitochondria from distal dendrites but not axons, accompanied by a marked reduction in dendritic complexity. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

The Stage-Dependent Roles of Ldb1 and Functional Redundancy with Ldb2 in Mammalian Retinogenesis

Investigators analyzed the function of Ldb1 and Ldb2 in mouse retinal development, and demonstrated overlapping and specific functions of both genes. They showed that Ldb1 interacts with Lhx2 in the embryonic retina and that both Ldb1 and Ldb2 play a key role in maintaining the pool of retinal progenitor cells. [Development] Abstract

Increased Nicotine Response in iPSC-Derived Human Neurons Carrying the CHRNA5 N398 Allele

To understand the impact of these nicotinic receptor variants in humans, investigators differentiated these iPSCs to dopamine (DA) or glutamatergic neurons and then tested their functional properties and response to nicotine. Their results showed that N398 variant human DA neurons differentially express genes associated with ligand receptor interaction and synaptic function. [Sci Rep] Full Article

An Immuno-Wall Microdevice Exhibits Rapid and Sensitive Detection of IDH1-R132H Mutation Specific to Grade II and III Gliomas

Researchers established a highly sensitive antibody-based device, referred to as the immuno-wall, to detect the IDH1-R132H mutation in gliomas. [Sci Technol Adv Mater] Full Article | Press Release

Function of the SIRT3 Mitochondrial Deacetylase in Cellular Physiology, Cancer, and Neurodegenerative Disease

The authors provide a comprehensive review on numerous molecular functions of SIRT3 and its effect on cancer cells and various diseases including Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease. [Aging Cell] Full Article

Determination of the Connectivity of Newborn Neurons in Mammalian Olfactory Circuits

The authors discuss how the olfactory system has provided a useful model circuit to reveal the factors regulating assembly of the highly structured connectivity in mammals. [Cell Mol Life Sci] Abstract

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

Dr. Allen Eaves of STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Named EY Entrepreneur of the Year™ Pacific 2016

Dr. Allen Eaves, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of STEMCELL Technologies, a global biotechnology company that supplies tools and services to enable life science research, is this year’s Entrepreneur Of The Year Pacific winner. [STEMCELL Technologies (Ernst & Young)] Press Release

AiVita Biomedical Awarded NIH R01 Grant for Development of 3D-Transplantable ‘Retinas’

AiVita Biomedical announced that the National Eye Institute of the National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded the company a Research Project Grant for the development of stem cell-derived 3D-transplantable retinas to treat vision loss. AiVita CEO Dr. Hans S. Keirstead will serve as principal investigator on the project, to be conducted in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine. [AiVita Biomedical] Press Release

Wake Forest Baptist Gets Federal Grant for Alzheimer’s Research Center

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center a grant worth an estimated $8.7 million over five years for the establishment of a new center for research into Alzheimer’s disease. [Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center] Press Release

L’Oréal USA Announces the 2016 for Women in Science Fellows

L’Oréal USA announced the five recipients of the 2016 For Women in Science Fellowship, which awards $60,000 grants to exemplary female scientists to advance their postdoctoral research. Over the last 13 years, L’Oréal USA’s For Women in Science fellowship program has awarded 65 postdoctoral women scientists over $3 million in grants at this critical stage of their career. From neurology to astrophysics, the five 2016 fellows are being honored for their ground breaking research across a broad range of fields. [L’Oréal USA] Press Release

New Clinical Trial Will Test Cancer Drug as Alzheimer’s Treatment

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation announced a $2.1 million grant awarded to R. Scott Turner, MD, PhD, of Georgetown University Medical Center to conduct a Phase II clinical trial of low-dose nilotinib in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. [Georgetown University Medical Center] Press Release

Dramatic Twists Could Upend Patent Battle over CRISPR Genome-Editing Method

The 9-month-old patent battle over CRISPR, a novel genome-editing tool that could have immense commercial value, has taken two surprising twists. Last week, attorneys for the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the research organizations vying for CRISPR rights, submitted motions that could let it win even if it loses. [Science Insider] Editorial

Democratic Databases: Science on GitHub

Scientists are turning to a software–development site to share data and code. [Nature Toolbox] Editorial

Biologists Plan Scoring System for Antibodies

Biomedical experts plan to create a scoring system that will help researchers choose reliable antibodies for their experiments. The only problems: figuring out how such a ranking would work — and getting manufacturers to adopt the standard. [Nature News] Editorial

UK Bioethicists Eye Designer Babies and CRISPR Cows

From designer babies to engineered mosquitoes, advances in genome-editing technologies such as CRISPR–Cas9 have raised the possibility of tremendous scientific advances — and serious ethical concerns. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 28^th European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) SYMPOSIUM
November 29-December 2, 2016
Munich, Germany

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NEW Systems Neuroscientist (University of Rochester)

PhD – Neural Circuits (The International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – In Vitro Assays and Image Analysis (University of Oxford)

International PhD Studentships (Medical Research Council)

Assistant Professor (Tenure) – Developmental Biology (Florida State University)

Assistant Professor – Neural Circuits (University of Pittsburgh)

Group Leader – Stem Cells and Aging (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)

Faculty Positions – Neural Engineering (University of Pittsburgh)

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