Neural Cell News Volume 10.41 | Oct 19 2016

TOP STORY

Recurrent MET Fusion Genes Represent a Drug Target in Pediatric Glioblastoma

Scientists identified previously unidentified gene fusions involving the MET oncogene in ~10% of cases. These MET fusions activated mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and, in cooperation with lesions compromising cell cycle regulation, induced aggressive glial tumors in vivo. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release

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An LXR-Cholesterol Axis Creates a Metabolic Co-Dependency for Brain Cancers

Researchers demonstrated that the highly lethal brain cancer glioblastoma (GBM) is remarkably dependent on cholesterol for survival, rendering these tumors sensitive to Liver X receptor (LXR) agonist-dependent cell death. They showed that LXR-623, a clinically viable, highly brain-penetrant LXRα-partial/LXRβ-full agonist selectively kills GBM cells in an LXRβ- and cholesterol-dependent fashion, causing tumor regression and prolonged survival in mouse models. [Cancer Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

eEF2K Inhibition Blocks aβ42 Neurotoxicity by Promoting an NRF2 Antioxidant Response

Researchers showed that eEF2K activity is increased in postmortem Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patient cortex and hippocampus, and in the hippocampus of aged transgenic AD mice. Furthermore, eEF2K inhibition using pharmacological or genetic approaches prevented the toxic effects of Aβ42 oligomers on neuronal viability and dendrite formation in vitro. They also reported that eEF2K inhibition promotes the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (NRF2) antioxidant response in neuronal cells. [Acta Neuropathol] Abstract

Orphan GPR110 (ADGRF1) Targeted by N-docosahexaenoylethanolamine in Development of Neurons and Cognitive Function

Scientists demonstrated orphan G-protein coupled receptor 110 (GPR110, ADGRF1) as the synaptamide receptor, mediating synaptamide-induced bioactivity in a cAMP-dependent manner. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Purification of Functional Human ES and iPSC-Derived Midbrain Dopaminergic Progenitors Using LRTM1

The authors employ a double selection strategy for cells expressing both CORIN and LMX1A::GFP, and report a cell surface marker to enrich midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) progenitors, LRTM1. When transplanted into 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived LRTM1⁺ cells survive and differentiate into mDA neurons in vivo, resulting in a significant improvement in motor behaviour without tumor formation. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Autophagy-Mediated Catabolism of Visual Transduction Proteins Prevents Retinal Degeneration

Scientists tested the hypothesis that autophagic degradation of visual transduction proteins prevents retinal degeneration. [Autophagy] Abstract

Tetraspanin CD9 Stabilizes gp130 by Preventing Its Ubiquitin-Dependent Lysosomal Degradation to Promote STAT3 Activation in Glioma Stem Cells

The authors uncovered a critical regulatory mechanism mediated by tetraspanin CD9 to maintain the stem cell-like property and tumorigenic potential of glioma stem cells. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract

A Glo1-Methylglyoxal Pathway That Is Perturbed in Maternal Diabetes Regulates Embryonic and Adult Neural Stem Cell Pools in Murine Offspring

Maternal diabetes is known to adversely influence brain development in offspring. The authors provide evidence that this involves the circulating metabolite methylglyoxal, which is increased in diabetes, and its detoxifying enzyme, glyoxalase 1, which when mutated is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

IL4/STAT6 Signaling Activates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Neurogenesis upon Amyloid-β42 Aggregation in Adult Zebrafish Brain

To investigate the molecular programs potentially mediating neurodegeneration-induced NSPC plasticity in regenerating organisms, scientists generated an Amyloid-β42-dependent neurotoxic model in adult zebrafish brain through cerebroventricular microinjection of cell-penetrating Aβ42 derivatives. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

MicroRNA-127 Targeting of MitoNEET Inhibits Neurite Outgrowth, Induces Cell Apoptosis and Contributes to Physiological Dysfunction after Spinal Cord Transection

Investigators revealed that miR-127-3p, which targets mitoNEET, plays a vital role in regulating neurite outgrowth and neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord injury. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Efficiently Specified Ventral Midbrain Dopamine Neurons From Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Under Xeno-Free Conditions Restore Motor Deficits in Parkinsonian Rodents

Scientists describe the first fully defined feeder- and xenogeneic-free protocol for the generation of ventral midbrain dopamine neurons from human pluripotent stem cell and utilize two novel reporter knock-in lines for in-depth in vitro and in vivo tracking. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Delivery of Neural Stem Cells into the Basal Ganglia of Nonhuman Primates Reveals a Pulsatile Mode of Cell Dispersion

Researchers developed a minimally invasive interventional MRI approach for intraoperatively imaging neural stem cell (NSC) delivery procedures. They used NSCs prelabeled with a contrast agent and real-time magnetic resonance imaging to guide the injection cannula to the target and to track the delivery of the cells into the putamen of baboons. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract | Full Article | Press Release

Function of Neural Stem Cells in Ischemic Brain Repair Processes

This article will review the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control and coordinate neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in perinatal hypoxic/ischemic injury and the adult ischemic brain with a focus on the ventricular–subventricular zone neurogenic niche and discuss potential applications to facilitate endogenous neurogenesis and thereby to improve neurological function post perinatal hypoxic/ischemic injury and stroke. [J Cereb Blood Flow Metab] Abstract

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

NIH Nearly Doubles Investment in BRAIN Initiative Research

The National Institutes of Health announced its third round of grants to support the goals of the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, bringing NIH’s total fiscal year 2016 investment to just over $150 million. [National Institute of Health] Press Release

UC San Diego Neuroscientists Awarded More than $2 Million from Obama’s BRAIN Initiative

Four teams of neuroscientists at the University of California San Diego were awarded a total of $2.27 million this week from the National Institutes of Health to continue their research under President Obama’s BRAIN Initiative. [UC San Diego] Press Release

NIH Awards $1.4 Million to MPFI and NYU Scientists Supporting NIH BRAIN Initiative

A $1.4 million, three-year grant from the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been awarded to Dr. Ryohei Yasuda, Scientific Director at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) and collaborator, Dr. Wenbiao Gan, Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at the NYU Langone Medical Center, to develop new optogenetic tools that analyze protein activity in neurons during synaptic and behavioral plasticity – a key process in understanding learning and memory in the brain. [Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI)] Press Release

Emory Receives Record $574.6 Million in External Research Funding for FY 2016

Researchers at Emory University received $574.6 million from external funding agencies in fiscal year 2016. This marks the seventh consecutive year that research funding has exceeded $500 million, and with an increase from $572.4 in FY15, is the largest amount of research funding in Emory’s history. [Emory University] Press Release

Salk Neuroscientist Granted $1 Million to Harness Sound to Control Brain Cells

Salk Associate Professor Sreekanth Chalasani has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative for developing a way to selectively activate brain, heart, muscle and other cells using ultrasonic waves, which could be a boon to neuroscience research as well as medicine. [Salk Institute for Biological Science] Press Release

Reports of ‘Three-Parent Babies’ Multiply

Claims of infants created using mitochondrial-replacement techniques stir scientific and ethical debate. [Nature News] Editorial

How Republicans Reshaped the House Science Committee

Lamar Smith has made his mark on science. As chairman of the US House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the Texas Republican has launched dozens of investigations into alleged wrongdoing by scientists, environmental groups and government officials. And he shows no signs of slowing down. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW 2^nd International Brain Stimulation Conference
March 5-8, 2017
Barcelona, Spain

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NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells (University of California – San Francisco)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Genetic and Epigenetic Features Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Diseases (Van Andel Research Institute)

Assistant Professor – Neural Mechanisms of Motor Control (University of California – Davis)

Postdoctoral Researcher – iPS & ESC Parkinson’s Disease (VIB)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Neural Basis of Brain States (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

Systems Neuroscientist (University of Rochester)

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

International PhD Studentships (Medical Research Council)

Assistant Professor (Tenure) – Developmental Biology)

Assistant Professor – Neural Circuits (University of Pittsburgh)

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