Neural Cell News Volume 11.15 | Apr 19 2017

TOP STORY

Human Umbilical Cord Plasma Proteins Revitalize Hippocampal Function in Aged Mice

Researchers hypothesized that plasma of an early developmental stage, namely umbilical cord plasma, provides a reservoir of such plasticity-promoting proteins. They showed that human cord plasma treatment revitalizes the hippocampus and improves cognitive function in aged mice. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release

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iPSC-Derived Human Microglia-Like Cells to Study Neurological Diseases

The authors report that human microglial-like cells (iMGLs) can be differentiated from iPSCs to study their function in neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). They found that iMGLs developed in vitro similarly to microglia in vivo, and whole-transcriptome analysis demonstrated that they are highly similar to cultured adult and fetal human microglia. [Neuron] Full Article

A Simplified Protocol for Differentiation of Electrophysiologically Mature Neuronal Networks from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Researchers report a simplified differentiation protocol that yields electrophysiologically mature induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cortical lineage neuronal networks without the need for astrocyte co-culture or specialized media. This protocol generates a consistent 60:40 ratio of neurons and astrocytes that arise from a common forebrain neural progenitor. [Mol Psychiatry] Full Article

Adult Enteric Nervous System in Health Is Maintained by a Dynamic Balance Between Neuronal Apoptosis and Neurogenesis

Scientists confirmed that despite ongoing neuronal cell loss because of apoptosis in the myenteric ganglia of the adult small intestine, total myenteric neuronal numbers remain constant. This observed neuronal homeostasis was maintained by new neurons formed in vivo from dividing precursor cells that were located within myenteric ganglia and expressed both Nestin and p75NTR, but not the pan-glial marker Sox10. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract | Press Release | Video

Tumor-Derived Fibulin-3 Activates Pro-Invasive NF-κB Signaling in Glioblastoma Cells and their Microenvironment

The authors showed that an extracellular protein released by glioblastoma cells, fibulin-3, drives oncogenic NF-κB in the tumor and increases NF-κB activation in peritumoral astrocytes. Fibulin-3 expression correlates with a NF-κB-regulated ‘invasive signature’ linked to poorer survival, being a possible tissue marker for regions of active tumor progression. [Oncogene] Abstract

Derivation of Human Midbrain-Specific Organoids from Neuroepithelial Stem Cells

Investigators describe a robust human brain organoid system that is highly specific to the midbrain derived from regionally patterned neuroepithelial stem cells. These human midbrain organoids contain spatially organized groups of dopaminergic neurons, which make them an attractive model for the study of Parkinson’s disease. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Atypical PKC and Notch Inhibition Differentially Modulate Cortical Interneuron Subclass Fate from Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists found that aytpical PKC inhibition enhances intermediate neurogenesis from stem cell-derived medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) progenitors, resulting in a markedly increased ratio of parvalbumin (Pv)- to somatostatin (Sst)-expressing interneurons. Inhibition of Notch signaling enriches for Sst subtypes at the expense of Pv fates. Their findings confirmed that the mode of neurogenesis influences the fate of MGE-derived interneurons and provides a means of further enrichment for the generation of specific interneuron subgroups from pluripotent stem cells. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Neurodevelopmental Changes in Excitatory Synaptic Structure and Function in the Cerebral Cortex of Sanfilippo Syndrome IIIA Mice

To study the impact of storage in postnatal neurodevelopment, the authors examined murine models of Sanfilippo syndrome IIIA, which lack the enzyme sulfamidase. They showed that changes occur in excitatory postsynaptic structure and function in the somatosensory cortex prior to signs of neurodegeneration. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Neurons Export Extracellular Vesicles Enriched in Cysteine String Protein and Misfolded Protein Cargo

Investigators report that exported vesicles from neurons contain cysteine string protein (CSPα). They demonstrated that co-expression of CSPα with the disease-associated proteins, polyglutamine expanded protein 72Q huntingtin^exon1 or superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1^G93A) lead to the cellular export of both 72Q huntingtin^exon1 and SOD-1^G93A via extracellular vesicles. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Modeling Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The authors review human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) biology and possible experimental designs when using hiPSCs to model disease. They discuss existing hiPSC models of neurodevelopmental disorders. [Nat Rev Neurol] Abstract

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

Genentech to Present New Data Reinforcing Efficacy and Safety of Newly FDA Approved Ocrevus (Ocrelizumab) in Two Types of Multiple Sclerosis

Genentech announced that new data on OCREVUS™ in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis and primary progressive multiple sclerosis will be presented. [Press release from Genentech discussing research to be presented at the 69^th American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Boston] Press Release

The Human Vaccines Project, Vanderbilt and Illumina Join Forces to Decode the Human Immunome

The Human Vaccines Project and Vanderbilt University Medical Center announced that they joined forces with Illumina, Inc., to decipher the human immunome, the genetic underpinnings of the immune system. Illumina will provide the genetic sequencing technologies and expertise required to process the massive amounts of data required to decode the human immunome. [The Human Vaccines Project (PR Newswire Association, LLC.)] Press Release

Medicenna Treats First Patient in Phase IIb Recurrent Glioblastoma Trial

Medicenna BioPharma Inc. announced that it has treated the first patient in its Phase IIb clinical trial of MDNA55, the company’s lead candidate. MDNA55 is being developed for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma, the most common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer. [Medicenna BioPharma Inc.] Press Release

Biogen Licenses Phase II Anti-Tau Antibody from Bristol-Myers Squibb

Biogen announced an agreement to exclusively license BMS-986168, a Phase II-ready experimental medicine with potential in Alzheimer’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, from Bristol-Myers Squibb. [Biogen] Press Release

Powered by CIRM Grant, jCyte Launches New Clinical Trial

jCyte announced the launch of a Phase IIb clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of its developmental retinitis pigmentosa treatment, jCell. The multicenter trial is being funded by jCyte, which recently received an $8.3 million matching grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). [jCyte] Press Release

What a Surprise General Election Could Mean for Higher Education

Theresa May’s plan to hold a general election on the 8^th of June raises implications for universities in terms of whether the Higher Education and Research Bill can continue, the vote’s status as the “Brexit election”, and the expected emergence of Labor’s plan to scrap tuition fees. [Times Higher Education] Editorial

French-Election Fears Unite Scientists in Defense of Liberal Democracy

For scientists in France, the presidential contest is often a chance to debate research and science-related issues. When Nicolas Sarkozy was elected a decade ago, for example, university reforms and environmental policy featured prominently in the campaigns. But this time, science has barely been mentioned — elbowed out by political scandals and the rise of Marine Le Pen’s far-right Front National party. [Nature News] Editorial

Republican Scientists Negotiate the Trump Era

Conservative academics face a growing tension between their politics and the liberal atmosphere on many US campuses. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW GRKs and Arrestins: From Structure to Disease
June 11-16, 2017
Saxtons River, Vermont, United States

NEW Regulation and Function of Small GTPases
June 11-16, 2017
West Palm Beach, Florida, United States

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NEW Director – BrainHub (Carnegie Mellon University)

Postdoctoral Position(s) – Developmental Neurobiology (Children’s National Health Systems)

Postdoctoral Position(s) – Visual Neuroscience (Yale University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Spinal Cord Injury Repair (Burke Medical Research Institute Cornell)

Associate/Full Professor – Regenerative Medicine (University Of Florida)

Postdoctoral Fellow/Experienced Scientist – Stem Cells and Epigenetics (University of Michigan)

Assistant/Associate Professor – Canada Research Chair in Mental Health (University of Alberta)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Developmental Neuroscience (University of Nebraska Medical Center)

PhD Student and Postdoctoral Positions – Molecular and Cellular Biology/Systems Biology/Neurobiology (University of Fribourg)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Stem Cell Differentiation (University of Oklahoma)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Technology/Neuroscience/Drug Discovery (University of California Davis)

Neuroscientist – Precision Neurotherapeutics (University of California Davis)

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