Neural Cell News Volume 12.21 | May 30 2018

TOP STORY

Pyramidal Cell Regulation of Interneuron Survival Sculpts Cortical Networks

The authors showed that the survival of interneurons in mice depends on the activity of pyramidal cells in a critical window of postnatal development, during which excitatory synaptic input to individual interneurons predicts their survival or death. [Nature] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Ibrutinib Inactivates BMX-STAT3 in Glioma Stem Cells to Impair Malignant Growth and Radioresistance

Investigators demonstrated that bone marrow and X-linked (BMX) inhibition by ibrutinib potently disrupts glioma stem cells (GSCs), suppresses glioblastoma malignant growth, and effectively combines with radiotherapy. Ibrutinib markedly disrupted the BMX-mediated STAT3 activation in GSCs but showed minimal effect on neural progenitor cells lacking BMX expression. [Sci Transl Med] Abstract

The Genomic Landscape of TERT Promoter Wildtype-IDH Wildtype Glioblastoma

Researchers report the genetic landscape of TERTp^WT–IDH^WT glioblastoma and identified SMARCAL1 inactivating mutations as a novel genetic mechanism of alternative lengthening of telomeres phenotype. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Human Pluripotent Stem-Cell-Derived Cortical Neurons Integrate Functionally into the Lesioned Adult Murine Visual Cortex in an Area-Specific Way

Scientists showed that human visual cortical cells differentiated from embryonic stem cells can be transplanted and can integrate successfully into the lesioned mouse adult visual cortex. The transplanted human neurons expressed the appropriate repertoire of markers of six cortical layers, projected axons to specific visual cortical targets, and were synaptically active within the adult brain. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Modeling Late-Onset Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease through BMI1 Deficiency

Investigators demonstrated that BMI1 is silenced in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) brains, but not in those with early-onset familial AD, frontotemporal dementia, or Lewy body dementia. BMI1 expression was also reduced in cortical neurons from AD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells but not in neurons overexpressing mutant APP and PSEN1. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Retinoic Acid Is Required for Neural Stem and Progenitor Cell Proliferation in the Adult Hippocampus

Scientists showed retinoic acid (RA) signaling in all hippocampal neural stem and precursor cell (NSPC) subtypes and that inhibition of RA synthesis or signaling significantly decreased NSPC proliferation via abrogation of cell-cycle kinetics and cell-cycle regulators. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

FAM19A1 Is a New Ligand for GPR1 That Modulates Neural Stem-Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Recombinant FAM19A1 suppressed the proliferation and self-renewal of neural stem cells (NSCs) and altered the lineage progression of NSCs with promoted neuron differentiation and suppressed astrocyte differentiation. [FASEB J] Abstract

Defined Geldrop Cultures Maintain Neural Precursor Cells

By reconstituting selected environmental properties in geldrop cultures, researchers showed that neural precursor cells can be maintained stably at high density over an extended period of time. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Convergent Pathways in Idiopathic Autism Revealed by Time Course Transcriptomic Analysis of Patient-Derived Neurons

Investigators examined the transcriptional differences between induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical neurons from patients with idiopathic autism spectrum disorder and unaffected controls over a 135-day course of neuronal differentiation. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Kv7 Channels Are Upregulated during Striatal Neuron Development and Promote Maturation of Human iPSC-Derived Neurons

Scientists showed that developmentally regulated expression of specific KCNQ mRNA and Kv7 channel subunits in mouse and human striatum is crucial to the functional maturation of mouse striatal neurons and human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons. [Pflugers Arch] Full Article

2D versus 3D Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cultures for Neurodegenerative Disease Modeling

The authors focus on the use of patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells to model Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and ALS. They cover the available stem cells, types of 2D and 3D culture systems, existing models for neurodegenerative diseases, obstacles to model these diseases in vitro, and current perspectives in the field. [Mol Neurodegener] Abstract

Targeting Glioblastoma-Derived Pericytes Improves Chemotherapeutic Outcome

Investigators summarize and evaluate recent advances in the understanding of pericyte’s role in the glioblastoma microenvironment. [Angiogenesis] Abstract

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

FDA Grants Breakthrough Therapy Designation to Lenti-D^™ for the Treatment of Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy

bluebird bio, Inc. announced that the FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to Lenti-D^™ for the treatment of patients with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. [bluebird bio, Inc.] Press Release

Alkahest Receives Grant from Michael J. Fox Foundation; Funding Will Support Preclinical Evaluation of ALK4290 for Parkinson’s Disease

Alkahest, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research entitled “Development of ALK4290 as a novel PD therapeutic” under the Principal Investigator S. Sakura Minami, Ph.D. [Alkahest, Inc.] Press Release

What are ‘mini-brains’, and how are they being used to study neurological development and disease? Watch Now

Max Planck Scientists Criticize Handling of Animal-Rights Charges against Leading Neuroscientist

Scientists at one of Germany’s leading neuroscience institutes say that their employer, the Max Planck Society, is failing in its responsibility to defend the institute’s scientists against efforts by animal-rights activists to disrupt research. [Nature News] Editorial

Brexit: UK May Get Poorer Access than Israel to EU Science Scheme

Theresa May’s appeal for a special Brexit deal on science and research collaboration, worth billions to the British economy, is being stonewalled by Brussels as it prepares to offer an arrangement less privileged and more expensive than that given to non-EU states such as Israel. [The Guardian] Editorial

Who Gets Credit? Survey Digs into the Thorny Question of Authorship

Opinions about which research contributions deserve authorship credit on a scholarly paper vary markedly across scientific disciplines — and even within the same field, a survey of thousands of researchers reveals. More than two-thirds of respondents said they would grant authorship to someone who interpreted data or drafted the manuscript. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2018 Annual Meeting
June 20-23, 2018
Melbourne, Australia

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

NEW Project Leader/Director – Neurodegenerative Research (Servier Group)

Research Associate – Neural Research (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Neuroscience (Louisiana State University)

Research Associate/Postdoctoral Position – Neurodegenerative Diseases (TU Dresden)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Glioma Genetics/Epigenetics (Heidelberg University)

Postdoctoral Positions – RNA Biology and Neurodegenerative Disease (Johns Hopkins University)

Research Technician – Neuroscience (Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Brain Disorders (New York Medical College)

Research Fellow/Associate – Neuroscience and Diabetes (Rutgers University)

Postdoctoral Position – Bacterial Virulence Factors (University of California, Irvine)

Postdoctoral Position – Cancer, Immunotherapy, and Fibrosis (University of Alabama at Birmingham)

Postdoctoral Associate – hiPSC-Based Brain Organoids (Rutgers University)

Postdoctoral Position – Pain in Mouse Models of Spinal Cord Injury (Indiana University)

Postdoctoral Position – Spinal Cord Injury (Nanyang Technological University)

Multiple Faculty Positions – Neuroscience and Neuroengineering (Tsinghua University)

Faculty Members – Neuroscience (Mercer University)

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