Neural Cell News Volume 12.26 | Jul 4 2018

TOP STORY

Hippocampal Neurogenesis Confers Stress Resilience by Inhibiting the Ventral Dentate Gyrus

The authors showed in mice that neurogenesis confers resilience to chronic stress by inhibiting the activity of mature granule cells in the ventral dentate gyrus (vDG), a subregion that is implicated in mood regulation. They found that chemogenetic inhibition of adult-born neurons in the vDG promotes susceptibility to social defeat stress, whereas increasing neurogenesis confers resilience to chronic stress. [Nature] Abstract | Editorial

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Evolution of Cortical Neurogenesis in Amniotes Controlled by Robo Signaling Levels

Gain- and loss-of-function experiments in mouse, chick, and snake embryos and in human cerebral organoids demonstrated that high Slit/Robo and low Dll1 signaling, via Jag1 and Jag2, are necessary and sufficient to drive direct neurogenesis. [Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Functional Diversity and Cooperativity between Subclonal Populations of Pediatric Glioblastoma and Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Cells

Analysis of 142 sequenced tumors revealed multiple tumor subclones, spatially and temporally coexisting in a stable manner as observed by multiple sampling strategies. Scientists isolated genotypically and phenotypically distinct subpopulations that they propose cooperate to enhance tumorigenicity and resistance to therapy. [Nat Med] Abstract | Press Release

Mouse Maternal Protein Restriction during Preimplantation Alone Permanently Alters Brain Neuron Proportion and Adult Short-Term Memory

The authors have previously shown that maternal low-protein diet confined to the preimplantation period (Emb-LPD) in mice, with normal nutrition thereafter, is sufficient to induce cardiometabolic and locomotor behavioral abnormalities in adult offspring. In this study, they report that Emb-LPD and sustained LPD reduced neural stem cells in the fetal brain. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

3D Culture Method for Alzheimer’s Disease Modeling Reveals Interleukin-4 Rescues Aβ42-Induced Loss of Human Neural Stem Cell Plasticity

Scientists investigated how neural stem cells (NSCs) lose their plasticity in Alzheimer’s disease by using starPEG-heparin-based hydrogels to establish a reductionist 3D cell-instructive neuro-microenvironment that promotes the proliferative and neurogenic ability of primary and induced human NSCs. [Dev Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract

CircNT5E Acts as a Sponge of microRNA-422a to Promote Glioblastoma Tumorigenesis

Investigators hypothesized that circNT5E may serve as a sponge against miR-422a in glioblastoma tumorigenesis. circNT5E controlled multiple pathological processes, including cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. [Cancer Res] Abstract

MicroRNA Expression Analysis Identifies a Subset of Downregulated miRNAs in ALS Motor Neuron Progenitors

Human ALS induced pluripotent stem cells were differentiated into motor neuron progenitors and their miRNA expression profiles were compared to those of healthy control cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Electrical Stimulation with a Conductive Polymer Promotes Neurite Outgrowth and Synaptogenesis in Primary Cortical Neurons in 3D

The authors examined the effect of 3D electrical stimulation on 3D primary cortical neuronal cultures. 3D electrical stimulation improved neurite outgrowth in 3D neuronal cultures from both wild-type and NRG1-knockout mice. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Rosiglitazone Rescues Human Neural Stem Cells from Amyloid-Beta Induced ER Stress via PPARγ Dependent Signaling

Researchers explored the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) signaling pathways and networks that protect against amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, cell death and mitochondrial deficiency events in the human neural stem cells treated with Aβ. [Exp Cell Res] Abstract

Rapid Generation of Functional and Homogeneous Excitatory Human Forebrain Neurons Using Neurogenin-2 (Ngn2)

Investigators report that inducible expression of a single basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor neurogenin-2 (Ngn2) in human embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells generates a homogenous population of excitatory neurons that resemble those of cortical upper layer 2/3 neurons in the brain [Protoc Exch] Full Article

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Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease: Comparison and Associations from Molecular to System Level

To evaluate how aging and Alzheimer’s disease are intrinsically interwoven with each other, the authors review and summarize evidence from molecular, cellular, and system level. In particular, they focus on study designs, treatments, or interventions in Alzheimer’s disease that could also be insightful in aging and vice versa. [Aging Cell] Abstract

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

BioAxone BioSciences Awarded $1.1 Million Phase II SBIR Funding for Continued Development of sd-rxRNA Drug Candidate for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury

BioAxone BioSciences, Inc. announced that, as part of a collaborative effort with RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, it is the recipient of a grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the agency’s SBIR Phase II funding program. [BioAxone BioSciences, Inc.] Press Release

FDA Approves ARISTADA INITIO™ for the Initiation of ARISTADA^® for Schizophrenia

Alkermes plc announced that the FDA has approved ARISTADA INITIO™ for the initiation of ARISTADA^®, a long-acting injectable atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults. [Alkermes plc] Press Release

First Volunteers Dosed in Phase I Clinical Trial of PBT434, Prana’s Lead Therapy for Parkinsonian Diseases

Prana Biotechnology Ltd announced the first cohort of volunteers in its Phase I clinical trial have been administered PBT434, an experimental drug under investigation for the treatment of Parkinsonian diseases. [Prana Biotechnology Ltd] Press Release

Ziopharm Oncology Enrolls First Patient in Phase I Trial Evaluating Combination Therapy of Controlled IL-12 and OPDIVO^®

Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its Phase I clinical trial to evaluate Ad-RTS-hIL-12 plus veledimex in combination with OPDIVO^®, an immune checkpoint, or PD-1, inhibitor, in adult patients with recurrent glioblastoma. [Ziopharm Oncology, Inc.] Press Release

UCB Announces Approval of NEUPRO^® in China to Treat Parkinson’s Disease

UCB announced it has received an Import Drug License from the China Food and Drug Administration, creating a pathway to make the company’s 24-hour continuous delivery transdermal rotigotine patch NEUPRO^® available to patients in China. [UCB S.A.] Press Release

LGBTQ Scientists Are Still Left Out

People who identify as LGBTQ are leaking out of the scientific pipeline in similar ways to women and those from minority ethnic groups. But many initiatives to increase diversity do not support them. Including LGBTQ people in diversity initiatives would foster their representation, and it could bring in perspectives that improve science itself. [Nature News] Editorial

Europe’s Biggest Research Fund Cracks Down on ‘Ethics Dumping’

Ethics dumping — doing research deemed unethical in a scientist’s home country in a foreign setting with laxer ethical rules — will be rooted out in research funded by the European Union, officials announced. [Nature News] Editorial

U.S. Lawmakers Want NIH and CDC Foundations to Say More about Donors

A key congressional spending panel has fired a shot across the bow of two federally chartered medical foundations, warning that the way they disclose information about donors may not pass muster. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

NEW 15^th International Congress on Neuromuscular Diseases (ICNMD)
July 6-10, 2018
Vienna, Austria

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

NEW Scientist/Assistant Professor – Neuroscience (The Hospital for Sick Children)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cerebral Organoids (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Spinal Cord Development (The Francis Crick Institute)

Postdoctoral Positions – Neurodevelopmental Disorders (University of Copenhagen)

Postdoctoral Research Scientist – Psychiatric Disorders (Columbia University)

Project Leader/Director – Neurodegenerative Research (Servier Group)

Postdoctoral Fellows – Neuroscience (Louisiana State University)

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

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)

Multiple Faculty Positions – Neuroscience and Neuroengineering (Tsinghua University)

Faculty Members – Neuroscience (Mercer University)

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