Neural Cell News 13.07 February 27, 2019 | |
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TOP STORYThe Centrosome Protein AKNA Regulates Neurogenesis via Microtubule Organization AKNA regulated the exit from the subventricular zone, which revealed the pivotal role of centrosomal microtubule organization in enabling cells to both enter and remain in the subventricular zone. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition was also regulated by AKNA in other epithelial cells, demonstrating its general importance for the control of cell delamination. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release | |
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PUBLICATIONS(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)Nuclear factor IA (NFIA)-induced astrocytes promoted synaptogenesis, exhibited neuroprotective properties, displayed calcium transients in response to appropriate stimuli and engrafted in the adult mouse brain. Differentiation involved rapid but reversible chromatin remodeling, glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter demethylation and a striking lengthening of the G1 cell cycle phase. [Nat Biotechnol] Abstract hESC-Derived Thalamic Organoids Form Reciprocal Projections When Fused with Cortical Organoids Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed a formation of distinct thalamic lineages, which diverge from telencephalic fate. Importantly, scientists developed a 3D system to create the reciprocal projections between thalamus and cortex by fusing the two distinct region-specific organoids representing the developing thalamus or cortex. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Press Release | Graphical Abstract Ablation of key RNAi machinery components significantly enhanced Zika virus (ZIKV) replication in human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs). Furthermore, enoxacin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is known as an RNAi enhancer, exerted potent anti-ZIKV activity in hNPCs and other RNAi-competent cells. [Cell Res] Abstract Using both high-throughput clonal analysis and single-cell resolution of progenitor division patterns and fate, the authors showed that these two components of the neurogenic niche were lineally related: adult neural stem cells were sister cells to ependymal cells, whereas most ependymal cells arose from the terminal symmetric divisions of the lineage. [Neuron] Full Article Investigators report that α-thalassemia mental retardation X-linked (ATRX) loss in isogenic glioma model systems induced replication stress and DNA damage by way of G-quadruplex (G4) DNA secondary structure. They then demonstrated, both in vitro and in vivo, that ATRX deficiency selectively enhanced DNA damage and cell death following chemical G4 stabilization. [Nat Commun] Full Article Circadian Clock Protein Rev-Erbα Regulates Neuroinflammation Loss of Rev-erbα in primary astrocytes had no effect on basal activation but did potentiate the inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide. Rev-erbα deletion influenced neuronal health, as conditioned media from Rev-erbα-deficient primary glial cultures exacerbated oxidative damage in cultured neurons. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract Ly6G+ cells promoted conversion of glioblastoma cells to glioblastoma stem cells through the NOS2-NO-ID4 regulatory axis. Specific inhibition of NFκB signaling in irradiated glioma cells using the IκBα super repressor prevented changes in the tumor microenvironment and dedifferentiation of glioblastoma cells. [Cell Death Differ] Full Article Scientists utilized fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and autofluorescence imaging and confirmed that transgenic Alzheimer’s disease neurons had reduced mitochondrial NAD(P)H levels at rest, and impaired power of mitochondrial NAD(P)H production. [Aging Cell] Abstract Modeling G2019S-LRRK2 Sporadic Parkinson’s Disease in 3D Midbrain Organoids Researchers demonstrated that organoids can recapitulate the 3D pathological hallmarks observed in patients with LRRK2-associated sporadic Parkinson’s disease. Importantly, analysis of the protein-protein interaction network in mutant organoids revealed that TXNIP, a thiol-oxidoreductase, was functionally important in the development of LRRK2-associated Parkinson’s disease in a 3D environment. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article CDKL5 Deficiency Predisposes Neurons to Cell Death through the Deregulation of SMAD3 Signaling Investigators showed that SMAD3, a primary mediator of TGF-β action, was a direct phosphorylation target of cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) and that CDKL5-dependent phosphorylation promoted SMAD3 protein stability. Importantly, they found that restoration of the SMAD3 signaling through TGF-β1 treatment normalized defective neuronal survival and maturation in Cdkl5 knockout neurons. [Brain Pathol] Abstract TIGAR Promotes Neural Stem Cell Differentiation through Acetyl-CoA-Mediated Histone Acetylation In cultured neural stem cells (NSCs), knockdown of TP53 inducible glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) reduced the expression of microtubule-associated protein 2, neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, Ngn1, and NeuroD1, and enhanced the expression of REST, suggesting that TIGAR is an important regulator of NSC differentiation. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article Subscribe to one of our other 19 science newsletters such as Cancer Stem Cell News & ESC & iPSC News. | |
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REVIEWSNeuron-Glia Interactions in the Pathophysiology of Epilepsy The past two decades have enjoyed an explosion of research into the role of glia in supporting and modulating neuronal activity, providing compelling evidence of glial involvement in the pathophysiology of epilepsy. The mechanisms by which glia, particularly astrocytes and microglia, may contribute to epilepsy and consequently could be harnessed therapeutically are discussed in this review. [Nat Rev Neurosci] Abstract Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the neural cell research field. | |
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SCIENCE NEWSuniQure Presents New Preclinical Data on AMT-130 uniQure N.V. presented new preclinical data on AMT-130, its gene therapy candidate for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. [Press release from uniQure N.V. discussing research presented at 14th Annual CHDI Huntington’s Disease Therapeutics Conference, Palm Springs] Press Release | |
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INDUSTRY NEWSAbbVie announced an exclusive, global strategic collaboration and option agreement to develop and commercialize vectorized antibodies directed at pathological species of alpha-synuclein for the potential treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other diseases characterized by the abnormal accumulation of misfolded alpha-synuclein protein. [AbbVie] Press Release Mustang Bio, Inc. and Nationwide Children’s Hospital announced that they have partnered and entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement to develop an oncolytic virus for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. [Mustang Bio, Inc.] Press Release Kadimastem announced the completion of cell transplantation (AstroRx®) in five patients who were enrolled in cohort A for its clinical trial in ALS. The Phase I/IIa clinical trial is being conducted by the Department of Neurology of the Hadassah Ein-Kerem Medical Center, and it is expected to include a total of 21 patients. [Kadimastem] Press Release NOXXON Pharma N.V. announced that it has filed the clinical trial application with the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, to start a Phase I/II clinical trial combining NOX-A12 with radiotherapy to treat newly diagnosed brain cancer patients who would not benefit from the current standard of care and whose tumor cannot be fully resected by surgery. [NOXXON Pharma N.V.] Press Release Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc. announced that it has filed two Investigational New Drug applications with the FDA to initiate human clinical trials of IkT-148009, a cellular Abelson tyrosine kinase inhibitor for Parkinson’s Disease and related disorders. [Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. announced the issuance by the European Patent Office of a composition of matter patent covering Elaytaâ„¢, Cognition’s lead clinical stage compound in development for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. [Cognition Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release Research grant funds made available by Alzheimer’s Germ Quest, Inc. have been awarded to two researchers, one at Harvard and the other at University of North Carolina, to investigate roles of microbes in Alzheimer’s disease, announced Leslie Norins, MD, PhD, company CEO. [Alzheimer’s Germ Quest, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release The new platform will enable collaborative research and data sharing to support the understanding of natural history, potential biomarkers and clinical endpoints, and promote research into novel clinical trial design in Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). [C-Path Global Ltd.] Press Release | |
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POLICY NEWSHigh-Profile Subscription Journals Critique Plan S Publishers of highly selective scholarly journals — including Nature and Science — say that they cannot comply with Plan S, a European-led initiative that mandates free access to research results on publication from 2020, unless its rules are changed. [Nature News] Editorial Data Sharing Will Be a Major Thrust of Trump’s $500 Million Childhood Cancer Plan President Donald Trump’s proposal in his State of the Union address to spend $500 million over 10 years on pediatric cancer research will begin in 2020 with a focus on sharing patients’ data, federal officials say. That plan is getting a mixed response from researchers and patient advocates, who also worry that the initiative will come at expense of other parts of the National Cancer Institute’s budget. [ScienceInsider] Editorial ‘Reprogrammed’ Stem Cells to Treat Spinal-Cord Injuries for the First Time An upcoming trial will mark the first time that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been used to treat spinal-cord injuries, after a committee at Japan’s health ministry approved the study. [Nature News] Editorial
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EVENTSNEW Gordon Research Conference: Neural Crest & Cranial Placodes Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.
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JOB OPPORTUNITIESNEW Researcher Position – Circuit & Behavioral Neuroscience (Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia) Senior Scientist – Neuroscience (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.) Postdoctoral Positions – Neurodegeneration (Van Andel Research Institute) Postdoctoral Scholarship – Glioblastoma Stem Cell Research (Lund University) Postdoctoral Position – Neurophysiology (University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf) Post Doctoral Scholarship – Brain Tumor Biology (Lund University) Postdoctoral Scholar – Brain Tumor Biology (Lund University) Faculty Positions – Developmental Neurosciences (Kent State University) Postdoctoral Scientist – Regenerative Plasticity of Neural Circuits (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells & Neurodegeneration (Lund University) Assistant Member – Developmental Neurobiology (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) Associate Professor/Assistant Professor – Neuroscience (Hong Kong Baptist University) Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.
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