Neural Cell News Volume 13.20 | May 29 2019

TOP STORY

Neuron-Astrocyte Metabolic Coupling Protects against Activity-Induced Fatty Acid Toxicity

Scientists demonstrated that toxic fatty acids (FAs) produced in hyperactive neurons were transferred to astrocytic lipid droplets by ApoE-positive lipid particles. Astrocytes consumed the FAs stored in lipid droplets via mitochondrial β-oxidation in response to neuronal activity and turned on a detoxification gene expression program. [Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

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Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis Persists in Aged Adults and Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

Researchers demonstrated that hippocampal neurogenesis was persistent through the tenth decade of life and was detectable in patients with mild cognitive impairments and Alzheimer’s disease. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Ep400 Deficiency in Schwann Cells Causes Persistent Expression of Early Developmental Regulators and Peripheral Neuropathy

Ep400 absence caused peripheral neuropathy in mice, characterized by terminal differentiation defects in myelinating and non-myelinating Schwann cells and immune cell activation. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Plk4 Regulates Centriole Asymmetry and Spindle Orientation in Neural Stem Cells

The authors analyzed the consequences of deregulating Plk4 activity in Drosophila asymmetrically dividing neural stem cells. [Dev Cell] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Kinase Pathway Inhibition Restores PSD95 Induction in Neurons Lacking Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein

Scientists investigated the role of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in regulating expression of new copies of the synaptic protein PSD95 in an in vitro model of synaptic plasticity. They found that local BDNF application promoted persistent accumulation of new PSD95 at stimulated synapses and dendrites of cultured neurons, and that this accumulation was absent in FMRP-deficient mouse neurons. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Growth at Cold Temperature Increases the Number of Motor Neurons to Optimize Locomotor Function

Researchers showed that growing Xenopus laevis embryos at cold temperatures resulted in an increase in the number of spinal motor neurons in larvae. This change in spinal cord development optimized the escape response to gentle touch of animals raised in and tested at cold temperatures. [Curr Biol] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

miR-135a-5p Is Critical for Exercise-Induced Adult Neurogenesis

The authors showed that exercise increased proliferation of neural precursor cells of the mouse dentate gyrus via downregulation of miR-135a. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

HMGB1 Contributes to SASH1 Methylation to Attenuate Astrocyte Adhesion

Investigators found that in astrocytes, SAM and SH3 domain-containing 1 (SASH1) functions in cell adhesion. They observed that knockdown of SASH1 expression in cultured astrocytes significantly decreased cell adhesion and increased invasion. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

RelB Acts as a Molecular Switch Driving Chronic Inflammation in Glioblastoma Multiforme

Scientists identified two cytokines interleukin-1β and oncostatin M that strongly negatively correlated with patient survival. They found that these cytokines activated RelB/p50 complexes by a canonical NF-κB pathway, which surprisingly drove expression of proinflammatory cytokines in glioblastoma multiforme cells, but led to their inhibition in non-transformed astrocytes. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

A Mitochondrial Stress Response in Neural Stem Cells Exposed to Electronic Cigarettes

Researchers showed that the mechanism underlying electronic cigarette-induced stem cell toxicity is stress-induced mitochondrial hyperfusion, a transient survival response accompanied by increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. [iScience] Abstract | Full Article | Graphical Abstract

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Genetic Insights and Neurobiological Implications from NRXN1 in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

The authors focus on NRXN1, one of the most compelling psychiatric risk genes of the neurexin family. They performed a comprehensive survey and analysis of current genetic and molecular data including both common and rare alleles within NRXN1 associated with psychiatric illnesses, thus providing insights into the genetic risk conferred by NRXN1. [Mol Psychiatry] Abstract

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

AveXis Receives FDA Approval for Zolgensma^®, the First and Only Gene Therapy for Pediatric Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

AveXis announced the FDA has approved Zolgensma^® for the treatment of pediatric patients less than two years of age with SMA with bi-allelic mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 gene. [Novartis AG] Press Release | Editorial

Newron Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on Regulatory Status of Evenamide for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. received a communication from the FDA indicating concern on findings from a recently completed study in rats as well as CNS events at higher doses in dogs, and the potential implication of these findings for patients. [Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A.] Download Press Release

Children’s Tumor Foundation Launches NF2 Accelerator Initiative to Combat Rare Genetic Disorder

The Children’s Tumor Foundation has announced the establishment of a research initiative dedicated to finding effective treatments for neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), along with an investment of $2.3 million. [The Children’s Tumor Foundation] Press Release

Cyxone Submits Application to Start First-in-Human Trial with T20K in MS

Cyxone announced that the company has set a date for the application submission for the start of clinical trials with T20K. [Cyxone AB] Press Release

Casma Therapeutics Receives Grant from Michael J. Fox Foundation to Support Parkinson’s Drug Development

Casma Therapeutics, Inc. announced receipt of a Therapeutic Pipeline Program research grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to support development of a novel class of drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease. [Casma Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Here’s Why the Outcomes of This Week’s European Elections Are Good News for Science

Although populist and euroskeptic parties grew in last week’s elections for the European Parliament, the tsunami that EU supporters feared didn’t happen. That comes as a relief to many scientists, because several of the populist movements now on the rise in Europe appear to have little interest in science, flirt with antiscientific ideas, or have tried to curtail academic freedom. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

White House Sends Mixed Messages on 2020 Research Spending Bills

President Donald Trump doesn’t want Congress to boost the budgets of the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation. But he has no objection to giving more research dollars to parts of the Department of Energy and NASA. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Labor Agency Revisits Whether Graduate Students Can Unionize

Since 2016, graduate teaching and research assistants at private institutions have had legal protection to form unions thanks to a ruling by the National Labor Relations Board determining that the students qualify as employees. But that may soon change: The NLRB, which now has a Republican majority, announced last week that it will make a new rule regarding students’ employee status. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW European CanCer Organisation (ECCO) 2019: European Cancer Summit
September 12-14, 2019
Brussels, Belgium

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Stanford University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Epigenetic Regulation of Neuronal Identity (The Helmholtz Pioneer Campus)

Associate Professor – Translational Psychiatry (Aarhus University)

Postdoctoral Positions – Neuroscience (Weill Cornell Medical College)

Lecturer – Neuroscience (University College London)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Ion Channel & Neuroscience Research (Johns Hopkins University)

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Assistant Positions – Glioma Research (NIH National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Pathology)

Postdoctoral Positions – Astrocyte Research (Washington University in St.Louis)

Postdoctoral Position – Retinal Stem Cell Biology (Johns Hopkins University)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Alcohol & Adult Neurogenesis (The University of Texas at Austin)

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Neurological Diseases (University of Utah)

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