Neural Cell News Volume 13.31 | Aug 14 2019

TOP STORY

A Large Panel of Isogenic APP and PSEN1 Mutant Human iPSC Neurons Reveals Shared Endosomal Abnormalities Mediated by APP β-CTFs, Not Aβ

Mutant neurons increased Rab5⁺ early endosome size. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin (PSEN1) mutations had discordant effects on Aβ production but similar effects on APP β C-terminal fragments (β-CTFs), which accumulated in all mutant neurons. [Neuron] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Mul1 Restrains Parkin-Mediated Mitophagy in Mature Neurons by Maintaining ER-Mitochondrial Contacts

Investigators revealed Mul1-Mfn2 pathway that maintained neuronal mitochondrial integrity under stress conditions. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Defined Neuronal Populations Drive Fatal Phenotype in a Mouse Model of Leigh Syndrome

Using a mouse model of Leigh Syndrome (LS) lacking the mitochondrial complex I subunit Ndufs4, researchers dissected the critical role of genetically-defined neuronal populations in LS progression. [eLife] Full Article

Casein Kinase 2 Inhibition Sensitizes Medulloblastoma to Temozolomide

The authors verified the importance of casein kinase 2 (CK2) in medulloblastoma (MB) tumorigenesis and discovered that inhibition of CK2 using the small molecule inhibitor, CX-4945, can sensitize MB cells to a well-known and tolerated chemotherapeutic, temozolomide. To study the role of CK2 in MB they modulated CK2 expression in multiple MB cells. [Oncogene] Full Article

Circular RNA PRKCI Promotes Glioma Cell Progression by Inhibiting MicroRNA-545

Researchers showed that circular RNA PRKCI was upregulated in human glioma tissues and glioma cells, correlating with downregulation of its potential target, microRNA-545. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

De Novo Genesis of Retinal Ganglion Cells by Targeted Expression of Klf4 In Vivo

Investigators demonstrated that the pluripotency regulator gene Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4) was sufficient to change the potency of lineage-restricted retinal progenitor cells to generate retinal ganglion cell in vivo. [Development] Abstract

De Novo Regulation of RD3 Synthesis in Residual Neuroblastoma Cells after Intensive Multi-Modal Clinical Therapy Harmonizes Disease Evolution

Scientists investigated whether RD3 loss was an acquired process in cells that survived intensive multi-modal clinical therapy (IMCT) and its significance in disease evolution. RD3 status during diagnosis and PD after IMCT was investigated in NB patient cohort, stage-4 NB cell lines with known treatment status and validated with independent data from another set of 15 cell-lines. [Sci Rep] Full Article

The Systemic Exercise-Released Chemokine Lymphotactin/XCL1 Modulates In Vitro Adult Hippocampal Precursor Cell Proliferation and Neuronal Differentiation

The authors found that XCL1 treatment of primary cells isolated from both the dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone of the adult mice led to an increase in the number of neurospheres and neuronal differentiation in neurospheres derived from the dentate gyrus. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Nuclear Factor-KappaB Gates Nav1.7 Channels in DRG Neurons via Protein-Protein Interaction

Scientists showed that phospho-p65, an active form of the nuclear factor-kappaB subunit, reversibly interacted with Nav1.7 channels in the membrane of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of rats. [iScience] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Full Article

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Next-Generation Interfaces for Studying Neural Function

Electrical, optical and chemical approaches have been used to manipulate and record neuronal activity in vivo, with a recent focus on technologies that both integrate multiple modes of interaction with neurons into a single device and enable bidirectional communication with neural circuits with enhanced spatiotemporal precision. [Nat Biotechnol] Abstract

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AC Immune Announces Research Collaboration with University of Pennsylvania Focusing on Pathogenic Protein TDP-43 in Neurodegenerative Diseases

AC Immune SA announced a research partnership with leading scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania focused on studying the pathological mechanisms of TDP-43 misfolding and aggregation. [AC Immune SA] Press Release

DelMar Pharmaceuticals Reports Updated Results on Twenty Patients from the Phase II Clinical Trial of VAL-083 as First-Line Treatment in Newly-Diagnosed MGMT-Unmethylated Glioblastoma MultiForme (GBM)

DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. provided an update on the first 20 patients enrolled in its ongoing Phase II clinical study investigating the first-line treatment of VAL-083 in combination with radiation therapy in newly-diagnosed, MGMT-unmethylated GBM. [DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.] Press Release

Brain Cancer Patients Display Decreasing Tumor Biomarkers after Treatment with Novel Immunotherapy in AIVITA Biomedical’s Phase II Clinical Trial

AIVITA Biomedical, Inc. announced updated clinical data from its ongoing glioblastoma Phase II clinical trial, investigating AIVITA’s platform immunotherapy targeting tumor-initiating cells. [AIVITA Biomedical, Inc. (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

ReNetX Bio Announces Initiation of Patient Dosing in the First Phase I Clinical Trial of Fusion Protein AXER-204

ReNetX Bio, Inc. announced a successful first patient dosing in a Phase I clinical trial of its lead drug candidate, fusion protein AXER-204. [ReNetX Bio, Inc. (GlobeNewswire, Inc.)] Press Release

CLR 131 Advances to Second Malignant Brain Tumor Cohort of Ongoing Pediatric Phase I Study

Cellectar Biosciences, Inc. announced it has successfully completed the first cohort of malignant brain tumor patients in its ongoing Phase I trial of CLR 131 in children and adolescents with select solid tumors, lymphoma, and malignant brain tumors, including relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing’s sarcoma, and osteosarcoma. [Cellectar Biosciences, Inc.] Press Release

City of Hope Scientist Receives $9.28 Million for CAR T Cell Immunotherapy Clinical Trial for Patients with HER2-Positive Breast Cancer that Has Spread to the Brain

Saul Priceman, Ph.D. and his research team have received a $9.28 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to support a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of women with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the brain. [City of Hope] Press Release

KIYATEC Announces Addition of Capital Health as Clinical Site in Trial to Predict GBM Patient-Specific Response to Cancer Drugs Prior to Treatment

KIYATEC, Inc. announced that Capital Health has joined its US clinical trial, 3D-PREDICT, to validate the company’s test as a patient-specific predictor of response to cancer therapies in glioblastoma (GBM) and anaplastic astrocytoma patients. [KIYATEC, Inc.] Press Release

UC Faculty Members Quit Cell Press Editorial Boards over Impasse with Publisher

Some of the University of California’s (UC’s) most prominent scientists have announced they will resign from editorial boards of Cell Press to protest the continuing impasse between its owner, publishing giant Elsevier, and UC over subscription costs and open access to articles. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Academia to FBI on Monitoring Chinese Scientists: “Tread Carefully”

Nearly two dozen higher education groups warn the government to be cautious when advising US research universities to keep an eye on students and faculty with ties to certain Chinese institutions. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Development and 3-D Modeling of the Human Brain
December 9-12, 2019
Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States

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NEW PhD Position – Neuroproteomics and Brain Organoids (University of Southern Denmark)

NEW Associate Research Scientist – Brain Research (Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute)

Scientific Communications Coordinator (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Associate – Cerebral Organoids (Weill Cornell Medicine)

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor – Cognitive Neuroscience (Lawrence University of Wisconsin)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Neurogenesis & Neural Cell Aging (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Bioinformatics & Neurogenesis (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Fellowship – Reprogramming Glioblastoma (Lund University)

Postdoctoral Scientist – Glioma Organoids (Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey)

Research Lab Specialist – Tumor Microenvironment & Cell Behavior (University of Southern California)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Retinal Stem Cell Biology (NIH National Eye Institute)

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