Neural Cell News Volume 13.48 | Dec 11 2019

TOP STORY

Continuous and Discrete Neuron Types of the Adult Murine Striatum

Scientists defined the molecular and anatomical diversity of adult spiny projection neurons using single-cell RNA sequencing and quantitative RNA in situ hybridization. [Neuron] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Prohibitin Levels Regulate OMA1 Activity and Turnover in Neurons

The authors investigated the effects of modulating neuronal prohibitin levels on OMA1 stability and OPA1 cleavage. They demonstrated that prohibitin promoted OMA1 turnover, effectively decreasing the pool of OMA1. [Cell Death Differ] Abstract

Integrin α6 Signaling Induces STAT3-TET3-Mediated Hydroxymethylation of Genes Critical for Maintenance of Glioma Stem Cells

Researchers report that extracellular matrix through laminin-integrin α6 upregulated ten-eleven translocation enzyme 3 (TET3) dioxygenase. TET3 in turn mediated DNA cytosine 5′-hydroxymethylation and upregulated genes critical for maintenance of glioma stem cells. [Oncogene] Abstract

Stathmin Levels Alter PTPN14 Expression and Impact Neuroblastoma Cell Migration

MiRNA and gene arrays followed by miRNA-target-gene integration were performed on stathmin-depleted neuroblastoma cells. The expression of the predicted target PTPN14 was evaluated by RT-qPCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. [Br J Cancer] Abstract

Secretome Analysis of Patient-Derived GBM Tumor Spheres Identifies Midkine as a Potent Therapeutic Target

Researchers identified critical autocrine factors mediating glioma-initiating cell survival and evaluated the anti-glioblastoma effect of antagonizing these factors. Proteomic analysis was performed using conditioned media from two different patient-derived glioblastoma tumor spheres under a growth factor-depleted status. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

Lithium Alters Expression of RNAs in a Type-Specific Manner in Differentiated Human Neuroblastoma Neuronal Cultures, including Specific Genes Involved in Alzheimer’s Disease

The authors cultured and differentiated human neuroblastoma cells to neuronal cells with all-trans retinoic acid. They exposed cultures for one week to lithium chloride or distilled water, extracted total RNA, depleted ribosomal RNA and performed whole-transcriptome RT-sequencing. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Circadian Rhythms in Per1, PER2 and Ca²⁺ of a Solitary SCN Neuron Cultured on a Microisland

Circadian rhythms in Per1, PER2 expression and intracellular Ca²⁺ were measured from a solitary SCN neuron or glial cell which was physically isolated from other cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Repression of Phagocytosis by Human CD33 Is Not Conserved with Mouse CD33

Investigators showed that mCD33 was expressed at high levels on neutrophils and low levels on microglia. Notably, cell surface expression of mCD33 was entirely dependent on Dap12 due to an interaction with the transmembrane lysine in mCD33. [Commun Biol] Full Article

PINK1 Phosphorylates Ubiquitin Predominantly in Astrocytes

Scientists used both western analysis and immunofluorescence of pS65-ubiquitin to directly compare the activity of PINK1 in primary neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells cultured from the brains of wild-type and PINK1 knockout rat pups. [npj Parkinsons Dis] Full Article

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Medulloblastomics Revisited: Biological and Clinical Insights from Thousands of Patients

The authors summarize recent advances derived from the continued molecular characterization of medulloblastoma and contextualize this progress towards the deployment of more effective, molecularly informed treatments for affected patients. [Nat Rev Cancer] Abstract

Brain Immunology and Immunotherapy in Brain Tumours

Seminal discoveries in the past five years have clarified the anatomy, genetics and function of the immune system within the central nervous system and altered the paradigm for successful immunotherapy. The impact of standard therapies on the response to immunotherapy is now better understood. [Nat Rev Cancer] Abstract

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

Vaccinex Announces $3 Million Award from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation

Vaccinex, Inc. announced that it has been granted an award, in the form of an investment of up to approximately $3 million, from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation to evaluate its lead drug candidate, pepinemab, in Alzheimer’s disease. [Vaccinex, Inc.] Press Release

Aphios Granted US Patent for Oral Administration of Bryostatin-1 Nanoparticles for Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Aphios Corporation announced that it was granted United States Patent No. 10,485,766 for the oral administration of Bryostatin-1 nanoparticles for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. [Aphios Corporation] Press Release

Bloom Science Collaborates with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to Expand Microbiome Research and Discovery into Brain Cancer

Bloom Science announced the launch of a research agreement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The collaboration will focus on advancing the understanding of the microbiome in a Phase I study investigating the clinical utility of the ketogenic diet as an adjunctive treatment in combination with standard of care in glioblastoma. [Bloom Science (PR Newswire, Inc.)] Press Release

ProPublica Creates Database of Researchers’ Conflicts of Interest

Over the past year, ProPublica has sought to highlight the potential conflicts of interest- professional relationships that might influence research, teaching, and other activities—of faculty members at public universities and research institutions and has created a database of professors’ corporate and nonprofit funding. [The Scientist] Editorial

Tufts to Remove Sackler Name from Medical Campus

Tufts University will not return donations from the family that made its riches on opioids, but the university will start a $3 million endowment for addiction prevention and treatment. [The Scientist] Editorial

NEW Beyond a Million Genomes: From Discovery to Precision Health
January 21-25, 2020
Breckenridge, Colorado, United States

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NEW Research Cognitive Neurologist (University Health Network)

Postdoctoral Research Position – Neural Reprogramming and Repair (Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Neural Stem Cell Genome Integrity in Brain Development and Diseases (German Cancer Research Center in the Helmholtz Association)

Assistant or Associate Professor – Neural Repair (Burke Neurological Institute)

Postdoctoral Associate – Neuron Diversity Mechanisms in Brain Development (Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Postdoctoral Associate – Glia and Neuron Interaction (Howard Hughes Medical Institute)

Multiple Faculty Positions – Neuroscience and Neuroengineering (Tsinghua University)

Faculty Position – Neuroimmunology (Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center)

PhD Student – Interneuron Developmental Dynamics (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)

Faculty Positions – Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders (Duke-NUS Medical School)

Faculty Positions – Brain Disorders (IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research)

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