Neural Cell News Volume 14.04 | Feb 05 2020

TOP STORY

Microglia Monitor and Protect Neuronal Function through Specialized Somatic Purinergic Junctions

Scientists identified an interaction site between neuronal cell bodies and microglial processes in mouse and human brain. Somatic microglia-neuron junctions have a specialized nanoarchitecture optimized for purinergic signaling. [Science] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Dual Functionalized Brain-Targeting Nanoinhibitors Restrain Temozolomide-Resistant Glioma via Attenuating EGFR and MET Signaling Pathways

The crosstalk activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) signaling pathways was demonstrated to contribute to temozolomide resistance, resulting in an unfavorable prognosis for patients with glioblastoma. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Fibrinogen Induces Neural Stem Cell Differentiation into Astrocytes in the Subventricular Zone via BMP Signaling

Fibrinogen inhibited neuronal differentiation in subventricular zone and hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cells while promoting astrogenesis via activation of the BMP receptor signaling pathway. [Nat Commun] Full Article

Inhibition of AIM2 Inflammasome Activation Alleviates GSDMD-Induced Pyroptosis in Early Brain Injury after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The pathway of absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis, the AIM2/Caspase-1/gasdermin D(GSDMD) pathway, was explored after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage in vivo and in primary cortical neurons stimulated by oxyhemoglobin in vitro. [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

PABPC1-Induced Stabilization of BDNF-AS Inhibits Malignant Progression of Glioblastoma Cells through STAU1-Mediated Decay

Researchers confirmed that lncRNA brain-derived neurotrophic factor antisense (BDNF-AS) was downregulated in glioblastoma tissues and cells, interacted and stabilized by polyadenylate-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 (PABPC1). [Cell Death Dis] Full Article

Adult Human Glioblastomas Harbor Radial Glia-Like Cells

Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses of glioblastoma cells revealed transcriptionally dynamic clusters of radial glia-like cells that shared the profiles of normal human fetal radial glia and that resided in quiescent and cycling states. [Stem Cell Reports] Full Article

Comparative Cytotoxicity of Inorganic Arsenite and Methylarsenite in Human Brain Cells

The authors assessed the toxicity in different types of brain cells exposed to either inorganic trivalent arsenic or methylarsenite using both morphological and cytotoxicity cell-based analysis. [ACS Chem Neurosci] Abstract

Chondroitin Sulfate Synthase 1 Enhances Proliferation of Glioblastoma by Modulating PDGFRA Stability

Scientists showed that the expression of CHSY1 was significantly associated with chondroitin sulfate formation in glioma tissue and cells. In addition, overexpression of CHSY1 in glioma cells enhanced cell viability and orthotopic tumor growth, whereas CHSY1 silencing suppressed malignant growth. [Oncogenesis] Full Article

Nox2 Dependent Redox-Regulation of Microglial Response to Amyloid-β Stimulation and Microgliosis in Aging

Investigators examined Nox2-derived reactive oxygen species in mediating microglial response to amyloid-β peptide 1-42 stimulation in vitro, in aging-associated microgliosis in vivo and in post-mortem human samples. [Sci Rep] Full Article

NFкB Is a Critical Transcriptional Regulator of Atypical Cadherin FAT1 in Glioma

Characterization of FAT1 promoter for transcriptional regulation was performed by in vitro functional assays using promoter deletion constructs, site directed mutagenesis and ChIP in glioblastoma cells. [BMC Cancer] Full Article

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Reevaluating the Role of Persistent Neural Activity in Short-Term Memory

The authors discuss how the neural mechanisms underlying short-term memory are inextricably linked with the cognitive demands of the task, such that the passive maintenance and the active manipulation of information are subserved differently in the brain. [Trends Cogn Sci] Abstract

Microglia Heterogeneity in the Single-Cell Era

The authors summarize the current knowledge about the spatial, temporal, and functional diversity of microglia during development, homeostasis, and disease in mice and humans. [Cell Rep] Abstract

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

Alkahest Initiates a Phase II Clinical Trial of AKST4290 in Parkinson’s Disease with Funding from The Michael J Fox Foundation

Alkahest, Inc. announced the dosing of the first patient in a Phase II clinical trial of AKST4290, an orally administered CCR3 inhibitor, for treatment of Parkinson’s disease. [Alkahest, Inc.] Press Release

VistaGen Therapeutics Receives FDA Clearance of IND for Phase II Clinical Study of AV-101 as a Potential Treatment of Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

VistaGen Therapeutics announced that its Investigational New Drug Application for AV-101, the company’s oral NMDAR glycine site antagonist, as a potential treatment of dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease receiving levodopa-based therapy has been cleared by the FDA. [VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc.] Press Release

Why Did a Chinese University Hire Charles Lieber to Do Battery Research?

Among the ongoing mysteries surrounding last week’s arrest of Harvard University nanoscientist Charles Lieber is the precise nature of the research program Lieber was conducting in his cooperation with Chinese researchers. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

US Prosecutor Leading China Probe Explains Effort That Led to Charges against Harvard Chemist

The US government isn’t prosecuting Charles Lieber because he’s a world-renowned inorganic chemist at Harvard University, says the US attorney who last week drew headlines by charging Lieber with making false statements about his ties to Chinese research institutions. Nor does the Department of Justice think for one minute that Lieber is a spy. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Cash from Cannabis Companies Creates Conflicted Researchers

Imagine that scientists charged with doing research on tobacco’s health implications were funded by tobacco companies. In fact, the tobacco industry used this tactic for decades to cast doubt on the adverse health effects of smoking. But today it would be an outrageous conflict of interest – research on addictive drugs shouldn’t be paid for by people who stand to profit from selling them. Yet this is exactly what is happening with cannabis. [STAT News] Editorial

NEW 2^nd Neuroepigenetics and Neuroepitranscriptomics Conference
March 3-6, 2020
Nassau, Bahamas

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

NEW Postdoctoral Fellow – Translational Brain Tumor Research (Northwestern University)

NEW Branch Chief – Neuroscience Research (National Institutes of Health)

NEW Postdoctoral Research Fellowship – Neuroscience and Stem Cells (Black Family Stem Cell Institute)

Bioinformatician Positions – Molecular Neurobiology (Karolinska Institutet)

Faculty Position – Neuroimmunology (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Vascular Dysfunction in Neurodegeneration (Translational Neurology Group)

Postdoctoral Research Positions – Alzheimer’s Disease and Traumatic Brain Injury (University of Colorado Boulder)

Postdoctoral Researcher – Neurodegenerative Diseases and Cancer (University of Pennsylvania)

Research Cognitive Neurologist (University Health Network)

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

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