Neural Cell News Volume 14.23 | Jun 17 2020

May 12, 2022

NCN 14.22 | 17 June 2020

Neural Cell News by STEMCELL Technologies

Vol. 14.23 – 17 June, 2020

TOP STORY

Neurons That Regulate Mouse Torpor

Scientists showed that entry into mouse torpor, a fasting-induced state with a greatly decreased metabolic rate and a body temperature as low as 20 °C, was regulated by neurons in the medial and lateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus.
[Nature]

Full Article

Virtual Poster Presentation: CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing of Cerebral Organoids to Model Microcephaly

PUBLICATIONSRanked by the impact factor of the journal

A Discrete Neuronal Circuit Induces a Hibernation-Like State in Rodents

Investigators showed that a hypothalamic neuronal circuit in rodents induced a long-lasting hypothermic and hypometabolic state similar to hibernation.
[Nature]

Full Article

Dysregulation of BRD4 Function Underlies the Functional Abnormalities of MeCP2 Mutant Neurons

Scientists used 2D and 3D human brain cultures to investigate methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) function. They found that MeCP2 mutations caused severe abnormalities in human interneurons.
[Molecular Cell]

Abstract Graphical Abstract

Dual Role of WISP1 in Maintaining Glioma Stem Cells and Tumor-Supportive Macrophages in Glioblastoma

Researchers showed that glioma stem cells (GSCs) secreted the Wnt‐induced signaling protein 1 (WISP1) to facilitate a pro-tumor microenvironment by promoting the survival of both GSCs and tumor-associated macrophages.
[Nature Communications]

Full Article

Novel Genetic Features of Human and Mouse Purkinje Cell Differentiation Defined by Comparative Transcriptomics

The authors identified genes expressed in human pluripotent stem cell-derived Purkinje cells (hPSC-PCs) and confirmed protein expression of a novel human PC gene, CD40LG, expressed in both hPSC-PCs and native human cerebellar tissue.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America]

Abstract

Impact of α-Synuclein Pathology on Transplanted hESC-Derived Dopaminergic Neurons in a Humanized α-Synuclein Rat Model of PD

Researchers established a humanized transplantation model of Parkinson’s disease that better recapitulates the main disease features, obtained by coinjection of preformed human α-synuclein (α-syn) fibrils and adeno-associated virus expressing human wild-type α-syn unilaterally into the rat substantia nigra.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America]

Full Article

Synaptic Vesicle Precursors and Lysosomes Are Transported by Different Mechanisms in the Axon of Mammalian Neurons

Researchers found that synaptic vesicle precursors and lysosomes were transported separately, but only lysosomes depended on BORC for axonal transport in the neurons.
[Cell Reports]

Full Article Graphical Abstract

Neural Stem Cell Delivery via Porous Collagen Scaffolds Promotes Neuronal Differentiation and Locomotion Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury

Scientists demonstrated that grafts based on porous collagen-based scaffolds, similar to biomaterials utilized clinically in induced regeneration, could deliver and protect embryonic neural stem cells at spinal cord injury (SCI) sites, leading to significant improvement in locomotion recovery in an experimental mouse SCI model.
[NPJ Regenerative Medicine]

Full Article

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REVIEWS

Transplanting Neural Progenitor Cells to Restore Connectivity after Spinal Cord Injury

The authors focus on the use of neural progenitor cells obtained or derived from different sources to promote connectivity in sensory, motor and autonomic systems.
[Nature Reviews Neuroscience]

Abstract

INDUSTRY AND POLICY NEWS

CNS Announces the FDA has Granted Orphan Drug Designation for Brain Cancer Drug Berubicin

CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation for its lead product Berubicin for the treatment of malignant gliomas.
[CNS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.]

Press Release

Sunovion Announces Health Canada Approval of KYNMOBI^™ (Apomorphine Hydrochloride) Soluble Film for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease OFF Episodes

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Health Canada has approved apomorphine HCI soluble film for the acute, intermittent treatment of OFF episodes in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
[Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.]

Press Release

Huge Open-Access Journal Deal Inked by University of California and Springer Nature

The University of California (UC) system announced it has signed the biggest open-access deal in North America with one of the largest commercial scientific publishers. The agreement with Springer Nature includes a commitment by the publisher to explore making all articles that UC corresponding authors publish in the Nature family of journals immediately free to read on publication starting in 2022.
[ScienceInsider]

Editorial

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