Neural Cell News Volume 7.46 | Nov 20 2013

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    Neural Cell News 7.46 November 20, 2013

    Neural Cell News

         In this issue: Publications | Reviews | Science News | Industry News | Policy News | Events | Jobs
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    TOP STORY
    Synaptotagmin-1 and Synaptotagmin-7 Trigger Synchronous and Asynchronous Phases of Neurotransmitter Release
    Researchers showed using single-cell PCR that individual hippocampal neurons abundantly coexpress two Ca2+-binding synaptotagmin isoforms, synaptotagmin-1 and synaptotagmin-7. In synaptotagmin-1-deficient synapses of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, loss of function of synaptotagmin-7 suppressed asynchronous release. [Neuron] Abstract
    Open Access JoVE Protocol: Discriminating NSCs from NPCs with the NeuroCult™ NCFC Assay

     
    PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by impact factor of the journal)
    Auto-Attraction of Neural Precursors and Their Neuronal Progeny Impairs Neuronal Migration
    Scientists found that one important mechanism underlying this phenomenon is an intrinsic chemotactic interaction between the grafted neural precursor cells (NPCs) and their neuronal progeny. NPCs secrete the receptor tyrosine kinase ligands FGF2 and VEGF, which act as chemoattractants for neurons. [Nat Neurosci] Abstract

    miR-219 Regulates Neural Precursor Differentiation by Direct Inhibition of Apical Par Polarity Proteins
    Scientists tested a hypothesis that microRNA miR-219 promotes precursor differentiation by inhibiting Par proteins. Neural precursors in zebrafish larvae lacking miR-219 function retained apical proteins, remained in the cell cycle, and failed to differentiate. [Dev Cell] Abstract

    Chondroitin Sulphate N-Acetylgalactosaminyl-Transferase-1 Inhibits Recovery from Neural Injury
    Scientists showed that mice carrying a gene knockout for chondroitin sulphate (CS) N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 (T1), a key enzyme in CS biosynthesis, recover more completely from spinal cord injury than wild-type mice and even chondroitinase ABC-treated mice. Notably, synthesis of heparan sulphate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan promoting axonal growth, is also upregulated in TI knockout mice because HS-synthesis enzymes are induced in the mutant neurons. [Nat Commun] Full Article

    Spike Timing-Dependent Selective Strengthening of Single Climbing Fibre Inputs to Purkinje Cells during Cerebellar Development
    Researchers investigated developmental changes in climbing fibre (CF)-mediated responses in Purkinje cells (PCs) by using in vivo whole-cell recordings and two-photon Ca2+ imaging. They showed that each neonatal PC receives temporally clustered inputs from multiple CFs and temporal integration of these inputs is required to induce burst spiking and Ca2+ rise in PCs. [Nat Commun] Full Article

    Transcriptome Sequencing during Mouse Brain Development Identifies Long Non-Coding RNAs Functionally Involved in Neurogenic Commitment
    Investigators generated a combinatorial, fluorescent reporter mouse line to isolate proliferating neural stem cells, differentiating progenitors and newborn neurons that coexist as intermingled cell populations during brain development. [EMBO J] Abstract

    Neurotrophin 3 Transduction Augments Remyelinating and Immunomodulatory Capacity of Neural Stem Cells
    Investigators transduced bone marrow-derived neural stem cells (BM-NSCs) with neurotrophin 3 (NT-3), a potent neurotrophic factor that is both neuroprotective and immunomodulatory. They found that BM-NSCs transduced with NT-3 reduced central nervous system inflammation and neurological deficits in ongoing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis significantly more than conventional neural stem cell therapy. [Mol Ther] Abstract

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Tat Protein Increases the Number of Inhibitory Synapses between Hippocampal Neurons in Culture
    Researchers compared the effects of transactivator of transcription (Tat) on inhibitory and excitatory synaptic connections between rat hippocampal neurons using an imaging-based assay that quantified clusters of the scaffolding proteins gephyrin or PSD95 fused to GFP. Tat increased the number of GFP-gephyrin puncta and decreased the number of PSD95-GFP puncta. [J Neurosci] Abstract

    Honokiol Inhibits U87MG Human Glioblastoma Cell Invasion through Endothelial Cells by Regulating Membrane Permeability and the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
    Researchers investigated the effect of honokiol on the cell invasion process of U87MG human glioblastoma cells through brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) and its possible mechanisms. Honokiol dose-dependently inhibited TNF-α-induced VCAM-1 expression in BMECs and adhesion of U87MG to BMECs. [Int J Oncol] Abstract

    Amyloid-β Oligomers Regulate the Properties of Human Neural Stem Cells through GSK-3β Signaling
    To investigate the effects of amyloid-β oligomers on human neural stem cells, scientists established amyloid precursor protein Swedish mutant-expressing cells and identified cell-derived amyloid-β oligomers in the culture media. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

    Contralaterally Transplanted Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Precursor Cells (ENStem-A) Migrate and Improve Brain Functions in Stroke-Damaged Rats
    Researchers investigated the fates of ENStem-A for eight weeks following transplantation into the side contralateral to the infarct region using 7.0T animal magnetic resonance imaging. [Exp Mol Med] Full Article

    An Acute Glutamate Exposure Induces Long-Term Down Regulation of GLAST/EAAT1 Uptake Activity in Cultured Bergmann Glia Cells
    In the cerebellar cortex, glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) is profusely expressed in Bergmann glia cells, which completely enwrap the parallel fiber-Purkinje cells synapses. Glutamate exposure in these cells, down regulates the activity as well as the expression levels of this transporter. In order to characterize the persistence of a single glutamate exposure, scientists followed the [3H]-d-aspartate uptake activity as a function of time after the removal of the glutamatergic stimulus. [Neurochem Res] Abstract

    Your Free Copy of the Nature Neuroscience Poster

     
    REVIEWS
    Temporal Fate Specification and Neural Progenitor Competence during Development
    Emerging evidence indicates that neural progenitors undergo changes in global chromatin architecture, thereby restricting when a particular cell type can be generated. Studies of temporal-identity specification and progenitor competence can provide insight into how scientists could use neural progenitors to more effectively generate specific cell types for brain repair. [Nat Rev Neurosci] Abstract

    Induced Neural Stem Cells: Methods of Reprogramming and Potential Therapeutic Applications
    This review focuses on reported reprogramming techniques and innovative techniques that can be further explored in the neurological field, as well as on the criteria for the phenotypic characterization of induced neural stem cells and their use in developing novel therapeutic strategies for neurological diseases. [Prog Neurobiol] Abstract

    Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the neuroscience field.

     
    SCIENCE NEWS
    Sangamo BioSciences Announces Presentation of Clinical Data from Alzheimer’s Disease Program
    Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced the presentation of positive data from the Phase I clinical trial of CERE-110, a gene therapy approach designed to deliver nerve growth factor for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. [Press release from Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. discussing research presented at the Sixth Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease Meeting, San Diego] Press Release

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    INDUSTRY NEWS
    CytRx Initiates Phase II Clinical Trial with Aldoxorubicin in Patients with Unresectable Glioblastoma Multiforme
    CytRx Corporation announced initiation of a Phase II clinical trial with the Company’s aldoxorubicin for the treatment of unresectable glioblastoma multiforme, a deadly form of brain cancer. [CytRx Corporation]
    Press Release

    Project A.L.S. Announces Research Effort with Lilly
    Project A.L.S. announced an agreement with Eli Lilly and Company aimed at helping to accelerate the development of potential therapies for the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. [Project ALS] Press Release

    £1.1M for Study into How Acetylcholine Influences Brain Network Activity
    A £1.1 million grant to understand how one of the brain’s key neurotransmitters called acetylcholine influences brain activity has been awarded to University of Bristol researchers. The Wellcome Trust award will help scientists understand more precisely how the release of acetylcholine is changing brain cell activity to influence memory and cognition. [EurekAlert!] Press Release

     
    POLICY NEWS
    National Institutes of Health (United States)

    Food and Drug Administration (United States)

    Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

    European Medicines Agency (European Union)

    Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

    Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

     
    EVENTS
    NEW ISREC Symposium 2014: Metastatic Colonization
    January 22-25, 2014
    Crans Montana, Switzerland

    NEW Keystone Symposia: Stem Cells and Cancer
    February 2-7, 2014
    Banff, Canada

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

     
    JOB OPPORTUNITIES
    NEW PhD Position – Neural Stem Cells (Institute of Molecular Biology)

    Research Associate – Neurophysiology of Down’s Syndrome (University College London)

    Postdoctoral Position – Neuroimaging (BarcelonaBeta Brain Research Center)

    PhD Studentship – Genetic Susceptibility to Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases (University of Antwerp)

    Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell and Neural Cell Biology (KU Leuven)

    Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience (Harvard Medical School)

    Manufacturing Manager (StemCells Inc.)

    Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

    Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

    Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)


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