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