Neural Cell News Volume 8.13 | Apr 9 2014

Neuronal Control of Drosophila Walking Direction
Researchers identified descending neurons for backward walking in Drosophila – the MDN neurons. They also identified ascending neurons, MAN, that promote persistent backward walking, possibly by inhibiting forward walking. [Science] Abstract | Press Release

Modeling ALS with iPSCs Reveals that Mutant SOD1 Misregulates Neurofilament Balance in Motor Neurons
Using induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs) from patients with mutation in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene, investigators showed that spinal motoneurons (MNs), but rarely non-MNs, exhibited neurofilament (NF) aggregation followed by neurite degeneration when glia were not present. They conclude that NF misregulation underlies mutant SOD1-mediated NF aggregation and axonal degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) MNs. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Pathways Disrupted in Human ALS Motor Neurons Identified through Genetic Correction of Mutant SOD1
Researchers combined reprogramming and stem cell differentiation approaches with genome engineering and RNA sequencing to define the transcriptional and functional changes that are induced in human motor neurons by mutant SOD1. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Large-Scale Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan Digestion with Chondroitinase Gene Therapy Leads to Reduced Pathology and Modulates Macrophage Phenotype following Spinal Cord Contusion Injury
Researchers demonstrated significantly reduced secondary injury pathology in adult rats following spinal contusion injury and chondroitinase ABC delivered via lentiviral vector (LV-ChABC) treatment, with reduced cavitation and enhanced preservation of spinal neurons and axons at 12 weeks postinjury, compared with control (LV-GFP)-treated animals. [J Neurosci] Abstract | Press Release

Leptin Reverses Corticosterone-Induced Inhibition of Neural Stem Cell Proliferation through Activating the NR2B Subunits of NMDA Receptors
Scientists reported that leptin significantly promoted the proliferation of hippocampal neural stem cells in a concentration-dependent pattern. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Intrinsic Membrane Hyperexcitability of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patient-Derived Motor Neurons
Investigators showed using multielectrode array and patch-clamp recordings that hyperexcitability detected by clinical neurophysiological studies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients is recapitulated in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons from ALS patients harboring superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), C9orf72, and fused-in-sarcoma mutations. [Cell Rep]
Abstract | Full Article | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

Short Laminin Peptide for Improved Neural Stem Cell Growth
The authors developed a novel peptide sequence with only 12 amino acids based on the Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val, or IKVAV, sequence: Ac-Cys-Cys-Arg-Arg-Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val-Trp-Leu-Cys. This short peptide sequence, similar to tissue-derived full laminin molecules, supported human neural stem/progenitor cells to attach and proliferate to confluence for continuous passage and subculture. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

Daiichi Sankyo and UCSF Announce Collaboration in Drug Discovery Research for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have established a drug-discovery collaboration focused on developing novel therapeutics and molecular diagnostics for multiple neurodegenerative diseases. [University of California, San Francisco] Press Release

UCSF Launches Groundbreaking Online Registry to Drive Brain Disease Research
With easy online registration, the Brain Health Registry is designed to create a ready pool of research subjects for studies on neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and many other brain ailments. [University of California, San Francisco]
Press Release

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