Glial Glycolysis Is Essential for Neuronal Survival in Drosophila Using the example of the Drosophila brain, the authors addressed how sugar is shuttled across the barrier to nurture neurons. They showed that glial cells of the blood-brain barrier specifically take up sugars and that their metabolism relies on glycolysis, which, surprisingly, is dispensable in neurons. [Cell Metab] Abstract | Graphical Abstract Olfactory Stem Cells Reveal MOCOS as a New Player in Autism Spectrum Disorders Scientists report on molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MOCOS), an enzyme involved in purine metabolism, as a newly identified player in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). They found in adult nasal olfactory stem cells of 11 adults with ASD that MOCOS is downregulated in most of them when compared with 11 age- and gender-matched control adults without any neuropsychiatric disorders. [Mol Psych] Full Article | Press Release Activating Endogenous Neural Precursor Cells Using Metformin Leads to Neural Repair and Functional Recovery in a Model of Childhood Brain Injury Investigators found that metformin administration activates endogenous neural precursor cells (NPCs), expanding the size of the NPC pool and promoting NPC migration and differentiation in the injured neonatal brain in a hypoxia-ischemia injury model. [Stem Cell Rep] Full Article Transcriptional Profiling of Hypoxic Neural Stem Cells Identifies Calcineurin-NFATc4 Signaling as a Major Regulator of Neural Stem Cell Biology Scientists performed gene set enrichment analysis of microarray datasets from hypoxic versus normoxic neural stem cells (NSCs) with the aim of identifying pathways and transcription factors (TFs) that are activated under oxygen concentrations mimicking normal brain tissue microenvironment. Integration of TF target and pathway enrichment analysis identified the calcium-regulated TF NFATc4 as a major candidate to regulate hypoxic NSC functions. [Stem Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract 12-Deoxyphorbols Promote Adult Neurogenesis by Inducing Neural Progenitor Cell Proliferation via PKC Activation Researchers performed in vitro and in vivo approaches to determine neural progenitor cell proliferation to understand whether activation of kinases of the PKC family facilitates neurogenesis in the adult brain. [Int J Neuropsychopharmacol] Abstract Acidic FGF Promotes Neurite Outgrowth of Cortical Neurons and Improves Neuroprotective Effect in a Cerebral Ischemic Rat Model Researchers examined the neuroprotective effect of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) on cortical neuron-glial cultures under oxygen glucose deprivation-induced cell damage and investigated whether epidural application of slow released aFGF could improve benefit on ischemic stroke injury in conscious rats. [Neuroscience] Abstract Connective-Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF/CCN2) Induces Astrogenesis and Fibronectin Expression of Embryonic Neural Cells In Vitro Investigators indicated that CTGF is a potent inductor of gliogenesis during development. They showed that in vitro addition of recombinant CTGF protein to an embryonic mouse neural precursor cell culture increased the number of GFAP- and GFAP/Nestin-positive cells. [PLoS One] Full Article Protease Omi Facilitates Neurite Outgrowth in Mouse Neuroblastoma N2a Cells by Cleaving Transcription Factor E2F1 Researchers investigated the role of protease Omi in regulating differentiation of mouse neuroblastoma cells and identified the substrate of Omi involved in this process. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract Upregulation of miR-130b Enhances Stem Cell-Like Phenotype in Glioblastoma by Inactivating the Hippo Signaling Pathway Scientists reported that miR-130b directly repressed MST1 and SAV1 expression in human glioblastoma cells. Overexpression of miR-130b induced hyperactivation of the Yes-associated protein/PDZ-binding motif and enhanced expression of the Hippo signaling downstream genes CTGF and the pluripotency associated markers, including CD133, SOX2, Nanog, MYC and BMI1, leading to promotion of glioblastoma stem cell phenotype. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract |