Article
Neurosciences
Kaaya Tamura, Yuki Yamamoto, Taira Kobayashi, Rin Kuriyama, Tadashi Yamazaki
Summary: This study shows that individual Purkinje cells can perform complex information processing through the nonlinear dynamics of dendrites. They can discriminate different directions of pulse sequences and play a crucial role in motor control and learning.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Virology
Lise Lamoureux, Babu Sajesh, Jessy A. Slota, Sarah J. Medina, Matthew Mayor, Kathy L. Frost, Bryce Warner, Kathy Manguiat, Heidi Wood, Darwyn Kobasa, Stephanie A. Booth
Summary: Neurological syndromes associated with COVID-19 suggest an effect of the virus on neuronal function, but the direct infection of SARS-CoV-2 in the brain remains under debate. In this study, using brain slice culture, researchers found that while some glial cells were infected, there was no evidence of viral infection or replication in neurons. These findings support previous clinical studies on neurological involvement in COVID-19 patients.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Laura Rossini, Dalia De Santis, Erica Cecchini, Cinzia Cagnoli, Emanuela Maderna, Daniele Cartelli, Bryan Paul Morgan, Megan Torvell, Roberto Spreafico, Roberta di Giacomo, Laura Tassi, Marco de Curtis, Rita Garbelli
Summary: Dendritic spines are crucial for excitatory glutamatergic synapses. The study explores the role of complement components C1q and C3 in synaptic pruning imbalance in Type II focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). The findings provide valuable insights into the understanding and treatment of diseases related to Type II FCD.
Article
Neurosciences
Alessandro Dorigo, Komali Valishetti, Florian Hetsch, Hideaki Matsui, Jochen C. Meier, Kazuhiko Namikawa, Reinhard W. Koester
Summary: The cerebellum exhibits functional regionalization in processing motor and sensory inputs. This study demonstrates that the establishment of specific functional domains in Purkinje cell (PC) layer during cerebellum development is driven by physiological activity of maturing PCs. Additionally, the formation of new dendritic spines parallels the time course of functional domain development.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathalia Melo, Olga V. Belyaeva, Wilhelm K. Berger, Laszlo Halasz, Jianshi Yu, Nagesh Pilli, Zhengrong Yang, Alla V. Klyuyeva, Craig A. Elmets, Venkatram Atigadda, Donald D. Muccio, Maureen A. Kane, Laszlo Nagy, Natalia Y. Kedishvili, Matthew B. Renfrow
Summary: This study investigated the mechanism of action of two next-generation rexinoids, UAB110 and UAB111. The results showed that UAB110 and UAB111 were more potent in enhancing ATRA signaling compared to UAB30 and Targretin. These rexinoids achieved activation through different molecular responses to ligand binding.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Mingxuan Ding, Kenta Teruya, Weiguanliu Zhang, Hae Weon Lee, Jue Yuan, Ayumi Oguma, Aaron Foutz, Manuel V. Camacho, Marcus Mitchell, Justin J. Greenlee, Qingzhong Kong, Katsumi Doh-ura, Li Cui, Wen-Quan Zou
Summary: Recent research has shown that skin PrPSc-seeding activity may serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of prion diseases. TC-5RW demonstrates potential inhibitory effects on in vitro amplification of PrPSc and seeding activity.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jihyun Yang, Jaemoo Kim, Chaewon Kwak, Haryoung Poo
Summary: This study investigated the effect of an adjuvant, poly-gamma-glutamic acid and alum (PGA/Alum), on vaccine efficacy in aged mice and found that PGA/Alum can enhance the immune response to influenza vaccine in the elderly. The results showed that PGA/Alum increased antigen uptake and dendritic cell (DC) activation, leading to improved immune responses in aged mice. In addition, PGA/Alum reduced the proportion of age-associated CD8(+) T cells and increased CD8(+) T cell activation in splenocytes. After challenge with pH1N1 virus, aged mice immunized with PGA/Alum adjuvanted vaccine were completely protected, similar to young mice immunized with the same vaccine.
Article
Virology
Piotr Tylicki, Karolina Polewska, Aleksander Och, Anna Susmarska, Ewelina Puchalska-Reglinska, Aleksandra Parczewska, Bogdan Biedunkiewicz, Krzysztof Szabat, Marcin Renke, Leszek Tylicki, Alicja Debska-Slizien
Summary: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis are at the highest risk of death due to COVID-19. This study aims to describe the clinical course of early SARS-CoV-2 infection and identify predictors of severe pneumonia in this population. The study found that factors such as fever, low oxygen saturation, and increased levels of certain proteins were associated with severe pneumonia. The findings suggest that individualized pharmacological treatment based on these predictors could improve clinical outcomes.
Review
Neurosciences
Travis E. Faust, Georgia Gunner, Dorothy P. Schafer
Summary: The review discusses the impact of neural activity on developmental synaptic pruning in the mammalian central nervous system, as well as how alterations in this process can occur in neurodevelopmental disorders.
NATURE REVIEWS NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
R. S. Fadeev, N. V. Dolgikh, A. V. Chekanov, A. S. Senotov, K. S. Krasnov, M. I. Kobyakova, Ya. V. Lomovskaya, I. S. Fadeeva, V. S. Akatov
Summary: The TNF alpha Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) cytokine is of interest for developing targeted antitumor drugs. Previous studies have shown that A-431 cells develop reversible resistance to TRAIL-induced apoptosis under confluent culture conditions. In this study, we found that the increased resistance is associated with reduced expression of pro-apoptotic receptors DR4 and DR5, as well as the absence of anti-apoptotic receptors DcR1 and DcR2 on the cell surface. Decreased representation of DR4 and DR5 receptors is accompanied by a lack of activation of proapoptotic protein Bid and effector caspase 3, leading to increased TRAIL resistance. These findings suggest that the reversible increase in resistance of A-431 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in confluent cultures is caused by a decrease in the expression of DR4 and DR5 receptors on the cell surface.
BIOLOGICHESKIE MEMBRANY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
R. S. Fadeev, N. V. Dolgikh, A. V. Chekanov, A. S. Senotov, K. S. Krasnov, M. I. Kobyakova, Ya. V. Lomovskaya, I. S. Fadeeva, V. S. Akatov
Summary: In this study, we found that the increased resistance of A-431 cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in confluent cultures is associated with reduced expression of pro-apoptotic receptors DR4 and DR5, as well as the absence of anti-apoptotic receptors DcR1 and DcR2 on the cell surface. The decreased representation of DR4 and DR5 receptors is accompanied by a lack of activation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bid and effector caspase 3 under the action of recombinant protein izTRAIL, leading to an increase in TRAIL resistance. These results suggest that the reversible increase in TRAIL resistance in A-431 cells is caused by a decrease in the expression of DR4 and DR5 receptors on the cell surface.
BIOCHEMISTRY MOSCOW SUPPLEMENT SERIES A-MEMBRANE AND CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jay Rasmussen, Mathias Jucker, Lary C. Walker
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jay Rasmussen, Jasmin Mahler, Natalie Beschorner, Stephan A. Kaeser, Lisa M. Haesler, Frank Baumann, Sofie Nystrom, Erik Portelius, Kaj Blennow, Tammaryn Lashley, Nick C. Fox, Diego Sepulveda-Falla, Markus Glatzel, Adrian L. Oblak, Bernardino Ghetti, K. Peter R. Nilsson, Per Hammarstrom, Matthias Staufenbiel, Lary C. Walker, Mathias Jucker
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2017)
Letter
Clinical Neurology
Jay Rasmussen, Susanne Krasemann, Hermann Altmeppen, Petra Schwarz, Juliane Schelle, Adriano Aguzzi, Markus Glatzel, Mathias Jucker
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2018)
Article
Neurosciences
B. V. Foroutanpay, J. Kumar, S. G. Kang, N. Danaei, D. Westaway, V. L. Sim, S. Kar
Article
Immunology
Cassidy L. Klima, Rahat Zaheer, Shaun R. Cook, Jay Rasmussen, Trevor W. Alexander, Andrew Potter, Steve Hendrick, Tim A. McAllister
VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOLOGY
(2018)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hailey Pineau, Valerie Sim
Article
Neurosciences
Ruth E. Uhlmann, Christine Rother, Jay Rasmussen, Juliane Schelle, Carina Bergmann, Emily M. Ullrich Gavilanes, Sarah K. Fritschi, Anika Buehler, Frank Baumann, Angelos Skodras, Rawaa Al-Shaana, Natalie Beschorner, Lan Ye, Stephan A. Kaeser, Ulrike Obermueller, Soren Christensen, Fredrik Kartberg, Jeffrey B. Stavenhagen, Jens-Ulrich Rahfeld, Holger Cynis, Fang Qian, Paul H. Weinreb, Thierry Bussiere, Lary C. Walker, Matthias Staufenbiel, Mathias Jucker
NATURE NEUROSCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Virology
Kristina Jeon, Jeffrey T. Joseph, Gerard H. Jansen, Anne Peterson, J. David Knox, Valerie L. Sim
Review
Virology
Satish K. Nemani, Jennifer L. Myskiw, Lise Lamoureux, Stephanie A. Booth, Valerie L. Sim
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hailey Pineau, Valerie L. Sim
Summary: This review discusses various cell models used to study prion diseases, ranging from simple cell cultures to complex neurospheres, organoids, and organotypic slice cultures. The advantages and disadvantages of each system are highlighted, with special consideration given to the importance of strains when choosing a model and interpreting results.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Jay Rasmussen, Adam D. Ewing, Liviu-Gabriel Bodea, Gabriela O. Bodea, Marla Gearing, Geoffrey J. Faulkner
Summary: Age is a significant risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, affecting the onset of pathology and molecular responses. Research shows that in mice injected with tau pathology at 12 months of age, the burden of hyperphosphorylated tau pathology is moderately reduced, with higher expression of inflammation-related genes.
Article
Microbiology
Leonardo M. Cortez, Satish K. Nemani, Camilo Duque Velasquez, Aishwarya Sriraman, YongLiang Wang, Holger Wille, Debbie McKenzie, Valerie L. Sim
Summary: Researchers used a versatile fractionation technique to study the structural heterogeneity of prion strains, revealing that the quaternary structure of prion proteins is a major factor in this heterogeneity. They found that all studied strains underwent significant structural changes resulting in two distinct subpopulations, correlated with strain phenotype. The work provides new insights into the molecular basis of prion strain variation and demonstrates the potential application to other protein misfolding neurodegenerative disorders.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leonardo M. Cortez, Anneliese J. Morrison, Craig R. Garen, Sawyer Patterson, Toshi Uyesugi, Rafayel Petrosyan, Rohith Vedhthaanth Sekar, Michael J. Harms, Michael T. Woodside, Valerie L. Sim
Summary: Prion diseases are caused by the misfolding of the prion protein and can be fatal. This study reconstructed the sequences of ancestral PrP and found that the ability to form aggregates developed after the oldest common ancestor. The aggregation capabilities diverged along evolutionary pathways consistent with the susceptibilities seen in modern-day species. The research suggests that susceptibility to prion disease emerged prior to approximately 100 million years ago, with placental mammals possibly being generally susceptible.
Article
Immunology
Steven D. Willows, Valentyna Semenchenko, Grant Norman, Michael T. Woodside, Valerie L. Sim, Marianna Kulka
Summary: IgE antibodies, although primarily associated with allergic reactions, have the potential to be an alternative to commonly used IgGs in immunotherapies. The affinity of IgE antigen binding affects the response from mast cells, so any IgE-based immunotherapies must carefully consider the balance between antigen affinity and therapeutic effect.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lan Ye, Jay Rasmussen, Stephan A. Kaeser, Anne-Marie Marzesco, Ulrike Obermueller, Jasmin Mahler, Juliane Schelle, Joerg Odenthal, Christian Krueger, Sarah K. Fritschi, Lary C. Walker, Matthias Staufenbiel, Frank Baumann, Mathias Jucker