Article
Cell Biology
Saja Baraghithy, Yael Soae, Dekel Assaf, Liad Hinden, Shiran Udi, Adi Drori, Yankel Gabet, Joseph Tam
Summary: Targeting CB1R in RPTCs can protect bone density and remodeling, preventing diabetes-induced bone loss, which is related to its modulation of EPO synthesis.
Article
Neurosciences
Yuka Nakamura, Masaki Ueno, Jesse K. Niehaus, Richard A. Lang, Yi Zheng, Yutaka Yoshida
Summary: Deleting RhoA and RhoC genes to eliminate extrinsic inhibitory pathways, as well as deleting the PTEN gene to enhance intrinsic regenerative response, were found to promote neural circuit rewiring through a combinatorial approach. While this method increased the potential for rewiring, it did not significantly impact axon regrowth across the lesion and motor recovery.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Nikolaus R. Wagner, Ashis Sinha, Verl Siththanandan, Angelica M. Kowalchuk, Jessica L. MacDonald, Suzanne Tharin
Summary: This study reveals the important role of miR-409-3p in the development of callosal neurons, which controls intermediate progenitor cell numbers and callosal fate by directly repressing Cited2. The overexpression of miR-409-3p promotes the expression of corticospinal projection neurons and reduces the expression of callosal projection neurons.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Katsumi Takeno, Christopher D. Ingersoll, Neal R. Glaviano, Sadik Khuder, Grant E. Norte
Summary: This study aimed to compare neuromuscular function in individuals with glenohumeral labrum repair and uninjured controls. The results showed that individuals with labral repair had lower shoulder abduction MVIC torque and higher AMT for the upper trapezius compared to controls. The findings suggest that significant neuromuscular impairments persist beyond 6 months after labral repair, highlighting the importance of addressing these impairments during post-operative rehabilitation.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paraskevi Athanasouli, Martina Balli, Anchel De Jaime-Soguero, Annekatrien Boel, Sofia Papanikolaou, Bernard K. van der Veer, Adrian Janiszewski, Tijs Vanhessche, Annick Francis, Youssef El Laithy, Antonio Lo Nigro, Francesco Aulicino, Kian Peng Koh, Vincent Pasque, Maria Pia Cosma, Catherine Verfaillie, An Zwijsen, Bjoern Heindryckx, Christoforos Nikolaou, Frederic Lluis
Summary: This study demonstrates the importance of transcriptional Wnt inhibition in regulating lineage specification in ESCs and preimplantation embryo development, and identifies TCF7L1 as a key regulator in this process.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Martina Di Bartolomeo, Tibor Stark, Oriana Maria Maurel, Fabio Arturo Iannotti, Martin Kuchar, Jana Ruda-Kucerova, Fabiana Piscitelli, Samuele Laudani, Vladimir Pekarik, Salvatore Salomone, Beatrice Arosio, Raphael Mechoulam, Mauro Maccarrone, Filippo Drago, Carsten T. Wotjak, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Matteo Vismara, Bernardo Dell'Osso, Claudio D'Addario, Vincenzo Micale
Summary: Perinatal exposure to THC affects brain development and increases the risk of psychopathology in adulthood, possibly due to dysregulation of endocannabinoid and dopaminergic systems. Cannabidiol treatment may normalize these abnormalities by modulating altered dopaminergic activity.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Linda-Isabell Schmitt, Christina David, Rebecca Steffen, Stefanie Hezel, Andreas Roos, Ulrike Schara-Schmidt, Christoph Kleinschnitz, Markus Leo, Tim Hagenacker
Summary: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of motor neurons (MNs) due to a genetic mutation. This study investigates the role of spinal astrocytes and the excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1) in the pathogenesis of late-onset SMA. The results suggest that EAAT1 reduction leads to elevated levels of glutamate, causing glutamate excitotoxicity and subsequent loss of MNs.
ACTA NEUROPATHOLOGICA
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Danielle N. Clark, Shane M. O'Neil, Li Xu, Justin T. Steppe, Justin T. Savage, Kavya Raghunathan, Anthony J. Filiano
Summary: Neurons require physiological IFN-γ signaling for CNS homeostasis, but pathological signaling can cause CNS pathologies. Different levels of IFN-γ signaling in neurons result in differential activation of downstream transcription factor STAT1, causing varying outcomes. This non-canonical IFN-γ/STAT1 signaling is unique to neurons and may explain how neurons have both homeostatic and pathological responses to IFN-γ.
JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Guichang Zou, Jing Xia, Heyi Luo, Dan Xiao, Jin Jin, Chenjian Miao, Xin Zuo, Qianqian Gao, Zhi Zhang, Tian Xue, Yezi You, Ye Zhang, Li Zhang, Wei Xiong
Summary: The combined use of cannabis and alcohol leads to greater psychoactive toxicity than using either substance alone, and the underlying mechanisms behind this worsened outcome are still unclear. This study reveals that the synergistic effect of THC and ethanol on motor incoordination in mice is achieved by activating CB1R and potentiating GlyR within cerebellar PCs. Ethanol enhances THC actions by increasing its permeability across the blood-brain barrier and enriching THC in the cell membrane.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sean S. Keating, Adekunle T. Bademosi, Rebecca San Gil, Adam K. Walker
Summary: Aggregation of TDP-43 is the hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases, involving depletion, mislocalisation, and post-translational modification of normal nuclear TDP-43. Oxidative stress triggers liquid-liquid phase separation of TDP-43, while RNA-binding deficiency and acetylation mimicry lead to sequestration of normal nuclear TDP-43 into dynamic anisosomes. Nuclear or cytoplasmic aggregation-prone TDP-43 mutants form phosphorylated inclusions that immobilize and insolubilize endogenous TDP-43, indicating pathological transition. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of RNA-binding deficiency and post-translational modifications in driving TDP-43 aggregation and dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Bianka Berki, Fabio Sacher, Antoine Fages, Patrick Tschopp, Maeva Luxey
Summary: This study presents a method to investigate muscle target-specific motor neuron transcriptomes at a single-cell resolution. By combining various techniques, the researchers were able to analyze the transcriptional dynamics and specificity of individual motor neurons, providing valuable insights into the development and function of the nervous system.
DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Tanushka Anand, Abdullah Ishaque, Daniel Ta, Muhammad Umer Khan, Komal Bharti, Andrew Wu, Dennell Krebs, Christian Beaulieu, Peter Seres, Sanjay Kalra
Summary: DKI can provide complementary information to DTI for understanding the pathology and microstructural alterations in patients with motor neuron disease and UMN dysfunction. Abnormalities in the CST and CC were observed, with higher mean and radial diffusivity and lower FA, kurtosis anisotropy, MK, and RK in patients compared to controls. The changes were concentrated in specific areas and correlated with disease progression rate and UMN burden.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Ryosuke Kitatani, Ayaka Maeda, Jun Umehara, Shigehito Yamada
Summary: Different neural contributions to motor learning might be involved when different error sizes of perturbation are introduced. This study found that cortical involvement during gait differs between abrupt and gradual adaptations. The abrupt large perturbation requires cortical involvement, whereas a gradual adaptation with small gait asymmetry does not.
EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Aya Ogura, Kazuya Kawabata, Hirohisa Watanabe, Shao Wei Choy, Epifanio Bagarinao, Toshiyasu Kato, Kazunori Imai, Michihito Masuda, Reiko Ohdake, Kazuhiro Hara, Ryoichi Nakamura, Naoki Atsuta, Tomohiko Nakamura, Masahisa Katsuno, Gen Sobue
Summary: In this study, a novel framework for diffusion-weighted imaging analysis called Fixel-based analysis (FBA) was used to investigate white matter changes in ALS patients. The findings showed reduced fiber density and morphology in the bilateral corticospinal tracts and corpus callosum of ALS patients. Clinical scores were negatively correlated with fiber density values in the corticospinal tracts.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena Niccolai, Vincenzo Di Pilato, Giulia Nannini, Simone Baldi, Edda Russo, Elisabetta Zucchi, Ilaria Martinelli, Marta Menicatti, Gianluca Bartolucci, Jessica Mandrioli, Amedeo Amedei
Summary: ALS, a neurodegenerative disorder with unknown cause and no effective treatment, shows distinct inflammatory cytokine profiles and microbiota composition in patients compared to healthy individuals, which could potentially serve as biomarkers for deciphering the heterogeneity of ALS.
Article
Neurosciences
Carlos Costas-Insua, Manuel Guzman
Summary: High-grade gliomas are the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer in adults. Activating cannabinoid receptors can inhibit glioma cells and affect the tumor microenvironment, but the exact role of the endocannabinoid system in glioma remains largely unknown.
Article
Cell Biology
Anibal Sanchez-de la Torre, Tania Aguado, Alba Huerga-Gomez, Silvia Santamaria, Antonietta Gentile, Juan Carlos Chara, Carlos Matute, Krisztina Monory, Susana Mato, Manuel Guzman, Beat Lutz, Ismael Galve-Roperh, Javier Palazuelos
Summary: The study reveals that cannabinoids through CB1 receptors play a crucial role in modulating oligodendrocyte precursor cell differentiation and postnatal CNS myelination, possibly by regulating the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Pharmacological activation of CB1 receptors promotes oligodendrocyte development and CNS myelination, while pharmacological inactivation of ROCK overcomes CB1 receptor deficiency-related defects.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Andrea Manterola, Juan Carlos Chara, Tania Aguado, Javier Palazuelos, Carlos Matute, Susana Mato
Summary: CB1 receptors are present in a low proportion of adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), which provides an anatomical basis for the remyelination effects of cannabinoids. This study opens a novel perspective on the roles of the endocannabinoid system in brain physiology through the modulation of NG2 glia.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Srilakshmi Muthyala, Robert S. S. Chapkin, Chaodong Wu, Chia-Shan Wu
Summary: There is a growing prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among the aging population. This study showed that treatment with acyl-ghrelin attenuated colitis in old mice. Additionally, ghrelin promoted tissue repair through regulating epithelial metabolism via the PPAR gamma pathway.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Patricia Sosa-Acosta, Geisa P. C. Evaristo, Joseph A. M. Evaristo, Gabriel Reis Alves Carneiro, Mauricio Quinones-Vega, Gustavo Monnerat, Adriana Melo, Patricia P. Garcez, Fabio C. S. Nogueira, Gilberto B. B. Domont
Summary: This study analyzed the metabolome of amniotic fluid in pregnant women, identifying alterations in metabolism associated with Zika virus infection and specifically with microcephalic fetuses. Glycerophospholipid metabolism impairment and dysregulation of amino acid metabolism were observed. These findings contribute to our understanding of the development of congenital Zika syndrome and provide potential pathways for further investigation.
PROTEOMICS CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Irene B. Maroto, Carlos Costas-Insua, Coralie Berthoux, Estefania Moreno, Andrea Ruiz-Calvo, Carlos Montero-Fernandez, Andrea Macias-Camero, Ricardo Martin, Nuria Garcia-Font, Jose Sanchez-Prieto, Giovanni Marsicano, Luigi Bellocchio, Enric I. Canela, Vicent Casado, Ismael Galve-Roperh, Angel Nunez, David Fernandez de Sevilla, Ignacio Rodriguez-Crespo, Pablo E. Castillo, Manuel Guzman
Summary: The interaction between CB1R and GAP43 affects the signaling of excitatory synapses in the brain, thereby inhibiting the anti-convulsant activity of cannabinoids.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Carlos Costas-Insua, Marta Seijo-Vila, Cristina Blazquez, Sandra Blasco-Benito, Francisco Javier Rodriguez-Baena, Giovanni Marsicano, Eduardo Perez-Gomez, Cristina Sanchez, Berta Sanchez-Laorden, Manuel Guzman
Summary: Based on in vitro and in silico experiments, it has been discovered that the cannabinoid CB1 receptor regulates the proliferation of melanoma brain metastases. This finding provides a new perspective for further research on melanoma brain metastases.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Patricia P. Garcez, Andre Guasti, Nina Ventura, Luiza Mendonca Higa, Felipe Andreiuolo, Gabriella Pinheiro A. de Freitas, Liane de Jesus Ribeiro, Richard Araujo Maia, Sheila Maria Barbosa de Lima, Adriana de Souza Azevedo, Waleska Dias Schwarcz, Elena Cristina Caride, Leila Chimelli, Luiz Gustavo Dubois, Orlando da Costa Ferreira Junior, Amilcar Tanuri, Vivaldo Moura-Neto, Paulo Niemeyer
Summary: During a Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, a glioblastoma patient showed symptoms similar to an arbovirus-like infection, and after the infection resolved, the glioblastoma regressed without recurrence. This clinical response has continued for 6 years.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Raissa R. Christoff, Joao V. Nani, Gabriel Lessa, Tailene Rabello, Atila D. Rossi, Veronica Krenn, Luiza M. Higa, Amilcar Tanuri, Patricia P. Garcez, Mirian A. F. Hayashi
Summary: Maternal infections are a major risk factor for cognitive impairments in offspring. Zika virus can cause various birth defects, and this study found a correlation between Ndel1 activity and the congenital syndrome induced by Zika virus. Interferon-beta signaling was also found to modulate Ndel1 activity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Marc Espina, Nadia Di Franco, Martina Branas-Navarro, Irene Rodriguez Navarro, Veronica Brito, Laura Lopez-Molina, Carlos Costas-Insua, Manuel Guzman, Silvia Gines
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests that activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) due to accumulation of misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress) is a key factor in neurodegenerative diseases. In Huntington's disease (HD), disruption of ER-associated degradation pathway and loss of ER protein homeostasis leads to neuronal dysfunction and degeneration. The PERK signaling pathway, in particular, has been found to contribute to memory disturbances and synaptic plasticity deficiencies in HD.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabel Tundidor, Marta Seijo-Vila, Sandra Blasco-Benito, Maria Rubert-Hernandez, Sandra Adamez, Clara Andradas, Sara Manzano, Isabel Alvarez-Lopez, Cristina Sarasqueta, Maria Villa-Morales, Carmen Gonzalez-Lois, Esther Ramirez-Medina, Belen Almoguera, Antonio J. Sanchez-Lopez, Laura Bindila, Sigrid Hamann, Norbert Arnold, Christoph Roecken, Ignacio Heras-Murillo, David Sancho, Gema Moreno-Bueno, Maria M. Caffarel, Manuel Guzman, Cristina Sanchez, Eduardo Perez-Gomez
Summary: Clinical management of breast cancer metastasis is an unmet need. This study identifies fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) as a predictor of prognosis in patients with luminal BC and a potential therapeutic target for preventing tumor progression and lung metastasis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Editorial Material
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Manuel Guzman
Summary: A study reveals that fatty acid oxidation in astrocytes can rearrange the respiratory chain to protect neuronal functionality and cognitive performance in mice.
Article
Neurosciences
Irene B. Maroto, Estefania Moreno, Carlos Costas-Insua, Javier Merino-Gracia, Rebeca Diez-Alarcia, Alicia Alvaro-Blazquez, Angeles Canales, Enric I. Canela, Vicent Casado, Leyre Uriguen, Ignacio Rodriguez-Crespo, Manuel Guzman
Summary: Cannabinoids have pleiotropic effects on the brain by interacting with the CB1 receptor. This study reveals that the interaction between CB1 receptor and GAP43 modulates CB1 receptor signaling in a highly selective manner, specifically impairing the ROCK signaling pathway and controlling neurite outgrowth.