Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Raul Pineiro-Salvador, Eduardo Vazquez-Garza, Jose Antonio Cruz-Cardenas, Cuauhtemoc Licona-Cassani, Gerardo Garcia-Rivas, Jorge Moreno-Vasquez, Mario Rene Alcorta-Garcia, Victor Javier Lara-Diaz, Marion E. G. Brunck
Summary: This study provides the first characterization of major leukocyte subsets in colostrum of mothers suffering from obesity and the first report of colostrum leukocyte subpopulations in Latin America. The study reveals a decreased colostrum B lymphocyte fraction in obesity.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Peter Kempster, Andrew Ma
Summary: A large proportion of drugs for neurological disorders are derived from naturally occurring compounds, especially plant alkaloids. The treatment of Parkinson's disease has strong botanical origins, with plant-derived substances playing a significant role. The interaction between plant compounds and animal dopaminergic systems has deep evolutionary roots.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jun Takahashi
Summary: These two papers demonstrate the induction of dopaminergic neurons from human embryonic stem cells and lay the foundation for future clinical trials.
Article
Neurosciences
Kye-Yeung Park, Ga Eun Nam, Kyungdo Han, Hoon-Ki Park, Hwan-Sik Hwang
Summary: This study found that there is a positive association between waist circumference and the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) incidence, suggesting that increased waist circumference is associated with an increased risk of PD. The risk of PD incidence also tends to elevate as waist circumference increases. Individuals with abdominal obesity were significantly associated with an increased PD risk.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Douglas R. Miller, Dylan T. Guenther, Andrew P. Maurer, Carissa A. Hansen, Andrew Zalesky, Habibeh Khoshbouei
Summary: The dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) exhibit regional differences in network connectivity, with a higher incidence of hub-like neurons in the VTA compared to the SNC. Neuronal loss in the SNC increases network clustering, whereas the VTA compensates by decreasing network clustering due to a larger number of hub-neurons. Network properties in these dopaminergic brain regions can be regulated via a dopamine transporter mechanism, demonstrating novel regulatory mechanisms of functional network topology.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ramon Cacabelos, Ivan Carrera, Olaia Martinez, Ramon Alejo, Lucia Fernandez-Novoa, Pablo Cacabelos, Lola Corzo, Susana Rodriguez, Margarita Alcaraz, Laura Nebril, Ivan Tellado, Natalia Cacabelos, Rocio Pego, Vinogran Naidoo, Juan C. Carril
Summary: Atremorine is a novel bioproduct obtained from a genetic species of Vicia faba, acting as a potent dopamine enhancer and neuroprotective agent in Parkinson's disease. It enhances dopamine levels, influences other neurotransmitters and hormones, and potentiates the effects of conventional anti-PD drugs. The variability in response to Atremorine is highly influenced by pharmacogenetic factors, polymorphic gene variants, and its ability to modulate the pharmacoepigenetic network.
MEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Despoina Aslanoglou, Suzanne Bertera, Marta Sanchez-Soto, R. Benjamin Free, Jeongkyung Lee, Wei Zong, Xiangning Xue, Shristi Shrestha, Marcela Brissova, Ryan W. Logan, Claes B. Wollheim, Massimo Trucco, Vijay K. Yechoor, David R. Sibley, Rita Bottino, Zachary Freyberg
Summary: DA and NE signaling in the pancreas regulate hormone release, potentially contributing to metabolic disturbances caused by APDs. DA acts as a biased agonist in the pancreas, modulating hormone release. Inhibiting DA receptors can increase hormone release, leading to metabolic disturbances.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. Brucker Nourse, Shannon N. Russell, Nathan A. Moniz, Kylie Peter, Lena M. Seyfarth, Madison Scott, Han-A Park, Kim A. Caldwell, Guy A. Caldwell
Summary: This study investigates the TNK2 gene variants in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and their potential impact on dopaminergic neurodegeneration. The findings suggest that TNK2 dysfunction may contribute to PD, possibly through sustained or aberrant activity. The study also highlights the importance of TNK2 and its ortholog SID-3 in coordinating dopaminergic and epigenetic signaling. Experimental results using Caenorhabditis elegans and rat primary neurons demonstrate the neuroprotective effects of TNK2 inhibition and NEDD4 activation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Xin He, Yue Xie, Qiongping Zheng, Zeyu Zhang, Shanshan Ma, Junyu Li, Mingtao Li, Qiaoying Huang
Summary: The transcription factor TFE3 has been found to play a crucial role in maintaining autophagy and the survival of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease. Activation of TFE3 may serve as a promising strategy for PD therapy.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Weidong Cai, Christina B. Young, Rui Yuan, Byeongwook Lee, Sephira Ryman, Jeehyun Kim, Laurice Yang, Victor W. Henderson, Kathleen L. Poston, Vinod Menon
Summary: Dopaminergic medication can normalize aberrant causal signalling in working memory circuits in patients with Parkinson's disease, and such signalling is predictive of cognitive response to medication. The findings reveal the neurobiological mechanisms by which dopaminergic medication improves cognitive control.
Review
Neurosciences
Maged M. Harraz
Summary: One hallmark of Parkinson's disease is the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons and dopamine depletion. Several mechanisms previously considered in isolation, such as dopamine oxidation-mediated neurotoxicity, high dopamine transporter expression density, and autophagy-lysosome pathway dysfunction, have been proposed. Recent research recognizes autophagy as a novel regulator of dopamine homeostasis and suggests that autophagy modulates dopamine reuptake by selectively degrading dopamine transporter. Dysfunction in the autophagy-lysosome pathway could contribute to the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simone Mesman, Iris Wever, Marten P. Smidt
Summary: The study highlights the role of Tcf4 in the development and subset specification of mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons, with its deletion affecting the differentiation of neuronal subsets at specific stages. The expression of subset markers recovers partially at later stages, indicating a minor role of Tcf4 in mdDA neuronal development and subset specification.
Article
Neurosciences
Ruben Fernandez-Santiago, Anna Esteve-Codina, Manel Fernandez, Francesc Valldeoriola, Almudena Sanchez-Gomez, Esteban Munoz, Yaroslau Compta, Eduardo Tolosa, Mario Ezquerra, Maria J. Marti
Summary: Differential gene expression related to biological processes in PD patients was identified through RNA-seq analysis of dermal fibroblasts, regardless of glucose concentration.
NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Amanda R. Burmeister, Juozas Gordevicius, Emmanuel N. Paul, Christina Houck, Sonia George, Martha L. Escobar Galvis, Qiong Sha, Patrik Brundin, J. Andrew Pospisilik, Karen Racicot, Lena Brundin
Summary: In this study, a mouse maternal infection model was used to investigate the impact of maternal herpesvirus infection on the development and physiology of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in adult offspring. The results suggested that maternal infection with Herpesviridae, specifically MHV68, can trigger changes in midbrain development that affect dopamine neuron physiology in adulthood. This study is important for understanding the neuronal susceptibility underlying neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Ignacio Aracil-Bolanos, Frederic Sampedro, Jesus Pujol, Carles Soriano-Mas, Jose Maria Gonzalez-de-Echavarri, Jaime Kulisevsky, Javier Pagonabarraga
Summary: The study found that Parkinson's disease patients show higher frontoparietal connectivity in cognitive networks than healthy controls, regardless of medication status, while dopaminergic treatment specifically promotes SN-DM hyperconnectivity.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Rong Huang, Yu Dong, Emile Levy, Pierre Julien, Isabelle Marc, Hua He, Ya-Jie Xu, Shu-Qin Wei, William D. Fraser, Zhong-Cheng Luo
Summary: The study found that in infancy, LGA was not associated with circulating leptin and adiponectin levels, but weight gain and current BMI may be related to adiponectin levels. Female sex was associated with lower total and HMW adiponectin concentrations.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Melanie Alpaugh, Helena L. Denis, Francesca Cicchetti
Summary: Current research accepts the theory that pathological proteins associated with neurodegenerative disorders behave similarly to prions. Protein misfolding and prion-like properties play significant roles in neurodegenerative disorders, influencing disease progression and potential therapeutic strategies.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Melanie Alpaugh, Maria Masnata, Aurelie de Rus Jacquet, Eva Lepinay, Helena L. Denis, Martine Saint-Pierre, Peter Davies, Emmanuel Planel, Francesca Cicchetti
Summary: This study suggests that attenuating tau pathology could mitigate behavioral and molecular hallmarks associated with Huntington's disease.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Melissa Simard, Andrea Tremblay, Sophie Morin, Cyril Martin, Pierre Julien, Julie Fradette, Nicolas Flamand, Roxane Pouliot
Summary: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play a vital role in the establishment and maintenance of the skin barrier function. This study found that supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA) in the culture medium improved the barrier function of a tissue-engineered skin model. The exogenously provided fatty acids were incorporated into phospholipid and triglyceride fractions of the skin substitutes, and further modulated the levels of bioactive lipid mediators. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing the supply of PUFAs in the culture media for the establishment of an improved barrier function in vitro.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2022)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Aurelie de Rus Jacquet, Francesca Cicchetti
Summary: The study highlights the potential of in situ brain regeneration as a non-pharmacological approach to treat neurodegeneration in the epileptic brain, offering a new direction for the treatment of drug-refractory neurological diseases.
MOLECULAR NEURODEGENERATION
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Isabelle Guisle, Geoffrey Canet, Serena Petry, Parissa Fereydouni-Forouzandeh, Francoise Morin, Remi Kerauden, Robert A. Whittington, Frederic Calon, Sebastien S. Hebert, Emmanuel Planel
Summary: The study found that sauna bathing or menthol treatment may lower tau protein phosphorylation levels by increasing body temperature, potentially serving as effective therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Morgan Berard, Razan Sheta, Sarah Malvaut, Raquel Rodriguez-Aller, Maxime Teixeira, Walid Idi, Roxanne Turmel, Melanie Alpaugh, Marilyn Dubois, Manel Dahmene, Charleen Sales, Jerome Lamontagne-Proulx, Marie-Kim St-Pierre, Omid Tavassoly, Wen M. Luo, Esther Del Cid-Pellitero, Raza Qazi, Jae-Woong Jeong, Thomas Durcan, Luc Vallieres, Marie-Eve A. Tremblay, Denis Soulet, Martin Levesque, Francesca Cicchetti, Edward Fon, Armen Saghatelyan, Abid Oueslati
Summary: Neurodegenerative disorders are associated with abnormal protein accumulation and aggregation in the central nervous system. This study developed a light-inducible protein aggregation system that allows for the control and investigation of alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson disease. The findings demonstrate that this system mimics key features of authentic Lewy bodies and induces neurodegeneration and motor impairments in vivo.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Marie-Pier Roy, Frederic Calon, David Simonyan, Luc Bergeron
Summary: This study compared the risk of neutropenia associated with piperacillin-tazobactam (P/T) and cefazolin in an adult population and described the characteristics of neutropenia episodes observed. The results showed that the risk of neutropenia appeared to be similar between P/T and cefazolin.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL PHARMACY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Emilie Wong Chong, France-Helene Joncas, Nabil G. Seidah, Frederic Calon, Caroline Diorio, Anne Gangloff
Summary: This study aimed to compare the circulating levels of lipid-related factors in women with breast cancer and those with premalignant or benign breast lesions. The results showed that PCSK9 levels were significantly higher in women with breast cancer and positively correlated with disease severity. However, no association was found between ANGPTL3 or Lp(a) levels and breast disease status.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Manon Leclerc, Philippe Bourassa, Cyntia Tremblay, Vicky Caron, Camille Sugere, Vincent Emond, David A. Bennett, Frederic Calon
Summary: This study reveals that impairment of insulin receptors at the blood-brain barrier contributes to brain insulin resistance in Alzheimer's disease, in association with beta-amyloid pathology, based on experiments with human brain samples and animal models.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammed Amir Husain, Annick Vachon, Raphael Chouinard-Watkins, Milene Vandal, Frederic Calon, Melanie Plourde
Summary: The metabolism of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is different in APOE4 carriers, and it affects cognitive performance. There is a plasma-liver-brain axis of DHA in APOE4 mice, which is influenced by genotype and diet. APOE4 mice rely more on plasma DHA, especially in cognitive performance.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Stephanie Levert, Julie Pilliod, Etienne Aumont, Sandrine Armanville, Cyntia Tremblay, Frederic Calon, Nicole Leclerc
Summary: In this study, the interaction between Tau and FLNA proteins was explored, as well as the impact of FLNA on Tau pathology. The results showed that overexpression of FLNA led to the accumulation of Tau protein in cells, increased its phosphorylation and cleavage by Caspase-3, but did not increase its aggregation. Additionally, FLNA overexpression also induced the accumulation of annexin A2. However, in AD brains, the increase in FLNA did not correlate with Tau pathology.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Olivier Landry, Arnaud Francois, Meryl-Farelle Oye Mintsa Mi-Mba, Marie-Therese Traversy, Cyntia Tremblay, Vincent Emond, David A. Bennett, Karen H. Gylys, Joseph D. Buxbaum, Frederic Calon
Summary: Synaptic loss is closely related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology and symptoms. The deficiency of Shank3 protein is associated with severe cognitive symptoms in children. This study found that the loss of Shank3a in the parietal cortex of individuals with AD is associated with cognitive decline. The deficiency of Shank3a in AD mice exacerbates cognitive impairment and anxious behavior.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Lepinay, Francesca Cicchetti
Summary: Developing effective treatments for Huntington's disease is challenging, and finding robust biomarkers is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Aurelie de Rus Jacquet, Sophie Laye, Frederic Calon
Summary: Understanding how natural products promote brain health is crucial for improving the lives of individuals with neurodegenerative disorders. This article discusses the mechanisms involved and recent technological advancements.
CELL REPORTS MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Nihal A. Salem, Lawrence Manzano, Michael W. Keist, Olga Ponomareva, Amanda J. Roberts, Marisa Roberto, R. Dayne Mayfield
Summary: This study identified cell-type specific gene expression changes associated with alcohol dependence in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice. The results revealed dysregulated gene co-expression networks and differentially expressed genes in multiple cell types, highlighting the involvement of inhibitory neurons and astrocytes in alcohol dependence. Novel targets for studying molecular mechanisms contributing to alcohol dependence were also identified.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2024)
Article
Neurosciences
Laura E. Hawley, Megan Stringer, Abigail J. Deal, Andrew Folz, Charles R. Goodlett, Randall J. Roper
Summary: This study found that the overexpression of DYRK1A protein in Down syndrome mice varies with age, sex, and brain region, and reducing the copy number of Dyrk1a can decrease the expression of DYRK1A. These sex-specific patterns of DYRK1A overexpression may provide mechanistic targets for therapeutic intervention in Down syndrome.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2024)
