Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Filipa F. Ribeiro, Filipa Ferreira, Rui S. Rodrigues, Rita Soares, Diogo M. Pedro, Marta Duarte-Samartinho, Rita I. Aroeira, Elisabete Ferreiro, Jorge Valero, Susana Sola, Helena Mira, Ana M. Sebastiao, Sara Xapelli
Summary: The activation of A(2A) receptors promotes neural stem cell self-renewal, protects committed neuronal cells from cell death, and increases the density of immature and mature neuronal cells. Furthermore, the endogenous activation of A(2A) receptors is essential for BDNF-mediated cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Kyung-Joo Seong, Seungho Choi, Hyun-Gwan Lee, Joon Haeng Rhee, Jin Ho Lee, Jeong-Tae Koh, Sun-Hun Kim, Won-Seok Choi, Ji-Yeon Jung, Won-Jae Kim
Summary: Toll-like receptor 5 plays a crucial role in regulating neurogenesis from mouse embryonic stem cells and adult hippocampal neural stem cells, promoting neural differentiation and inhibiting cell proliferation. TLR5 deficiency impairs fear memory performance in mice.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana Romero-Zamora, Makoto T. Hayashi
Summary: In this study, it was found that WRN, a member of the RECQ helicase family, can suppress mitotic telomere deprotection independently of its exonuclease and helicase activities. The N-terminal amino acids 168-333 of WRN were identified as the region responsible for this suppressive effect. The suppressive activity of WRN is dependent on TRF2 and regulated by phosphorylation during mitotic arrest.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Yunyun Li, Xiaodie Liu, Qianqian Fu, Wenxiang Fan, Xiaomei Shao, Jianqiao Fang, Jing-Gen Liu, Chi Xu
Summary: This study investigates the mechanism underlying the effective complementary therapy, electroacupuncture, in treating chronic pain comorbid depression. It is found that the therapy has a persistent effect and restores Tet1 expression, preventing hypermethylation of the Prox1 gene and supporting normal neurogenesis. This study provides a novel idea for the treatment of chronic pain-induced depression.
Review
Cell Biology
Shanshan Chen, Wenqi Wang, Hor-Yue Tan, Yuanjun Lu, Zhiping Li, Yidi Qu, Ning Wang, Di Wang
Summary: Autophagy is crucial for cellular homeostasis and senescence, with dysregulation implicated in various human diseases. This review highlights the role of autophagy in stem cell maintenance, focusing on its interaction with adult stem cells in disease initiation and progression. Understanding the mechanisms of autophagy in maintaining stemness may provide insights into disease pathogenesis and therapy development.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Margherita Puppo, Hanna Taipaleenmki, Eric Hesse, Philippe Clzardin
Summary: Bone metastases are common complications in patients with advanced cancer and current treatments are palliative. Research suggests that non-coding RNAs may play a crucial role in bone metastasis formation, offering potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers for improved treatment outcomes.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kalaimakan Herve Arulkandarajah, Guillaume Osterstock, Agathe Lafont, Herve Le Corronc, Nathalie Escalas, Silvia Corsini, Barbara Le Bras, Linda Chenane, Juliette Boeri, Antonny Czarnecki, Christine Mouffle, Erika Bullier, Elim Hong, Cathy Soula, Pascal Legendre, Jean-Marie Mangin
Summary: Spinal NEPs display spontaneous membrane depolarizations during episodes of SNA, with floor-plate NEPs generating large Na+/Ca2+ action potentials primarily relying on the activation of T-type calcium channels. These action potentials are triggered rhythmically by acetylcholine acting through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, forming an electrical syncytium and propagating through calcium waves. This reveals a novel physiological mechanism to generate and propagate electrical signals independently from neurons in a neural structure.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Zhiran Li, Yunhao Wu, Yangbo Fu, Xia Chen, Xi Zhao, Xiaolong Wu, Yajuan Lu, Hui He, Cong Shen, Bo Zheng, Jun Yu, Fei Sun
Summary: This study investigates the communication mechanism between CySC lineage cells and germ cells in Drosophila testes, and reveals the involvement of translation initiation factor eIF5, along with eIF1A or eIF2 gamma, in maintaining the homeostasis of the stem cell population and preventing the formation of TGCTs.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Lusheng Fan, Cui Zhang, Bin Gao, Yong Zhang, Ethan Stewart, Jakub Jez, Keiji Nakajima, Xuemei Chen
Summary: This study reveals the mechanisms governing the non-cell autonomous activities of mobile miRNAs in plants and identifies the crucial role of microtubule dynamics in miRNA cell-to-cell movement.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Itschak Axelrad, Mary Safrin, Rivka Cahan, Sang-Jin Suh, Dennis E. Ohman, Efrat Kessler
Summary: Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes multiple endopeptidases, with LysC identified as the principal activating protease for pro-PaAP. Elastase and Apr indirectly participate in the activation of PaAP, and the N-terminal domain of AP56 may regulate hydrolysis of natural peptides/proteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shengsheng Cao, Li Li, Benwei Zhu, Zhong Yao
Summary: This study characterized a new alginate lyase TAPL6 with high activity and stability in degrading polyM and polyG. Deletion of the non-catalytic domain CTD affected the activity and action mode of the enzyme, while improving its stability. The integrity of the linker between NTD and CTD played an important role in the expression and catalytic activity of the recombinant protein.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthias Zeug, Nebojsa Markovic, Cristina V. Iancu, Joanna Tripp, Mislav Oreb, Jun-yong Choe
Summary: The crystal structures of two homologous fungal decarboxylases, AGDC1 and PPP2, were reported in this study. These decarboxylases are cofactor independent and show superior performance compared to prFMN-dependent decarboxylases when heterologously expressed. The unique decarboxylation mechanism and active site organization of these enzymes suggest potential for engineering their chemistry for various biotechnological applications.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Mia S. Otoole, Mai B. Mikkelsen
Summary: The study aimed to develop and evaluate a visual self-report measure, the Depicted Action Tendencies (DAT), for assessing action tendencies and explore the relationship between action tendencies and emotions. Findings showed that the depicted drawings accurately capture different action tendencies and provide initial support for the validity and reliability of the measurement tool.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Min Xiao, Yan Zheng, Kuo-Hsiang Huang, Shanhe Yu, Wenbi Zhang, Yanping Xi, Yan Dou, Xiaoxi Sun, Caixia Lei, Huiqian Yu
Summary: Non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NSHL) is a genetically heterogeneous condition with no curative treatment. A rare frameshift variant in LMX1A was found in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant NSHL. The mutation led to variable auditory phenotypes and upregulated HL-associated genes. The C-terminal domain of LMX1A was found to be important for transcriptional regulation and apoptosis in cochlear hair cells.
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
German Belenguer, Pere Duart-Abadia, Antonio Jordan-Pla, Ana Domingo-Muelas, Laura Blasco-Chamarro, Sacri R. Ferron, Jose Manuel Morante-Redolat, Isabel Farinas
Summary: This research focuses on analyzing different states of single neural stem cells (NSCs) obtained from the subependymal zone (SEZ) and identifies that activated and primed states can be captured and studied in culture, while the quiescent state cannot. Additionally, the study shows that peripherally induced inflammation transiently activates primed NSCs via tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and returns them to quiescence in a TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1)-dependent manner, suggesting a signaling pathway promoting NSC alertness and the ability of stem cells to respond to the systemic environment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel Montalban-Loro, Glenda Lassi, Anna Lozano-Urena, Ana Perez-Villalba, Esteban Jimenez-Villalba, Marika Charalambous, Giorgio Vallortigara, Alexa E. Horner, Lisa M. Saksida, Timothy J. Bussey, Jose Luis Trejo, Valter Tucci, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith, Sacri R. Ferron
Summary: The study discovered that Delta-like homolog 1 is expressed biallelically in the adult brain, specifically in the hippocampus, and plays a crucial role in adult neurogenesis. Reduction in Dlk1 levels triggers specific cognitive abnormalities that affect discriminating differences in environmental stimuli, highlighting the importance of selective absence of imprinting in this neurogenic niche.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Anna Lozano-Urena, Esteban Jimenez-Villalba, Alejandro Pinedo-Serrano, Antonio Jordan-Pla, Martina Kirstein, Sacri R. Ferron
Summary: In GBM, GSCs with tumor potential may originate from NSCs or dedifferentiation of somatic cells through genetic and epigenetic changes. Dysregulation of genomic imprinting, including LOI, is common in tumors, and understanding similarities in imprinting regulation between NSCs and GBM cells may help identify molecular players in GBM development.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peter Chovanec, Amanda J. Collier, Christel Krueger, Csilla Varnai, Claudia I. Semprich, Stefan Schoenfelder, Anne E. Corcoran, Peter J. Rugg-Gunn
Summary: The authors generated a high-resolution atlas of gene regulatory interactions, chromatin profiles, and transcription factor occupancy in naive and primed human pluripotent stem cells. The study provides insights into the mechanisms underlying the transition between naive and primed pluripotency states.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Tessa M. Bertozzi, Nozomi Takahashi, Geula Hanin, Anastasiya Kazachenka, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith
Summary: In this study, a solo LTR IAP variant (Iap5-1(solo)) lacking DNA methylation and H3K9 trimethylation was identified in the inbred C57BL/6J mouse strain, contrasting with the full-length IAP at the same locus. The differential DNA methylation levels of the two alleles are established during preimplantation development and are associated with metabolic differences and tissue-specific changes in adjacent gene expression. The findings suggest that the epigenetic modification of these two IAP variants may play a role in transposable element repression and host-element co-evolution.
Article
Biology
Anna Osnato, Stephanie Brown, Christel Krueger, Simon Andrews, Amanda J. Collier, Shota Nakanoh, Mariana Quiroga Londono, Brandon T. Wesley, Daniele Muraro, A. Sophie Brumm, Kathy K. Niakan, Ludovic Vallier, Daniel Ortmann, Peter J. Rugg-Gunn
Summary: TGF beta signaling is essential for maintaining naive human pluripotent stem cells, with downstream effector proteins SMAD2/3 binding to common sites in both naive and primed cells. Inhibition of TGF beta signaling leads to downregulation of target genes and differentiation of pluripotent cells, with different transcriptional trajectories observed between naive and primed cells. These findings indicate a continuum of TGF beta pathway function in human pluripotency.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rahia Mashoodh, Lisa C. Hulsmann, Frances L. Dearden, Nozomi Takahashi, Carol Edwards, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith
Summary: In this study, imprinting genes were used as a model system to investigate the relationship between the parental origin of chromosomes, the localization of genes within the cell nucleus, and their active expression. The results indicate that there is a small preference for the paternal chromosome to be closer to the periphery, but there is a significant correlation between transcription and distance to the edge of the nucleus for the Gtl2/Meg3 gene. Furthermore, a chromosome nearer the periphery is just as likely to express the gene as the chromosome further away. These findings suggest that the parental origin of the chromosome may not be as important as the transcription of the gene in defining the position of the imprinted region within the nucleus.
Editorial Material
Ecology
Jason B. Wolf, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith, Alexander Lorenz
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ariella Weinberg-Shukron, Raz Ben-Yair, Nozomi Takahashi, Marko Dunjic, Alon Shtrikman, Carol A. Edwards, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith, Yonatan Stelzer
Summary: This study investigates the impact of parental imprinting on gene expression and phenotypic outcomes, and reveals that the parental origin of the epigenetic state is less important than balanced gene dosage for normal development.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Morgan Ramon-Landreau, Cristina Sanchez-Puelles, Noelia Lopez-Sanchez, Anna Lozano-Urena, Aina M. Llabres-Mas, Jose M. Frade
Summary: E2F4 plays a crucial role in cell and tissue homeostasis and tissue regeneration, and its expression in the nervous system suggests its significance in brain function and homeostasis. It has potential as a multifactorial target in neurodegenerative diseases and brain aging.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Anna Lozano-Urena, Laura Lazaro-Carot, Esteban Jimenez-Villalba, Raquel Montalban-Loro, Isabel Mateos-White, Pere Duart-Abadia, Irene Martinez-Gurrea, Keiichi I. Nakayama, Isabel Farinas, Martina Kirstein, Cristina Gil-Sanz, Sacri R. Ferron
Summary: Adult neurogenesis relies on multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) with unique properties and growth requirements. Although many imprinted genes' roles in adult neurogenesis are still unknown, insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) has been shown to contribute to NSC maintenance and promote terminal differentiation into astrocytes, neurons, and oligodendrocytes. This differentiation effect is mediated by the expression of the maternally expressed gene Cdkn1c, encoding the cell cycle inhibitor p57, and occurs independently of its role in cell-cycle progression, balancing the relationship between astrogliogenesis, neurogenesis, and oligodendrogenesis.
Article
Biology
Carol A. Edwards, William M. D. Watkinson, Stephanie B. Telerman, Lisa C. Hulsmann, Russell S. Hamilton, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith, Deborah Bourc'his
Summary: In mice and humans, imprinting genes play important roles in development, behavior, and post-natal adaptations. Failure to properly imprint genes in humans is associated with various disorders and diseases. Researchers have used RNA-seq technologies and hybrid mouse strains to identify novel imprinted genes, leading to an increase in reported genes with parental origin-specific expression bias. However, validation experiments show that many of these genes are not genuine imprinted genes and that the mouse strain has a greater influence on expression biases than parental origin.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amir D. Hay, Noah J. Kessler, Daniel Gebert, Nozomi Takahashi, Hugo Tavares, Felipe K. Teixeira, Anne C. Ferguson-Smith
Summary: A study found that DNA methylation is generally stable at hypo- and hypermethylated sites, but not at intermediately methylated sites. The lack of clonal inheritance at these sites challenges the current model of epigenetic inheritance and has implications for the functional relevance and interpretability of DNA methylation as a stable epigenetic mark.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
