RNAseq Analyses Identify Tumor Necrosis Factor-Mediated Inflammation as a Major Abnormality in ALS Spinal Cord

ALS is a rapidly progressive, devastating neurodegenerative illness of adults that produces disabling weakness and spasticity arising from death of lower and upper motor neurons. No meaningful therapies exist to slow ALS progression, and molecular insights into pathogenesis and progression are sorely needed. In that context, we used high-depth, next generation RNA sequencing (RNAseq, Illumina) to define gene network abnormalities in RNA samples depleted of rRNA and isolated from cervical spinal cord sections of 7 ALS and 8 CTL samples. We aligned \u3e50 million 2X150 bp paired-end sequences/sample to the hg19 human genome and applied three different algorithms (Cuffdiff2, DEseq2, EdgeR) for identification of differentially expressed genes (DEG’s). Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) identified inflammatory processes as significantly elevated in our ALS samples, with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) found to be a major pathway regulator (IPA) and TNFα-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) as a major network “hub” gene (WGCNA). Using the oPOSSUM algorithm, we analyzed transcription factors (TF) controlling expression of the nine DEG/hub genes in the ALS samples and identified TF’s involved in inflammation (NFkB, REL, NFkB1) and macrophage function (NR1H2::RXRA heterodimer). Transient expression in human iPSC-derived motor neurons of TNFAIP2 (also a DEG identified by all three algorithms) reduced cell viability and induced caspase 3/7 activation. Using high-density RNAseq, multiple algorithms for DEG identification, and an unsupervised gene co-expression network approach, we identified significant elevation of inflammatory processes in ALS spinal cord with TNF as a major regulatory molecule. Overexpression of the DEG TNFAIP2 in human motor neurons, the population most vulnerable to die in ALS, increased cell death and caspase 3/7 activation. We propose that therapies targeted to reduce inflammatory TNFα signaling may be helpful in ALS patients

Fluxionality and Lability in Rhenium 4’-Hydroxyterpyridine complexes: Evidence for an Associative Mechanism and Cooperative Fluxionality and Lability

The complexes [ReX(CO)3(N,N-η2-4′-hydroxy-2-2′,6′-2′′-terpyridine)] (X = Cl,Br,I) have been synthesised and their ligand exchange reactions and fluxionality of the terpyridine unit studied. The halides are far more labile in these species than in analogous bipyridines, and it is proposed that the ligand fluxionality is involved in this reactivity. Structural studies of the family are reported along with spectroscopic studies including variable temperature NMR which is used to demonstrate a negative entropy of activation for the fluxional process. Synthesis of an analogue which is incapable of fluxional behaviour confirms the link between fluxionality and lability in these complexes

A rhenium tricarbonyl 4'-oxo-terpy trimer as a luminescent molecular vessel with a removable silver stopper

Shining metal cups: A luminescent tube of triangular cross-section and stoppered by a silver ion (see picture: Re yellow, N blue, O red) is formed in two steps from commercial materials. The silver ion can be removed to give a tube, and both species are potential hosts for small ions and molecules; a change in luminescence is triggered by the encapsulation of silver

Visible and Near-IR Emissions from k

An [n×1] head-to-tail bonding strategy has been used for the synthesis of ReI metallacycles. From a k3N-dicarbonyl precursor, a single discrete [4×1] square assembly was isolated and characterized, whereas a k2N-tricarbonyl precursor led to two major species, a square and a [3×1] triangular assembly. Solid-state X-ray diffraction study has confirmed the high angular distortion (71° to 96°) of the k2N precursors. The electrochemical reversibility of the triangular (5) and square (6, 7) assemblies is increased with respect to that of their precursors. Photophysical investigation has confirmed pronounced red-shifts in the emissions of the k3N-dicarbonyl species 4 (935 nm) and 7 (980 nm), as confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) calculations

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photophysical Properties of a Thiophene-Functionalized Bis(Pyrazolyl) Pyridine (BPP) Tricarbonyl Rhenium(I) Complex

A bromo tricarbonyl rhenium(I) complex with a thiophene-functionalized bis(pyrazolyl) pyridine ligand (L), ReBr(L)(CO)(3) (1), has been synthesized and characterized by variable temperature and COSY 2-D H-1 NMR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and photophysical methods. Complex 1 is highly luminescent in both solution and solid-state, consistent with phosphorescence from an emissive (MLCT)-M-3 excited state with an additional contribution from a LC (3)(pi ->pi*) transition. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction structure of the title ligand is also reported.Robert A. Welch Foundation F-1631Petroleum Research Fund 47022-G3National Science Foundation CHE-0639239, CHE-0741973, CHE-0847763American Heart Association 0765078YUT-CNMUT-AustinChemistr