Retinoid Machinery in Distinct Neural Stem Cell Populations with Different Retinoid Responsiveness

Retinoic acid (RA) is present at sites of neurogenesis in both the embryonic and adult brain. While it is widely accepted that RA signaling is involved in the regulation of neural stem cell differentiation, little is known about vitamin A utilization and biosynthesis of active retinoids in the neurogenic niches, or about the details of retinoid metabolism in neural stem cells and differentiating progenies. Here we provide data on retinoid responsiveness and RA production of distinct neural stem cell/neural progenitor populations. In addition, we demonstrate differentiation-related changes in the expression of genes encoding proteins of the retinoid machinery, including components responsible for uptake (Stra6) and storage (Lrat) of vitamin A, transport of retinoids (Rbp4, CrbpI, CrabpI-II), synthesis (Rdh10, Raldh1-4), degradation of RA (Cyp26a1-c1) and RA signaling (Raralpha,beta,gamma, Rxralpha,beta,gamma). We show that both early embryonic neuroectodermal (NE-4C) stem cells and late embryonic or adult derived radial glia like progenitors (RGl cells) are capable to produce bioactive retinoids but respond differently to retinoid signals. However, while neuronal differentiation of RGl cells can not be induced by RA, neuron formation by NE-4C cells is initiated by both RA and RA-precursors (retinol or retinyl acetate). The data indicate that endogenous RA production, at least in some neural stem cell populations, may result in autocrine regulation of neuronal differentiation

A convenient method to pre-screen candidate guide RNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing by NHEJ-mediated integration of a 'self-cleaving' GFP-expression plasmid.

The efficacies of guide RNAs (gRNAs), the short RNA molecules that bind to and determine the sequence specificity of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 nuclease, to mediate DNA cleavage vary dramatically. Thus, the selection of appropriate target sites, and hence spacer sequence, is critical for most applications. Here, we describe a simple, unparalleled method for experimentally pre-testing the efficiencies of various gRNAs targeting a gene. The method explores NHEJ-cloning, genomic integration of a GFP-expressing plasmid without homologous arms and linearized in-cell. The use of 'self- cleaving' GFP-plasmids containing universal gRNAs and corresponding targets alleviates cloning burdens when this method is applied. These universal gRNAs mediate efficient plasmid cleavage and are designed to avoid genomic targets in several model species. The method combines the advantages of the straightforward FACS detection provided by applying fluorescent reporter systems and of the PCR-based approaches being capable of testing targets in their genomic context, without necessitating any extra cloning steps. Additionally, we show that NHEJ-cloning can also be used in mammalian cells for targeted integration of donor plasmids up to 10 kb in size, with up to 30% efficiency, without any selection or enrichment

Az új generációs szekvenálás jelentősége az akut mieloid leukémia precíziós onkológiai megközelítésében

A szolid tumorokkal összehasonlítva az akut mieloid leukémia (AML) hátterében a gyerekkori daganatokhoz hasonló alacsony számú genetikai eltérés, átlagosan 3−5 szomatikus mutáció áll. Bár a mutációs háttér igen heterogén, a genetikai eltérések kimutatása diagnosztikai, prognosztikai és terápiás jelentőséggel bír. Jelen tanulmányunk 2001–2019 között intézetünkben diagnosztizált 830 AML-es beteg citogenetikai, valamint a leggyakrabban előforduló mutációs eltéréseit és azok társulásait vizsgálja. A laboratóriumban nemrégiben bevezetett új generációs szekvenálás (NGS) eredményei hét beteg esetében szintén bemutatásra kerülnek. A korábban más technikával vizsgált eltérések célzott vizsgálata és az NGS megegyező eredményt hozott. Az NGS technikával azonosíthatóak mindazok a további, ritkábban előforduló genetikai eltérések, amelyek az AML diagnosztikai és prognosztikai besorolását tovább finomítják az Európai LeukémiaNet ajánlásai szerint. Az NGS technika alkalmazása a nemzetközi tapasztalatokat követően hazánkban is a rutin diagnosztikai vizsgálómódszerek közé kell, hogy beemelkedjen. Magy Onkol 63:282-287, 201

The small molecule AUTEN-99 (autophagy enhancer-99) prevents the progression of neurodegenerative symptoms

Autophagy functions as a main route for the degradation of superfluous and damaged constituents of the cytoplasm. Defects in autophagy are implicated in the development of various age-dependent degenerative disorders such as cancer, neurodegeneration and tissue atrophy, and in accelerated aging. To promote basal levels of the process in pathological settings, we previously screened a small molecule library for novel autophagy-enhancing factors that inhibit the myotubularin-related phosphatase MTMR14/Jumpy, a negative regulator of autophagic membrane formation. Here we identify AUTEN-99 (autophagy enhancer-99), which activates autophagy in cell cultures and animal models. AUTEN-99 appears to effectively penetrate through the blood-brain barrier, and impedes the progression of neurodegenerative symptoms in Drosophila models of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. Furthermore, the molecule increases the survival of isolated neurons under normal and oxidative stress-induced conditions. Thus, AUTEN-99 serves as a potent neuroprotective drug candidate for preventing and treating diverse neurodegenerative pathologies, and may promote healthy aging

Mb- and FnCpf1 nucleases are active in mammalian cells

Cpf1s, the RNA-guided nucleases of the class II clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats system require a short motive called protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) to be present next to the targeted sequence for their activity. The TTTV PAM sequence of As- and LbCpf1 nucleases is relatively rare in the genome of higher eukaryotic organisms. Here, we show that two other Cpf1 nucleases, Fn- and MbCpf1, which have been reported to utilize a shorter, more frequently occurring PAM sequence (TTN) when tested in vitro, carry out efficient genome modification in mammalian cells. We found that all four Cpf1 nucleases showed similar activities and TTTV PAM preferences. Our approach also revealed that besides their activities their PAM preferences are also target dependent. To increase the number of the available targets for Fn- and MbCpf1 we generated their RVR and RR mutants with altered PAM specificity and compared them to the wild-type and analogous As- and LbCpf1 variants. The mutants gained new PAM specificities but retained their activity on targets with TTTV PAMs, redefining RR-Cpf1's PAM-specificities as TTYV/TCCV, respectively. These variants may become versatile substitutes for wild-type Cpf1s by providing an expanded range of targets for genome engineering applications

A génexpresszió változásai és patogenetikai jelentőségük fibrosus dysplasiás és nem fibrosus dysplasiás nők csontszövetében = Changes of gene expression and its role in pathogenesis in fibrous and non-fibrous dysplastic bone tissues in women

A fibrosus dysplasia a csontok benignus, tumorszerű elváltozása, amelyre az örvényes lefutású kötőszöveti nyalábok és az érett-éretlen csontgerendák jellemzőek. A jelátvivő G-fehérje α-alegységét kódoló GNAS1 gén pontmutációja okozta fejlődési zavarról, az osteoblastok kóros differenciálódásáról van szó, amelynek következtében az érett csontszövet helyét rostos kötőszövet foglalja el. A szerzők célja a fibrosus és a nem fibrosus szövetben eltérően kifejeződő egyedi gének meghatározása volt, és leírni a közöttük lévő összefüggéseket multiparaméteres statisztikai analízisek segítségével. Módszer: Hat fibrosus dysplasiás és hét nem fibrosus dysplasiás nőbeteg csontmintáit vizsgálták. A hat fibrosus dysplasiás nőbeteg mintája magából a fibrosus elváltozásból származott, míg a hét nem fibrosus dysplasiás kontrollcsontmintát csípőprotézis-beültetés során, a combnyakból vették. A 118 kiválasztott gén expressziós különbségeit TaqMan-próbaalapú kvantitatív valós idejű PCR-technikával mérték. Eredmények: A Mann-Whitney-féle U-teszt 27 gén esetében mutatott szignifikánsan eltérő (p ≤ 0,05) expressziós különbséget a fibrosus dysplasiás és a nem fibrosus dysplasiás egyénekben. A fibrosus dysplasiás betegeknél kilenc gén kifejeződése szignifikánsan fokozott volt, további 18 gén esetén jelentős génkifejeződés-csökkenést mértek. Ezek a szignifikáns különbséggel szabályozódó gének elsősorban minor kollagén molekulákat, extracelluláris mátrixot bontó enzimeket, transzkripciós faktorokat, adhéziós molekulákat, növekedési faktorokat, gyulladást serkentő citokineket és lipidanyagcseréhez kapcsolt faktorokat kódolnak. A diszkriminanciaanalízis megmutatta, hogy a fibrosus dysplasiás és a nem fibrosus dysplasiás csontszövet megkülönböztethető részben a G-proteinhez kapcsolt számos gén, a BMP-kaszkád komponenseinek és az extracelluláris mátrixhoz kötődő molekulákat kódoló gének eltérő transzkripciós profilja alapján. Következtetések: A fibrosus dysplasiában szignifikánsan eltérő génkifejeződési mintázatok feltárása további segítséget adhat a csontszövet fibrosus átalakulásának és a kórfolyamat hátterének megismerésében. Orv. Hetil., 2010, 40, 1656–1665. | Fibrous dysplasia is an isolated skeletal disorder caused by a somatic activating mutation of GNAS1 gene with abnormal unmineralized matrix overproduction and extensive undifferentiated bone cell accumulation in fibro-osseous lesions. The aim of the investigation was to identify genes that are differently expressed in fibrous vs. non-fibrous human bone and to describe the relationships between these genes using multivariate data analysis. Materials and Methods: Six bone tissue samples from fibrous dysplastic female patients and 7 bone tissue samples from non-fibrous dysplastic women were examined. The 6 female fibrous samples were taken from the fibrous dysplastic lesion itself while the control samples of 7 non-fibrous dysplastic females were taken from the femoral neck during the hip replacement procedure. The expression differences of selected 118 genes were analyzed in TaqMan probe based quantitative real-time RT-PCR system. Results: The Mann-Whitney U test indicated significant differences in the expression of 27 genes of fibrous dysplasial and non fibrous dysplasial individuals (p ≤ 0.05). Nine genes were significantly up-regulated in fibrous dysplasial women compared to non fibrous dysplasial ones and eighteen genes showed a down-regulated pattern. These significantly altered genes coding for minor collagen molecules, extracellular matrix digesting enzymes, transcription factors, adhesion molecules, growth factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines and lipid metabolism-affected substrates. Canonical variety analysis demonstrated that fibrous dysplastic and non fibrous dysplastic bone tissues can be distinguished by the multiple expression profile analysis of numerous genes controlled via a G-protein coupled pathway and BMP cascade as well as genes coding for extracellular matrix composing molecules. Conclusions: The significantly altered gene expression profile observed in the fibrous dysplastic human bone tissue may provide further insight into the pathogenetic process of fibrous degeneration of bone. Orv. Hetil., 2010, 40, 1656–1665

The small molecule AUTEN-99 (autophagy enhancer-99) prevents the progression of neurodegenerative symptoms

Autophagy functions as a main route for the degradation of superfluous and damaged constituents of the cytoplasm. Defects in autophagy are implicated in the development of various age-dependent degenerative disorders such as cancer, neurodegeneration and tissue atrophy, and in accelerated aging. To promote basal levels of the process in pathological settings, we previously screened a small molecule library for novel autophagy-enhancing factors that inhibit the myotubularin-related phosphatase MTMR14/Jumpy, a negative regulator of autophagic membrane formation. Here we identify AUTEN-99 (autophagy enhancer-99), which activates autophagy in cell cultures and animal models. AUTEN-99 appears to effectively penetrate through the blood-brain barrier, and impedes the progression of neurodegenerative symptoms in Drosophila models of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. Furthermore, the molecule increases the survival of isolated neurons under normal and oxidative stress-induced conditions. Thus, AUTEN-99 serves as a potent neuroprotective drug candidate for preventing and treating diverse neurodegenerative pathologies, and may promote healthy aging