Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection leads to Tau pathological signature in neurons

COVID-19 has represented an issue for global health since its outbreak in March 2020. It is now evident that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in a wide range of long-term neurological symptoms and is worryingly associated with the aggravation of Alzheimer’s disease. Little is known about the molecular basis of these manifestations. Here, several strain variants were used to infect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and K18-hACE C57BL/6J mice. The Tau phosphorylation profile and aggregation propensity upon infection were investigated on cellular extracts, subcellular fractions, and brain tissue. The viral proteins spike, nucleocapsid, and membrane were overexpressed in SH-SY5Y cells, and the direct interaction and effect on Tau phosphorylation were checked using immunoblot experiments. Upon infection, Tau is phosphorylated at several pathological epitopes associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies. Moreover, this event increases Tau’s propensity to form insoluble aggregates and alters its subcellular localization. Our data support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 infection in the central nervous system triggers downstream effects altering Tau function, eventually leading to the impairment of neuronal function

Esrrb guides naive pluripotent cells through the formative transcriptional programme.

During embryonic development, naive pluripotent epiblast cells transit to a formative state. The formative epiblast cells form a polarised epithelium, exhibit distinct transcriptional and epigenetic profiles and acquire competence to differentiate into all somatic and germline lineages. However, we have limited understanding of how the transition to a formative state is molecularly controlled. Here we used murine ESC models to show that ESRRB is both required and sufficient to activate formative genes. Genetic inactivation of Esrrb leads to illegitimate expression of mesendoderm and extraembryonic markers, impaired formative expression and failure to self-organise in 3D. Functionally, this results in impaired ability to generate Formative Stem cells and primordial germ cells in the absence of Esrrb. Computational modelling and genomic analyses revealed that ESRRB occupies key formative genes in naive cells and throughout the formative state. In so doing, ESRRB kickstarts the formative transition, leading to timely and unbiased capacity for multi-lineage differentiatio

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Alters the Phenotype and Gene Expression of Adipocytes

Epidemiological evidence emphasizes that excess fat mass is associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease. Nevertheless, the intricate interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and adipocytes remains poorly understood. It is crucial to decipher the progression of COVID-19 both in the acute phase and on long-term outcomes. In this study, an in vitro model using the human SGBS cell line (Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome) was developed to investigate the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in adipocytes, and the effects of virus exposure on adipocyte function. Our results show that SGBS adipocytes expressing ACE2 are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, as evidenced by the release of the viral genome into the medium, detection of the nucleocapsid in cell lysates, and positive immunostaining for the spike protein. Infected adipocytes show remarkable changes compared to uninfected controls: increased surface area of lipid droplets, upregulated expression of genes of inflammation (Haptoglobin, MCP-1, IL-6, PAI-1), increased oxidative stress (MnSOD), and a concomitant reduction of transcripts related to adipocyte function (leptin, fatty acid synthase, perilipin). Moreover, exogenous expression of spike protein in SGBS adipocytes also led to an increase in lipid droplet size. In conclusion using the human SGBS cell line, we detected SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in adipocytes, revealing substantial morphological and functional changes in infected cells

Esrrb conveys naïve pluripotent cells through the formative transcriptional program

Pluripotency is the potential of a single cell to give rise to all embryonic lineages and first emerges in the naïve epiblast of the preimplantation embryo. Upon implantation, epiblast cells transit to a formative phase, which is preparatory for their differentiation into all somatic lineages and primordial germ cells (PGCs). Murine naïve embryonic stem cells (ESCs) recapitulate the molecular and functional properties of the naïve epiblast, including the capacity to acquire a formative state and differentiate. However, the transition to the formative state, and its functional relevance, is still heavily investigated. Here we observed that Esrrb, a pivotal naïve pluripotency factor, is both required and sufficient to activate formative genes. In naïve cells ESRRB occupies both naïve and formative gene loci. During the formative transition, however, ESRRB binding becomes consolidated on formative genes. Subsequently, ESRRB occupancy is mostly lost, and the formative transcriptional program is inactivated. Functionally, genetic inactivation of Esrrb leads to impaired PGC specification, spontaneous expression of mesendoderm and trophectoderm markers, and inability to generate Formative Stem (FS) cells. Moreover, the 3D organisation in a polarised epithelium with a central lumen, as observed in the formative epiblast, is impaired in the absence of Esrrb. Thus, Esrrb is critical for activating the formative transition and consequently for executing timely and unbiased multilineage differentiation and self-organisation of murine pluripotent cells

National, longitudinal NASCITA birth cohort study: prevalence of overweight at 12 months of age in children born healthy

Objective To estimate the prevalence of overweight at 12 months in an Italian birth cohort and to identify factors related to an increased likelihood of being overweight.Methods The Italian NASCITA birth cohort was analysed. Infants were classified as underweight (<5th), normal weight (5–84th) and overweight (≥85th centile) at 12 months of age according to the WHO percentiles of body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of overweight was estimated. To test the association between the chance of being overweight and parental and newborn characteristics, and infant feeding, healthy newborns (no preterm/low birth weight and with no malformations), with appropriate-for-gestational-age birth weight were selected, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Results The prevalence of overweight was 23.5% (95% CI 22.2% to 24.8%) in all cohort members with 12-month data (N=4270), and 23.1% in the appropriate-for-gestational age subsample (N=2835).A big infant appetite (OR 3.92, 95% CI 2.40 to 6.40) and living in southern Italy (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.94) were the main variables associated with a greater likelihood of being overweight. Breastfeeding practice did not influence the chance of being overweight, but was associated with an increase (exclusive breast feeding for at least 6 months) or a decrease (breast feeding for at least 12 months) in BMI z score at 12 months.Conclusions The sociodemographic factors (eg, area of residence, maternal employment status) seem to be the most relevant determinants influencing the chance of being overweight at 12 months. Early interventions, with particular attention to vulnerable families, may be helpful in preventing childhood and adult obesity

Postpartum depression screening in mothers and fathers at well-child visits: a feasibility study within the NASCITA cohort

Objective To assess the feasibility of the family paediatrician’s (FP) role in identifying the signs of postpartum depression in parents in time to guarantee child well-being.Design, setting and participants Data for this observational prospective study were collected within the NASCITA (NAscere e creSCere in ITAlia) cohort. During the first visit, paediatricians collected sociodemographic data regarding the parents and information about their health status, the pregnancy and the delivery. Whooley questions were administered during the first and second visits (scheduled 60–90 days after childbirth). Moreover, on the third visit (5–7 months after childbirth) the FP was asked to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question on the parental postpartum depression, based on his knowledge and on the acquired information.Results In 2203 couples who completed the assessment, 529 mothers (19.9%), 141 fathers (6.3%) and 110 (5%) couples reported any depressive symptomatology. Of these, 141 mothers (5.3% of the total sample) and 18 fathers (0.8% of the total sample) were classified as ‘likely depressed’. An association was found between maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and having a diagnosed psychiatric disorder during pregnancy (OR 9.49, 95% CI: 3.20 to 28.17), not exclusively breastfeeding at hospital discharge (OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.19 to 2.61) and the presence of child sleeping disorders at 3 (OR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.41 to 4.28) and 6 months (OR 2.18, 95% CI: 1.37 to 3.47). Another significant predictor of postpartum depression was being primiparous (OR 1.99, 95% CI: 1.31 to 3.02). Concerning the fathers, a significant association was reported only between likely depressed fathers and child sleeping disorders at 3 months (OR 7.64, 95% CI: 2.92 to 19.97). Moreover, having a likely depressed partner was strongly associated with depressive symptoms in fathers (OR 85.53, 95% CI 26.83 to 272.69).Conclusions The findings of this study support the feasibility of an active screening programme for parental postnatal depression during well-child visits as an integral part of postpartum care.Trial registration number NCT03894566; Pre-results