Puzzling functions of HSV-1 miRNAs in productive and latent infection

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a widespread human pathogen able to cause a broad spectrum of diseases of varying severity. HSV-1, and closely related virus HSV-2, employ a number of functions to evade host defense mechanisms and tailor the cellular environment during their complex life cycle comprised of productive and life-long latent infection. Once the latency is established, the virus can periodically reactivate in response to different stimuli and cause recurrent disease. Despite being one of the most intensively studied viruses, many biological aspects involved in the control of the lytic-latent switch and regulation of viral and host gene expression remained unclear. Discovery of the HSV-encoded miRNAs, a class of small regulatory RNAs, led to the hypothesis that they could have a central role in the establishment and maintenance of latency. HSV-1 and HSV-2 encode many miRNAs, differentially expressed during both phases of infection. The functions of HSV-encoded miRNAs have been experimentally addressed by several laboratories; however, the exact roles remain inconclusive. In this review, we will discuss the function of HSV-encoded miRNAs described to date, in terms of their viral and host targets, and the potential significance of such regulation for viral infection.</p

Spinal cord stem cells and molecules that control them

Ozljede leđne moždine predstavljaju veliki medicinski problem jer trenutno za njih nema efikasne terapije. Prilikom ozljede dolazi do oštećenja motoneurona i prekida u prijenosu živčanih impulsa. Terapeutski potencijal u liječenju ozljeda leđne moždine imaju neuralne matične stanice leđne moždine, kojima posebno obiluje lumbarna regija. Kao najbolji modeli za istraživanje ozljeda leđne moždine pokazali su se glodavci i posebno niži kralježnjaci koji imaju mogućnost potpune regeneracije leđne moždine nakon ozljede. Ependimalne stanice koje okružuju središnji kanal leđne moždine sastoje se od nekoliko podtipova stanica, a pojedini podtipovi posjeduju svojstva matičnih stanica. U istraživanju su analizirane stanice ependimalne i subependimalne regije leđne moždine, njihovi specifični markeri te njihova uloga u fiziološkim i patofiziološkim stanjima. Na primjer, detaljno je opisana izuzetna važnost ovih stanica u stvaranju glijalnog ožiljka nakon ozljede leđne moždine. Također, u radu su opisana i razmotrena istraživanja koja su dokazala da se aktivnost ependimalnih stanica nakon ozljede mijenja ovisno o starosti organizma. Nadalje, opisana su i druga brojna istraživanja koja su usmjerena prema genetičkom reprogramiranju ovih stanica kako bi se povećala njihova proliferacija i diferencijacija u živčane stanice s ciljem pronalaska terapija ne samo za ozljede leđne moždine, već i za druge bolesti poput multiple skleroze ili amiotrofične lateralne skleroze.Spinal cord injury represent a major medical problem because there is currently no effective therapy. In the event of injury there is a loss of motoneuron function and interruption in the transmission of nerve impulses. Therapeutic potential in the treatment of spinal cord injuries have neural stem cells of the spinal cord, particularly abundant in the lumbar region. Rodents and lower vertebrates are the best models for spinal cord injury research because they have the possibility of complete regeneration of the spinal cord after injury. The ependymal cells surrounding the central spinal cord are made up of several cell subtypes, including cells that possess stem cell properties. In this paper, the cells of the ependymal and subependimal spinal cord regions, their specific markers, and their role in physiological and pathophysiological conditions are described in detail. For example, the importance of these cells in the formation of the glial scar after spinal cord injury. Also, the paper describes and analyzes studies that have shown that the activity of ependymal cells after injury changes depending on the age of the organism and other numerous studies aimed the genetic reprogramming of these cells in order to increase their proliferation and differentiation in nerve cells in order to find therapy not only for spinal cord injuries, but also for other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Spinal cord stem cells and molecules that control them

Ozljede leđne moždine predstavljaju veliki medicinski problem jer trenutno za njih nema efikasne terapije. Prilikom ozljede dolazi do oštećenja motoneurona i prekida u prijenosu živčanih impulsa. Terapeutski potencijal u liječenju ozljeda leđne moždine imaju neuralne matične stanice leđne moždine, kojima posebno obiluje lumbarna regija. Kao najbolji modeli za istraživanje ozljeda leđne moždine pokazali su se glodavci i posebno niži kralježnjaci koji imaju mogućnost potpune regeneracije leđne moždine nakon ozljede. Ependimalne stanice koje okružuju središnji kanal leđne moždine sastoje se od nekoliko podtipova stanica, a pojedini podtipovi posjeduju svojstva matičnih stanica. U istraživanju su analizirane stanice ependimalne i subependimalne regije leđne moždine, njihovi specifični markeri te njihova uloga u fiziološkim i patofiziološkim stanjima. Na primjer, detaljno je opisana izuzetna važnost ovih stanica u stvaranju glijalnog ožiljka nakon ozljede leđne moždine. Također, u radu su opisana i razmotrena istraživanja koja su dokazala da se aktivnost ependimalnih stanica nakon ozljede mijenja ovisno o starosti organizma. Nadalje, opisana su i druga brojna istraživanja koja su usmjerena prema genetičkom reprogramiranju ovih stanica kako bi se povećala njihova proliferacija i diferencijacija u živčane stanice s ciljem pronalaska terapija ne samo za ozljede leđne moždine, već i za druge bolesti poput multiple skleroze ili amiotrofične lateralne skleroze.Spinal cord injury represent a major medical problem because there is currently no effective therapy. In the event of injury there is a loss of motoneuron function and interruption in the transmission of nerve impulses. Therapeutic potential in the treatment of spinal cord injuries have neural stem cells of the spinal cord, particularly abundant in the lumbar region. Rodents and lower vertebrates are the best models for spinal cord injury research because they have the possibility of complete regeneration of the spinal cord after injury. The ependymal cells surrounding the central spinal cord are made up of several cell subtypes, including cells that possess stem cell properties. In this paper, the cells of the ependymal and subependimal spinal cord regions, their specific markers, and their role in physiological and pathophysiological conditions are described in detail. For example, the importance of these cells in the formation of the glial scar after spinal cord injury. Also, the paper describes and analyzes studies that have shown that the activity of ependymal cells after injury changes depending on the age of the organism and other numerous studies aimed the genetic reprogramming of these cells in order to increase their proliferation and differentiation in nerve cells in order to find therapy not only for spinal cord injuries, but also for other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Spinal cord stem cells and molecules that control them

Ozljede leđne moždine predstavljaju veliki medicinski problem jer trenutno za njih nema efikasne terapije. Prilikom ozljede dolazi do oštećenja motoneurona i prekida u prijenosu živčanih impulsa. Terapeutski potencijal u liječenju ozljeda leđne moždine imaju neuralne matične stanice leđne moždine, kojima posebno obiluje lumbarna regija. Kao najbolji modeli za istraživanje ozljeda leđne moždine pokazali su se glodavci i posebno niži kralježnjaci koji imaju mogućnost potpune regeneracije leđne moždine nakon ozljede. Ependimalne stanice koje okružuju središnji kanal leđne moždine sastoje se od nekoliko podtipova stanica, a pojedini podtipovi posjeduju svojstva matičnih stanica. U istraživanju su analizirane stanice ependimalne i subependimalne regije leđne moždine, njihovi specifični markeri te njihova uloga u fiziološkim i patofiziološkim stanjima. Na primjer, detaljno je opisana izuzetna važnost ovih stanica u stvaranju glijalnog ožiljka nakon ozljede leđne moždine. Također, u radu su opisana i razmotrena istraživanja koja su dokazala da se aktivnost ependimalnih stanica nakon ozljede mijenja ovisno o starosti organizma. Nadalje, opisana su i druga brojna istraživanja koja su usmjerena prema genetičkom reprogramiranju ovih stanica kako bi se povećala njihova proliferacija i diferencijacija u živčane stanice s ciljem pronalaska terapija ne samo za ozljede leđne moždine, već i za druge bolesti poput multiple skleroze ili amiotrofične lateralne skleroze.Spinal cord injury represent a major medical problem because there is currently no effective therapy. In the event of injury there is a loss of motoneuron function and interruption in the transmission of nerve impulses. Therapeutic potential in the treatment of spinal cord injuries have neural stem cells of the spinal cord, particularly abundant in the lumbar region. Rodents and lower vertebrates are the best models for spinal cord injury research because they have the possibility of complete regeneration of the spinal cord after injury. The ependymal cells surrounding the central spinal cord are made up of several cell subtypes, including cells that possess stem cell properties. In this paper, the cells of the ependymal and subependimal spinal cord regions, their specific markers, and their role in physiological and pathophysiological conditions are described in detail. For example, the importance of these cells in the formation of the glial scar after spinal cord injury. Also, the paper describes and analyzes studies that have shown that the activity of ependymal cells after injury changes depending on the age of the organism and other numerous studies aimed the genetic reprogramming of these cells in order to increase their proliferation and differentiation in nerve cells in order to find therapy not only for spinal cord injuries, but also for other diseases such as multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis