WNT signalling control by KDM5C during development affects cognition

Although KDM5C is one of the most frequently mutated genes in X-linked intellectual disability, the exact mechanisms that lead to cognitive impairment remain unknown. Here we use human patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells and Kdm5c knockout mice to conduct cellular, transcriptomic, chromatin and behavioural studies. KDM5C is identified as a safeguard to ensure that neurodevelopment occurs at an appropriate timescale, the disruption of which leads to intellectual disability. Specifically, there is a developmental window during which KDM5C directly controls WNT output to regulate the timely transition of primary to intermediate progenitor cells and consequently neurogenesis. Treatment with WNT signalling modulators at specific times reveal that only a transient alteration of the canonical WNT signalling pathway is sufficient to rescue the transcriptomic and chromatin landscapes in patient-derived cells and to induce these changes in wild-type cells. Notably, WNT inhibition during this developmental period also rescues behavioural changes of Kdm5c knockout mice. Conversely, a single injection of WNT3A into the brains of wild-type embryonic mice cause anxiety and memory alterations. Our work identifies KDM5C as a crucial sentinel for neurodevelopment and sheds new light on KDM5C mutation-associated intellectual disability. The results also increase our general understanding of memory and anxiety formation, with the identification of WNT functioning in a transient nature to affect long-lasting cognitive function

Deconstructing transcriptional heterogeneity in pluripotent stem cells

SUMMARY Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are capable of dynamic interconversion between distinct substates, but the regulatory circuits specifying these states and enabling transitions between them are not well understood. We set out to characterize transcriptional heterogeneity in PSCs by single-cell expression profiling under different chemical and genetic perturbations. Signaling factors and developmental regulators show highly variable expression, with expression states for some variable genes heritable through multiple cell divisions. Expression variability and population heterogeneity can be influenced by perturbation of signaling pathways and chromatin regulators. Strikingly, either removal of mature miRNAs or pharmacologic blockage of signaling pathways drives PSCs into a low-noise ground state characterized by a reconfigured pluripotency network, enhanced self-renewal, and a distinct chromatin state, an effect mediated by opposing miRNA families acting on the c-myc / Lin28 / let-7 axis. These data illuminate the nature of transcriptional heterogeneity in PSCs

Use of Biomarkers in the Evaluation and Treatment of Hypertensive Patients

The current definition of hypertension is based on blood pressure values, and blood pressure also drives treatment decisions, is the most important treatment monitoring tool and helps estimating risk of hypertension related organ damage. In an era of precision medicine additional biomarkers are needed in the diagnosis and management of patients with hypertension. In this review we outline the areas in which functional, imaging and circulating biomarkers could help in a more individualised definition of hypertension and associated risk. We will cover biomarkers for diagnosis; of pathophysiology and prediction of hypertension; response to treatment, organ damage; and to monitor treatment. A clear focus is on the vasculature, the heart and the kidneys, whereas we see a need to further develop biomarkers of cerebral function in order to diagnose cognition deficits and monitor changes in cognition in the future to support addressing the growing burden of hypertension associated vascular dementia

Renal vasodilatation after inhibition of renin or converting enzyme in marmoset

The relative importance of angiotensin II for the renal vasodilatory response after converting-enzyme inhibition was evaluated by a comparison of the effects of converting-enzyme and renin inhibition on renal vascular resistance. Renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter blood flows were measured with chronically implanted ultrasonic-pulsed Doppler flow probes in conscious, mildly volume-depleted marmosets after administration of a converting-enzyme inhibitor (enalaprilat, 2 mg/kg iv), a synthetic renin inhibitor (CGP 29,287, 1 mg/kg iv), or a renin-inhibitory monoclonal antibody (R-3-36-16, 0.1 mg/kg iv). Enalaprilat reduced blood pressure (-16 +/- 4 mmHg, n = 6) and induced a selective increase in renal blood flow (27 +/- 8%, n = 6). CGP 29,287 and R-3-36-16 induced comparable reductions in blood pressure (-16 +/- 4 mmHg, n = 6 and -20 +/- 4 mmHg, n = 5, respectively) and selective increases in renal blood flow (36 +/- 12%, n = 6 and 34 +/- 16%, n = 4, respectively). The decrease in renal vascular resistance was of similar magnitude for all of the inhibitors (enalaprilat -28 +/- 3%, CGP 29,287 -32 +/- 6%; and R-3-36-16 -33 +/- 7%). These results indicate that the renal vasodilatation induced after converting-enzyme or renin inhibition is mainly due to decreased formation of angiotensin II

X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Small Chromium Oxide Particles (Cr₂O₃, CrO₂) Supported on Titanium Dioxide

The oxygen 1s X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra were obtained for chromium(III) oxide, Cr2O3, and chromium(IV) dioxide, CrO2, supported on titania, TiO2, as well as for the bulk crystalline materials and, for comparison, for a chromium(VI) compound K2Cr2O7. The spectra exhibit a sharp split White line (WL) at about 533.5 eV near threshold. This structure can be explained in terms of ligand-field and exchange splitting. A peak (shoulder) due to the O(1s) → O(2p)Cr(3d) (spin-up t2g) transition could only be observed in the spectra of CrO2. The shape of the WL depends strongly on the oxidation state of the chromium ions in the probed samples suggesting that the WL can be used as an indicator of different environments in the supported chromium oxide films