Differential expression of ARIA isoforms in the rat brain

AbstractARIA, heregulin, neu differentiation factor, and glial growth factor are members of a new family of growth and differentiation factors whose effects have been assayed on Schwann cells, skeletal muscle cells, and mammary tumor cell lines. To gain insight into their roles in the CNS, we studied the expression of ARIA in the rat brain. We found ARIA mRNA in all cholinergic neurons throughoutthe CNS, including motor neurons and cells of the medial septal nucleus and the nucleus basalis of Meynert. We also found that ARIA induces tyrosine phosphorylation of a 185 kDa protein in central and peripheral targets of these cholinergic neurons. ARIA mRNA, however, is not restricted to cholinergic neurons, suggesting that it may also play a role at other types of synapses. Its distribution in germinal layers of the telencephalon and cerebellum suggests that it may also play a role in the proliferation and/or migration of neuronal and glial precursor cells

Small molecule SARM1 inhibitors recapitulate the SARM1 -/- phenotype and allow recovery of a metastable pool of axons fated to degenerate

Axonal degeneration is responsible for disease progression and accumulation of disability in many neurodegenerative conditions. The axonal degenerative process can generate a metastable pool of damaged axons that remain structurally and functionally viable but fated to degenerate in the absence of external intervention. SARM1, an NADase that depletes axonal energy stores upon activation, is the central driver of an evolutionarily conserved program of axonal degeneration. We identify a potent and selective small molecule isoquinoline inhibitor of SARM1 NADase that recapitulates the SARM

The value of the equation of state of dark energy

From recent CMB and Large Scale Structure observations the value of the equation of state of dark energy, assuming it to be constant in time, is constrained to be -1.3<w<-0.7 at the 95% confidence level: consistent with dark energy being a classical vacuum term. Here we describe two novel and independent methods, sensitive to different systematics, that give the same value for w and similar confidence regions. This suggests that systematics are not an issue in current determinations of w. The first method yields a measurement of $w$ that relies on the minimum number of model-dependent parameters; the second method is a non-parametric measurement of the time dependence of w(z). We also present a method to statistically determine the edge of a distribution.Comment: Invited talk to appear in New Astronomy Reviews, Proceedings of the 2nd CMBNET Meeting, 20-21 February 2003, Oxford, U

Accuracy of cDNA microarray methods to detect small gene expression changes induced by neuregulin on breast epithelial cells

Abstract Background cDNA microarrays are a powerful means to screen for biologically relevant gene expression changes, but are often limited by their ability to detect small changes accurately due to noise from random and systematic errors. While experimental designs and statistical analysis methods have been proposed to reduce these errors, few studies have tested their accuracy and ability to identify small, but biologically important, changes. Here, we have compared two cDNA microarray experimental design methods with northern blot confirmation to reveal changes in gene expression that could contribute to the early antiproliferative effects of neuregulin on MCF10AT human breast epithelial cells. Results We performed parallel experiments on identical samples using a dye-swap design with ANOVA and an experimental design that excludes systematic biases by correcting experimental/control hybridization ratios with control/control hybridizations on a spot-by-spot basis. We refer to this approach as the control correction method (CCM). Using replicate arrays, we identified a decrease in proliferation genes and an increase in differentiation genes. Using an arbitrary cut-off of 1.7-fold and p values \u3c0.05, we identified a total of 32 differentially expressed genes, 9 with the dye-swap method, 18 with the CCM, and 5 genes with both methods. 23 of these 32 genes were subsequently verified by northern blotting. Most of these were \u3c2-fold changes. While the dye-swap method (using either ANOVA or Bayesian analysis) detected a smaller number of genes (14–16) compared to the CCM (46), it was more accurate (89–92% vs. 75%). Compared to the northern blot results, for most genes, the microarray results underestimated the fold change, implicating the importance of detecting these small changes. Conclusions We validated two experimental design paradigms for cDNA microarray experiments capable of detecting small (\u3c2-fold) changes in gene expression with excellent fidelity that revealed potentially important genes associated with the anti-proliferative effects of neuregulin on MCF10AT breast epithelial cells

Role of a Contactin multi‐molecular complex secreted by oligodendrocytes in nodal protein clustering in the CNS

International audienceThe fast and reliable propagation of action potentials along myelinated fibers relies on the clustering of voltage-gated sodium channels at nodes of Ranvier. Axo-glial communication is required for assembly of nodal proteins in the central nervous system, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Oligodendrocytes are known to support node of Ranvier assembly through paranodal junction formation. In addition, the formation of early nodal protein clusters (or prenodes) along axons prior to myelination has been reported, and can be induced by oligodendrocyte conditioned medium (OCM). Our recent work on cultured hippocampal neurons showed that OCM-induced prenodes are associated with an increased conduction velocity (Freeman et al., 2015). We here unravel the nature of the oligodendroglial secreted factors. Mass spectrometry analysis of OCM identified several candidate proteins (i.e., Contactin-1, ChL1, NrCAM, Noelin2, RPTP/Phosphacan, and Tenascin-R). We show that Contactin-1 combined with RPTP/Phosphacan or Tenascin-R induces clusters of nodal proteins along hippocampal GABAergic axons. Furthermore, Contactin-1-immunodepleted OCM or OCM from Cntn1-null mice display significantly reduced clustering activity, that is restored by addition of soluble Contactin-1. Altogether, our results identify Contactin-1 secreted by oligodendrocytes as a novel factor that may influence early steps of nodal sodium channel cluster formation along specific axon populations

SIRT7 Represses Myc Activity to Suppress ER Stress and Prevent Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common chronic liver disorder in developed countries. Its pathogenesis is poorly understood, and therapeutic options are limited. Here, we show that SIRT7, an NAD+-dependent H3K18Ac deacetylase, functions at chromatin to suppress ER stress and prevent the development of fatty liver disease. SIRT7 is induced upon ER stress and is stabilized at the promoters of ribosomal proteins through its interaction with the transcription factor Myc to silence gene expression and to relieve ER stress. SIRT7-deficient mice develop chronic hepatosteatosis resembling human fatty liver disease. Myc inactivation or pharmacological suppression of ER stress alleviates fatty liver caused by SIRT7 deficiency. Importantly, SIRT7 suppresses ER stress and reverts the fatty liver disease in diet-induced obese mice. Our study identifies SIRT7 as a cofactor of Myc for transcriptional repression and delineates a druggable regulatory branch of the ER stress response that prevents and reverts fatty liver disease

Statin-associated muscle symptoms: impact on statin therapy:European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel Statement on Assessment, Aetiology and Management

Statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) are one of the principal reasons for statin non-adherence and/or discontinuation, contributing to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Consensus Panel overviews current understanding of the pathophysiology of statin-associated myopathy, and provides guidance for diagnosis and management of SAMS. Statin-associated myopathy, with significant elevation of serum creatine kinase (CK), is a rare but serious side effect of statins, affecting 1 per 1000 to 1 per 10 000 people on standard statin doses. Statin-associated muscle symptoms cover a broader range of clinical presentations, usually with normal or minimally elevated CK levels, with a prevalence of 7-29% in registries and observational studies. Preclinical studies show that statins decrease mitochondrial function, attenuate energy production, and alter muscle protein degradation, thereby providing a potential link between statins and muscle symptoms; controlled mechanistic and genetic studies in humans are necessary to further understanding. The Panel proposes to identify SAMS by symptoms typical of statin myalgia (i.e. muscle pain or aching) and their temporal association with discontinuation and response to repetitive statin re-challenge. In people with SAMS, the Panel recommends the use of a maximally tolerated statin dose combined with non-statin lipid-lowering therapies to attain recommended low-density lipoprotein cholesterol targets. The Panel recommends a structured work-up to identify individuals with clinically relevant SAMS generally to at least three different statins, so that they can be offered therapeutic regimens to satisfactorily address their cardiovascular risk. Further research into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms may offer future therapeutic potentia