BASP1 labels neural stem cells in the neurogenic niches of mammalian brain

The mechanisms responsible for determining neural stem cell fate are numerous and complex. To begin to identify the specific components involved in these processes, we generated several mouse neural stem cell (NSC) antibodies against cultured mouse embryonic neurospheres. Our immunohistochemical data showed that the NSC-6 antibody recognized NSCs in the developing and postnatal murine brains as well as in human brain organoids. Mass spectrometry revealed the identity of the NSC-6 epitope as brain abundant, membrane-attached signal protein 1 (BASP1), a signaling protein that plays a key role in neurite outgrowth and plasticity. Western blot analysis using the NSC-6 antibody demonstrated multiple BASP1 isoforms with varying degrees of expression and correlating with distinct developmental stages. Herein, we describe the expression of BASP1 in NSCs in the developing and postnatal mammalian brains and human brain organoids, and demonstrate that the NSC-6 antibody may be a useful marker of these cells.We are grateful to Grigori Enikolopov for critically reviewing the manuscript, Dwight Martin for expert technical assistance, and Huda Zoghbi for the use of flow cytometer. This work was supported by the NIGMS (5R01GM120033), U.S. Army Medical Research (DAMD170110754), Cynthia and Antony Petrello Endowment, and Mark A. Wallace Endowment (M.M.S.); the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T32DK07521-16) (L.N.M.); MINECO SAF-2015-70866R (J.M.E), FPI MICINN predoctoral Fellowship (I.D.); the Proteomics Center at Stony Brook University (NIH/NCRR 1S10 RR023680), and the BCM IDDRC Grant (P50HD10355) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for use of the Microscopy Core facilities, the RNA In Situ Hybridization Core facility, and the Human Neuronal Differentiation Core facilit

Prospective assessment of ictal behavior using the revised Responsiveness in Epilepsy Scale (RES-II)

Impaired consciousness in epilepsy has a significant negative impact on patient quality of life, yet is difficult to study objectively. Here we develop an improved prospective Responsiveness in Epilepsy Scale (RES-II) and report initial results compared to the earlier version of the scale (RES). RES-II is simpler to administer and includes both verbal and nonverbal test items. We evaluated 75 seizures (24 patients) with RES and 34 seizures (11 patients) with RES-II based on video-EEG review. The error rate per seizure by test administrators improved markedly from a mean of 2.01±0.04 with RES to 0.24±0.11 with RES-II. Performance during focal seizures showed a bimodal distribution, corresponding to the traditional complex partial vs. simple partial seizure classification. We conclude that RES-II has improved accuracy and testing efficiency compared to the original RES. Prospective objective testing will ultimately lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of impaired consciousness in epilepsy