Loss-of-function analysis of EphA receptors in retinotectal mapping

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Lhx6 Delineates a Pathway Mediating Innate Reproductive Behaviors from the Amygdala to the Hypothalamus

In mammals, innate reproductive and defensive behaviors are mediated by anatomically segregated connections between the amygdala and hypothalamus. This anatomic segregation poses the problem of how the brain integrates activity in these circuits when faced with conflicting stimuli eliciting such mutually exclusive behaviors. Using genetically encoded and conventional axonal tracers, we have found that the transcription factor Lhx6 delineates the reproductive branch of this pathway. Other Lhx proteins mark neurons in amygdalar nuclei implicated in defense. We have traced parallel projections from the posterior medial amygdala, activated by reproductive or defensive olfactory stimuli, respectively, to a point of convergence in the ventromedial hypothalamus. The opposite neurotransmitter phenotypes of these convergent projections suggest a “gate control” mechanism for the inhibition of reproductive behaviors by threatening stimuli. Our data therefore identify a potential neural substrate for integrating the influences of conflicting behavioral cues and a transcription factor family that may contribute to the development of this substrate

Sarilumab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: results of a Phase II, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (ALIGN)

OBJECTIVES: The ALIGN study (NCT01061723) evaluated the efficacy and safety of sarilumab, the first fully human monoclonal antibody against interleukin-6 receptor-alpha (IL-6Ralpha), in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Patients with active AS despite conventional treatment were randomised to placebo, or one of five subcutaneous dose regimens of sarilumab (100, 150 or 200 mg every other week, or 100 or 150 mg every week), for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was the percentage of patients achieving the Axial SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) 20 response criteria at week 12. Secondary endpoints included ASAS40 response, ASAS partial remission, AS Disease Activity Score, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) value, and safety. RESULTS: Baseline demographic and disease characteristics of the 301 patients enrolled were similar across treatment groups. At week 12, there was no statistically significant difference in ASAS20 response rate between placebo (ASAS20 = 24.0%) and any sarilumab dose group. A significantly greater reduction in hs-CRP value was achieved with the higher sarilumab doses versus placebo. No other statistically significant differences were evident for secondary efficacy endpoints.The most common treatment-emergent adverse events reported for sarilumab included infections (non-serious), neutropenia, and increase in alanine aminotransferase. No cases of tuberculosis, opportunistic, or fungal infections, or bowel perforations were reported. Seven patients experienced a treatment-emergent serious adverse event (all in sarilumab treatment groups). No deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The ALIGN study shows that IL-6Ralpha blockade with sarilumab was not an effective treatment for AS. Sarilumab was generally well tolerated with a manageable safety profile

VEGF Trap In Combination With Radiotherapy Improves Tumor Control In U87 Glioblastoma

Purpose To determine the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF Trap (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY), a humanized soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor protein, and radiation (RT) on tumor growth in U87 glioblastoma xenografts in nude mice. Methods and Materials U87 cell suspensions were implanted subcutaneously into hind limbs of nude mice. VEGF Trap (2.5–25 mg/kg) was administered every 3 days for 3 weeks alone or in combination with a single dose of 10 Gy or fractionated RT (3 x 5 Gy). In addition, three scheduling protocols for VEGF Trap plus fractionated RT were examined. Results Improved tumor control was seen when RT (either single dose or fractionated doses) was combined with the lowest dose of VEGF Trap (2.5 mg/kg). Scheduling did not significantly affect the efficacy of combined therapy. Although high-dose VEGF Trap (10 mg/kg or 25 mg/kg) significantly reduced tumor growth over that of RT alone, there was no additional benefit to combining high-dose VEGF Trap with RT. Conclusions Vascular endothelial growth factor Trap plus radiation is clearly better than radiation alone in a U87 subcutaneous xenograft model. Although high doses of VEGF Trap alone are highly efficacious, it is unclear whether such high doses can be used clinically without incurring normal tissue toxicities. Thus, information on lower doses of VEGF Trap and ionizing radiation is of clinical relevance. Int. J. Radiation Oncol. Biol. Physics, Volume 67, Issue 5, pages 1526-1537, 2007

Selective inhibition of kindling development by intraventricular administration of TrkB receptor body.

Recent work has shown that neurotrophin gene expression is increased after seizures evoked in the kindling model of epilepsy, but whether neurotrophins regulate kindling development is as yet unclear. In this study, we attempted to block selectively the activation of distinct neurotrophin receptors throughout kindling development in the rat via chronic intracerebroventricular administration of trk receptor bodies. The efficacy and selectivity of the trk receptor bodies were established by inhibition of neurotrophin-induced trk receptor phosphorylation in pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and primary cultures of cortical neurons. The intracerebroventricular infusion of trkB receptor body (trkB-Fc) inhibited development of kindling in comparison with that seen with saline or human IgG controls, trkA-Fc, or trkC-Fc. These results imply that activation of trkB receptors contributes to the development of kindling, a form of activitydependent behavioral plasticity in the adult mammalian brain

Human IL-3/GM-CSF knock-in mice support human alveolar macrophage development and human immune responses in the lung

Mice with a functional human immune system have the potential to allow in vivo studies of human infectious diseases and to enable vaccine testing. To this end, mice need to fully support the development of human immune cells, allow infection with human pathogens, and be capable of mounting effective human immune responses. A major limitation of humanized mice is the poor development and function of human myeloid cells and the absence of human immune responses at mucosal surfaces, such as the lung. To overcome this, we generated human IL-3/GM-CSF knock-in (hIL-3/GM- CSF KI) mice. These mice faithfully expressed human GM-CSF and IL-3 and developed pulmonary alveolar proteinosis because of elimination of mouse GM-CSF. We demonstrate that hIL-3/GM-CSF KI mice engrafted with human CD34+ hematopoietic cells had improved human myeloid cell reconstitution in the lung. In particular, hIL-3/GM-CSF KI mice supported the development of human alveolar macrophages that partially rescued the pulmonary alveolar proteinosis syndrome. Moreover, human alveolar macrophages mounted correlates of a human innate immune response against influenza virus. The hIL-3/GM-CSF KI mice represent a unique mouse model that permits the study of human mucosal immune responses to lung pathogens

Human thrombopoietin knockin mice efficiently support human hematopoiesis in vivo

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) both self-renew and give rise to all blood cells for the lifetime of an individual. Xenogeneic mouse models are broadly used to study human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell biology in vivo. However, maintenance, differentiation, and function of human hematopoietic cells are suboptimal in these hosts. Thrombopoietin (TPO) has been demonstrated as a crucial cytokine supporting maintenance and self-renewal of HSCs. We generated RAG2−/−γc−/− mice in which we replaced the gene encoding mouse TPO by its human homolog. Homozygous humanization of TPO led to increased levels of human engraftment in the bone marrow of the hosts, and multilineage differentiation of hematopoietic cells was improved, with an increased ratio of myelomonocytic verus lymphoid lineages. Moreover, maintenance of human stem and progenitor cells was improved, as demonstrated by serial transplantation. Therefore, RAG2−/−γc−/− TPO-humanized mice represent a useful model to study human hematopoiesis in vivo