High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex: No diagnostic value for narcolepsy/cataplexy

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Brain Abnormalities and Glioma-Like Lesions in Mice Overexpressing the Long Isoform of PDGF-A in Astrocytic Cells

BACKGROUND: Deregulation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling is a hallmark of malignant glioma. Two alternatively spliced PDGF-A mRNAs have been described, corresponding to a long (L) and a short (S) isoform of PDGF-A. In contrast to PDGF-A(S), the PDGF-A(L) isoform has a lysine and arginine rich carboxy-terminal extension that acts as an extracellular matrix retention motif. However, the exact role of PDGF-A(L) and how it functionally differs from the shorter isoform is not well understood.\ud \ud METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We overexpressed PDGF-A(L) as a transgene under control of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter in the mouse brain. This directs expression of the transgene to astrocytic cells and GFAP expressing neural stem cells throughout the developing and adult central nervous system. Transgenic mice exhibited a phenotype with enlarged skull at approximately 6-16 weeks of age and they died between 1.5 months and 2 years of age. We detected an increased number of undifferentiated cells in all areas of transgene expression, such as in the subependymal zone around the lateral ventricle and in the cerebellar medulla. The cells stained positive for Pdgfr-α, Olig2 and NG2 but this population did only partially overlap with cells positive for Gfap and the transgene reporter. Interestingly, a few mice presented with overt neoplastic glioma-like lesions composed of both Olig2 and Gfap positive cell populations and with microvascular proliferation, in a wild-type p53 background.\ud \ud CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that PDGF-A(L) can induce accumulation of immature cells in the mouse brain. The strong expression of NG2, Pdgfr-α and Olig2 in PDGF-A(L) brains suggests that a fraction of these cells are oligodendrocyte progenitors. In addition, accumulation of fluid in the subarachnoid space and skull enlargement indicate that an increased intracranial pressure contributed to the observed lethality.\ud \u

Cell Death or Survival Promoted by Alternative Isoforms of ErbB4

The report demonstrates that two distinct isoforms of the ErbB4 receptor tyrosine kinase stimulate either proliferation or apoptosis by mechanisms involving differential transcriptional regulation of the PDGFRA gene. These data have implications for developing approaches to target ErbB4 signaling in cancer

Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha in ventricular zone cells and in developing neurons

Cells in the early neuroepithelium differentiate and give rise to all cells in the central nervous system (CNS). The ways from a multipotent CNS stem cell to specialized neurons and glia are not fully understood. Using immunohistochemistry we found that neuroepithelial cells express the platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFR-alpha) in the neural plate at embryonic day 8.5 and onwards in the neural tube. The protein was polarized to ventricular endfeet. Furthermore, PDGFR-alpha expression was localized to cells undergoing early neuronal development. We also found PDGFR-alpha expression in developing granule cells in the postnatal cerebellum, in Purkinje cells in the adult cerebellum and on processes of developing dorsal root ganglion cells. Previous reports mainly describe PDGFR-alpha expression in oligodendrocyte precursors and glial cells. We believe, in line with a few previous reports, that the PDGFR-alpha in addition marks a pool of undifferentiated cells, which are able to differentiate into neuron

A PDGFRA promoter polymorphism, which disrupts the binding of ZNF148, is associated with primitive neuroectodermal tumours and ependymomas

Background: Platelet derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα) expression is typical for a variety of brain tumours, while in normal adult brain PDGFRα expression is limited to a small number of neural progenitor cells. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the PDGFRα expression in tumours are not known, but in the absence of amplification, changes in transcriptional regulation might be an important factor in this process. Methods and results: We have investigated the link between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the PDGFRα gene promoter and the occurrence of brain tumours (medulloblastomas, supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs), ependymal tumours, astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and mixed gliomas). These SNPs give rise to five different promoter haplotypes named H1 and H2α–δ. It is apparent from the haplotype frequency distribution that both PNET (10-fold) and ependymoma (6.5-fold) patient groups display a significant over-representation of the H2δ haplotype. The precise functional role in PDGFRα gene transcription for the H2δ haplotype is not known yet, but we can show that the H2δ haplotype specifically disrupts binding of the transcription factor ZNF148 as compared to the other promoter haplotypes. Conclusions: The specific over-representation of the H2δ haplotype in both patients with PNETs and ependymomas suggests a functional role for the ZNF148/PDGFRα pathway in the pathogenesis of these tumours

Colonic Cl channel blockade by three classes of compounds

We compared the potency and inhibitory actions of three different classes of organic acids on a Cl channel derived from colonic enterocyte plasma membrane vesicles. Chloride channels were incorporated into planar lipid bilayer membranes to examine the effects of the anthranilic acids, diphenylamine 2-carboxylic acid (DPC) and 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB), the indanyl alkanoic acids, 2-[(2-cyclopentyl-6,7-dichloro-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1-oxo-1H-inden -5-yl)oxy] acetic acid (IAA-94) and its stereoenantiomer IAA-95, and the disulfonic stilbene, 4,4'-dinitro-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DNDS). Except for DNDS, each of the blockers was equipotent from both the outer membrane and the cytoplasmic side of the channel protein. The potency order from the outmembrane side was DNDS greater than IAA-94 = IAA-95 greater than NPPB much greater than DPC. In contrast, the potency order from the cytoplasmic side was IAA-94 = IAA-95 greater than NPPB greater than DNDS much greater than DPC. DPC and NPPB caused a concentration-dependent decrease in the single-channel conductance (fast block). DNDS, IAA-94, and IAA-95 caused a flickery-type block and a concentration-dependent decrease in open-channel probability. Kinetic analysis revealed that blockade could be explained by a linear closed-opened-blocked kinetic scheme. Similarities in the electrostatic potential maps of these open-channel blockers suggest they may bind to a single shared binding site within the channel protei

A human YAC transgene rescues craniofacial and neural tube development in PDGFRalpha knockout mice and uncovers a role for PDGFRalpha in prenatal lung growth

The platelet-derived growth factor alpha-receptor (PDGFRalpha) plays a vital role in the development of vertebrate embryos, since mice lacking PDGFRalpha die in mid-gestation. PDGFRalpha is expressed in several types of migratory progenitor cells in the embryo including cranial neural crest cells, lung smooth muscle progenitors and oligodendrocyte progenitors. To study PDGFRalpha gene regulation and function during development, we generated transgenic mice by pronuclear injection of a 380 kb yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) containing the human PDGFRalpha gene. The YAC transgene was expressed in neural crest cells, rescued the profound craniofacial abnormalities and spina bifida observed in PDGFRalpha knockout mice and prolonged survival until birth. The ultimate cause of death was respiratory failure due to a defect in lung growth, stemming from failure of the transgene to be expressed correctly in lung smooth muscle progenitors. However, the YAC transgene was expressed faithfully in oligodendrocyte progenitors, which was not previously observed with plasmid-based transgenes containing only upstream PDGFRalpha control sequences. Our data illustrate the complexity of PDGFRalpha genetic control, provide clues to the location of critical regulatory elements and reveal a requirement for PDGF signalling in prenatal lung growth, which is distinct from the known requirement in postnatal alveogenesis. In addition, we found that the YAC transgene did not prolong survival of Patch mutant mice, indicating that genetic defects outside the PDGFRalpha locus contribute to the early embryonic lethality of Patch mic

Effect of bradykinin on loss of density-dependent growth inhibition of normal rat kidney cells

Normal rat kidney fibroblasts, density-arrested in the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF), can be restimulated to proliferate in a synchronous way and acquire a transformed phenotype following treatment with additional growth factors like retinoic acid (RA) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. It was found that bradykinin has a strong inhibitory effect on growth stimulation induced by these factors, an effect which cannot be mimicked by PGF2 alpha. The growth-inhibiting effect can be blocked by inhibitors of cyclo-oxygenase activity, indicating that the relevant second messenger is most likely a prostaglandin. Externally added PGJ2, at a concentration of 10 microM, can mimic the inhibitory effect of bradykinin on the loss of density-arrest induced by RA suggesting that PGJ2 is a possible candidate for being the bradykinin induced growth-inhibiting prostaglandi

PATCHED and p53 gene alterations in sporadic and hereditary basal cell cancer

It is widely accepted that disruption of the hedgehog-patched pathway is a key event in development of basal cell cancer. In addition to patched gene alterations, p53 gene mutations are also frequent in basal cell cancer. We determined loss of heterozygosity in the patched and p53 loci as well as sequencing the p53 gene in tumors both from sporadic and hereditary cases. A total of 70 microdissected samples from tumor and adjacent skin were subjected to PCR followed by fragment analysis and DNA sequencing. We found allelic loss in the patched locus in 6/8 sporadic basal cell cancer and 17/19 hereditary tumors. All sporadic and 7/20 hereditary tumors showed p53 gene mutations. Loss of heterozygosity in the p53 locus was rare in both groups. The p53 mutations detected in hereditary tumors included rare single nucleotide deletions and unusual double-base substitutions compared to the typical ultraviolet light induced missense mutations found in sporadic tumors. Careful microdissection of individual tumors revealed genetically linked subclones with different p53 and/or patched genotype providing an insight on time sequence of genetic events. The high frequency and co-existence of genetic alterations in the patched and p53 genes suggest that both these genes are important in the development of basal cell cance