The cortical and striatal gene expression profile of 100 hz electroacupuncture treatment in 6-hydroxydopamine-induced Parkinson's disease model.

Electroacupuncture (EA), especially high-frequency EA, has frequently been used as an alternative therapy for Parkinson disease (PD) and is reportedly effective for alleviating motor symptoms in patients and PD models. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its effectiveness is not completely understood. To implement a full-scale search for the targets of 100 Hz EA, we selected rat models treated with 6-hydroxydopamine into the unilateral MFB, which mimic end-stage PD. High-throughput microarray analysis was then used to uncover the regulated targets in the cortex and striatum after 4-week EA treatment. In the differentially regulated transcripts, the proportion of recovered expression profiles in the genes, the functional categories of targets in different profiles, and the affected pathways were analyzed. Our results suggested that the recovery of homeostasis in the transcript network and many regulated functional clusters in the cortex and striatum after EA treatment may contribute to the behavioral improvement of PD rats.

Identification of differentially expressed transcripts and translatants targeted by knock-down of endogenous PCBP1.

PCBP1 is a member of the hnRNP family and participates in the regulation of transcription and translation. Previously, we identified transcripts targeted by overexpression of exogenous PCBP1. To further determine if these altered transcripts may also be targeted by a lack of PCBP1, we depleted endogenous PCBP1 in human SH-SY5Y cells. We identified 941 transcripts with the Affymetrix and 1362 with the Agilent expression platforms. There were 375 transcripts identified by both platforms, including 328 down-regulated and 47 up-regulated. The identified transcripts could be grouped into neuronal, cell signaling, metabolic, developmental, and differentiation categories, with pathway involvement in Wnt signaling, TGF beta signaling, translation factors and nuclear receptors. A proteomic profiling study with a two-dimensional chromatographic platform showed global translational changes over a range of isoelectric points (pI)=4.84-8.42. This study identifies the transcripts affected by knock-down of endogenous PCBP1 and compares them to the transcripts affected by overexpression of PCBP1.

Intracranial aneurysms in adolescents.

PURPOSE: Intracranial aneurysms are extremely uncommon in adolescents. This study was undertaken to assess the clinical and radiological characteristics and clarify the choice of therapeutic strategies of intracranial aneurysms in adolescents with age range from 15 to 18 years. METHODS: From our dedicated aneurysmal databank between October 1985 and July 2008, we reviewed 16 consecutive adolescents who had 20 intracranial aneurysms. RESULTS: Ten boys and six girls (male/female ratio = 1.67:1; mean age 16.78 ± 1.18 years) were included in the present study. Intracranial aneurysms in adolescents constituted 0.91% of all intracranial aneurysms. It was found that 25% of the lesions were in the posterior circulation, while 75% of the lesions were in the anterior circulation, and 25% developed on the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Half of the patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage and others mainly presented with mass effect such as weakness in the extremities, diplopia, and dysfunction of eye movement. Eight cases underwent endovascular treatment: including GDC therapy in five patients, parental artery occlusion in two patients, and cover stent implantation in one patient with pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous segment of the left internal carotid artery. Four patients received microsurgical therapy: aneurismal neck clipping for two patients and extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass and trapping of complex aneurysms in MCA for the other two patients. Four patients did not receive microsurgical or endovascular therapy, including a boy whose aneurysm spontaneously thrombosed preoperatively and a girl who died before operation because of rerupture of aneurysm. Two patients did not undergo therapy owing to the high operative risk. All of the patients who received therapy had favorable outcome (GOS 4 or 5) at discharge and at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial aneurysms in adolescents differ from those in adults in many ways including the following: male predominance; high incidence of large or giant, traumatic, dissecting, and fusiform aneurysms; high incidence of aneurysms in the posterior circulation; high incidence of spontaneous thrombosis; better Hunt-Hess grade at presentation; and better therapeutic outcome. Both microsurgical approaches and endovascular treatment were effective. For some giant, complex intracranial aneurysms, parent artery occlusion or EC-IC bypass is the best treatment choice.

Identification of transcripts and translatants targeted by overexpressed PCBP1.

PCBP1 is a member of the hnRNP family that functions as a RNA-binding, as well as DNA-binding, protein. The detailed transcripts and translatants targeted by PCBP1 at a global level are not yet known. We undertook an investigation of transcriptional and translational profiles after overexpressing exogenous PCBP1 in SH-SY5Y cells. Our results in two independent studies showed that 601 transcripts, including 26 down-regulated transcripts and 575 up-regulated transcripts, were impacted by overexpression of exogenous PCBP1. However, 138 and 144 transcripts showed non-overlapped differential expression in each study. These altered transcripts are clustered mainly in metabolic and transcriptional regulations. Proteomic profiles detected with a two-dimensional chromatographic PF2D showed a global change of translations, mainly in a range of pI=4.96-5.76 and pI=7.96-8.36. Three predominant proteins, which were differentially less expressed in PCBP1 overexpression cells and were detected at pI=7.96-8.16, were identified as histone proteins, indicating that histone proteins are among the targets regulated by PCBP1. Our investigation has opened a new avenue for further studying the biological functions of PCBP1.

Identification of novel partner proteins of PCBP1.

OBJECTIVE: PCBP1 is a family member of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) that belong to RNA-binding proteins and bear three KH domains. The protein plays a pivotal role in post-transcriptional regulation for RNA metabolism and RNA function in gene expression. We hypothesized and were going to identify that the regulatory function of PCBP1 is performed through different complexes of proteins that include PCBP1. METHODS: To test our hypothesis, approaches of protein walking with a yeast two-hybrid system (Y2H), pulling down in yeasts, co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescent microscopy assay were employed in this study. The PCBP1 was used as the initial "walker" to search for its interaction partner(s). RESULTS: Candidate proteins including MYL6, PECAM1, CSH1, RAB7, p57KIP2, ACTG1, RBMS1 and PSG4-like were identified with selection mediums and preceding methods. CONCLUSION: With these candidate protein molecules, some protein complexes associating with PCBP1 are proposed, which may help in a better understanding of physiological functions of PCBP1 and proved evidence that PCBP1 is involved in variant biological pathways.

Novel interactive partners of neuroligin 3: new aspects for pathogenesis of autism.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a strong genetic predisposition. Neurolign 3 (NLGN3) as a postsynaptic transmembrane protein, functions in both neuron synaptogenesis and glia-neuron communications. Previously, a gain of function mutation (R451C) in NLGN3 was identified in autistic patients, which illustrates the involvement of NLGN3 in autism pathogenesis. As proper synaptic targeting and functioning are controlled by intracellular protein interactions, in the current study, we tried to discover the intracellular regulation network in which NLGN3 might be involved by a yeast two-hybrid-based interactor identification. Fifty-one protein candidate partners were identified after screening a human fetal complementary DNA (cDNA) library with an intracellular fragment of NLGN3. The interactions of NLGN3 with a subset of candidates, including EEF1A1, FLNA, ITPRIP, CYP11A1, MT-CO2, GPR175, ACOT2, and QPRT, were further validated in human neuroblastoma cells or brain tissues. Furthermore, our study suggested that NLGN3 was functioning in cytosolic calcium balance and participating in calcium-regulated cellular processes. Our findings of novel NLGN3 binding partners provide evidences of involvement of NLGN3 in multiple biological pathways, especially calcium regulating and mitochondrial function, thus suggesting further significance. This new data not only leads to a better understanding of the physiological functions of NLGN3, but also provide new aspects for pathogenesis of autism.

Cerebral vasculopathy in a Chinese family with neurofibromatosis type I mutation.

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is a hereditary, autosomal dominant, neurocutaneous syndrome that is attributed to NF1 gene mutation. NF1 has been associated with scoliosis, macrocephaly, pseudoarthrosis, short stature, mental retardation, and malignancies. NF1-associated vasculopathy is an uncommon and easily-overlooked presentation. Examination of a Chinese family affected by NF1 combined with cerebral vessel stenosis and/or abnormality suggested a possible relationship between NF1 and vessel stenosis. To determine which NF1 gene mutation is associated with vascular lesions, particularly cerebral vessel stenosis, we examined one rare family with combined cerebral vessel lesions or maldevelopment. Vascular lesions were detected using transcranial Doppler sonography and digital subtraction angiography in family members. Next, denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and sequencing were used to screen for NF1 gene mutations. The results revealed a nonsense mutation, c.541C>T, in the NF1 gene. This mutation truncated the NF1 protein by 2659 amino-acid residues at the C-terminus and co-segregated with all of the patients, but was not present in unaffected individuals in the family. Exceptionally, three novel mutations were identified in unaffected family members, but these did not affect the product of the NF1 gene. Thus the nonsense mutation, c.541C>T, located in the NF1 gene could constitute one genetic factor for cerebral vessel lesions.

Possible novel roles of poly(rC)-binding protein 1 in SH-SY5Y neurocytes: an analysis using a dynamic Bayesian network.

OBJECTIVE: Poly(rC)-binding protein 1 (PCBP1) belongs to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein family and participates in transcriptional and translational regulation. Previous work has identified transcripts targeted by both knockdown and overexpression of PCBP1 in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells using a microarray or ProteomeLab protein fractionation 2-dimensions (PF-2D) and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The present study aimed to further determine whether these altered transcripts from major pathways (such as Wnt signaling, TGF-ß signaling, cell cycling, and apoptosis) and two other genes, H2AFX and H2BFS (screened by PF-2D), have spatial relationships. METHODS: The genes were studied by qRT-PCR, and dynamic Bayesian network analysis was used to rebuild the coordination network of these transcripts. RESULTS: PCBP1 controlled the expression or activity of the seven transcripts. Moreover, PCBP1 indirectly regulated MAP2K2, FOS, FST, TP53 and WNT7B through H2AFX or regulated these genes through SAT. In contrast, TP53 and WNT7B are regulated by other genes. CONCLUSION: The seven transcripts and PCBP1 are closely associated in a spatial interaction network.

Management and prognosis of symptomatic patients with intramedullary spinal cord cavernoma: clinical article.

OBJECT: The authors conducted a study to assess the clinical pattern, radiological features, therapeutic strategies, and long-term outcomes in patients with intramedullary spinal cord cavernomas (ISCCs) based on a large case series. METHODS: This retrospective study identified 96 patients (60 males, 36 females) surgically (81 cases) or conservatively (15 cases) treated for ISCCs between May 1993 and November 2007. Each diagnosis was based on MR imaging and spinal angiography evidence. For all surgically treated patients, the diagnosis was verified pathologically. The neurological outcomes pre- and postoperatively, as well as long-term follow-up, were assessed using the Aminoff-Logue Disability Scale. RESULTS: The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 34.5 years (range 9-80 years). Of the lesions, 68 (71%) were located in the thoracic spine, 25 (26%) in the cervical spine, and only 3 (3%) in the lumbar spine. The median symptom duration was 19.7 months. The clinical behavior of the lesion was a slow progression in 73 cases and an acute decline in 23 cases. Long-term follow-up data (mean 45.8 months, range 10-183 months) were available for 75 patients (64 surgical cases and 11 conservative cases). In the surgical group, a complete resection was achieved in 60 patients, and incomplete resection was detected in 4 patients after operation. At the end of the follow-up period in the operative group, 23 patients (36%) improved, 35 (55%) remained unchanged, and 6 (9%) worsened. In the nonoperative group, 5 patients improved, 6 patients remained unchanged, and none worsened. CONCLUSIONS: For differential diagnosis, spinal angiography was necessary in some cases. For most symptomatic lesions, complete microsurgical resection of the symptomatic ISCC is safe and prevents rebleeding and further neurological deterioration. However, in patients whose lesions were small and located ventrally in the spinal cord, one can also opt for a rigorous follow-up, considering the high surgical risk.

A proteomic investigation of B lymphocytes in an autistic family: a pilot study of exposure to natural rubber latex (NRL) may lead to autism.

Autism is a multi-factorial neurodevelopmental disorder. We have investigated the molecular mechanism involved in a Chinese family with autism by a proteomic approach. Antibody chips containing 500 spots of human protein antibodies were used to screen for differentially expressed proteins in the peripheral B lymphocytes between autistic and non-autistic siblings in this family. Four proteins relevant to immuno-pathway, including IKKα that was up-regulated and Tyk2, EIF4G1 and PRKCI that were down-regulated, were identified differentially expressed in autistic versus non-autistic siblings. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction validated the differential expression of these four proteins. Based on the function of these differentially expressed proteins, relevant studies on immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, nuclear factor kappa B signaling activation and cell cycle were conducted in both autistic and non-autistic children of this family. Considering the fact that the family members were in close contact with natural rubber latex (NRL) and that IgE-mediated cross-reactions could be triggered by Hevea brasiliensis (Hev-b) proteins in NRL, we hypothesize that immune reactions triggered by close contact with NRL might influence the functions of B lymphocytes by altering expression of certain proteins identified in our experiments thus contributing to the occurrence of autism.