Mentoring during Uncertain Times.

Scientific success is mainly supported by mentoring, which often occurs through face-to-face interactions. Changes to the research environment incurred by the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have necessitated mentorship adaptations. Here, we describe how mentors can broaden their mentorship to support trainee growth and provide reassurance about trainee development amid uncertain circumstances.

A mouse model of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome has impaired fear memory, which is rescued by lithium treatment.

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles present on most cells that regulate many physiological processes, ranging from maintaining energy homeostasis to renal function. However, the role of these structures in the regulation of behavior remains unknown. To study the role of cilia in behavior, we employ mouse models of the human ciliopathy, Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS). Here, we demonstrate that BBS mice have significant impairments in context fear conditioning, a form of associative learning. Moreover, we show that postnatal deletion of BBS gene function, as well as congenital deletion, specifically in the forebrain, impairs context fear conditioning. Analyses indicated that these behavioral impairments are not the result of impaired hippocampal long-term potentiation. However, our results indicate that these behavioral impairments are the result of impaired hippocampal neurogenesis. Two-week treatment with lithium chloride partially restores the proliferation of hippocampal neurons which leads to a rescue of context fear conditioning. Overall, our results identify a novel role of cilia genes in hippocampal neurogenesis and long-term context fear conditioning.

Disruption of dopamine receptor 1 localization to primary cilia impairs signaling in striatal neurons.

A rod-shaped appendage called a primary cilium projects from the soma of most central neurons in the mammalian brain. The importance of cilia within the nervous system is highlighted by the fact that human syndromes linked to primary cilia dysfunction, collectively termed ciliopathies, are associated with numerous neuropathologies, including hyperphagia-induced obesity, neuropsychiatric disorders, and learning and memory deficits. Neuronal cilia are enriched with signaling molecules, including specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their downstream effectors, suggesting they act as sensory organelles that respond to neuromodulators in the extracellular space. We previously showed that GPCR ciliary localization is disrupted in neurons from mouse models of the ciliopathy Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS). Based on this finding we hypothesized that mislocalization of ciliary GPCRs may impact receptor signaling and contribute to the BBS phenotypes. Here, we show that disrupting localization of the ciliary GPCR dopamine receptor 1 (D1) in male and female mice, either by loss of a BBS protein or loss of the cilium itself, specifically in D1-expressing neurons, results in obesity. Interestingly, the weight gain is associated with reduced locomotor activity, rather than increased food intake. Moreover, loss of a BBS protein or cilia on D1-expressing neurons leads to a reduction in D1-mediated signaling. Together, these results indicate that cilia impact D1 activity in the nervous system and underscore the importance of neuronal cilia for proper GPCR signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:Most mammalian neurons possess solitary appendages called primary cilia. These rod-shaped structures are enriched with signaling proteins, such as G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), suggesting they respond to neuromodulators. This study examines the consequences of disrupting ciliary localization of the GPCR dopamine receptor 1 (D1) in D1-expressing neurons. Remarkably, mice that have either abnormal accumulation of D1 in cilia or loss of D1 ciliary localization become obese. In both cases the obesity is associated with lower locomotor activity rather than overeating. As D1 activation increases locomotor activity, these results are consistent with a reduction in D1 signaling. Indeed, we found that D1-mediated signaling is reduced in brain slices from both mouse models. Thus, cilia impact D1 signaling in the brain.

The Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation's contribution to the improvement of AKI management in developing countries using peritoneal dialysis.

Professional organizations, such as kidney foundations, have been active for over half a century in the field of nephrology, serving as the basic institutions for advocacy, disease education, prevention, and treatment. These organizations have focused efforts in four areas: supporting the training of clinical specialists, raising awareness about kidney disease, improving patient outcomes, and organizing continuing medical education. These activities, while essential for the success of nephrology organizations, do not usually initiate renal service programs in the neediest of places. To remedy the lack of renal programs in many developing countries, the Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation (SKCF) was founded with the objective of establishing treatment programs for acute kidney injury (AKI) in areas of the world where none exist. Today SKCF is active in 5 sub-Saharan African countries and is growing.

BBS7 is required for BBSome formation and its absence in mice results in Bardet-Biedl syndrome phenotypes and selective abnormalities in membrane protein trafficking.

Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is a pleiotropic and genetically heterozygous disorder caused independently by numerous genes (BBS1-BBS17). Seven highly conserved BBS proteins (BBS1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9) form a complex known as the BBSome, which functions in ciliary membrane biogenesis. BBS7 is both a unique subunit of the BBSome and displays direct physical interaction with a second BBS complex, the BBS chaperonin complex. To examine the in vivo function of BBS7, we generated Bbs7 knockout mice. Bbs7(-/-) mice show similar phenotypes to other BBS gene mutant mice including retinal degeneration, obesity, ventriculomegaly and male infertility characterized by abnormal spermatozoa flagellar axonemes. Using tissues from Bbs7(-/-) mice, we show that BBS7 is required for BBSome formation, and that BBS7 and BBS2 depend on each other for protein stability. Although the BBSome serves as a coat complex for ciliary membrane proteins, BBS7 is not required for the localization of ciliary membrane proteins polycystin-1, polycystin-2, or bitter taste receptors, but absence of BBS7 leads to abnormal accumulation of the dopamine D1 receptor to the ciliary membrane, indicating that BBS7 is involved in specific membrane protein localization to cilia.

The role of primary cilia in the pathophysiology of neural tube defects.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a set of disorders that occur from perturbation of normal neural development. They occur in open or closed forms anywhere along the craniospinal axis and often result from a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors. One burgeoning area of genetics research is the effect of cilia signaling on the developing neural tube and how the disruption of primary cilia leads to the development of NTDs. Recent progress has implicated the hedgehog (Hh), wingless-type integration site family (Wnt), and planar cell polarity (PCP) pathways in primary cilia as involved in normal neural tube patterning. A set of disorders involving cilia function, known as ciliopathies, offers insight into abnormal neural development. In this article, the authors discuss the common ciliopathies, such as Meckel-Gruber and Joubert syndromes, that are associated with NTDs, and review cilia-related signaling cascades responsible for mammalian neural tube development. Understanding the contribution of cilia in the formation of NTDs may provide greater insight into this common set of pediatric neurological disorders.

An open source and convenient method for the wide-spread testing of COVID-19 using deep throat sputum samples.

Importance: The rise of novel, more infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants has made clear the need to rapidly deploy large-scale testing for COVID-19 to protect public health. However, testing remains limited due to shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), naso- and oropharyngeal swabs, and healthcare workers. Simple test methods are needed to enhance COVID-19 screening. Here, we describe a simple, and inexpensive spit-test for COVID-19 screening called Patient Self-Collection of Sample-CoV2 (PSCS-CoV2). Objective: To evaluate an affordable and convenient test for COVID-19. Methods: The collection method relies on deep throat sputum (DTS) self-collected by the subject without the use of swabs, and was hence termed the Self-Collection of Sample for SARS-CoV-2 (abbreviated PSCS-CoV2). We used a phenol-chloroform extraction method for the viral RNA. We then tested for SARS-CoV-2 using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction with primers against at least two coding regions of the viral nucleocapsid protein (N1 and N2 or E) of SARS-CoV-2. We evaluted the sensitivity and specificity of our protocol. In addition we assess the limit of detection, and efficacy of our Viral Inactivating Solution. We also evaluated our protocol, and pooling strategy from volunteers on a local college campus. Results: We show that the PSCS-CoV2 method accurately identified 42 confirmed COVID-19 positives, which were confirmed through the nasopharyngeal swabbing method of an FDA approved testing facility. For samples negative for COVID-19, we show that the cycle threshold for N1, N2, and RP are similar between the PSCS-CoV2 and nasopharynx swab collection method (n = 30). We found a sensitivity of 100% (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 92-100) and specifity of 100% (95% CI, 89-100) for our PSCS-CoV2 method. We determined our protocol has a limit of detection of 1/10,000 for DTS from a COVID-19 patient. In addition, we show field data of the PSCS-CoV2 method on a college campus. Ten of the twelve volunteers (N1 < 30) that we tested as positive were subsequently tested positive by an independent laboratory. Finally, we show proof of concept of a pooling strategy to test for COVID-19, and recommend pool sizes of four if the positivity rate is less than 15%. Conclusion and Relevance: We developed a DTS-based protocol for COVID-19 testing with high sensitivity and specificity. This protocol can be used by non-debilitated adults without the assistance of another adult, or by non-debilitated children with the assistance of a parent or guardian. We also discuss pooling strategies based on estimated positivity rates to help conserve resources, time, and increase throughput. The PSCS-CoV2 method can be a key component of community-wide efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Exposure to Static Magnetic and Electric Fields Treats Type 2 Diabetes.

Aberrant redox signaling underlies the pathophysiology of many chronic metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methodologies aimed at rebalancing systemic redox homeostasis have had limited success. A noninvasive, sustained approach would enable the long-term control of redox signaling for the treatment of T2D. We report that static magnetic and electric fields (sBE) noninvasively modulate the systemic GSH-to-GSSG redox couple to promote a healthier systemic redox environment that is reducing. Strikingly, when applied to mouse models of T2D, sBE rapidly ameliorates insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in as few as 3 days with no observed adverse effects. Scavenging paramagnetic byproducts of oxygen metabolism with SOD2 in hepatic mitochondria fully abolishes these insulin sensitizing effects, demonstrating that mitochondrial superoxide mediates induction of these therapeutic changes. Our findings introduce a remarkable redox-modulating phenomenon that exploits endogenous electromagneto-receptive mechanisms for the noninvasive treatment of T2D, and potentially other redox-related diseases.

Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of the Sdccag8Tn(sb-Tyr)2161B.CA1C2Ove mouse model.

Nephronophthisis-related ciliopathies (NPHP-RC) are a group of disorders that present with end-stage renal failure in childhood/adolescence, kidney cysts, retinal degeneration, and cerebellar hypoplasia. One disorder that shares clinical features with NPHP-RC is Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS). Serologically defined colon cancer antigen 8 (SDCCAG8; also known as NPHP10 and BBS16) is an NPHP gene that is also associated with BBS. To better understand the patho-mechanisms of NPHP and BBS caused by loss of SDCCAG8 function, we characterized an SDCCAG8 mouse model (Sdccag8Tn(sb-Tyr)2161B.CA1C2Ove) generated by Sleeping Beauty Transposon (SBT)-mediated insertion mutagenesis. Consistent with the previously reported, independent SDCCAG8 mouse models, our mutant mice display pre-axial polydactyly in their hind limbs. In addition, we report patterning defects in the secondary palate, brain abnormalities, as well as neonatal lethality associated with developmental defects in the lung in our mouse model. The neonatal lethality phenotype is genetic background dependent and rescued by introducing 129S6/SvEvTac background. Genetic modifier(s) responsible for this effect were mapped to a region between SNPs rs3714172 and rs3141832 on chromosome 11. While determining the precise genetic lesion in our mouse model, we found that SBT insertion resulted in a deletion of multiple exons from both Sdccag8 and its neighboring gene Akt3. We ascribe the patterning defects in the limb and the secondary palate as well as lung abnormalities to loss of SDCCAG8, while the developmental defects in the brain are likely due to the loss of AKT3. This mouse model may be useful to study features not observed in other SDCCAG8 models but cautions are needed in interpreting data.

Abnormal development of NG2+PDGFR-α+ neural progenitor cells leads to neonatal hydrocephalus in a ciliopathy mouse model.

Hydrocephalus is a common neurological disorder that leads to expansion of the cerebral ventricles and is associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Most neonatal cases are of unknown etiology and are likely to have complex inheritance involving multiple genes and environmental factors. Identifying molecular mechanisms for neonatal hydrocephalus and developing noninvasive treatment modalities are high priorities. Here we use a hydrocephalic mouse model of the human ciliopathy Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) and identify a role for neural progenitors in the pathogenesis of neonatal hydrocephalus. We found that hydrocephalus in this mouse model is caused by aberrant platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFR-α) signaling, resulting in increased apoptosis and impaired proliferation of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan 4 (also known as neuron-glial antigen 2 or NG2)(+)PDGFR-α(+) neural progenitors. Targeting this pathway with lithium treatment rescued NG2(+)PDGFR-α(+) progenitor cell proliferation in BBS mutant mice, reducing their ventricular volume. Our findings demonstrate that neural progenitors are crucial in the pathogenesis of neonatal hydrocephalus, and we identify new therapeutic targets for this common neurological disorder.