Assessing protein distribution and dendritic spine morphology relationships using structured illumination microscopy in cultured neurons.

Dendritic spines are protrusions on dendrites forming the postsynaptic aspect of excitatory connections within the brain. Spine morphology is associated with synaptic functional strength and the spatial regulation of protein nanodomains within dendritic spines is an important determinant of spine structure and function. Here, we present a protocol to resolve the nanoscale localization of proteins within dendritic spines using structured illumination microscopy. We describe steps for the structural analysis of dendritic spine parameters, protein localization analysis, and data processing. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Bjornson et al.1.

Increased regional activity of a pro-autophagy pathway in schizophrenia as a contributor to sex differences in the disease pathology.

Based on recent genome-wide association studies, it is theorized that altered regulation of autophagy contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As activity of autophagy-regulatory pathways is controlled by discrete phosphorylation sites on the relevant proteins, phospho-protein profiling is one of the few approaches available for enabling a quantitative assessment of autophagic activity in the brain. Despite this, a comprehensive phospho-protein assessment in the brains of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder subjects is currently lacking. Using this direction, our broad screening identifies an increase in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mediated phospho-activation of the pro-autophagy protein beclin-1 solely in the prefrontal cortex of female, but not male, schizophrenia subjects. Using a reverse translational approach, we surprisingly find that this increase in beclin-1 activity facilitates synapse formation and enhances cognition. These findings are interpreted in the context of human studies demonstrating that female schizophrenia subjects have a lower susceptibility to cognitive dysfunction than males.

Delayed Diagnosis of Mycobacteriumbovisbacillus Calmette-Guérin Periprosthetic Joint Infection Following Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) can present challenges in diagnosis and treatment, particularly in the setting of atypical causative organisms such as fungi and mycobacteria. Herein, we present a case and provide a review of the diagnosis and treatment of an unusual PJI caused by bacillus Calmette-Guérin, administered during the treatment of bladder cancer 3 years prior to total knee arthroplasty and subsequent PJI. Although the patient's history of bladder cancer was known, neither his Bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment nor its potential for distant site spread that could lead to PJI were appreciated, leading to a prolonged diagnostic evaluation and treatment course.