Chondroitinase ABC combined with Schwann cell transplantation enhances restoration of neural connection and functional recovery following acute and chronic spinal cord injury.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202505000-00029/figure1/v/2024-07-28T173839Z/r/image-tiff Schwann cell transplantation is considered one of the most promising cell-based therapy to repair injured spinal cord due to its unique growth-promoting and myelin-forming properties. A the Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase I clinical trial has been conducted to evaluate the safety of transplanted human autologous Schwann cells to treat patients with spinal cord injury. A major challenge for Schwann cell transplantation is that grafted Schwann cells are confined within the lesion cavity, and they do not migrate into the host environment due to the inhibitory barrier formed by injury-induced glial scar, thus limiting axonal reentry into the host spinal cord. Here we introduce a combinatorial strategy by suppressing the inhibitory extracellular environment with injection of lentivirus-mediated transfection of chondroitinase ABC gene at the rostral and caudal borders of the lesion site and simultaneously leveraging the repair capacity of transplanted Schwann cells in adult rats following a mid-thoracic contusive spinal cord injury. We report that when the glial scar was degraded by chondroitinase ABC at the rostral and caudal lesion borders, Schwann cells migrated for considerable distances in both rostral and caudal directions. Such Schwann cell migration led to enhanced axonal regrowth, including the serotonergic and dopaminergic axons originating from supraspinal regions, and promoted recovery of locomotor and urinary bladder functions. Importantly, the Schwann cell survival and axonal regrowth persisted up to 6 months after the injury, even when treatment was delayed for 3 months to mimic chronic spinal cord injury. These findings collectively show promising evidence for a combinatorial strategy with chondroitinase ABC and Schwann cells in promoting remodeling and recovery of function following spinal cord injury.

Role of Inflammation in Depressive and Anxiety Disorders, Affect, and Cognition: Genetic and Non-Genetic Findings in the Lifelines Cohort Study.

Inflammation is associated with a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms; however, the nature of the causal relationship is unclear. We used complementary non-genetic, genetic risk score (GRS), and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to examine whether inflammatory markers are associated with affect, depressive and anxiety disorders, and cognition. We tested in ≈ 55,098 (59% female) individuals from the Dutch Lifelines cohort the concurrent/prospective associations of C-reactive protein (CRP) with: depressive and anxiety disorders; positive/negative affect; and attention, psychomotor speed, episodic memory, and executive functioning. Additionally, we examined the association between inflammatory GRSs (CRP, interleukin-6 [IL-6], IL-6 receptor [IL-6R and soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R)], glycoprotein acetyls [GlycA]) on these same outcomes (Nmax=57,946), followed by MR analysis examining evidence of causality of CRP on outcomes (Nmax=23,268). In non-genetic analyses, higher CRP was associated with a depressive disorder, lower positive/higher negative affect, and worse executive function, attention, and psychomotor speed after adjusting for potential confounders. In genetic analyses, CRPgrs was associated with any anxiety disorder (ß = 0.002, p = 0.037) whereas GlycAGRS was associated with major depressive disorder (ß = 0.001, p = 0.036). Both CRPgrs (ß = 0.006, p = 0.035) and GlycAGRS (ß = 0.006, p = 0.049) were associated with greater negative affect. Inflammatory GRSs were not associated with cognition, except slL-6RGRS which was associated with poorer memory (ß=-0.009, p = 0.018). There was weak evidence for a CRP-anxiety association using MR (ß = 0.12; p = 0.054). Genetic and non-genetic analyses provide consistent evidence for an association between CRP and negative affect. These results suggest that dysregulated immune physiology may impact a broad range of trans-diagnostic affective symptoms.

Exploring pleiotropy in Mendelian randomisation analyses: What are genetic variants associated with 'cigarette smoking initiation' really capturing?

Genetic variants used as instruments for exposures in Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses may have horizontal pleiotropic effects (i.e., influence outcomes via pathways other than through the exposure), which can undermine the validity of results. We examined the extent of this using smoking behaviours as an example. We first ran a phenome-wide association study in UK Biobank, using a smoking initiation genetic instrument. From the most strongly associated phenotypes, we selected those we considered could either plausibly or not plausibly be caused by smoking. We examined associations between genetic instruments for smoking initiation, smoking heaviness and lifetime smoking and these phenotypes in UK Biobank and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We conducted negative control analyses among never smokers, including children. We found evidence that smoking-related genetic instruments were associated with phenotypes not plausibly caused by smoking in UK Biobank and (to a lesser extent) ALSPAC. We observed associations with phenotypes among never smokers. Our results demonstrate that smoking-related genetic risk scores are associated with unexpected phenotypes that are less plausibly downstream of smoking. This may reflect horizontal pleiotropy in these genetic risk scores, and we would encourage researchers to exercise caution this when using these and genetic risk scores for other complex behavioural exposures. We outline approaches that could be taken to consider this and overcome issues caused by potential horizontal pleiotropy, for example, in genetically informed causal inference analyses (e.g., MR) it is important to consider negative control outcomes and triangulation approaches, to avoid arriving at incorrect conclusions.

Mapping associations of polygenic scores with autistic and ADHD traits in a single city region.

BACKGROUND: The genetic and environmental aetiology of autistic and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) traits is known to vary spatially, but does this translate into variation in the association of specific common genetic variants? METHODS: We mapped associations between polygenic scores for autism and ADHD and their respective traits in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 4,255-6,165) across the area surrounding Bristol, UK, and compared them to maps of environments associated with the prevalence of autism and ADHD. RESULTS: Our results suggest genetic associations vary spatially, with consistent patterns for autistic traits across polygenic scores constructed at different p-value thresholds. Patterns for ADHD traits were more variable across thresholds. We found that the spatial distributions often correlated with known environmental influences. CONCLUSIONS: These findings shed light on the factors that contribute to the complex interplay between the environment and genetic influences in autistic and ADHD traits.

The effect of SGLT2 inhibition on prostate cancer: Mendelian randomization and observational analysis using electronic healthcare and cohort data.

We evaluated the effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition on prostate cancer by evidence triangulation. Using Mendelian randomization, we found that genetically proxied SGLT2 inhibition reduced the risk of overall (odds ratio = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.38 to 0.82; 79,148 prostate cancer cases and 61,106 controls), advanced, and early-onset prostate cancer. Using electronic healthcare data (nSGLT2i = 24,155; nDPP4i = 24,155), we found that the use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with a 23% reduced risk of prostate cancer (hazard ratio = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.61 to 0.99) in men with diabetes. Using data from two prospective cohorts (n4C = 57,779; nUK_Biobank = 165,430), we found little evidence to support the association of HbA1c with prostate cancer, implying a non-glycemic effect of SGLT2 inhibition on prostate cancer. In summary, this study provides multiple layers of evidence to support the beneficial effect of SGLT2 inhibition on reducing prostate cancer risk. Future trials are warranted to investigate whether SGLT2 inhibitors can be recommended for prostate cancer prevention.

Ten-year outcomes of a randomized clinical trial of endothermal ablation versus conventional surgery for great saphenous varicose veins.

BACKGROUND: Surgical ligation and stripping (surgery) and endothermal ablation are both effective treatments for varicose veins, improving quality of life (QoL) up to 5 years. Few data are available on long-term outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes 10 years after interventions in an RCT. Previously this RCT demonstrated that endothermal ablation is associated with superior postprocedural QoL, more rapid recovery, and lower rates of early clinical recurrence. This analysis reports outcomes at 10 years. METHODS: Patients with symptomatic varicose veins owing to unilateral great saphenous vein reflux were randomized to either surgery or endovenous laser ablation (EVLA). Outcomes at 10 years included clinical recurrence and QoL. RESULTS: Data were obtained for 206 of 280 patients (73.6%) at 10 years. Both groups retained significant QoL improvement compared with pretreatment levels (Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), Short Form 36 (SF-36®), and EQ-5D™; P < 0.001). Clinical disease progression from baseline was observed in only 10.7% of patients. The clinical recurrence rate was lower in the EVLA group (37 versus 59%; P = 0.005). The number needed to treat with EVLA to avoid one clinical recurrence within 10 years was five. This was associated with significantly higher (better) generic QoL scores with EVLA in several SF-36® domains, including bodily pain (median 84 (i.q.r. 51-100) versus 62 (41-84); P = 0.009) and general health (77 (62-87) versus 67 (52-82); P = 0.017). AVVQ scores in the EVLA group were also lower (better) (3.1 (0-7.7) versus 6.3 (0.7-13.3); P = 0.029). CONCLUSION: Both surgery and endothermal ablation are effective treatments for varicose veins at 10 years, with durable improvement in QoL and a very low rate of disease progression. However, endothermal ablation was associated with superior clinical and QoL outcomes. Registration number: NCT00759434 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Educational attainment and mental health conditions: a within-sibship Mendelian randomization study.

Importance: Observational studies have demonstrated consistent protective effects of higher educational attainment (EA) on the risk of suffering mental health conditions (MHC). Determining whether these beneficial effects are causal is challenging given the potential role of dynastic effects and demographic factors (assortative mating and population structure) in this association. Objective: To evaluate to what extent the relationship between EA and various MHC is independent from dynastic effects and demographic factors. Design: Within-sibship Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Setting: One-sample MR analyses included participants' data from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT, Norway) and UK Biobank (United Kingdom). For two-sample MR analyses we used summary statistics from publicly available genome-wide-association-studies. Participants: 61 880 siblings (27 507 sibships). Exposure: Years of education. Main outcomes: Scores for symptoms of anxiety, depression and neuroticism using the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, as well as self-reported consumption of psychotropic medication. Results: One standard deviation (SD) unit increase in years of education was associated with a lower symptom score of anxiety (-0.20 SD [95%CI: -0.26, -0.14]), depression (-0.11 SD [-0.43, 0.22]), neuroticism (-0.30 SD [-0.53, -0.06]), and lower odds of psychotropic medication consumption (OR: 0.60 [0.52, 0.69]). Estimates from the within-sibship MR analyses showed some attenuation, which however were suggestive of a causal association (anxiety: -0.17 SD [-0.33, -0.00]; depression: -0.18 SD [-1.26, 0.89]; neuroticism: -0.29 SD [-0.43, -0.15]); psychotropic medication consumption: OR, 0.52 [0.34, 0.82]). Conclusions and Relevance: Associations between EA and MHC in adulthood, although to some extend explained by dynastic effects and demographic factors, overall remain robust, indicative of a causal effect. However, larger studies are warranted to improve statistical power and further validate our conclusions.

The role of body image dissatisfaction in the relationship between body size and disordered eating and self-harm: complimentary Mendelian randomization and mediation analyses.

Disordered eating and self-harm commonly co-occur in young people suggesting potential for shared underlying causes. Body image dissatisfaction (BID) has been recognised as a psychological correlate of body size, associated with both disordered eating and self-harm. However, the investigation into etiological pathways early in the lifecourse to provide detail on how body size and BID may foster disordered eating and self-harm remains largely unexplored. Employing data from two large population-based cohorts, the UK Biobank and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC), we conducted bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to determine the causal direction of effect between genetically predicted prepubertal body size and two measures of BID indicating (i) desire to be smaller, and (ii) desire to be larger. We then used multivariable regression followed by counterfactual mediation analyses. Bidirectional MR indicated robust evidence that increased genetically predicted prepubertal body size increased desire to be smaller and decreased desire to be larger. Evidence for the reverse causal direction was negligible. These findings remained very similar across sensitivity analyses. In females and males, multivariable regression analyses demonstrated that being overweight increased the risk of disordered eating (risk ratio (RR), 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19, 1.01 to 1.40 and 1.98, 1.28 to 3.05, respectively) and self-harm (RR, 95% CI: 1.35, 1.04 to 1.77 and 1.55, 0.86 to 2.81, respectively), while being underweight was protective against disordered eating (RR, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.40 to 0.81 and 0.81, 0.38 to 1.73, respectively). There was weak evidence of an increase in the risk of self-harm among underweight individuals. Mediation analyses indicated that the relationship between being overweight and subsequent disordered eating was largely mediated by the desire to be smaller. Our research carries important public health implications, suggesting distinct risk profiles for self-harm and disordered eating in relation to weight and body image. In addition, a better understanding of genetically predicted prepubertal BID may be valuable in the prevention and treatment of disordered eating and self-harm in adolescence.

Epigenetic Aging and Racialized, Economic, and Environmental Injustice: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program.

Importance: Epigenetic age acceleration is associated with exposure to social and economic adversity and may increase the risk of premature morbidity and mortality. However, no studies have included measures of structural racism, and few have compared estimates within or across the first and second generation of epigenetic clocks. Objective: To determine whether epigenetic age acceleration is positively associated with exposures to diverse measures of racialized, economic, and environmental injustice measured at different levels and time periods. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the My Body My Story (MBMS) study between August 8, 2008, and December 31, 2010, and examination 5 of the Multi-Ethnic Atherosclerosis Study (MESA) from April 1, 2010, to February 29, 2012. In the MBMS, DNA extraction was performed in 2021; linkage of structural measures to the MBMS and MESA, in 2022. US-born individuals were randomly selected from 4 community health centers in Boston, Massachusetts (MBMS), and 4 field sites in Baltimore, Maryland; Forsyth County, North Carolina; New York City, New York; and St Paul, Minnesota (MESA). Data were analyzed from November 13, 2021, to August 31, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Ten epigenetic clocks (6 first-generation and 4 second-generation), computed using DNA methylation data (DNAm) from blood spots (MBMS) and purified monocytes (MESA). Results: The US-born study population included 293 MBMS participants (109 men [37.2%], 184 women [62.8%]; mean [SD] age, 49.0 [8.0] years) with 224 Black non-Hispanic and 69 White non-Hispanic participants and 975 MESA participants (492 men [50.5%], 483 women [49.5%]; mean [SD] age, 70.0 [9.3] years) with 229 Black non-Hispanic, 191 Hispanic, and 555 White non-Hispanic participants. Of these, 140 (11.0%) exhibited accelerated aging for all 5 clocks whose estimates are interpretable on the age (years) scale. Among Black non-Hispanic MBMS participants, epigenetic age acceleration was associated with being born in a Jim Crow state by 0.14 (95% CI, 0.003-0.27) SDs and with birth state conservatism by 0.06 (95% CI, 0.01-0.12) SDs, pooling across all clocks. Low parental educational level was associated with epigenetic age acceleration, pooling across all clocks, for both Black non-Hispanic (0.24 [95% CI, 0.08-0.39] SDs) and White non-Hispanic (0.27 [95% CI, 0.03-0.51] SDs) MBMS participants. Adult impoverishment was positively associated with the pooled second-generation clocks among the MESA participants (Black non-Hispanic, 0.06 [95% CI, 0.01-0.12] SDs; Hispanic, 0.07 [95% CI, 0.01-0.14] SDs; White non-Hispanic, 0.05 [95% CI, 0.01-0.08] SDs). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cross-sectional study of MBMS and MESA participants suggest that epigenetic age acceleration was associated with racialized and economic injustice, potentially contributing to well-documented inequities in premature mortality. Future research should test the hypothesis that epigenetic accelerated aging may be one of the biological mechanisms underlying the well-documented elevated risk of premature morbidity and mortality among social groups subjected to racialized and economic injustice.

Principled distillation of UK Biobank phenotype data reveals underlying structure in human variation.

Data within biobanks capture broad yet detailed indices of human variation, but biobank-wide insights can be difficult to extract due to complexity and scale. Here, using large-scale factor analysis, we distill hundreds of variables (diagnoses, assessments and survey items) into 35 latent constructs, using data from unrelated individuals with predominantly estimated European genetic ancestry in UK Biobank. These factors recapitulate known disease classifications, disentangle elements of socioeconomic status, highlight the relevance of psychiatric constructs to health and improve measurement of pro-health behaviours. We go on to demonstrate the power of this approach to clarify genetic signal, enhance discovery and identify associations between underlying phenotypic structure and health outcomes. In building a deeper understanding of ways in which constructs such as socioeconomic status, trauma, or physical activity are structured in the dataset, we emphasize the importance of considering the interwoven nature of the human phenome when evaluating public health patterns.

Protein Identification for Stroke Progression via Mendelian Randomization in Million Veteran Program and UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Individuals who have experienced a stroke, or transient ischemic attack, face a heightened risk of future cardiovascular events. Identification of genetic and molecular risk factors for subsequent cardiovascular outcomes may identify effective therapeutic targets to improve prognosis after an incident stroke. METHODS: We performed genome-wide association studies for subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; ncases=51 929; ncontrols=39 980) and subsequent arterial ischemic stroke (AIS; ncases=45 120; ncontrols=46 789) after the first incident stroke within the Million Veteran Program and UK Biobank. We then used genetic variants associated with proteins (protein quantitative trait loci) to determine the effect of 1463 plasma protein abundances on subsequent MACE using Mendelian randomization. RESULTS: Two variants were significantly associated with subsequent cardiovascular events: rs76472767 near gene RNF220 (odds ratio, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.64-0.85]; P=3.69×10-8) with subsequent AIS and rs13294166 near gene LINC01492 (odds ratio, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.37-1.67]; P=3.77×10-8) with subsequent MACE. Using Mendelian randomization, we identified 2 proteins with an effect on subsequent MACE after a stroke: CCL27 ([C-C motif chemokine 27], effect odds ratio, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.66-0.88]; adjusted P=0.05) and TNFRSF14 ([tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 14], effect odds ratio, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.24-1.60]; adjusted P=0.006). These proteins are not associated with incident AIS and are implicated to have a role in inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that 2 proteins with little effect on incident stroke appear to influence subsequent MACE after incident AIS. These associations suggest that inflammation is a contributing factor to subsequent MACE outcomes after incident AIS and highlights potential novel targets.

Parental education and children's depression, anxiety, and ADHD traits, a within-family study in MoBa.

Children born to parents with fewer years of education are more likely to have depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but it is unclear to what extent these associations are causal. We estimated the effect of parents' educational attainment on children's depressive, anxiety, and ADHD traits at age 8 years, in a sample of 40,879 Norwegian children born in 1998-2009 and their parents. We used within-family Mendelian randomization, which employs genetic variants as instrumental variables, and controlled for direct genetic effects by adjusting for children's polygenic indexes. We found little evidence that mothers' or fathers' educational attainment independently affected children's depressive, anxiety, or ADHD traits. However, children's own polygenic scores for educational attainment were independently and negatively associated with these traits. Results suggest that differences in these traits according to parents' education may reflect direct genetic effects more than genetic nurture. Consequences of social disadvantage for children's mental health may however be more visible in samples with more socioeconomic variation, or contexts with larger socioeconomic disparities than present-day Norway. Further research is required in populations with more educational and economic inequality and in other age groups.

Novel genomic variants related to visceral adiposity index (VAI) and body adiposity index (BAI) in Indian sib-pairs.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is among the leading public health threats globally. Over the last few years, visceral adiposity index (VAI), and body adiposity index (BAI), derived from anthropometric, and biochemical measures, have gained importance as a measure of obesity. However, unlike other common indices like body mass index, and waist circumference, the genetic predisposition of VAI, and BAI under-examined. METHODS: 2265 sib-pairs from Indian Migration Study were used for examining the association of genetic variants from the Cardio-Metabochip array with VAI, and BAI. Mixed linear regression models were run, and all inferences were based on the within-sib component of the Fulker's association models. Gene-environment/lifestyle interaction analyses were also undertaken. RESULTS: rs6659428 at LOC400796 | SEC16B (ß = 0.26, SE = 0.05), and rs7611535 at DRD3 | LOC645180 (ß = 0.18, SE = 0.04) were associated with VAI at suggestive significance value of <8.21 × 10-6. For BAI, rs73300702 at JAZF1-AS1 (ß = 0.27, SE = 0.06), was the top hit at p value < 8.21 × 10-6. Further, rs6659428 showed marginal effect modification with rural/urban location (ß = 0.26, SE = 0.13, p value = 0.047), and rs73300702 with physical activity (ß = -0.29,SE = 0.14, p value = 0.034). CONCLUSION: We report three novel genetic loci for VAI, and BAI in Indians that are important indicators of adiposity. These findings need to be replicated and validated with larger samples from different ethnicities. Further, functional studies for understanding the biological mechanisms of these adiposity indices need to be undertaken to understand the underlying pathophysiology.

The association between completion of supervised exercise therapy and long-term outcomes in patients with intermittent claudication, concomitant sarcopenia and cardiometabolic multimorbidity.

INTRODUCTION: The combination of intermittent claudication (IC), cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) and sarcopenia is associated with worse outcomes than IC alone. This study aimed to identify whether the completion of Supervised exercise therapy(SET) attenuates these adverse outcomes in patients with combined IC, sarcopenia and CMM. METHODS: This registry review included consecutive IC patients with concomitant CMM and sarcopenia, who were referred for SET from 2014 to 2017. CMM was defined as two or more comorbidities (diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or chronic kidney disease). Sarcopenia was assessed using the L3-skeletal muscle index (L3SMI) from CT scans in the preceding 18 months. Outcomes of interest were progression to chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and major adverse limb events (MALE). Survival and Cox regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients with a combination of IC, CMM and sarcopenia were included. Of these, 56 declined or prematurely discontinued SET and 26 completed SET. Baseline characteristics and L3SMI did not significantly differ between groups. Completion of SET was associated with slower progression to CLTI (HR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.07-0.69; p = 0.02) and a reduced risk of MALE (HR: 0.21; 95%CI: 0.057-0.775;p=0.02). However, there was no reduction in the risk of MACE (HR: 0.88; 95%CI: 0.423-1.629; p=0.73). Models demonstrated good predictive accuracy (Harrell's C-index>0.6). CONCLUSION: Completion of SET was associated with significant improvements in adverse limb outcomes in patients with IC, concomitant sarcopenia and CMM.

Implications of the genomic revolution for education research and policy.

Research at the intersection of social science and genomics, 'sociogenomics', is transforming our understanding of the interplay between genomics, individual outcomes and society. It has interesting and maybe unexpected implications for education research and policy. Here we review the growing sociogenomics literature and discuss its implications for educational researchers and policymakers. We cover key concepts and methods in genomic research into educational outcomes, how genomic data can be used to investigate social or environmental effects, the methodological strengths and limitations of genomic data relative to other observational social data, the role of intergenerational transmission and potential policy implications. The increasing availability of genomic data in studies can produce a wealth of new evidence for education research. This may provide opportunities for disentangling the environmental and genomic factors that influence educational outcomes and identifying potential mechanisms for intervention.

Regeneration of Propriospinal Axons in Rat Transected Spinal Cord Injury through a Growth-Promoting Pathway Constructed by Schwann Cells Overexpressing GDNF.

Unsuccessful axonal regeneration in transected spinal cord injury (SCI) is mainly attributed to shortage of growth factors, inhibitory glial scar, and low intrinsic regenerating capacity of severely injured neurons. Previously, we constructed an axonal growth permissive pathway in a thoracic hemisected injury by transplantation of Schwann cells overexpressing glial-cell-derived neurotrophic factor (SCs-GDNF) into the lesion gap as well as the caudal cord and proved that this novel permissive bridge promoted the regeneration of descending propriospinal tract (dPST) axons across and beyond the lesion. In the current study, we subjected rats to complete thoracic (T11) spinal cord transections and examined whether these combinatorial treatments can support dPST axons' regeneration beyond the transected injury. The results indicated that GDNF significantly improved graft-host interface by promoting integration between SCs and astrocytes, especially the migration of reactive astrocyte into SCs-GDNF territory. The glial response in the caudal graft area has been significantly attenuated. The astrocytes inside the grafted area were morphologically characterized by elongated and slim process and bipolar orientation accompanied by dramatically reduced expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein. Tremendous dPST axons have been found to regenerate across the lesion and back to the caudal spinal cord which were otherwise difficult to see in control groups. The caudal synaptic connections were formed, and regenerated axons were remyelinated. The hindlimb locomotor function has been improved.

Childhood adiposity underlies numerous adult brain traits commonly attributed to midlife obesity.

Obese adults are often reported to have smaller brain volumes than their non-obese peers. Whether this represents evidence of accelerations in obesity-driven atrophy or is instead a legacy of developmental differences established earlier in the lifespan remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether early-life differences in adiposity explain differences in numerous adult brain traits commonly attributed to mid-life obesity. We utilised a two-sample lifecourse Mendelian randomization study in 37,501 adults recruited to UK Biobank (UKB) imaging centers from 2014, with secondary analyses in 6,996 children assessed in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD) recruited from 2018. Exposures were genetic variants for childhood (266 variants) and adult (470 variants) adiposity derived from a GWAS of 407,741 UKB participants. Primary outcomes were adult total brain volume; grey matter volume, thickness, and surface area; white matter volume and hyperintensities; and hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus volumes at mean age 55 in UKB. Secondary outcomes were equivalent childhood measures collected at mean age 10 in ABCD. In UKB, individuals who were genetically-predicted to have had higher levels of adiposity in childhood were found to have multiple smaller adult brain volumes relative to intracranial volume (e.g. z-score difference in normalised brain volume per category increase in adiposity [95%CI] = -0.20 [-0.28, -0.12]; p = 4 × 10-6). These effect sizes remained essentially unchanged after accounting for birthweight or current adult obesity in multivariable models, whereas most observed adult effects attenuated towards null (e.g. adult z-score [95%CI] for total volume = 0.06 [-0.05,0.17]; p = 0.3). Observational analyses in ABCD showed a similar pattern of changes already present in those with a high BMI by age 10 (z-score [95%CI] = -0.10 [-0.13, -0.07]; p = 8 × 10-13), with follow-up genetic risk score analyses providing some evidence for a causal effect already at this early age. Sensitivity analyses revealed that many of these effects were likely due to the persistence of larger head sizes established in those who gained excess weight in childhood (childhood z-score [95%CI] for intracranial volume = 0.14 [0.05,0.23]; p = 0.002), rather than smaller brain sizes per se. Our data suggest that persistence of early-life developmental differences across the lifecourse may underlie numerous neuroimaging traits commonly attributed to obesity-related atrophy in later life.