Cross-regional homeostatic and reactive glial signatures in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifocal and progressive inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). However, the compartmentalized pathology of the disease affecting various anatomical regions including gray and white matter and lack of appropriate disease models impede understanding of the disease. Utilizing single-nucleus RNA-sequencing and multiplex spatial RNA mapping, we generated an integrated transcriptomic map comprising leukocortical, cerebellar and spinal cord areas in normal and MS tissues that captures regional subtype diversity of various cell types with an emphasis on astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. While we found strong cross-regional diversity among glial subtypes in control tissue, regional signatures become more obscure in MS. This suggests that patterns of transcriptomic changes in MS are shared across regions and converge on specific pathways, especially those regulating cellular stress and immune activation. In addition, we found evidence that a subtype of white matter oligodendrocytes appearing across all three CNS regions adopt pro-remyelinating gene signatures in MS. In summary, our data suggest that cross-regional transcriptomic glial signatures overlap in MS, with different reactive glial cell types capable of either exacerbating or ameliorating pathology.

Limited antimicrobial efficacy of oral care antiseptics in microcosm biofilms and phenotypic adaptation of bacteria upon repeated exposure.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of antiseptics in saliva-derived microcosm biofilms, and to examine phenotypic adaption of bacteria upon repeated exposure to sub-inhibitory antiseptic concentrations. METHODS: Saliva-derived biofilms were formed mimicking caries- or gingivitis-associated conditions, respectively. Microbial compositions were analyzed by semiconductor-based 16S rRNA sequencing. Biofilms were treated with CHX, CPC, BAC, ALX, and DQC for 1 or 10 min, and colony forming units (CFU) were evaluated. Phenotypic adaptation of six selected bacterial reference strains toward CHX, CPC, and BAC was assessed by measuring minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) over 10 passages of sub-inhibitory exposure. Protein expression profiles were investigated by SDS-PAGE. RESULTS: Both biofilms showed outgrowth of streptococci and Veillonella spp., while gingivitis biofilms also showed increased relative abundances of Actinomyces, Granulicatella, and Gemella spp. Antiseptic treatment for 1 min led to no relevant CFU-reductions despite for CPC. When treated for 10 min, CPC was most effective followed by BAC, ALX, CHX, and DQC. Stable adaptations with up to fourfold MIC increases were found in E. coli toward all tested antiseptics, in E. faecalis toward CHX and BAC, and in S. aureus toward CPC. Adapted E. coli strains showed different protein expression as compared with the wildtype strain. CONCLUSION: Antiseptics showed limited antimicrobial efficacy toward mature biofilms when applied for clinically relevant treatment periods. Bacteria showed phenotypic adaptation upon repeated sub-inhibitory exposure. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinicians should be aware that wide-spread use of antiseptics may pose the risk of inducing resistances in oral bacteria.

Neuron-oligodendrocyte potassium shuttling at nodes of Ranvier protects against inflammatory demyelination.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive inflammatory demyelinating disease of the CNS. Increasing evidence suggests that vulnerable neurons in MS exhibit fatal metabolic exhaustion over time, a phenomenon hypothesized to be caused by chronic hyperexcitability. Axonal Kv7 (outward-rectifying) and oligodendroglial Kir4.1 (inward-rectifying) potassium channels have important roles in regulating neuronal excitability at and around the nodes of Ranvier. Here, we studied the spatial and functional relationship between neuronal Kv7 and oligodendroglial Kir4.1 channels and assessed the transcriptional and functional signatures of cortical and retinal projection neurons under physiological and inflammatory demyelinating conditions. We found that both channels became dysregulated in MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), with Kir4.1 channels being chronically downregulated and Kv7 channel subunits being transiently upregulated during inflammatory demyelination. Further, we observed that pharmacological Kv7 channel opening with retigabine reduced neuronal hyperexcitability in human and EAE neurons, improved clinical EAE signs, and rescued neuronal pathology in oligodendrocyte-Kir4.1-deficient (OL-Kir4.1-deficient) mice. In summary, our findings indicate that neuron-OL compensatory interactions promoted resilience through Kv7 and Kir4.1 channels and identify pharmacological activation of nodal Kv7 channels as a neuroprotective strategy against inflammatory demyelination.

Metagenome Sequences of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Digester Sludge-Derived Enrichment Culture.

We sequenced the metagenome of a microbial community enriched under strictly anaerobic conditions from wastewater treatment plant-derived digester sludge. The metagenomic analysis of the enrichment revealed that Acetobacterium and methanogenic archaea belonged to the dominant prokaryotes, and genes encoding components of the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway were identified.

Directed Zincation with TMPZnCl·LiCl and Further Functionalization of the Tropolone Scaffold.

The directed zincation of tropolone derivatives was achieved using TMPZnCl·LiCl. Various functionalizations of the zincated intermediates by halogenation, acylation, allylation, and Negishi cross-coupling were successfully performed. Additionally, 1,8-conjugate addition-elimination reactions with a variety of arylmagnesium and secondary alkylzinc reagents were carried out to further elaborate the tropolone core.