Integration of whole-exome sequencing and structural neuroimaging analysis in major depressive disorder: a joint study.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental illness worldwide and is triggered by an intricate interplay between environmental and genetic factors. Although there are several studies on common variants in MDD, studies on rare variants are relatively limited. In addition, few studies have examined the genetic contributions to neurostructural alterations in MDD using whole-exome sequencing (WES). We performed WES in 367 patients with MDD and 161 healthy controls (HCs) to detect germline and copy number variations in the Korean population. Gene-based rare variants were analyzed to investigate the association between the genes and individuals, followed by neuroimaging-genetic analysis to explore the neural mechanisms underlying the genetic impact in 234 patients with MDD and 135 HCs using diffusion tensor imaging data. We identified 40 MDD-related genes and observed 95 recurrent regions of copy number variations. We also discovered a novel gene, FRMPD3, carrying rare variants that influence MDD. In addition, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs771995197 in the MUC6 gene was significantly associated with the integrity of widespread white matter tracts. Moreover, we identified 918 rare exonic missense variants in genes associated with MDD susceptibility. We postulate that rare variants of FRMPD3 may contribute significantly to MDD, with a mild penetration effect.

Recombinant measles virus encoding the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 efficiently induces Th1 responses and neutralizing antibodies that block SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Owing to the rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, the development of effective and safe vaccines has become a priority. The measles virus (MeV) vaccine is an attractive vaccine platform as it has been administered to children for more than 40 years in over 100 countries. In this study, we developed a recombinant MeV expressing the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (rMeV-S) and tested its efficacy using mouse and hamster models. In hCD46Tg mice, two-dose rMeV-S vaccination induced higher Th1 secretion and humoral responses than one-dose vaccination. Interestingly, neutralizing antibodies induced by one-dose and two-dose rMeV-S immunization effectively blocked the entry of the α, ß, γ, and δ variants of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, two-dose rMeV-S immunization provided complete protection against SARS-CoV-2 in the hamster model. These results suggest the potential of rMeV-S as a vaccine candidate for targeting SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.

Whole Transcriptome Analysis of Hypothalamus in Mice during Short-Term Starvation.

Molecular profiling of the hypothalamus in response to metabolic shifts is a critical cue to better understand the principle of the central control of whole-body energy metabolism. The transcriptional responses of the rodent hypothalamus to short-term calorie restriction have been documented. However, studies on the identification of hypothalamic secretory factors that potentially contribute to the control of appetite are lacking. In this study, we analyzed the differential expression of hypothalamic genes and compared the selected secretory factors from the fasted mice with those of fed control mice using bulk RNA-sequencing. We verified seven secretory genes that were significantly altered in the hypothalamus of fasted mice. In addition, we determined the response of secretory genes in cultured hypothalamic cells to treatment with ghrelin and leptin. The current study provides further insights into the neuronal response to food restriction at the molecular level and may be useful for understanding the hypothalamic control of appetite.

Ultra- and micro-structural changes of respiratory tracts in SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian hamsters.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is causing a global crisis. It is still unresolved. Although many therapies and vaccines are being studied, they are still in their infancy. As this pandemic continues, rapid and accurate research for the development of therapies and vaccines is needed. Therefore, it is necessary to understand characteristics of diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 through animal models. Syrian hamsters are known to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2. They were intranasally inoculated with SARS-CoV-2. At 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days post-infection (dpi), these hamsters were euthanized, and tissues were collected for ultrastructural and microstructural examinations. Microscopic lesions were prominent in the upper and lower respiratory tracts from 2 and 4 dpi groups, respectively. The respiratory epithelium in the trachea, bronchiole, and alveolar showed pathological changes. Inflammatory cells including neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages, and eosinophils were infiltrated in/around tracheal lamina propria, pulmonary vessels, alveoli, and bronchiole. In pulmonary lesions, alveolar wall was thickened with infiltrated inflammatory cells, mainly neutrophils and macrophages. In the trachea, epithelial damages started from 2 dpi and recovered from 8 dpi, consistent with microscopic results, High levels of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein were detected at 2 dpi and 4 dpi. In the lung, lesions were most severe at 8 dpi. Meanwhile, high levels of SARS-CoV-2 were detected at 4 dpi. Electron microscopic examinations revealed cellular changes in the trachea epithelium and alveolar epithelium such as vacuolation, sparse micro-organelle, and poor cellular margin. In the trachea epithelium, the number of cytoplasmic organelles was diminished, and small vesicles were prominent from 2 dpi. Some of these electron-lucent vesicles were filled with virion particles. From 8 dpi, the trachea epithelium started to recover. Because of shrunken nucleus and swollen cytoplasm, the N/C ratio of type 2 pneumocyte decreased at 8 and 12 dpi. From 8 dpi, lamellar bodies on type 2 pneumocyte cytoplasm were increasingly observed. Their number then decreased from 16 dpi. However, there was no significant change in type 1 pneumocyte. Viral vesicles were only observed in the cytoplasm of type 2 pneumocyte. In conclusion, ultra- and micro-structural changes presented in this study may provide useful information for SARS-CoV-2 studies in various fields.

Potential Therapeutic Effect of Micrornas in Extracellular Vesicles from Mesenchymal Stem Cells against SARS-CoV-2.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-released, nanometer-scaled, membrane-bound materials and contain diverse contents including proteins, small peptides, and nucleic acids. Once released, EVs can alter the microenvironment and regulate a myriad of cellular physiology components, including cell-cell communication, proliferation, differentiation, and immune responses against viral infection. Among the cargoes in the vesicles, small non-coding micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have received attention in that they can regulate the expression of a variety of human genes as well as external viral genes via binding to the complementary mRNAs. In this study, we tested the potential of EVs as therapeutic agents for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. First, we found that the mesenchymal stem-cell-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) enabled the rescue of the cytopathic effect of SARS-CoV-2 virus and the suppression of proinflammatory responses in the infected cells by inhibiting the viral replication. We found that these anti-viral responses were mediated by 17 miRNAs matching the rarely mutated, conserved 3'-untranslated regions (UTR) of the viral genome. The top five miRNAs highly expressed in the MSC-EVs, miR-92a-3p, miR-26a-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-103a-3p, and miR-181a-5p, were tested. They were bound to the complemented sequence which led to the recovery of the cytopathic effects. These findings suggest that the MSC-EVs are a potential candidate for multiple variants of anti-SARS-CoV-2.

Comprehensive Transcriptomic Comparison between Porcine CD8- and CD8+ Gamma Delta T Cells Revealed Distinct Immune Phenotype.

We aimed to comprehensively understand the functional mechanisms of immunity, especially of the CD8+/- subsets of gamma delta (γδ) T cells, using an RNA-sequencing analysis. Herein, γδ T cells were obtained from bronchial lymph node tissues of 38-day-old (after weaning 10-day: D10) and 56-day-old (after weaning 28-day: D28) weaned pigs and sorted into CD8+ and CD8- groups. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified based on the CD8 groups at D10 and D28 time points. We confirmed 1699 DEGs between D10 CD8+ versus D10 CD8- groups and 1784 DEGs between D28 CD8+ versus D28 CD8- groups; 646 upregulated and 561 downregulated DEGs were common. The common upregulated DEGs were enriched in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway, and the common downregulated DEGs were enriched in the B cell receptor signaling pathway. Further, chemokine-related genes, interferon gamma, and CD40 ligand were involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and TCR signaling pathway, which are associated with inter-regulation in immunity. We expect our results to form the basic data required for understanding the mechanisms of γδ T cells in pigs; however, further studies are required in order to reveal the dynamic changes in γδ T cells under pathogenic infections, such as those by viruses.

Immunization with RBD-P2 and N protects against SARS-CoV-2 in nonhuman primates.

Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), various vaccines are being developed, with most vaccine candidates focusing on the viral spike protein. Here, we developed a previously unknown subunit vaccine comprising the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein fused with the tetanus toxoid epitope P2 (RBD-P2) and tested its efficacy in rodents and nonhuman primates (NHPs). We also investigated whether the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N) could increase vaccine efficacy. Immunization with N and RBD-P2 (RBDP2/N) + alum increased T cell responses in mice and neutralizing antibody levels in rats compared with those obtained using RBD-P2 + alum. Furthermore, in NHPs, RBD-P2/N + alum induced slightly faster SARS-CoV-2 clearance than that induced by RBD-P2 + alum, albeit without statistical significance. Our study supports further development of RBD-P2 as a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2. Also, it provides insights regarding the use of N in protein-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

Why an Equity Lens is Essential for Achieving Oral Health for All: Exploring Collaboration as a Path to Systems Change.

To overcome persistent disparities in oral health access and status, it is vital we adopt a paradigm shift from addressing symptoms to also addressing root causes. This article delineates why an equity lens and a collaborative systems change approach are essential elements.

Nanoscale imaging of clinical specimens using pathology-optimized expansion microscopy.

Expansion microscopy (ExM), a method for improving the resolution of light microscopy by physically expanding a specimen, has not been applied to clinical tissue samples. Here we report a clinically optimized form of ExM that supports nanoscale imaging of human tissue specimens that have been fixed with formalin, embedded in paraffin, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and/or fresh frozen. The method, which we call expansion pathology (ExPath), converts clinical samples into an ExM-compatible state, then applies an ExM protocol with protein anchoring and mechanical homogenization steps optimized for clinical samples. ExPath enables ∼70-nm-resolution imaging of diverse biomolecules in intact tissues using conventional diffraction-limited microscopes and standard antibody and fluorescent DNA in situ hybridization reagents. We use ExPath for optical diagnosis of kidney minimal-change disease, a process that previously required electron microscopy, and we demonstrate high-fidelity computational discrimination between early breast neoplastic lesions for which pathologists often disagree in classification. ExPath may enable the routine use of nanoscale imaging in pathology and clinical research.

[Effects of a Cognitive Training Program on Cognitive Function and Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a cognitive training program on neurocognitive task performance and activities of daily living (ADL) in patients who had a stroke. METHODS: The research design for this study was a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. Patients were assigned to the experimental (n=21) or control group (n=21). The experimental group received a 4-week cognitive training program and usual care (i.e., rehabilitation service), while the control was received usual care only. Cognitive function was measured with a standardized neurocognitive test battery and ADL was assessed at baseline and one and two months after completion of the intervention. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine changes in cognitive function and ADL over 2 months. RESULTS: The interaction of group and time was significant indicating that the experimental group showed improvement in attention, visuospatial function, verbal memory, and executive function compared to the control group which had a sustained or gradual decrease in test performance. A significant group by time interaction in instrumental ADL was also found between the experimental group with gradual improvement and the control group showing no noticeable change. CONCLUSION: Findings show that the cognitive training program developed in this study is beneficial in restoring cognitive function and improving ADL in patients following a stroke. Further study is needed to investigate the long-term relationship between cognitive training participation and cognitive improvement and effective functioning in daily living.

Blockage of STAT3 Signaling Pathway by Morusin Induces Apoptosis and Inhibits Invasion in Human Pancreatic Tumor Cells.

OBJECTIVES: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an oncogenic transcription factor implicated in carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated the role of morusin, the major prenylflavonoid, isolated from Chinese herbal medicine in abrogating the constitutive STAT3 activation in human pancreatic tumor cells. METHODS: The effect of morusin on STAT3 activation, associated protein kinases, STAT3-regulated gene products, cellular proliferation, and apoptosis was examined. RESULTS: Morusin specifically inhibited constitutive STAT3 activation both at tyrosine residue 705 and serine residue 727 in 4 pancreatic tumor cells. The inhibition of STAT3 was mediated through the suppression of activation of upstream JAK1, JAK2, and c-Src kinases. Morusin led to the accumulation of the cells in different phases of the cell cycle and caused induction of apoptosis and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Morusin downregulated the expression of various STAT3-regulated gene products; this correlated with induction of caspase-3 activation and anti-invasive effects. Treatment with the protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor pervanadate reversed the morusin-induced downregulation of STAT3, thereby suggesting the involvement of a protein tyrosine phosphatase. CONCLUSIONS: Morusin is a novel blocker of STAT3 activation and thus may have potential in negative regulation of growth and metastasis of pancreatic tumor cells.

Brassinin Combined with Capsaicin Enhances Apoptotic and Anti-metastatic Effects in PC-3 Human Prostate Cancer Cells.

Brassinin (BSN), a type of indole compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, has shown anti-cancer effects in cells and animals. Capsaicin (CAP), an alkaloid derived from the chilli pepper, is also of interest in for its reported efficacy against various malignancies. The objective of our study was to analyze the potential synergistic anti-tumor effects of BSN combined with CAP on prostate cancer PC-3 cells. After treatment with BSN and CAP at various concentrations, the synergistic cytotoxic effect of PC-3 cells was analyzed by MTT method, proliferation, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, colony formation, and Western blotting. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of BSN and CAP on the constitutive expressions of MMP-9/2, their enzymatic activities, cellular migration, and cell invasion were also investigated. The cytotoxicity was synergistically increased in combination compared with the single drug used; moreover, proliferation, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and colony formation were significantly suppressed and anti-apoptotic-, proliferative-, and metastatic-related proteins were clearly abolished in the combination group. Besides, constitutive MMP-9/2 expression, their enzymatic activities, cell migration, and tumor cell invasion were inhibited, and TIMP-1 was up-regulated in the combination group in PC-3 cells. Our results indicate, for the first time, that BSN and CAP in combination exert synergistic anticancer effects in prostate carcinoma.

Neuroprotective effect of 1-methoxyoctadecan-1-ol from Uncaria sinensis on glutamate-induced hippocampal neuronal cell death.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: We isolated a single compound, 1-methoxyoctadecan-1-ol (MOD), from dried hooks and stems of Uncaria sinensis, which is used in traditional Korean medicine to provide relief from various nervous related symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Neuroprotective effects of MOD against glutamate-induced oxidative stress in HT22 cells were investigated by analyzing cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase, flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Western blot assays. RESULTS: Exposure to glutamate alone resulted in remarkable hippocampal neuronal cell death; however, pretreatment with MOD resulted in suppression of neuronal death and ROS accumulation in connection with cellular Ca2+ level after exposure to glutamate. Stimulation by glutamate also caused significant protein level of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and dephosphorylated phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), however, pretreatment with MOD resulted in inhibition of these changes in protein level. Treatment with glutamate alone led to suppressed protein level of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (CREB); however, pretreatment with MOD resulted in significant enhancement of this level of protein. Anti-oxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine and both Ca2+ inhibitors, BAPTA and EGTA, showed effects similar to those of MOD in all proteins examined, except mature BDNF. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that MOD mainly exerted neuroprotective effects in suppression of ROS accumulation and up-regulation of mature BDNF in association with p38 MAPK and PI3K signaling in hippocampal neuronal cells.

Ethanol extract of Cnidium officinale exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in BV2 microglial cells by suppressing NF-κB nuclear translocation and the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Chronic microglial activation endangers neuronal survival through the release of various toxic pro-inflammatory molecules; thus, negative regulators of microglial activation have been identified as potential therapeutic candidates for several neurological diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of an ethanol extract of Cnidium officinale rhizomes (EECO), which has been used as a herbal drug in Oriental medicine, on the production of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as that of pro-inflammatory cytokines in BV2 microglia cells. EECO significantly inhibited the excess production of NO and PGE2 in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. It also attenuated the expression of inducible NO synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, as well as that of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α. Moreover, EECO exhibited anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation and the activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. These results indicate that EECO exerts anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells by inhibiting pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokine production by blocking the NF-κB pathway. These findings suggest that EECO has substantial therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases accompanied by microglial activation.

Acetazolamide-challenged perfusion magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of cerebrovascular reserve capacity in patients with symptomatic middle cerebral artery stenosis: comparison with technetium-99m-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime single-photon emission computed tomography.

OBJECTIVES: Acetazolamide-challenged perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown as a method for assessment of cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) capacity in patients with atherosclerotic steno-occlusive disease of internal carotid artery. We have assessed the feasibility of the acetazolamide-challenged perfusion MRI for evaluating CVR in symptomatic patients with severe middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis (≥70%) by comparison with the acetazolamide-challenged technetium-99m-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). METHODS: Seventeen prospectively enrolled patients with symptomatic unilateral MCA stenosis underwent technetium-99m-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime SPECT and perfusion MRI without and with acetazolamide challenge, respectively. Acetazolamide-challenged SPECT and perfusion MRI were compared quantitatively by Region of interest (ROI) analysis. RESULTS: At all ROIs, there were no significant differences in percent change between SPECT and perfusion MRI. Patients with impaired CVR showed significant decreases in the percent changes of respective cerebral blood flow (P=.016) and respective cerebral blood volume (P=.029). CONCLUSION: Acetazolamide-challenged perfusion MRI is feasible for evaluating CVR in symptomatic patients with severe MCA stenosis quantitatively.

The association of quality of life with potentially remediable disruptions of circadian sleep/activity rhythms in patients with advanced lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients routinely develop symptoms consistent with profound circadian disruption, which causes circadian disruption diminished quality of life. This study was initiated to determine the relationship between the severity of potentially remediable cancer-associated circadian disruption and quality of life among patients with advanced lung cancer. METHODS: We concurrently investigated the relationship between the circadian rhythms of 84 advanced lung cancer patients and their quality of life outcomes as measured by the EORTC QLQ C30 and Ferrans and Powers QLI. The robustness and stability of activity/sleep circadian daily rhythms were measured by actigraphy. Fifty three of the patients in the study were starting their definitive therapy following diagnosis and thirty one patients were beginning second-line therapy. Among the patients who failed prior therapy, the median time between completing definitive therapy and baseline actigraphy was 4.3 months, (interquartile range 2.1 to 9.8 months). RESULTS: We found that circadian disruption is universal and severe among these patients compared to non-cancer-bearing individuals. We found that each of these patient's EORTC QLQ C30 domain scores revealed a compromised capacity to perform the routine activities of daily life. The severity of several, but not all, EORTC QLQ C30 symptom items correlate strongly with the degree of individual circadian disruption. In addition, the scores of all four Ferrans/Powers QLI domains correlate strongly with the degree of circadian disruption. Although Ferrans/Powers QLI domain scores show that cancer and its treatment spared these patients' emotional and psychological health, the QLI Health/Function domain score revealed high levels of patients' dissatisfaction with their health which is much worse when circadian disruption is severe. Circadian disruption selectively affects specific Quality of Life domains, such as the Ferrans/Powers Health/Function domain, and not others, such as EORTC QLQ C30 Physical Domain. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the testable possibility that behavioral, hormonal and/or light-based strategies to improve circadian organization may help patients suffering from advanced lung cancer to feel and function better.

Circadian transcription profile of mouse breast cancer under light-dark and dark-dark conditions.

The circadian clock exists in virtually every cell and regulates key biological processes in cells and tissues. Even in cancer cells, DNA synthesis, cell division and tumor growth are gated by the circadian clock. This study examined the gene expression profiles of transplanted mouse breast tumor cells under normal light-dark (LD) as well as constant dark (DD) conditions. It was found that the overall percentage of rhythmic transcripts in breast tumor tissue was lower than that in normal tissue. Few transcripts had unaltered rhythmic expression patterns under both LD and DD conditions. Most rhythmic transcripts in DD displayed 12h or shorter periods. These results suggest that in addition to the circadian clock control of gene transcription, altering light, feeding, physical activity and other factors characteristically affect the expression of many genes.

Inhibitory effects of 1-O-methyl-fructofuranose from Schisandra chinensis fruit on melanogenesis in B16F0 melanoma cells.

AIM OF THE STUDY: 1-O-methyl-fructofuranose (1-O-MFF) from the fruit of Schisandra chinensis is a traditional Korean medicinal herb that has a variety of beneficial properties. The effect of purified 1-O-MFF on melanogenesis including the activation of related signaling pathways was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The inhibitory activities of 1-O-MFF were examined by melanin synthesis, tyrosinase activity assay, Western blot and flow cytometric analyses in B16F0 mouse melanoma cells. RESULTS: 1-O-MFF significantly inhibited both melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in a concentration-dependent manner, and reduced the expression of melanogenic proteins including microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1. 1-O-MFF phosphorylated and activated melanogenesis inhibitory proteins such as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt. Flow cytometry confirmed that 1-O-MFF phosphorylated ERK and Akt proteins and recovered partially phosphorylated forms in cells treated with the MEK/ERK inhibitor compound PD98059 and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt inhibitor compound LY294002. CONCLUSIONS: The suppressive effects of 1-O-MFF on melanogenesis may involve down-regulation of MITF and its downstream signal pathway via the activation of MEK/ERK or PI3K/Akt.