ELM 2016--data update and new functionality of the eukaryotic linear motif resource.

The Eukaryotic Linear Motif (ELM) resource (http://elm.eu.org) is a manually curated database of short linear motifs (SLiMs). In this update, we present the latest additions to this resource, along with more improvements to the web interface. ELM 2016 contains more than 240 different motif classes with over 2700 experimentally validated instances, manually curated from more than 2400 scientific publications. In addition, more data have been made available as individually searchable pages and are downloadable in various formats.

[Modeling neurological and psychiatric disorders in vitro using induced pluripotent stem cells: highlighting findings in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia]. / Neurológiai és pszichiátriai betegségek in vitro modellezése indukált pluripotens ossejtek felhasználásával: fókuszban az Alzheimer-kór és a szkizofrénia.

Over the past decade we witnessed the birth of a new scientific area that lies at the borders of developmental biology, stem cell biology, basic and clinical neuroscience. In vitro disease modeling refers to the approach that exploits the capacity of stem cells for self-renewal and pluripotency by generating specific cell types that are relevant for a given disorder. Based on this method, neurological and psychiatric disorders can be investigated by differentiating stem cells into neurons in a dish, and studying the relevant neuronal populations affected in the pathophysiology of the disorder in terms of specific cellular phenotypes. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) has made it possible to reprogram IPSCs from somatic cells of patients carrying specific genetic risk variants, and to analyze the in vitro cellular findings in the context of the clinical picture. Pluripotent stem cell based disease modeling offers an alternative solution for invasive and mostly not performable central nervous system biopsies in neuropsychiatric disorders, and is an appealing laboratory method for studying biomarkers of these disorders and for future drug development. This review summarizes the pluripotent stem cell based disease modeling literature in two important neuropsychiatric disorders, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

Metabolic stress-induced microRNA and mRNA expression profiles of human fibroblasts.

Metabolic and oxidative stresses induce physiological adaptation processes, disrupting a finely tuned, coordinated network of gene expression. To better understand the interplay between the mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes, we examined how two distinct metabolic stressors alter the expression profile of human dermal fibroblasts. Primary fibroblast cultures were obtained from skin biopsies of 17 healthy subjects. Metabolic stress was evoked by growing subcultured cells in glucose deprived, galactose enriched (GAL) or lipid reduced, cholesterol deficient (RL) media, and compared to parallel-cultured fibroblasts grown in standard (STD) medium. This was followed by mRNA expression profiling and assessment of >1000 miRNAs levels across all three conditions. The miRNA expression levels were subsequently correlated to the mRNA expression profile. Metabolic stress by RL and GAL both produced significant, strongly correlated mRNA/miRNA changes. At the single gene level four miRNAs (miR-129-3p, miR-146b-5p, miR-543 and miR-550a) showed significant and comparable expression changes in both experimental conditions. These miRNAs appeared to have a significant physiological effect on the transcriptome, as nearly 10% of the predicted targets reported changes at mRNA level. The two distinct metabolic stressors induced comparable changes in the miRNome profile, suggesting a common defensive response of the fibroblasts to altered homeostasis. The differentially expressed miR-129-3p, miR-146b-5p, miR-543 and miR-550a regulated multiple genes (e.g. NGEF, NOVA1, PDE5A) with region- and age-specific transcription in the human brain, suggesting that deregulation of these miRNAs might have significant consequences on CNS function. The overall findings suggest that analysis of stress-induced responses of peripheral fibroblasts, obtained from patients with psychiatric disorders is a promising avenue for future research endeavors.

[Frailty syndrome: an old new friend]. / Esendoségszindróma: egy régi új ismeros.

Frailty syndrome is defined as extreme stress vulnerability and decreased potential to adapt. The elderly and chronically ill patients are affected mostly. This condition increases the risk of adverse health outcomes as infections, falls, delirium, institutionalization, progression of comorbidities and mortality. The pathophysiological mechanism is a complex immune and neuroendocrine dysregulation. According to the phenotype model, frailty presents when three of the followings occur: weakness, exhaustion, slowness, weight loss and decreased activity, while cumulative model counts the number of health deficits. Aging, frailty, dementia and depression are independent clinical entities; they may present separately but may also potentiate each other. Hence most of the frailty scales assess the physical, mental and social dimensions as well. Mild or moderate frailty is potentially reversible with an individualised caring plan. Given short, easy-to-use screening tools, risk groups can be identified in the primary care and referred to a specialised team for further treatment. Here the authors summarise the literature of a re-discovered, current clinical phenomena, frailty syndrome, focusing on the practical issues in primary care.

Haloperidol, Olanzapine, and Risperidone Induce Morphological Changes in an In Vitro Model of Human Hippocampal Neurogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) based neuronal differentiation is valuable for studying neuropsychiatric disorders and pharmacological mechanisms at the cellular level. We aimed to examine the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics on human iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs). METHODS: Proliferation and neurite outgrowth were measured by live cell imaging, and gene expression levels related to neuronal identity were analyzed by RT-QPCR and immunocytochemistry during differentiation into hippocampal dentate gyrus granule cells following treatment of low- and high-dose antipsychotics (haloperidol, olanzapine, and risperidone). RESULTS: Antipsychotics did not modify the growth properties of NPCs after 3 days of treatment. However, the characteristics of neurite outgrowth changed significantly in response to haloperidol and olanzapine. After three weeks of differentiation, mRNA expression levels of the selected neuronal markers increased (except for MAP2), while antipsychotics caused only subtle changes. Additionally, we found no changes in MAP2 or GFAP protein expression levels as a result of antipsychotic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, antipsychotic medications promoted neurogenesis in vitro by influencing neurite outgrowth rather than changing cell survival or gene expression. This study provides insights into the effects of antipsychotics on neuronal differentiation and highlights the importance of considering neurite outgrowth as a potential target of action.

Restraint stress in rats alters gene transcription and protein translation in the hippocampus.

Stress is a relatively new and emerging risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Severe stress can alter brain characteristics such as neuronal plasticity, due to changes in the metabolism of cytoskeletal proteins. In this study, male Wistar rats were exposed to restraint stress (RS) for 5 h daily for different time periods. At the end of the exposure periods, the amounts of ß-actin, cofilin, amyloid precursor protein (APP) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK-1) RNAs and proteins were investigated. The mRNA expressions of ß-actin, cofilin and MAPK-1 followed U-shaped time course. Acute (3 days) and chronic (21 days) RS caused a fourfold and tenfold increases, respectively, in hippocampal ß-actin mRNA expression. In the case of cofilin mRNA expression, elevations were detected in the hippocampus on days 3, 7 and 21. The APP mRNA level was increased on day 21. On protein level, chronic stress elevated the levels of ß-actin, cofilin and APP in the hippocampus. These results suggest that stress causes the induction of some genes and proteins that are also elevated in AD selectively in the hippocampal region of the rat brain.

[The role of immobilization stress and sertindole on the expression of APP, MAPK-1 and beta-actin genes in rat brain]. / Az immobilizációs stressz és a sertindol hatása az APP, MAPK-1 és beta-aktin gének kifejezodésére patkányagyban.

Stress, depending on its level and quality, may cause adaptive and maladaptive alterations in brain functioning. As one of its multiple effects, elevated blood cortisol levels decrease the synthesis of the neuroprotective BDNF, thus leading to hippocampal atrophy and synapse loss, and rendering it a possible cause for the Alzheimer's disease (AD) related neuropathological and cognitive changes. As a result of the stress response, intraneuronal alterations--also affecting the metabolism of beta-actin--can develop. These have a role in the regulation of memory formation (LTP), but in pathological conditions (AD) they could lead to the accumulation of Hirano bodies (actin-cofilin rods). According to the dementia treatment guidelines, the behavioural and psychological symptoms of AD can be treated with certain antipsychotics. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the effects of sertindole (currently not used in the standard management of AD) on the transcription of some AD associated genes (amyloid precursor protein [APP], mitogen activated protein kinase-1 [MAPK-1], beta-actin) in the brain of rats exposed to chronic immobilization stress (CIS). Male Wistar rats were exposed to CIS for three weeks. The four groups were: control (n = 16), CIS (n = 10), 10 mg/kg sertindole (n = 5) and 10 mg/kg sertindole + CIS (n = 4). Following transcardial perfusion, the relative levels of hippocampal and cortical mRNA of the previously mentioned genes were measured with real-time PCR. CIS induced hippocampal beta-actin (p < 0.01), MAPK-1 and APP (p < 0.05) mRNA overexpression. The simultaneous administration of sertindole suppressed this increase in beta-actin, MAPK-1 and APP expression (p < 0.05). Ours is the first report about CIS induced beta-actin gene overexpression. This finding, in accordance with the similar results in APP and MAPK-1 expression, underlines the significance of cytoskeletal alterations in AD pathogenesis. The gene expression reducing effect of sertindole suggests that antipsychotic drugs may have a neuroprotective effect.

[Acute and chronic stress induced changes in gene transcriptions related to Alzheimer's disease]. / Az akut es krónikus stressz hatása az Alzheimer- kór patomechanizmusában szerepet játszó gének transzkripciójára.

Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate that stress may be implicated in the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our study aimed to investigate the effects of acute and chronic immobilization stress (IS) on the gene transcriptions of beta-actin, amyloid precursor protein (APP) and mitogen activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK-1), proteins related to synaptic plasticity and neuronal degeneration. Male Wistar rats were exposed to IS for five hours daily for 3 days (acute stress) or through 7-14-21 days (chronic stress). At the end of exposure periods, total RNA was purified from the cortex and hippocampus. The amounts of beta-actin, APP and MAPK-1 mRNA were determined with real time PCR method. Our results indicate that the mRNA expression of beta-actin and APP followed a U-shaped time-response curve. Both acute and chronic IS caused a significant increase in beta-actin and MAPK-1 mRNA expression. Significant APP mRNA elevation was observed only by the 3rd week after RS. Our findings demonstrate that both acute and chronic IS lead to gene transcriptional changes of beta-actin, APP and MAPK-1. These proteins maintain the normal function of the cytoskeleton and the synaptic plasticity. The above changes may lead to cognitive deterioration, and the development of AD.

[The conceptual re-evaluation of therapeutic success in schizophrenia]. / A terápiás siker fogalmának átértékelödése szkizofréniában.

The development of new therapeutic approaches is considered to be a major contributor to the re-evaluation of therapeutic outcomes in schizophrenia. The present review accentuates the recent dimensional concept of improvement, including the integration of social and clinical aspects of different treatment approaches together with the culture-specific pragmatic concept of the therapeutic success. The outpatient status of the patient in itself is no longer recognised as a final success of the therapy, if the very basic aspects of self-management and performance, education and employment of the schizophrenic patients are not properly resolved. Thus the symptomatic therapy alone, without the amelioration of social skills, can no longer be recognised as a satisfying therapeutic target. Novel sensitive possibilities of the measurement of functional improvement were recently introduced in order to facilitate both the development of a personalized, efficient treatment and the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in schizophrenia.

[9-hydroxy-risperidone (9OHRIS) prevents stress-induced ß-actin overexpression in rat hippocampus]. / A 9-hidroxi-risperidon kivédi a stressz indukálta ß-aktin választ patkány hippokampuszban.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent form of neurodegenerative dementias. The aetiology and the exact pathomechanism of AD is not known, but stress has been considered recently in the aetiology. Beside the abnormal metabolism of the amyloid protein precursor (APP), the hyperactivity of the mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) involved in the hyperphosphorylation of the tau proteins, which are considered the major component of neurofibrillary tangles, in addition to ß-actin, being involved in synaptogenesis and neuronal plasticity, are all considered important contributors to the development of AD specific neuropathological changes. The chief aim of our present investigation was to examine the effect of stress on the expression of APP, MAPK1 and ß-actin mRNAs in the rat hippocampus and cortex. The effect of 9-hydroxy-risperidone (9OHRIS) on the transcription of these genes was also examined. Adult, male Wistar rats were exposed to chronic immobilization stress for 3 weeks. The 9OHRIS (4 mg/bwkg) was administred by gastric tube. Four groups were formed depending on the treatment: (1) control, (2) stress, (3) 9OHRIS, (4) stress and parallel 9OHRIS treatment (n=5-6). The expression of APP, MAPK1, ß-actin mRNAs from the perfused brain samples was measured with real-time PCR technique. The ß-actin mRNA was significantly overexpressed in the hippocampus after 3 weeks of stress treatment. On the other hand, the stress induced hippocampal ß-actin mRNA overexpression was repressed by the 9OHRIS treatment. There were no changes in the cortical or hippocampal expression of APP and MAPK1 mRNAs after neither the stress nor the 9OHRIS treatments. These results emphasize the importance of the stress induced ß-actin expression in rat hippocampus. The stress induced alterations in the ß-actin RNA expression could be associated with neuronal plasticity and adaptional processes, which could be modified by the 9OHRIS treatment. Our findings indicate that a second generation antipsychotic drug could have a beneficial effect in the pathomechanism of stress and this may have relevance in the treatment of such devastating conditions like AD and psychotic disorders.

[The effects of duloxetine on beta-actin stress response in rat brain]. / A duloxetin hatása a beta-aktin stresszválaszra patkány agyban.

Depression is a frequent prodromal symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Stress factors play an important role in the etiopathology of both diseases, since increased corticosteroid levels caused by chronic stress indirectly induce neuronal damage. The aim of our experiments was to evaluate the changes induced by stress in the transcription of amyloid precursor protein (APP), mitogen activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK-1) and beta-actin, of which the latest plays a leading role in synaptic plasticity. Additionally we intended to examine how duloxetine - a serotonin-norepinephrin reuptake inhibitor type antidepressant - would modify the stress-induced changes. Wistar rats were exposed to immobilization stress for five hours daily through 21 days, while part of the animals received 45 mg/bwkg of duloxetine. At the end of the third week total RNA was purified from the cortex and hippocampus. The amount of beta-actin, APP and MAPK-1 mRNA was determined by real time PCR method. On protein level, semiquantitative measurement was performed by Western blot. The expression of beta-actin mRNA in the animals exposed to stress was four times as intense as in the control group. The increase in the beta-actin mRNA levels was repressed by the duloxetine treatment. In the case of APP and MAPK-1 no changes were detected. According to the Western blot results, the antidepressant treatment slightly, the drug along with the stress treatment strongly decreased the amount of the beta-actin protein. Our findings indicate that antidepressant treatment with duloxetine could play a protective role against the chronic stress-induced changes in the nervous system, such as disorders of synaptic plasticity, and the consequent cognitive dysfunctions in case of both affective disorders and AD.

[Depression as chronobiological illness]. / A depresszió mint kronobiológiai betegség.

Chronobiological problems are always present as aetiological or pathoplastic conditions almost in all psychiatric disorders and considered as the greatest contributors to the mood and sleep disorders associated problems. The present review summarise the recent advances in the chronobiology research from the point of the clinician with particular emphasis on the psychobiology and pharmacotherapy of the depression. Human behaviour builds up from different length of circadian, ultradian and seasonal rhytms, strictly controlled by a hierarchical organisation of sub-cellullar, cellular, neuro-humoral and neuro-immunological clock systems. These internal clock systems are orchestrated at molecular level by certain clock genes and on the other hand--at neuro-humoral level--by the effect of the sleep hormone, melatonine, produced by the neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Beside the biological factors, social interactions are also considered as important regulators of the biological clock systems. The pacemaker centers of the SCN receive efferents from the serotoninergic raphe nuclei in order to regulate stress responses and neuroimmunological functions. The direction and the level of the chronobiological desynchronisation could be totally divergent in the case of the different affective disorders. Different chronobiological interventions are required therefore in the case of the advanced and delayed sleep disorders. Sleeping disorders are considered as the most recognised signs of the chronobiological desynchronisation in depression, but these symptoms are only the tip of the iceberg, since other chronobiological symptoms could be present due to the hidden physiological abnormalities. The serum melatonine profile is considered to be characteristic to age, gender and certain neuropsychiatric disorders. The natural and synthetic agonist of the melatonine receptors could be used as chronobiotics. The recently marketed agomelatine with a highly selective receptor binding profile (MT1 and MT2 agonism and 5HT2C antagonism) targets the desynchronised circadian rhytm in affective disorders and it has mainly antidepressive effect. Among the non-pharmacological chronobiological interventions, the different forms of the sleep deprivation, light and social rhytm therapies could offer alternative treatment options for the clinician.

[The transcription of the amyloid precursor protein and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase genes are increased by aging in the rat brain]. / Az öregedés fokozza az amiloid prekurzor protein és a triptofán 2,3-dioxigenáz gének transzkripcióját patkányagyban.

Aging itself is considered as a major risk factor of dementia. The prevalence of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasing exponentially after the age of 65 and doubles every 5 years. The major aim of our present research was to examine the effect of aging on the transcription of certain genes associated with neurodegenerative disorders in the rat brain. The influence of the vasopressin (VP) hormone was also examined in the same experimental paradigm. Age dependent transcriptional changes of the following four genes were examined in the cerebral cortex: the first was the gene of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) which is abnormally cleaved to toxic beta-amyloid fragments. These aggregated peptides are the major components of the senile plaques in the AD brain. The second one was the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK1) gene. The MAPK is involved in the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of the tau-protein which results in aggregated neurofibrillary tangles. The beta-actin gene was the third one. The protein product of this gene is considered to be involved in synaptogenesis, neuronal plasticity and clinical conditions like depression and AD. The last one was the gene of the tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2) enzyme. The activity of this enzyme is considered as a rate limiting factor in the metabolism of the neuro-immune modulator quinolinic acid (QUIN). The transciptional activity of young (2.5 months) and aged (13 months) Brattleboro rats with or without VP expression were compared by means of real time PCR technique. The cortical transciptional activity of the APP and TDO2 genes were increased in the aged animals as compared with the activity of the young ones, and this effect was independent on the presence of the VP. Our results indicate the importance of certain age dependent transcriptional changes might influence the mechanism of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Generation of an induced pluripotent stem cell cohort suitable to investigate sporadic Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the major cause of dementia in the elderly, and cortical neurons differentiated from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can recapitulate disease phenotypes such as tau phosphorylation or amyloid beta (Aß) deposition. Here we describe the generation of an iPSC cohort consisting of 2 sporadic AD cases and 3 controls, derived from dermal fibroblasts. All lines were karyotypically normal, showed expression of stem cell markers and efficiently differentiated into cells of all three germ layers.

[Recognition and treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementias: lessons from the CATIE-AD study]. / Demenciákhoz társuló viselkedési és pszichés zavarok felismerése és kezelése antipszichotikumokkal: a CATIE-AD vizsgálat tanulságai.

The prevalence of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) varies between 20-90%, depending on the care settings and severity of the dementia syndrome. BPSD is the major reason for referrals to secondary care. It exacerbates the dementia-associated morbidity and mortality rates. Furthermore, while BPSD is not a properly defined syndrome, it frequently induces psychic and somatic complaints in caregivers. The social and economic impacts of the BPSD far outweigh the importance of the cognitive symptoms of dementia. The aim of this review is to present the most recent findings regarding the recognition, differential diagnosis, aetiology, and pathomechanism of BPSD with a special focus on the local therapeutic possibilities with the atypical antipsychotics. Of utmost importance is the process of identifying the complex bio-psycho-social aetiological factors in parallel with defining the treatment strategies. Only after the correct recognition of the potential aetiology, non-pharmacological interventions are recommended to start with as first choice treatment in mild and mild-to-moderate BPSD, while in moderate and severe cases pharmacotherapeutic approaches are recommended from the start. Recent findings of neuropathological, neurochemical and neuroimaging studies yielded unequivocal evidence that the BPSD symptoms are not a consequence of a single neurotransmitter imbalance, but rather of disproportionate level changes in biogenic amines, excitatory and inhibitory transmitters in the central nervous system. Consequently, the available pharmacotherapy should target the balancing of the dopaminergic, serotoninergic, noradrenergic, excitatory and GABAergic neurotransmission by using antipsychotics, antidepressants, phase-prophylactic agents, and benzodiazepines. Several clinical studies have proven the efficacy of atypical antipsychotics that target multiple neurotransmitter systems in treating BPSD. The first results of the CATIE-AD study also confirm these findings and indicate that the atypical antipsychotics are effective in controlling anger, aggression and delusions in Alzheimer's disease, while cognitive symptoms, quality of life and care needs are not improved.

The essential role of TAp73 in bortezomib-induced apoptosis in p53-deficient colorectal cancer cells.

Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 are among the most highly occurring events in colorectal cancer (CRC). Such mutations have been shown to influence the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. However their impact on the efficacy of the proteasomal inhibitor bortezomib remains controversial. We thus re-evaluated the toxicity of bortezomib in the CRC cell lines HCT116 wt (wild-type) and its p53-/- clone. Transient resistance to bortezomib treatment was observed in p53-null cells that was later accompanied by an increase in levels and nuclear translocation of TAp73, an isoform of the p53-homologue p73, as well as induction of apoptosis. Knockdown of p73 in p53-/- cells using CRISPR/Cas9 significantly prolonged the duration of resistance. Moreover, similar results were observed in HT-29 cells carrying mutated p53, but not human fibroblasts with expression of functional p53. Thus, our results clearly demonstrated that TAp73 served as a substitute for p53 in bortezomib-induced apoptosis in p53-deficient or mutated cells, implicating that TAp73 could be a potential therapeutic target for treatment of CRCs, in particular those lacking functional p53.

A Dishful of a Troubled Mind: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Psychiatric Research.

Neuronal differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells and direct reprogramming represent powerful methods for modeling the development of neurons in vitro. Moreover, this approach is also a means for comparing various cellular phenotypes between cell lines originating from healthy and diseased individuals or isogenic cell lines engineered to differ at only one or a few genomic loci. Despite methodological constraints and initial skepticism regarding this approach, the field is expanding at a fast pace. The improvements include the development of new differentiation protocols resulting in selected neuronal populations (e.g., dopaminergic, GABAergic, hippocampal, and cortical), the widespread use of genome editing methods, and single-cell techniques. A major challenge awaiting in vitro disease modeling is the integration of clinical data in the models, by selection of well characterized clinical populations. Ideally, these models will also demonstrate how different diagnostic categories share overlapping molecular disease mechanisms, but also have unique characteristics. In this review we evaluate studies with regard to the described developments, to demonstrate how differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells and direct reprogramming can contribute to psychiatry.

Coordinated messenger RNA/microRNA changes in fibroblasts of patients with major depression.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral biomarkers for major psychiatric disorders have been an elusive target for the last half a century. Dermal fibroblasts are a simple, relevant, and much underutilized model for studying molecular processes of patients with affective disorders, as they share considerable similarity of signal transduction with neuronal tissue. METHODS: Cultured dermal fibroblast samples from patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and matched control subjects (n = 16 pairs, 32 samples) were assayed for genome-wide messenger RNA (mRNA) expression using microarrays. In addition, a simultaneous quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based assessment of >1000 microRNA (miRNA) species was performed. Finally, to test the relationship between the mRNA-miRNA expression changes, the two datasets were correlated with each other. RESULTS: Our data revealed that MDD fibroblasts, when compared with matched control subjects, showed a strong mRNA gene expression pattern change in multiple molecular pathways, including cell-to-cell communication, innate/adaptive immunity, and cell proliferation. Furthermore, the same patient fibroblasts showed altered expression of a distinct panel of 38 miRNAs, which putatively targeted many of the differentially expressed mRNAs. The miRNA-mRNA expression changes appeared to be functionally connected, as the majority of the miRNA and mRNA changes were in the opposite direction. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that combined miRNA-mRNA assessments are informative about the disease process and that analyses of dermal fibroblasts might lead to the discovery of promising peripheral biomarkers of MDD that could be potentially used to aid the diagnosis and allow mechanistic testing of disturbed molecular pathways.

Increase in Alzheimer's related markers preceeds memory disturbances: studies in vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro rat.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. For more effective therapy early diagnostic markers could be beneficial. Therefore we compared one year old rats with adults and examined if changes in possible brain markers of AD preceeded memory decline. We also tested if vasopressin-deficient animals were useful model of AD as vasopressin has well known positive effect on memory and AD patient has decreased vasopressin production. We compared adult (3 month) and old (12 month), normal and vasopressin-deficient Brattleboro rats. To receive a comprehensive picture about their memory we examined their social discrimination, object discrimination and conditioned learning abilities (shuttle box). Amyloid precursor protein (APP), mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), ß-actin and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (TDO2) mRNA levels was measured by quantitative PCR. There was no difference between the memory of adult and aged groups. The vasopressin-deficient rats at both ages showed a weaker performance in the course of social and object discrimination tests and a higher escape failure during the shuttle box experiment. The brain marker mRNAs of the elder animals were higher than the levels of the adults, but the absence of vasopressin had no influence on them. Thus, the one year old rats showed elevated levels of AD-related markers, but memory deficits were observable only in vasopressin deficient animals. Vasopressin does not seem to have pathogenic role in AD. Changes in the studied markers might predict later symptoms, although further studies are required for confirmation.

Cytoskeletal protein translation and expression in the rat brain are stressor-dependent and region-specific.

Stress is an integral component of life that can sometimes cause a critical overload, depending on the qualitative and quantitative natures of the stressors. The involvement of actin, the predominant component of dendritic integrity, is a plausible candidate factor in stress-induced neuronal cytoskeletal changes. The major aim of this study was to compare the effects of three different stress conditions on the transcription and translation of actin-related cytoskeletal genes in the rat brain. Male Wistar rats were exposed to one or other of the frequently used models of physical stress, i.e. electric foot shock stress (EFSS), forced swimming stress (FSS), or psychosocial stress (PSS) for periods of 3, 7, 14, or 21 days. The relative mRNA and protein expressions of ß-actin, cofilin and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK-1) were determined by qRT- PCR and western blotting from hippocampus and frontal cortex samples. Stressor-specific alterations in both ß-actin and cofilin expression levels were seen after stress. These alterations were most pronounced in response to EFSS, and exhibited a U-shaped time course. FSS led to a significant ß-actin mRNA expression elevation in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex after 3 and 7 days, respectively, without any subsequent change. PSS did not cause any change in ß-actin or cofilin mRNA or protein expression in the examined brain regions. EFSS, FSS and PSS had no effect on the expression of MAPK-1 mRNA at any tested time point. These findings indicate a very delicate, stress type-dependent regulation of neuronal cytoskeletal components in the rat hippocampus and frontal cortex.