Identification of novel neuroprotectants against vincristine-induced neurotoxicity in iPSC-derived neurons

Development of a cuproptosis-related prognostic signature to reveal heterogeneity of the immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BACKGROUND

Cuproptosis is a brand-new copper-dependent type of cell death that has been linked to various tumors. However, the relationship between cuproptosis and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remains to be further elaborated.

METHODS

In ALL, 12 cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) were analyzed at genetic and single-cell levels. Two molecular clusters were identified using "ConsensusClusterPlus". With the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, a prognostic signature was built based on cuproptosis. The prognosis, clinical parameters, biological function, immune cell infiltration, therapy sensitivities, and transcription factor regulation of the clusters and risk subsets were further compared. Kaplan Meier curves, time-ROC curves, and nomogram were employed to evaluate the accuracy of the signature. Lastly, qRT-PCR was used to detect prognostic genes in cell lines and clinical samples.

RESULTS

CRGs exhibited extensive genetic variations and heterogeneous expression profiles in ALL. Single-cell analysis demonstrated that CRGs were strongly correlated with the biological characteristics of cancer cells. Two clusters and risk subgroups with distinct clinicopathological features, prognoses, biological functions, and drug sensitivities were identified. The cuproptosis signature was crucial in characterizing tumor immune landscape and cancer cell self-renewal ability. Furthermore, we explored that subtype A and high-scoring groups were more sensitive to immunotherapy. Multiple drugs with higher sensitivity among high-risk subgroups have been predicted. Nomograms demonstrated the clinical applicability of cuproptosis in risk assessment. The model was further validated in the verification cohort, our clinical specimens, and cell lines.

CONCLUSIONS

The cuproptosis-based model can characterize the tumor microenvironment, forecast survival results, and aid in improving risk assessment and personalized therapy options in ALL.

Preferential Synaptic Type of GABA-A Receptor Ligands Enhancing Neuronal Survival and Facilitating Functional Recovery After Ischemic Stroke

Selective enhancement of synaptic GABA signaling mediated by GABA-A receptors has been previously reported to promote functional recovery after ischemic stroke, while tonic GABA signaling has been detrimental. To identify agents that enhance synaptic signaling, we synthesized GABA-A ligands based on three chemotypes with affinity values pKi= 6.44-8.32. Representative compounds showed a preference in functional responses toward synaptic type of GABA-A receptors, compared to the extrasynaptic ones. In a cellular ischemia model (OGD), selected compounds showed the potential to improve neuronal recovery. The selected lead, compound 4, demonstrated the ability to reduce mitochondrial dysfunction, regulate intracellular calcium levels, decrease caspase 3 levels, and promote neurite outgrowth in in vitro assays. In an animal model, compound 4 enhanced motor recovery and showed neuroprotective activity by reducing infarct volume and decreasing poststroke acidosis. These findings underscore the value of selective ligands modulating synaptic GABA-A receptors in promoting recovery from ischemic stroke.