The HOPX and BLBP landscape and gliogenic regions in developing human brain

Integrating scRNA-seq to explore offspring neurodevelopmental toxicity induced by Cyfluthrin exposure during pregnancy: A fate decision for NSCs

Cyfluthrin is a widely used insecticide, and studies have shown that its exposure during pregnancy is associated with neurobehavioral abnormalities in offspring, but the mechanism of toxicity is unknown. In this study, we observed the neurodevelopmental toxicity of Cyfluthrin in rat offspring of different ages due to pregnancy exposure, which manifested a series of impairments such as persistent cognitive impairment, neuronal loss in hippocampal tissues, synaptic damage, and altered expression of neurodevelopmental-related factors. Hippocampal scRNA-seq in neonatal rats showed specific cellular responses to prenatal Cyfluthrin exposure. Through DEG intergroup difference analysis, intercellular communication analysis, and mimetic timing analysis, we found that the change in the fate of neural stem cells - alterations in differentiation direction, proliferation, and apoptosis levels - was the main cause of the offspring's developmental toxicity induced by prenatal Cyfluthrin exposure. This inference was verified by our in - vivo and ex - vivo experiments. Our study first constructed a single - cell atlas of the offspring's brain hippocampus exposed to Cyfluthrin during pregnancy. It warns about pesticide intake during pregnancy and nursing in women and provides a theoretical basis for neurodevelopmental toxicity from early - life exposure to environmental pollutants.

Aberrant choroid plexus formation drives the development of treatment-related brain toxicity

Brain tumors are commonly treated with radiotherapy, but the efficacy of the treatment is limited by its toxicity to the normal tissue including post-irradiation contrast enhanced lesions often linked to necrosis. The poorly understood mechanisms behind such brain lesions were studied using cerebral organoids. Here we show that irradiation of such organoids leads to dose-dependent growth retardation and formation of liquid-filled cavities but is not correlated with necrosis. Instead, the radiation-induced changes comprise of an enhancement of cortical hem markers, altered neuroepithelial stem cell differentiation, and an increase of ZO1+/AQP1+/CLDN3+-choroid plexus (CP)-like structures accompanied by an upregulation of IGF2 mRNA, known to be expressed in CP and cerebrospinal fluid. The altered differentiation is attributed to changes in the WNT/BMP signaling pathways. We conclude that aberrant CP formation can be involved in radiation-induced brain lesions providing additional strategies for possible countermeasures.

Glucagon does not directly stimulate pituitary secretion of ACTH, GH or copeptin

Glucagon is best known for its contribution to glucose regulation through activation of the glucagon receptor (GCGR), primarily located in the liver. However, glucagon's impact on other organs may also contribute to its potent effects in health and disease. Given that glucagon-based medicine is entering the arena of anti-obesity drugs, elucidating extrahepatic actions of glucagon are of increased importance. It has been reported that glucagon may stimulate secretion of arginine-vasopressin (AVP)/copeptin, growth hormone (GH) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland. Nevertheless, the mechanisms and whether GCGR is present in human pituitary are unknown. In this study we found that intravenous administration of 0.2 mg glucagon to 14 healthy subjects was not associated with increases in plasma concentrations of copeptin, GH, ACTH or cortisol over a 120-min period. GCGR immunoreactivity was present in the anterior pituitary but not in cells containing GH or ACTH. Collectively, glucagon may not directly stimulate secretion of GH, ACTH or AVP/copeptin in humans but may instead be involved in yet unidentified pituitary functions.

Targeted transport of biotherapeutics at the blood-brain barrier

INTRODUCTION

The treatment of neurological diseases is significantly hampered by the lack of available therapeutics. A major restraint for the development of drugs is denoted by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which precludes the transfer of biotherapeutics to the brain due to size restraints.

AREAS COVERED

Novel optimism for transfer of biotherapeutics to the brain has been generated via development of targeted therapeutics to nutrient transporters expressed by brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs). Targeting approaches with antibodies acting as biological drug carriers allow for proteins and genetic material to enter the brain, and qualified therapy using targeted proteins for protein replacement has been observed in preclinical models and now emerging in the clinic. Viral vectors denote an alternative for protein delivery to the brain by uptake and transduction of BCECs, or by transport through the BBB leading to neuronal transduction.

EXPERT OPINION

The breaching of the BBB to large molecules has opened for treatment of diseases in the brain. A sturdier understanding of how biotherapeutics undergo transport through the BBB and how successful transport into the brain can be monitored is required to further improve the translation from successful preclinical studies to the clinic.