The exposure to UV filters: Prevalence, effects, possible molecular mechanisms of action and interactions within mixtures

Substances that can absorb sunlight and harmful UV radiation such as organic UV filters are widely used in cosmetics and other personal care products. Since humans use a wide variety of chemicals for multiple purposes it is common for UV filters to co-occur with other substances either in human originating specimens or in the environment. There is increasing interest in understanding such co-occurrence in form of potential synergy, antagonist, or additive effects of biological systems. This review focuses on the collection of data about the simultaneous occurrence of UV filters oxybenzone (OXYB), ethylexyl-methoxycinnamate (EMC) and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) as well as other classes of chemicals (such as pesticides, bisphenols, and parabens) to understand better any such interactions considering synergy, additive effect and antagonism. Our analysis identified >20 different confirmed synergies in 11 papers involving 16 compounds. We also highlight pathways (such as transcriptional activation of estrogen receptor, promotion of estradiol synthesis, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and upregulation of thyroid-hormone synthesis) and proteins (such as Membrane Associated Progesterone Receptor (MAPR), cytochrome P450, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70)) that can act as important key nodes for such potential interactions. This article aims to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms on how commonly used UV filters act and may interact with other chemicals.

STING inhibitors sensitize platinum chemotherapy in ovarian cancer by inhibiting the CGAS-STING pathway in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)

Chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer hampers cure rates, with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) playing a pivotal role. Despite their known impact on cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance, the specific mechanism by which CAFs regulate the tumor inflammatory environment remains unclear. This study reveals that cisplatin facilitates DNA transfer from ovarian cancer cells to CAFs, activating the CGAS-STING-IFNB1 pathway in CAFs and promoting IFNB1 release. Consequently, this reinforces cancer cell resistance to platinum drugs. High STING expression in the tumor stroma was associated with a poor prognosis, while inhibiting STING expression enhanced ovarian cancer sensitivity. Understanding the relevance of the CGAS-STING pathway in CAFs for platinum resistance suggests targeting STING as a promising combination therapy for ovarian cancer, providing potential avenues for improved treatment outcomes.

Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity is essential for mitochondrial β-oxidation of fatty acids to prevent lethal accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitines in the mouse liver

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Statins are competitive inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase (HMGCR), and exert adverse effects on mitochondrial function, although the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. We used a tamoxifen-induced Hmgcr-knockout (KO) mouse model, a multi-omics approach and mitochondrial function assessments to investigate whether decreased HMGCR activity impacts key liver energy metabolism pathways.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

We established a new mouse strain using the Cre/loxP system, which enabled whole-body deletion of Hmgcr expression. These mice were crossed with Rosa26Cre mice and treated with tamoxifen to delete Hmgcr in all cells. We performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses and thus evaluated time-dependent changes in metabolic functions to identify the pathways leading to cell death in Hmgcr-KO mice.

KEY RESULTS

Lack of Hmgcr expression resulted in lethality, due to acute liver damage caused by rapid disruption of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation and very high accumulation of long-chain (LC) acylcarnitines in both male and female mice. Gene expression and KO-related phenotype changes were not observed in other tissues. The progression to liver failure was driven by diminished peroxisome formation, which resulted in impaired mitochondrial and peroxisomal fatty acid metabolism, enhanced glucose utilization and whole-body hypoglycaemia.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings suggest that HMGCR is crucial for maintaining energy metabolism balance, and its activity is necessary for functional mitochondrial β-oxidation. Moreover, statin-induced adverse reactions might be rescued by the prevention of LC acylcarnitine accumulation.

Social support predicted subsequent subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Subjective well-being (SWB) is associated with social support in cross-sectional studies. However, it remains unclear whether and how social support predicts SWB longitudinally, especially during the COVID-19 contingency.

METHODS

By adopting a prospective design, the current work addressed this research question in a sample of 594 participants from the U.K. The data were collected via the online platform, Prolific, at two time points (June, 2020 and August, 2021) with a 14-month interval. Descriptive analysis and a moderated mediation model were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses.

RESULTS

Baseline social support was a significant predictor of subjective well-being (SWB) 14 months later, even after controlling for baseline SWB and other covariates such as personality traits. Additionally, affect balance (i.e., the affective component of SWB) fully mediated the link between baseline social support and subsequent life satisfaction (i.e., the cognitive component of SWB). Moreover, household income moderated this relationship, indicating a stronger mediation for individuals with lower monthly household income.

CONCLUSION

The present work sheds light on the underlying mechanism and boundary condition of the association between social support and different components of SWB during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Differential change in alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of loneliness, socialization, and mental well-being

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in mental health issues and psychological distress, disruption to work/studying conditions, and social isolation particularly among young adults. Changes in these factors are differentially associated with alcohol use. Moreover, the relationship between these factors are bidirectional and may have fluctuated throughout the different phases of the pandemic. However, studies focusing on young adults had conflicting results, short follow-up periods, and lacked comprehensive data to describe underlying mechanisms.

Methods

1067 young adults participated in repetitive measures termed wave 4 (2021) of the Survey of Adolescent Life in Västmanland Cohort "SALVe" Cohort. Of these, 889 also completed pre-pandemic measurements termed wave 3 (2018). Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to evaluate alcohol consumption and harmful use. Cross-sectional associations between perceived changes in alcohol use and shift in individual, mental health, and work environment factors were examined using Chi-square tests. Logistic regression was utilized to identify pre-pandemic predictors of harmful consumption during the pandemic.

Results

Harmful consumption decreased only in females following the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants who reported increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and loneliness were more likely to increase their alcohol use. Interestingly, the subgroup who felt less lonely and met their friends more often, as well as those who continued working/studying from their regular workplace also had an increased likelihood of higher consumption. Only pre-pandemic ADHD and delinquency symptoms predicted harmful alcohol consumption following the pandemic.

Conclusion

Females reduced harmful alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. While those who suffered the burden of social isolation and distress were more likely to increase their alcohol use, young adults who felt less lonely and met their friends more often also had a similar outcome. The relationship between loneliness and alcohol consumption among young adults is influenced by the social factors that may be facilitated by drinking.

Exploring sex differences: insights into gene expression, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, cognition, and pathology

Increased knowledge about sex differences is important for development of individualized treatments against many diseases as well as understanding behavioral and pathological differences. This review summarizes sex chromosome effects on gene expression, epigenetics, and hormones in relation to the brain. We explore neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, cognition, and brain pathology aiming to explain the current state of the art. While some domains exhibit strong differences, others reveal subtle differences whose overall significance warrants clarification. We hope that the current review increases awareness and serves as a basis for the planning of future studies that consider both sexes equally regarding similarities and differences.

Synthesis of a Rivastigmine and Insulin Combinational Mucoadhesive Nanoparticle for Intranasal Delivery

Efficient drug delivery remains a critical challenge for treating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Using innovative nanomaterials, delivering current medications like acetylcholinesterase inhibitors to the brain through the intranasal route is a promising strategy for managing AD. Here, we developed a unique combinational drug delivery system based on N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs encapsulate rivastigmine, the most potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, along with insulin, a complementary therapeutic agent. The spherical NPs exhibited a zeta potential of 17.6 mV, a size of 187.00 nm, and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.29. Our findings demonstrate significantly improved drug transport efficiency through sheep nasal mucosa using the NPs compared to drug solutions. The NPs exhibited transport efficiencies of 73.3% for rivastigmine and 96.9% for insulin, surpassing the efficiencies of the drug solutions, which showed transport efficiencies of 52% for rivastigmine and 21% for insulin ex vivo. These results highlight the potential of a new drug delivery system as a promising approach for enhancing nasal transport efficiency. These combinational mucoadhesive NPs offer a novel strategy for the simultaneous cerebral delivery of rivastigmine and insulin, which could prove helpful in developing effective treatments of AD and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Fluvastatin-induced myofibrillar damage is associated with elevated ROS, and impaired fatty acid oxidation, and is preceded by mitochondrial morphological changes

Previously, we showed that fluvastatin treatment induces myofibrillar damage and mitochondrial phenotypes in the skeletal muscles of Drosophila. However, the sequential occurrence of mitochondrial phenotypes and myofibril damage remains elusive. To address this, we treated flies with fluvastatin for two and five days and examined their thorax flight muscles using confocal microscopy. In the two-day fluvastatin group, compared to the control, thorax flight muscles exhibited mitochondrial morphological changes, including fragmentation, rounding up and reduced content, while myofibrils remained organized in parallel. In the five-day fluvastatin treatment, not only did mitochondrial morphological changes become more pronounced, but myofibrils became severely disorganized with significantly increased thickness and spacing, along with myofilament abnormalities, suggesting myofibril damage. These findings suggest that fluvastatin-induced mitochondrial changes precede myofibril damage. Moreover, in the five-day fluvastatin group, the mitochondria demonstrated elevated H2O2 and impaired fatty acid oxidation compared to the control group, indicating potential mitochondrial dysfunction. Surprisingly, knocking down Hmgcr (Drosophila homolog of HMGCR) showed normal mitochondrial respiration in all parameters compared to controls or five-day fluvastatin treatment, which suggests that fluvastatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction might be independent of Hmgcr inhibition. These results provide insights into the sequential occurrence of mitochondria and myofibril damage in statin-induced myopathy for future studies.

A deep learning model for brain age prediction using minimally preprocessed T1w images as input

Introduction

In the last few years, several models trying to calculate the biological brain age have been proposed based on structural magnetic resonance imaging scans (T1-weighted MRIs, T1w) using multivariate methods and machine learning. We developed and validated a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based biological brain age prediction model that uses one T1w MRI preprocessing step when applying the model to external datasets to simplify implementation and increase accessibility in research settings. Our model only requires rigid image registration to the MNI space, which is an advantage compared to previous methods that require more preprocessing steps, such as feature extraction.

Methods

We used a multicohort dataset of cognitively healthy individuals (age range = 32.0-95.7 years) comprising 17,296 MRIs for training and evaluation. We compared our model using hold-out (CNN1) and cross-validation (CNN2-4) approaches. To verify generalisability, we used two external datasets with different populations and MRI scan characteristics to evaluate the model. To demonstrate its usability, we included the external dataset's images in the cross-validation training (CNN3). To ensure that our model used only the brain signal on the image, we also predicted brain age using skull-stripped images (CNN4).

Results

The trained models achieved a mean absolute error of 2.99, 2.67, 2.67, and 3.08 years for CNN1-4, respectively. The model's performance in the external dataset was in the typical range of mean absolute error (MAE) found in the literature for testing sets. Adding the external dataset to the training set (CNN3), overall, MAE is unaffected, but individual cohort MAE improves (5.63-2.25 years). Salience maps of predictions reveal that periventricular, temporal, and insular regions are the most important for age prediction.

Discussion

We provide indicators for using biological (predicted) brain age as a metric for age correction in neuroimaging studies as an alternative to the traditional chronological age. In conclusion, using different approaches, our CNN-based model showed good performance using one T1w brain MRI preprocessing step. The proposed CNN model is made publicly available for the research community to be easily implemented and used to study ageing and age-related disorders.

Conceptual foundations of acetylcarnitine supplementation in neuropsychiatric long COVID syndrome: a narrative review

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 can present as multi-organ pathology, with neuropsychiatric symptoms being the most common symptom complex, characterizing long COVID as a syndrome with a significant disease burden for affected individuals. Several typical symptoms of long COVID, such as fatigue, depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment, are also key features of other psychiatric disorders such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, clinically successful treatment strategies are still lacking and are often inspired by treatment options for diseases with similar clinical presentations, such as ME/CFS. Acetylcarnitine, the shortest metabolite of a class of fatty acid metabolites called acylcarnitines and one of the most abundant blood metabolites in humans can be used as a dietary/nutritional supplement with proven clinical efficacy in the treatment of MDD, ME/CFS and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Basic research in recent decades has established acylcarnitines in general, and acetylcarnitine in particular, as important regulators and indicators of mitochondrial function and other physiological processes such as neuroinflammation and energy production pathways. In this review, we will compare the clinical basis of neuropsychiatric long COVID with other fatigue-associated diseases. We will also review common molecular disease mechanisms associated with altered acetylcarnitine metabolism and the potential of acetylcarnitine to interfere with these as a therapeutic agent. Finally, we will review the current evidence for acetylcarnitine as a supplement in the treatment of fatigue-associated diseases and propose future research strategies to investigate the potential of acetylcarnitine as a treatment option for long COVID.

Exploring biomarkers in trigeminal neuralgia patients operated with microvascular decompression: A comparison with multiple sclerosis patients and non-neurological controls

BACKGROUND

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe facial pain condition often associated with a neurovascular conflict. However, neuroinflammation has also been implicated in TN, as it frequently co-occurs with multiple sclerosis (MS).

METHODS

We analysed protein expression levels of TN patients compared to MS patients and controls. Proximity Extension Assay technology was used to analyse the levels of 92 proteins with the Multiplex Neuro-Exploratory panel provided by SciLifeLab, Uppsala, Sweden. Serum and CSF samples were collected from TN patients before (n = 33 and n = 27, respectively) and after (n = 28 and n = 8, respectively) microvascular decompression surgery. Additionally, we included samples from MS patients (n = 20) and controls (n = 20) for comparison.

RESULTS

In both serum and CSF, several proteins were found increased in TN patients compared to either MS patients, controls, or both, including EIF4B, PTPN1, EREG, TBCB, PMVK, FKBP5, CD63, CRADD, BST2, CD302, CRIP2, CCL27, PPP3R1, WWP2, KLB, PLA2G10, TDGF1, SMOC1, RBKS, LTBP3, CLSTN1, NXPH1, SFRP1, HMOX2, and GGT5. The overall expression of the 92 proteins in postoperative TN samples seems to shift towards the levels of MS patients and controls in both serum and CSF, as compared to preoperative samples. Interestingly, there was no difference in protein levels between MS patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that TN patients showed increased serum and CSF levels of specific proteins and that successful surgery normalizes these protein levels, highlighting its potential as an effective treatment. However, the similarity between MS and controls challenges the idea of shared pathophysiology with TN, suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms in these conditions.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study advances our understanding of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and its association with multiple sclerosis (MS). By analysing 92 protein biomarkers, we identified distinctive molecular profiles in TN patients, shedding light on potential pathophysiological mechanisms. The observation that successful surgery normalizes many protein levels suggests a promising avenue for TN treatment. Furthermore, the contrasting protein patterns between TN and MS challenge prevailing assumptions of similarity between the two conditions and point to distinct pathophysiological mechanisms.

Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-Based Pattern Recognition Approach Illustrates a Biphasic Behavioral Effect of Ethanol in Zebrafish: A High-Throughput Method for Animal Locomotor Analysis

Variations in stress responses between individuals are linked to factors ranging from stress coping styles to the sensitivity of neurotransmitter systems. Many anxiolytic compounds can increase stressor engagement through the modulation of neurotransmitter systems and are used to investigate stress response mechanisms. The effect of such modulation may vary in time depending on concentration or environment, but those effects are hard to dissect because of the slow transition. We investigated the temporal effect of ethanol and found that ethanol-treated individual zebrafish larvae showed altered behavior that is different between drug concentrations and decreases with time. We used an artificial neural network approach with a time-dependent method for analyzing long (90 min) experiments on zebrafish larvae and found that individuals from the 0.5% group begin to show locomotor activity corresponding to the control group starting from the 60th minute. The locomotor activity of individuals from the 2% group after the 80th minute is classified as the activity of individuals from the 1.5% group. Our method shows three clusters of different concentrations in comparison with two clusters, which were obtained with the usage of a statistical approach for analyzing just the speed of fish movements. In addition, we show that such changes are not explained by basic behavior statistics such as speed and are caused by shifts in locomotion patterns.

Higher fresh fruit intake relates to larger grey matter volumes in areas involved in dementia and depression: A UK Biobank study

The benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables are widely accepted. While previous studies suggest a protective role of fruits and vegetables against a variety of diseases such as dementia and depression, the biological mechanisms/effects remain unclear. Here we investigated the effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on brain structure. Particularly on grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes, regional GM volumes and subcortical volumes. Cross-sectional imaging data from UK Biobank cohort was used. A total of 9925 participants (Mean age 62.4 ± 7.5 years, 51.1 % men) were included in the present analysis. Measures included fruit and vegetable intake, other dietary patterns and a number of selected lifestyle factors and clinical data. Brain volumes were derived from structural brain magnetic resonance imaging. General linear model was used to study the associations between brain volumes and fruit/vegetable intakes. After adjusting for selected confounding factors, salad/raw vegetable intake showed a positive association with total white matter volume, fresh fruit intake showed a negative association with total grey matter (GM) volume. Regional GM analyses showed that higher fresh fruit intake was associated with larger GM volume in the left hippocampus, right temporal occipital fusiform cortex, left postcentral gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right juxtapositional lobule cortex. We conclude that fruit and vegetable consumption seems to specifically modulate brain volumes. In particular, fresh fruit intake may have a protective role in specific cortical areas such as the hippocampus, areas robustly involved in the pathophysiology of dementia and depression.

Job satisfaction and job tenure of people with mental health disorders: a UK Biobank cohort study

AIMS

Job satisfaction plays an important role for the life quality and health of working individuals. While studies have shown that self-reported mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression are associated with job satisfaction, a large population-based study exploring and comparing self-reported physician posed diagnosed conditions and their association with job satisfaction and job tenure is missing. This study addresses the gap along with exploring the impact of the neurotic personality trait and other possible contributing factors.

METHODS

Sixteen mental health disorders diagnosed by physicians, categorised into four major groups were investigated in relation to employment status (108,711 participants) and in relation to job satisfaction and job tenure (34,808 participants). Analyses were performed using linear regression adjusted for age, sex, townsend deprivation index, body mass index, education, physical activity, work hours and neuroticism.

RESULTS

Neurotic and stress disorders, eating disorders and other mental health disorders were strongly associated with lower job satisfaction and shorter job tenure in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Neuroticism was strongly linked to job satisfaction but was not associated with job tenure.

CONCLUSIONS

Study findings clarify the complex relationship of mental health with job satisfaction and job tenure, which is very important to understand in designing measures to improve working life participation of individuals with mental health issues.

Evaluation of circulating plasma proteins in breast cancer using Mendelian randomisation

Biomarkers for early detection of breast cancer may complement population screening approaches to enable earlier and more precise treatment. The blood proteome is an important source for biomarker discovery but so far, few proteins have been identified with breast cancer risk. Here, we measure 2929 unique proteins in plasma from 598 women selected from the Karolinska Mammography Project to explore the association between protein levels, clinical characteristics, and gene variants, and to identify proteins with a causal role in breast cancer. We present 812 cis-acting protein quantitative trait loci for 737 proteins which are used as instruments in Mendelian randomisation analyses of breast cancer risk. Of those, we present five proteins (CD160, DNPH1, LAYN, LRRC37A2 and TLR1) that show a potential causal role in breast cancer risk with confirmatory results in independent cohorts. Our study suggests that these proteins should be further explored as biomarkers and potential drug targets in breast cancer.

Drosophila as a Rapid Screening Model to Evaluate the Hypoglycemic Effects of Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP4) Inhibitors: High Evolutionary Conservation of DPP4

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors, commonly known as gliptins, have been an integral part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) for several years. Despite their remarkable efficacy in lowering glucose levels and their compatibility with other hypoglycemic drugs, recent studies have revealed adverse effects, prompting the search for improved drugs within this category, which has required the use of animal models to verify the hypoglycemic effects of these compounds. Currently, in many countries the use of mammals is being significantly restricted, as well as cost prohibitive, and alternative in vivo approaches have been encouraged. In this sense, Drosophila has emerged as a promising alternative for several compelling reasons: it is cost-effective, offers high experimental throughput, is genetically manipulable, and allows the assessment of multigenerational effects, among other advantages. In this study, we present evidence that diprotin A, a DPP4 inhibitor, effectively reduces glucose levels in Drosophila hemolymph. This discovery underscores the potential of Drosophila as an initial screening tool for novel compounds directed against DPP4 enzymatic activity.

The Effects of Statins on Cognitive Performance Are Mediated by Low-Density Lipoprotein, C-Reactive Protein, and Blood Glucose Concentrations

Statins are widely used for cardiovascular disease prevention but their effects on cognition remain unclear. Statins reduce cholesterol concentration and have been suggested to provide both beneficial and detrimental effects. Our aim was to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between statin use and cognitive performance, and whether blood low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, C-reactive protein, and vitamin D biomarkers mediated this association. We used participants from the UK biobank aged 40-69 without neurological and psychiatric disorders (n = 147 502 and n = 24 355, respectively). We performed linear regression to evaluate the association between statin use and cognitive performance and, mediation analysis to quantify the total, direct, indirect effects and the proportion meditated by blood biomarkers. Statin use was associated with lower cognitive performance at baseline (β = -0.40 [-0.53, -0.28], p = <.0001), and this association was mediated by low-density lipoprotein (proportion mediated = 51.4%, p = .002), C-reactive protein (proportion mediated = -11%, p = .006) and blood glucose (proportion mediated = 2.6%, p = .018) concentrations. However, statin use was not associated with cognitive performance, measured 8 years later (β = -0.003 [-0.11, 0.10], p = .96). Our findings suggest that statins are associated with lower short-term cognitive performance by lowering low-density lipoprotein and raising blood glucose concentrations, and better performance by lowering C-reactive protein concentrations. In contrast, statins have no effect on long-term cognition and remain beneficial in reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

Ghrelin's orexigenic action in the lateral hypothalamic area involves indirect recruitment of orexin neurons and arcuate nucleus activation

OBJECTIVE

Ghrelin is a potent orexigenic hormone, and the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) has been suggested as a putative target mediating ghrelin's effects on food intake. Here, we aimed to investigate the presence of neurons expressing ghrelin receptor (a.k.a. growth hormone secretagogue receptor, GHSR) in the mouse LHA (LHAGHSR neurons), its physiological implications and the neuronal circuit recruited by local ghrelin action.

METHODS

We investigated the distribution of LHAGHSR neurons using different histologic strategies, including the use of a reporter mice expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein under the control of the GHSR promoter. Also, we investigated the physiological implications of local injections of ghrelin within the LHA, and the extent to which the orexigenic effect of intra-LHA-injected ghrelin involves the arcuate nucleus (ARH) and orexin neurons of the LHA (LHAorexin neurons) RESULTS: We found that: 1) LHAGHSR neurons are homogeneously distributed throughout the entire LHA; 2) intra-LHA injections of ghrelin transiently increase food intake and locomotor activity; 3) ghrelin's orexigenic effect in the LHA involves the indirect recruitment of LHAorexin neurons and the activation of ARH neurons; and 4) LHAGHSR neurons are not targeted by plasma ghrelin.

CONCLUSIONS

We provide a compelling neuroanatomical and functional characterization of LHAGHSR neurons in male mice that indicates that LHAGHSR cells are part of a hypothalamic neuronal circuit that potently induces food intake.

Well-being spectrum traits are associated with polygenic scores for autism

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to experience lower well-being as demonstrated mostly for children and adolescents in epidemiological studies. A further investigation of inclusive well-being, in terms of five well-being spectrum (5-WBS) traits including neuroticism, depression, loneliness, life satisfaction, and positive affect, among adults with ASD may deepen our understanding of their well-being, and lead to the possibility to further modify societal supportive mechanisms for individuals with ASD. This study aims to investigate if a genetic predisposition for ASD is associated with 5-WBS traits using polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis. PRS for ASD were calculated based on the latest genome-wide association study of ASD by the Psychiatric Genetics Consortium (18,381 cases, 27,969 controls) and were created in the independent cohort UK Biobank. Regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between ASD PRS and 5-WBS traits in the UK Biobank population including 337,423 individuals. ASD PRS were significantly associated with all 5-WBS traits, showing a positive association with the negative WBS traits, neuroticism (max R2  = 0.04%, p < 1 × 10-4 ), depression (max R2  = 0.06%, p < 1 × 10-4 ), loneliness (max R2  = 0.04%, p < 1 × 10-4 ), and a negative association with the positive WBS traits, life satisfaction (max R2  = 0.08%, p < 1 × 10-4 ), positive affect (max R2  = 0.10%, p < 1 × 10-4 ). The findings suggest that adults carrying a high load of risk single nucleotide peptides (SNPs) for ASD are more likely to report decreased well-being. The study demonstrates a considerable connection between susceptibility to ASD, its underlying genetic etiology and well-being.

Identifying proteomic risk factors for overall, aggressive and early onset prostate cancer using Mendelian randomization and tumor spatial transcriptomics

Background

Understanding the role of circulating proteins in prostate cancer risk can reveal key biological pathways and identify novel targets for cancer prevention.

Methods

We investigated the association of 2,002 genetically predicted circulating protein levels with risk of prostate cancer overall, and of aggressive and early onset disease, using cis-pQTL Mendelian randomization (MR) and colocalization. Findings for proteins with support from both MR, after correction for multiple-testing, and colocalization were replicated using two independent cancer GWAS, one of European and one of African ancestry. Proteins with evidence of prostate-specific tissue expression were additionally investigated using spatial transcriptomic data in prostate tumor tissue to assess their role in tumor aggressiveness. Finally, we mapped risk proteins to drug and ongoing clinical trials targets.

Results

We identified 20 proteins genetically linked to prostate cancer risk (14 for overall [8 specific], 7 for aggressive [3 specific], and 8 for early onset disease [2 specific]), of which a majority were novel and replicated. Among these were proteins associated with aggressive disease, such as PPA2 [Odds Ratio (OR) per 1 SD increment = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.54-2.93], PYY [OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.43-2.44] and PRSS3 [OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73-0.89], and those associated with early onset disease, including EHPB1 [OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.99-4.21], POGLUT3 [OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86] and TPM3 [OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34-0.64]. We confirm an inverse association of MSMB with prostate cancer overall [OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.80-0.82], and also find an inverse association with both aggressive [OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.82-0.86] and early onset disease [OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.68-0.74]. Using spatial transcriptomics data, we identified MSMB as the genome-wide top-most predictive gene to distinguish benign regions from high grade cancer regions that had five-fold lower MSMB expression. Additionally, ten proteins that were associated with prostate cancer risk mapped to existing therapeutic interventions.

Conclusion

Our findings emphasize the importance of proteomics for improving our understanding of prostate cancer etiology and of opportunities for novel therapeutic interventions. Additionally, we demonstrate the added benefit of in-depth functional analyses to triangulate the role of risk proteins in the clinical aggressiveness of prostate tumors. Using these integrated methods, we identify a subset of risk proteins associated with aggressive and early onset disease as priorities for investigation for the future prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.

The international clinical trials registry platform (ICTRP): data integrity and the trends in clinical trials, diseases, and drugs

Introduction: Clinical trials are the gold standard for testing new therapies. Databases like ClinicalTrials.gov provide access to trial information, mainly covering the US and Europe. In 2006, WHO introduced the global ICTRP, aggregating data from ClinicalTrials.gov and 17 other national registers, making it the largest clinical trial platform by June 2019. This study conducts a comprehensive global analysis of the ICTRP database and provides framework for large-scale data analysis, data preparation, curation, and filtering. Materials and methods: The trends in 689,793 records from the ICTRP database (covering trials registered from 1990 to 2020) were analyzed. Records were adjusted for duplicates and mapping of agents to drug classes was performed. Several databases, including DrugBank, MESH, and the NIH Drug Information Portal were used to investigate trends in agent classes. Results: Our novel approach unveiled that 0.5% of the trials we identified were hidden duplicates, primarily originating from the EUCTR database, which accounted for 82.9% of these duplicates. However, the overall number of hidden duplicates within the ICTRP seems to be decreasing. In total, 689 793 trials (478 345 interventional) were registered in the ICTRP between 1990 and 2020, surpassing the count of trials in ClinicalTrials.gov (362 500 trials by the end of 2020). We identified 4 865 unique agents in trials with DrugBank, whereas 2 633 agents were identified with NIH Drug Information Portal data. After the ClinicalTrials.gov, EUCTR had the most trials in the ICTRP, followed by CTRI, IRCT, CHiCTR, and ISRCTN. CHiCTR displayed a significant surge in trial registration around 2015, while CTRI experienced rapid growth starting in 2016. Conclusion: This study highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of using the ICTRP as a data source for analyzing trends in clinical trials, and emphasizes the value of utilizing multiple registries for a comprehensive analysis.

Synthesis of an insulin-loaded mucoadhesive nanoparticle designed for intranasal administration: focus on new diffusion media

Intranasal administration is a drug delivery approach to provide a non-invasive pharmacological response in the central nervous system with relatively small peripheral side effects. To improve the residence time of intranasal drug delivery systems in the nasal mucosa, mucoadhesive polymers (e.g., chitosan) can be used. Here, insulin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized and their physiochemical properties were evaluated based on requirements of intranasal administration. The nanoparticles were spherical (a hydrodynamic diameter of 165.3 nm, polydispersity index of 0.24, and zeta potential of +21.6 mV) that granted mucoadhesion without any noticeable toxicity to the nasal tissue. We applied a new approach using the Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution along with simulated nasal fluid in a Franz's diffusion cell to study this intranasal drug delivery system. We used the Krebs-Henseleit buffer because of its ability to supply glucose to the cells which serves as a novel ex vivo diffusion medium to maintain the viability of the tissue during the experiment. Based on diffusion rate and histopathological endpoints, the Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution can be a substituent solution to the commonly used simulated nasal fluid for such drug delivery systems.

Knockout of Tmlhe in mice is not associated with autism spectrum disorder phenotypes or motor dysfunction despite low carnitine levels

Deletion of exon 2 of the trimethyllysine hydroxylase epsilon (TMLHE) gene was identified in probands with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). TMLHE encodes the first enzyme in carnitine biosynthesis, N6-trimethyllysine dioxygenase (TMLD). Researchers have suggested that carnitine depletion could be important for the development of ASD and cognitive, locomotor and social dysfunctions, but previous findings have been inconclusive regarding the specific role of endogenous carnitine. We developed a mouse knockout model with constitutive TMLD enzyme inactivation that exhibited a significant decrease in the carnitine by more than 90% compared to wild-type (WT) mice. However, we did not observe any significant social, cognitive, or repetitive-behavior changes associated with ASD in the knockout mice; muscle strength and coordination were also not affected. In addition, the life expectancy of knockout mice was similar to that of WT mice. In conclusion, knockout of Tmlh in mice does not induce an ASD phenotype or motor dysfunction despite extremely low carnitine and gamma-butyrobetaine concentrations. Moreover, inactivation of TMLD does not induce a phenotype similar to previously described primary carnitine deficiency; indeed, our results showed that low levels of carnitine sustained adequate energy production, muscle function and social behavior in mice.

Assessing volumetric brain differences in migraine and depression patients: a UK Biobank study

BACKGROUND

Migraine and depression are two of the most common and debilitating conditions. From a clinical perspective, they are mostly prevalent in women and manifest a partial overlapping symptomatology. Despite the high level of comorbidity, previous studies hardly investigated possible common patterns in brain volumetric differences compared to healthy subjects. Therefore, the current study investigates and compares the volumetric difference patterns in sub-cortical regions between participants with migraine or depression in comparison to healthy controls.

METHODS

The study included data from 43 930 participants of the large UK Biobank cohort. Using official ICD10 diagnosis, we selected 712 participants with migraine, 1 853 with depression and 23 942 healthy controls. We estimated mean volumetric difference between the groups for the different sub-cortical brain regions using generalized linear regression models, conditioning the model within the levels of BMI, age, sex, ethnical background, diastolic blood pressure, current tobacco smoking, alcohol intake frequency, Assessment Centre, Indices of Multiple Deprivation, comorbidities and total brain volume.

RESULTS

We detected larger overall volume of the caudate (mean difference: 66, 95% CI [-3, 135]) and of the thalamus (mean difference: 103 mm³, 95% CI [-2, 208]) in migraineurs than healthy controls. We also observed that individuals with depression appear to have also larger overall (mean difference: 47 mm³, 95% CI [-7, 100]) and gray matter (mean difference: 49 mm³, 95% CI [2, 95]) putamen volumes than healthy controls, as well as larger amygdala volume (mean difference: 17 mm³, 95% CI [-7, 40]).

CONCLUSION

Migraineurs manifested larger overall volumes at the level of the nucleus caudate and of the thalamus, which might imply abnormal pain modulation and increased migraine susceptibility. Larger amygdala and putamen volumes in participants with depression than controls might be due to increased neuronal activity in these regions.

PLBD: protein-ligand binding database of thermodynamic and kinetic intrinsic parameters

We introduce a protein-ligand binding database (PLBD) that presents thermodynamic and kinetic data of reversible protein interactions with small molecule compounds. The manually curated binding data are linked to protein-ligand crystal structures, enabling structure-thermodynamics correlations to be determined. The database contains over 5500 binding datasets of 556 sulfonamide compound interactions with the 12 catalytically active human carbonic anhydrase isozymes defined by fluorescent thermal shift assay, isothermal titration calorimetry, inhibition of enzymatic activity and surface plasmon resonance. In the PLBD, the intrinsic thermodynamic parameters of interactions are provided, which account for the binding-linked protonation reactions. In addition to the protein-ligand binding affinities, the database provides calorimetrically measured binding enthalpies, providing additional mechanistic understanding. The PLBD can be applied to investigations of protein-ligand recognition and could be integrated into small molecule drug design. Database URL https://plbd.org/.

Efficacy of combination therapy with GABA, a DPP-4i and a PPI as an adjunct to insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes

Introduction

The purpose of this retrospective clinic chart review study was to determine the potential of a combination therapy (CT) consisting of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i), and a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to improve glycemic control as an adjunct to insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Research design and methods

Nineteen patients with T1D on insulin therapy were treated with additional CT in oral form. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, insulin dose-adjusted HbA1c (IDA-A1c), daily insulin dose, insulin/weight ratio (IWR), and fasting plasma C-peptide were measured after 26-42 weeks of treatments.

Results

FBG, HbA1c, IDA-A1c, insulin dose and IWR were all significantly decreased while plasma C-peptide was significantly increased by the CT. Treatment outcomes were further analyzed by separation of the 19 patients into two groups. One group started on the CT within 12 months of insulin treatment (early therapy, 10 patients) and another group started on this therapy only after 12 months of insulin treatment (late therapy, 9 patients). FBG, IDA-A1c, insulin dose, and IWR decreased significantly in both the early and late CT groups, however to a better extent in the early therapy group. Moreover, plasma C-peptide increased significantly only in the early therapy group, and 7 of the 10 patients in this group were able to discontinue insulin treatment while maintaining good glycemic control to study end compared with none of the 9 patients in the late therapy group.

Conclusion

These results support the concept that the combination of GABA, a DPP-4i and a PPI as an adjunct to insulin therapy improves glycemic control in patients with T1D, and that the insulin dose required for glycemic control can be reduced or even eliminated in some patients receiving this novel therapy.

The Epigenetics of Migraine

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder and a major cause of disability. A wide range of different drug classes such as triptans, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, analgesics, and beta-blockers are used in acute and preventive migraine therapy. Despite a considerable progress in the development of novel and targeted therapeutic interventions during recent years, e.g., drugs that inhibit the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway, therapy success rates are still unsatisfactory. The diversity of drug classes used in migraine therapy partly reflects the limited perception of migraine pathophysiology. Genetics seems to explain only to a minor extent the susceptibility and pathophysiological aspects of migraine. While the role of genetics in migraine has been extensively studied in the past, the interest in studying the role of gene regulatory mechanisms in migraine pathophysiology is recently evolving. A better understanding of the causes and consequences of migraine-associated epigenetic changes could help to better understand migraine risk, pathogenesis, development, course, diagnosis, and prognosis. Additionally, it could be a promising avenue to discover new therapeutic targets for migraine treatment and monitoring. In this review, we summarize the state of the art regarding epigenetic findings in relation to migraine pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets, with a focus on DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNA-dependent regulation. Several genes and their methylation patterns such as CALCA (migraine symptoms and age of migraine onset), RAMP1, NPTX2, and SH2D5 (migraine chronification) and microRNA molecules such as miR-34a-5p and miR-382-5p (treatment response) seem especially worthy of further study regarding their role in migraine pathogenesis, course, and therapy. Additionally, changes in genes including COMT, GIT2, ZNF234, and SOCS1 have been linked to migraine progression to medication overuse headache (MOH), and several microRNA molecules such as let-7a-5p, let-7b-5p, let-7f-5p, miR-155, miR-126, let-7g, hsa-miR-34a-5p, hsa-miR-375, miR-181a, let-7b, miR-22, and miR-155-5p have been implicated with migraine pathophysiology. Epigenetic changes could be a potential tool for a better understanding of migraine pathophysiology and the identification of new therapeutic possibilities. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify these early findings and to be able to establish epigenetic targets as disease predictors or therapeutic targets.

The effect of sunscreen 4-methylbenzylidene camphor in different and reproductive models, its bioaccumulation and molecular effects on ligand-receptor interaction, and protein expression

4-Methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) is a photo-absorbing UV filter prevalently used in cosmetics, which can be absorbed into circulation and cause systemic effects. 4-MBC is continued to be released in the environment despite the growing knowledge about its bioaccumulation and endocrine disrupting effects. Previous reviews have mentioned UV-filter together but this review considers 4-MBC alone, due to its prevalence and concerning health effects. This review considers 4-MBC´s potential effects on human health regarding systemic and molecular effects, with the main focus on reproduction. Also, the potential bioaccumulation and interactions with receptor systems such as the estrogen receptors β and α, and progesterone receptor are covered. Additionally, previous studies about 4-MBC´s effects on mRNA and protein expression, especially in the prostate and the brain are analyzed. Furthermore, 4-MBC is reported to act with inflammatory pathways by activating p38 MAPK and NF-κB, leading to the production of inflammatory TNF-α and IL-6. 4-MBC was also found to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell proliferation and DNA repair. In conclusion, 4-MBC has wide-ranging effects in many different models interacting with multiple pathways causing long-term effects even at low doses and this knowledge can guide governmental risk assessment, regulation divisions and chemical industries.

Evidence for Prepulse Inhibition of Visually Evoked Motor Response in Drosophila melanogaster

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a widely investigated behavior to study the mechanisms of disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar mania. PPI has been observed across various vertebrate and invertebrate species; however, it has not yet been reported in adult Drosophila melanogaster. In this study, we describe the first detection of PPI of visually evoked locomotor arousal in flies. To validate our findings, we demonstrate that PPI in Drosophila can be partially reverted by the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801, known for inducing sensorimotor gating deficits in rodent models. Additionally, we show that the visually evoked response can be inhibited by multiple stimuli presentation, which can also be affected by MK-801. Given the versatility of Drosophila as a model organism for genetic screening and analysis, our results suggest that high-throughput behavioral screenings of adult flies can become a valuable tool for investigating the mechanisms behind PPI.

Fusobacterium nucleatum induced exosomal HOTTIP promotes gastric cancer progression through miR-885-3p/EphB2 axis

Recent studies have demonstrated that Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is associated with gastric cancer (GC). Cancer-derived exosomes contain key regulatory non-coding RNAs and are crucial medium of intercellular communication. However, the function and regulatory mechanism of exosomes (Fn-GCEx) secreted from Fn-infected GC cells remains unclear. In this study, Fn-GCEx enhanced the proliferation, migration and invasion capacity of GC cells in vitro, as well as tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. And, HOTTIP was upregulated in GC cells treated with Fn-GCEx. Moreover, knockdown of HOTTIP weakened the effects of Fn-GCEx in recipient GC cells. Mechanistically, HOTTIP promoted EphB2 expression by sponging miR-885-3p, thus activating the PI3K/AKT pathway in Fn-GCEx treated GC cells. Overall, Fn infection induced the upregulation of exosomal HOTTIP from GC cells that subsequently promoted GC progression via the miR-885-3p/EphB2/PI3K/AKT axis. Herein, we identify a potential molecular pathway and therapeutic target for GC.

Interaction between environmental pollutants and cancer drug efficacy: Bisphenol A, Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and Perfluorooctanoic acid reduce vincristine cytotoxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Every day, we are exposed to many environmental pollutants that can enter our body through different routes and cause adverse effects on our health. Epidemiological studies suggest that these pollutants are responsible for approximately nine million deaths per year. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents one of the major cancers affecting children, and although substantial progress has been made in its treatment, relapses are frequent after initial treatment and are now one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in pediatric patients. Currently, relatively little attention is paid to pollutant exposure during drug treatment and this is not taken into account for dose setting or regulatory purposes. In this work, we investigated how bisphenol A (BPA), its derivative bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) alter vincristine treatment in ALL when administered before or together with the drug. We found that these three pollutants at nanomolar concentrations, lower than those established by current regulations, can reduce the cytotoxic effects of vincristine on ALL cells. Interestingly, we found that this is only achieved when exposure to pollutants occurs prior to administration of the chemotherapeutic drug. Moreover, we found that this effect could be mediated by activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway and stabilization of microtubules. This work strengthens the idea of starting to take into account exposure to pollutants to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy treatments.

Job satisfaction has differential associations with delay discounting and risk-taking

Low job satisfaction has been associated with both negative health and negative organizational outcomes. Knowledge on which factors influence job satisfaction remains limited. This study assesses the associations between job satisfaction and three personality traits related to cognitive- and inhibitory control: delay discounting, risk-taking and sensation seeking (DRS-traits). Delay discounting and sensation seeking were inferred using self-reported behavioral data and health measurements for 80,676 participants in the UK Biobank. Multiple linear regression analysis produced beta coefficients and confidence intervals for each DRS-trait and job satisfaction. Analyses were adjusted for age, socioeconomic status and sleep quality. A combination of the three DRS-traits (CDRS) was assessed as well. Delay discounting and risk-taking were associated with, respectively, lower and higher job satisfaction in both sexes. Sensation seeking had no significant association with job satisfaction for either sex. The combined score, CDRS, was only negatively associated with job satisfaction in females but not in males. We discuss that the negative association between delay discounting and job satisfaction may be due to career related delay discounting effects, but also highlight that low job satisfaction itself may also lead to increased delay discounting. Additionally, we discuss why increased risk-taking behavior may have a positive effect on job satisfaction.

Effects of Transient Administration of the NMDA Receptor Antagonist MK-801 in Drosophila melanogaster Activity, Sleep, and Negative Geotaxis

MK-801, also called dizocilpine, is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist widely used in animal research to model schizophrenia-like phenotypes. Although its effects in rodents are well characterised, little is known about the outcomes of this drug in other organisms. In this study, we characterise the effects of MK-801 on the locomotion, sleep, and negative geotaxis of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We observed that acute (24 h) and chronic (7 days) administration of MK-801 enhanced negative geotaxis activity in the forced climbing assay for all tested concentrations (0.15 mM, 0.3 mM, and 0.6 mM). Moreover, acute administration, but not chronic, increased the flies' locomotion in a dose-dependent matter. Finally, average sleep duration was not affected by any concentration or administration protocol. Our results indicate that acute MK-801 could be used to model hyperactivity phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster. Overall, this study provides further evidence that the NMDA receptor system is functionally conserved in flies, suggesting the usefulness of this model to investigate several phenotypes as a complement and replacement of the rodent models within drug discovery.

Methylation in MAD1L1 is associated with the severity of suicide attempt and phenotypes of depression

Depression is a multifactorial disorder representing a significant public health burden. Previous studies have linked multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms with depressive phenotypes and suicidal behavior. MAD1L1 is a mitosis metaphase checkpoint protein that has been linked to depression in GWAS. Using a longitudinal EWAS approach in an adolescent cohort at two time points (n = 216 and n = 154), we identified differentially methylated sites that were associated with depression-related genetic variants in MAD1L1. Three methylation loci (cg02825527, cg18302629, and cg19624444) were consistently hypomethylated in the minor allele carriers, being cross-dependent on several SNPs. We further investigated whether DNA methylation at these CpGs is associated with depressive psychiatric phenotypes in independent cohorts. The first site (cg02825527) was hypomethylated in blood (exp(β) = 84.521, p value ~ 0.003) in participants with severe suicide attempts (n = 88). The same locus showed increased methylation in glial cells (exp(β) = 0.041, p value ~ 0.004) in the validation cohort, involving 29 depressed patients and 29 controls, and showed a trend for association with suicide (n = 40, p value ~ 0.089) and trend for association with depression treatment (n = 377, p value ~ 0.075). The second CpG (cg18302629) was significantly hypomethylated in depressed participants (exp(β) = 56.374, p value ~ 0.023) in glial cells, but did not show associations in the discovery cohorts. The last methylation site (cg19624444) was hypomethylated in the whole blood of severe suicide attempters; however, this association was at the borderline for statistical significance (p value ~ 0.061). This locus, however, showed a strong association with depression treatment in the validation cohort (exp(β) = 2.237, p value ~ 0.003) with 377 participants. The direction of associations between psychiatric phenotypes appeared to be different in the whole blood in comparison with brain samples for cg02825527 and cg19624444. The association analysis between methylation at cg18302629 and cg19624444 and MAD1L1 transcript levels in CD¹⁴⁺ cells shows a potential link between methylation at these CpGs and MAD1L1 expression. This study suggests evidence that methylation at MAD1L1 is important for psychiatric health as supported by several independent cohorts.

Role of the hypothalamus in ghrelin effects on reproduction: sperm function and sexual behavior in male mice

In brief

Ghrelin signals to the hypothalamus inhibit reproduction during times of food scarcity. In this study, we demonstrate that ghrelin impairs sperm quality in male mice.

Abstract

Ghrelin (GHRL) is an orexigenic peptide that has been investigated as one of the signals responsible for the reproductive performance of mammals under fluctuating metabolic conditions. Central GHRL administration impairs spermatogenesis in mice by regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function. In the present study, the hypothalamus role as a mediator of GHRL effects on sperm fertilizing capacity and male sexual behavior was evaluated. After 42 days of hypothalamic GHRL infusion or artificial cerebrospinal fluid, in vitro and in vivo sperm fertilizing capacity, testicular α-tubulin, speriolin gene expression and spermatic α-tubulin protein were evaluated. Hypothalamic expression of genes Kiss1, Gpr54 and Gnrh was also studied. The second group of animals was infused with one time only GHRL or artificial cerebrospinal fluid into the hypothalamus to evaluate the effects on sexual behavior. Results demonstrated that chronic GHRL administration to male mice significantly increased the percentages of pre-implantation embryo loss and the number of post-implantation embryo loss. In relation to the gene expression, our results show a relative decrease of Kiss1, Gpr54 and Spatc1. Although no significant differences were observed in the quantitative expression of α-tubulin protein, qualitative changes in its expression pattern were observed. In addition, a dual effect on sexual behavior was observed: 40% of the treated animals showed a significant reduction in the number of mounts and intromissions, while a 60% showed a significant decrease in ejaculation latency vs control animals. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that central GHRL administration possibly induces failure in embryo development and/or implantation in the females mated with treated males, possibly because of a negative effect in the α-tubulin pattern.

A simple high-throughput method for automated detection of Drosophila melanogaster light-dependent behaviours

BACKGROUND

Like most living organisms, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster exhibits strong and diverse behavioural reactions to light. Drosophila is a diurnal animal that displays both short- and long-term responses to light, important for, instance, in avoidance and light wavelength preference, regulation of eclosion, courtship, and activity, and provides an important model organism for understanding the regulation of circadian rhythms both at molecular and circuit levels. However, the assessment and comparison of light-based behaviours is still a challenge, mainly due to the lack of a standardised platform to measure behaviour and different protocols created across studies. Here, we describe the Drosophila Interactive System for Controlled Optical manipulations (DISCO), a low-cost, automated, high-throughput device that records the flies' activity using infrared beams while performing LED light manipulations.

RESULTS

To demonstrate the effectiveness of this tool and validate its potential as a standard platform, we developed a number of distinct assays, including measuring the locomotor response of flies exposed to sudden darkness (lights-off) stimuli. Both white-eyed and red-eyed wild-type flies exhibit increased activity after the application of stimuli, while no changes can be observed in Fmr1 null allele flies, a model of fragile X syndrome. Next, to demonstrate the use of DISCO in long-term protocols, we monitored the circadian rhythm of the flies for 48 h while performing an alcohol preference test. We show that increased alcohol consumption happens intermittently throughout the day, especially in the dark phases. Finally, we developed a feedback-loop algorithm to implement a place preference test based on the flies' innate aversion to blue light and preference for green light. We show that both white-eyed and red-eyed wild-type flies were able to learn to avoid the blue-illuminated zones.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate the versatility of DISCO for a range of protocols, indicating that this platform can be used in a variety of ways to study light-dependent behaviours in flies.

Generation of Endogenous Promoter-Driven Luciferase Reporter System Using CRISPR/Cas9 for Investigating Transcriptional Regulation of the Core Clock Gene BMAL1

Humans and other organisms are continuously exposed to thousands of chemicals through the atmosphere, drinking water, food, or direct contact. A large proportion of such chemicals are present in very low concentrations and may have synergistic effects, even at their no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL). Complex mixtures of contaminants are very difficult to assess by traditional toxicological methods. There is increasing attention on how different pollutants induce adverse physiological functions in the human body through effects on the circadian rhythm. However, it is very difficult to screen for compounds with circadian-rhythm-disrupting effects from a large number of chemicals or their complex mixtures. We established a stable firefly luciferase reporter gene knock-in U2-OS cell line by CRISPR/Cas9 to screen circadian-rhythm-disrupting pollutants. The luciferase gene was inserted downstream of the core clock gene BMAL1 and controlled by an endogenous promoter. Compared to detection systems using exogenous promoters, these cells enable the detection of compounds that interfere with the circadian rhythm system mediated by BMAL1 gene expression. The U2-OS knock-in cells showed BMAL1 and luciferase activity had parallel changes when treated with BMAL1 inhibitor and activator. Furthermore, the luciferase reporter gene has high sensitivity and is faster and more cost-effective than classic toxicology methods. The knock-in cell line can be used for high-throughput and efficient screening of circadian-rhythm-disrupting chemicals such as drugs and pollutants.

Recent developments of phosphodiesterase inhibitors: Clinical trials, emerging indications and novel molecules

The phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes, key regulator of the cyclic nucleotide signal transduction system, are long-established as attractive therapeutic targets. During investigation of trends within clinical trials, we have identified a particularly high number of clinical trials involving PDE inhibitors, prompting us to further evaluate the current status of this class of therapeutic agents. In total, we have identified 87 agents with PDE-inhibiting capacity, of which 85 interact with PDE enzymes as primary target. We provide an overview of the clinical drug development with focus on the current clinical uses, novel molecules and indications, highlighting relevant clinical studies. We found that the bulk of current clinical uses for this class of therapeutic agents are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), vascular and cardiovascular disorders and inflammatory skin conditions. In COPD, particularly, PDE inhibitors are characterised by the compliance-limiting adverse reactions. We discuss efforts directed to appropriately adjusting the dose regimens and conducting structure-activity relationship studies to determine the effect of structural features on safety profile. The ongoing development predominantly concentrates on central nervous system diseases, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and fragile X syndrome; notable advancements are being also made in mycobacterial infections, HIV and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Our analysis predicts the diversification of PDE inhibitors' will continue to grow thanks to the molecules in preclinical development and the ongoing research involving drugs in clinical development.

Treatment of ADHD: Drugs, psychological therapies, devices, complementary and alternative methods as well as the trends in clinical trials

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders having a high influence on social interactions. The number of approved treatments and clinical trials for ADHD have increased markedly during the recent decade. This analytical review provides a quantitative overview of the existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of ADHD treatments investigated in clinical trials during 1999-2021. A total of 695 interventional trials were manually assessed from clinicaltrial.gov with the search term « ADHD», and trial data has been used for analysis. A clear majority of the studies investigated non-pharmacological therapies (∼80%), including many behavioral options, such as social skills training, sleep and physical activity interventions, meditation and hypnotherapy. Devices, complementary and other alternative methods of ADHD treatment are also gaining attention. The pharmacological group accounts for ∼20% of all the studies. The most common drug classes include central nervous system stimulants (e.g., methylphenidate hydrochloride, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, amphetamine sulfate, mixed amphetamine salts, a combination of dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride and serdexmethylphenidate chloride), selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (atomoxetine, viloxazine), and alpha2 adrenergic receptor agonists (guanfacine hydrochloride, clonidine hydrochloride). Several studies investigated antidepressants (e.g., bupropion hydrochloride, vortioxetine), and atypical antipsychotics (e.g., quetiapine, aripiprazole) but these are yet not approved by the FDA for ADHD treatment. We discuss the quantitative trends in clinical trials and provide an overview of the new drug agents and non-pharmacological therapies, drug targets, and novel treatment options.

Statins and cognition: Modifying factors and possible underlying mechanisms

Statins are a class of widely prescribed drugs used to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and important to prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Most statin users are older adults with CVD, who are also at high risk of cognitive decline. It has been suggested that statins can alter cognitive performance, although their positive or negative effects are still debated. With more than 200 million people on statin therapy worldwide, it is crucial to understand the reasons behind discrepancies in the results of these studies. Here, we review the effects of statins on cognitive function and their association with different etiologies of dementia, and particularly, Alzheimer’s disease (AD). First, we summarized the main individual and statin-related factors that could modify the cognitive effects of statins. Second, we proposed the underlying mechanisms for the protective and adverse effects of statins on cognitive performance. Finally, we discussed potential causes of discrepancies between studies and suggested approaches to improve future studies assessing the impact of statins on dementia risk and cognitive function.

Subliminal Emotional Faces Elicit Predominantly Right-Lateralized Amygdala Activation: A Systematic Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies

Prior research suggests that conscious face processing occurs preferentially in right hemisphere occipito-parietal regions. However, less is known about brain regions associated with non-conscious processing of faces, and whether a right-hemispheric dominance persists in line with specific affective responses. We aim to review the neural responses systematically, quantitatively, and qualitatively underlying subliminal face processing. PubMed was searched for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) publications assessing subliminal emotional face stimuli up to March 2022. Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analyses and narrative reviews were conducted on all studies that met ALE requirements. Risk of bias was assessed using the AXIS tool. In a meta-analysis of all 22 eligible studies (merging clinical and non-clinical populations, whole brain and region of interest analyses), bilateral amygdala activation was reported in the left (x = −19.2, y = 1.5, z = −17.1) in 59% of studies, and in the right (x = 24.4, y = −1.7, z = −17.4) in 68% of studies. In a second meta-analysis of non-clinical participants only (n = 18), bilateral amygdala was again reported in the left (x = −18, y = 3.9, z = −18.4) and right (x = 22.8, y = −0.9, z = −17.4) in 56% of studies for both clusters. In a final meta-analysis of whole-brain studies only (n=14), bilateral amygdala was also reported in the left (x = −20.2, y = 2.9, z = −17.2) in 64% of studies, and right (x = 24.2, y = −0.7, z = −17.8) in 71% of studies. The findings suggest that non-consciously detected emotional faces may influence amygdala activation, especially right-lateralized (a higher percentage of convergence in studies), which are integral for pre-conscious affect and long-term memory processing.

Acylcarnitines: Nomenclature, Biomarkers, Therapeutic Potential, Drug Targets, and Clinical Trials

Acylcarnitines are fatty acid metabolites that play important roles in many cellular energy metabolism pathways. They have historically been used as important diagnostic markers for inborn errors of fatty acid oxidation and are being intensively studied as markers of energy metabolism, deficits in mitochondrial and peroxisomal β -oxidation activity, insulin resistance, and physical activity. Acylcarnitines are increasingly being identified as important indicators in metabolic studies of many diseases, including metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, depression, neurologic disorders, and certain cancers. The US Food and Drug Administration-approved drug L-carnitine, along with short-chain acylcarnitines (acetylcarnitine and propionylcarnitine), is now widely used as a dietary supplement. In light of their growing importance, we have undertaken an extensive review of acylcarnitines and provided a detailed description of their identity, nomenclature, classification, biochemistry, pathophysiology, supplementary use, potential drug targets, and clinical trials. We also summarize these updates in the Human Metabolome Database, which now includes information on the structures, chemical formulae, chemical/spectral properties, descriptions, and pathways for 1240 acylcarnitines. This work lays a solid foundation for identifying, characterizing, and understanding acylcarnitines in human biosamples. We also discuss the emerging opportunities for using acylcarnitines as biomarkers and as dietary interventions or supplements for many wide-ranging indications. The opportunity to identify new drug targets involved in controlling acylcarnitine levels is also discussed. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This review provides a comprehensive overview of acylcarnitines, including their nomenclature, structure and biochemistry, and use as disease biomarkers and pharmaceutical agents. We present updated information contained in the Human Metabolome Database website as well as substantial mapping of the known biochemical pathways associated with acylcarnitines, thereby providing a strong foundation for further clarification of their physiological roles.

Self-Reported Psychosomatic Complaints and Conduct Problems in Swedish Adolescents

Physical conditions in children and adolescents are often under reported during mainstream school years and may underlie mental health disorders. Additionally, comparisons between younger and older schoolchildren may shed light on developmental differences regarding the way in which physical conditions translate into conduct problems. The aim of the current study was to examine the incidence of psychosomatic complaints (PSC) in young and older adolescent boys and girls who also report conduct problems. A total of 3132 Swedish adolescents (age range 15-18 years, 47% boys) completed the Uppsala Life and Health Cross-Sectional Survey (LHS) at school. The LHS question scores were categorised by two researchers who independently identified questions that aligned with DSM-5 conduct disorder (CD) criteria and PSC. MANOVA assessed the effects of PSC, age, and gender on scores that aligned with the DSM criteria for CD. The main effects of gender, age, and PSC on the conduct problem scores were observed. Adolescents with higher PSC scores had higher conduct problem scores. Boys had higher serious violation of rules scores than girls, particularly older boys with higher PSC scores. Psychosomatic complaints could be a useful objective identifier for children and adolescents at risk of developing conduct disorders. This may be especially relevant when a reliance on a child's self-reporting of their behavior may not help to prevent a long-term disturbance to their quality of life.

Challenges in Analyzing Functional Epigenetic Data in Perspective of Adolescent Psychiatric Health

The formative period of adolescence plays a crucial role in the development of skills and abilities for adulthood. Adolescents who are affected by mental health conditions are at risk of suicide and social and academic impairments. Gene–environment complementary contributions to the molecular mechanisms involved in psychiatric disorders have emphasized the need to analyze epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation (DNAm) and non-coding RNAs. However, the large and diverse bioinformatic and statistical methods, referring to the confounders of the statistical models, application of multiple-testing adjustment methods, questions regarding the correlation of DNAm across tissues, and sex-dependent differences in results, have raised challenges regarding the interpretation of the results. Based on the example of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depressive disorder (MDD), we shed light on the current knowledge and usage of methodological tools in analyzing epigenetics. Statistical robustness is an essential prerequisite for a better understanding and interpretation of epigenetic modifications and helps to find novel targets for personalized therapeutics in psychiatric diseases.

GHSR controls food deprivation-induced activation of CRF neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in a LEAP2-dependent manner

OBJECTIVE

Prolonged fasting is a major challenge for living organisms. An appropriate metabolic response to food deprivation requires the activation of the corticotropin-releasing factor-producing neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVHCRF neurons), which are a part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), as well as the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) signaling, whose activity is up- or down-regulated, respectively, by the hormones ghrelin and the liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2). Since ghrelin treatment potently up-regulates the HPA axis, we studied the role of GHSR in mediating food deprivation-induced activation of the PVHCRF neurons in mice.

METHODS

We estimated the activation of the PVHCRF neurons, using immuno-staining against CRF and the marker of neuronal activation c-Fos in brain sections, and assessed plasma levels of corticosterone and glucose in different pharmacologically or genetically manipulated mouse models exposed, or not, to a 2-day food deprivation protocol. In particular, we investigated ad libitum fed or food-deprived male mice that: (1) lacked GHSR gene expression, (2) had genetic deletion of the ghrelin gene, (3) displayed neurotoxic ablation of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, (4) were centrally treated with an anti-ghrelin antibody to block central ghrelin action, (5) were centrally treated with a GHSR ligand that blocks ghrelin-evoked and constitutive GHSR activities, or (6) received a continuous systemic infusion of LEAP2(1-12).

RESULTS

We found that food deprivation results in the activation of the PVHCRF neurons and in a rise of the ghrelin/LEAP2 molar ratio. Food deprivation-induced activation of PVHCRF neurons required the presence and the signaling of GHSR at hypothalamic level, but not of ghrelin. Finally, we found that preventing the food deprivation-induced fall of LEAP2 reverses the activation of the PVHCRF neurons in food-deprived mice, although it has no effect on body weight or blood glucose.

CONCLUSION

Food deprivation-induced activation of the PVHCRF neurons involves ghrelin-independent actions of GHSR at hypothalamic level and requires a decrease of plasma LEAP2 levels. We propose that the up-regulation of the actions of GHSR associated to the fall of plasma LEAP2 level are physiologically relevant neuroendocrine signals during a prolonged fasting.

Ketamine Treatment for Refractory Anxiety: A systematic review

There is a growing interest in the psychiatric properties of the dissociative anaesthetic ketamine, as single doses have been shown to have fast‐acting mood‐enhancing and anxiolytic effects, which persist for up to a week after the main psychoactive symptoms have diminished. Therefore, ketamine poses potential beneficial effects in patients with refractory anxiety disorders, where other conventional anxiolytics have been ineffective. Ketamine is a noncompetitive antagonist of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor, which underlies its induction of pain relief and anaesthesia. However, the role of NMDA receptors in anxiety reduction is still relatively unknown. To fill this paucity in the literature, this systematic review assesses the evidence that ketamine significantly reduces refractory anxiety and discusses to what extent this may be mediated by NMDA receptor antagonism and other receptors. We highlight the temporary nature of the anxiolytic effects and discuss the high discrepancy among the study designs regarding many fundamental factors such as administration routes, complementary treatments and other treatments.

The influence of personality on the risk of myocardial infarction in UK Biobank cohort

Personality is a strong determinant for several health-related behaviours and has been linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the reports of personality's mediating role have been inconsistent with no data available from large population-based cohorts. The study aimed to create proxies for the Big Five personality traits, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism, to examine the longitudinal relationship between personality and myocardial infarction in the UK Biobank. The study sample comprised of 484,205 participants (55% female, 45% male, mean age 56.4 ± 8.1 years) from UK Biobank cohort with a mean follow-up of 7 years. The personality proxies sociability, warmth, diligence, curiosity and nervousness were created using self-reported data on psychological factors, mental health and social support, to match the facets of the Big Five traits. As neuroticism is the only Big Five personality trait available in the UK Biobank, it was included to validate the personality proxies. Myocardial infarction outcome information was collected from hospital records, death registries or was self-reported. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratios (HR), respectively with 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for demographics (age, sex, socioeconomic status, ethnicity), health-related factors (BMI, diabetes, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) and lifestyle factors (alcohol intake, smoking, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Diligence was found to be significantly associated with lower prevalent myocardial infarction [OR: 0.87; (CI 0.84-0.89)] and lower incident myocardial infarction [HR: 0.88; (CI 0.85-0.92)]. Sociability was also protective against prevalent [OR: 0.89; (CI 0.87-0.92)] and incident [HR: 0.90; (CI 0.87-0.93)] myocardial infarction. Conversely, nervousness inferred a higher risk for both prevalent [OR: 1.10; (CI 1.08-1.12)] and incident [HR: 1.07; (CI 1.04-1.09)] myocardial infarction during follow-up. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that nervousness significantly increases the risk for incident myocardial infarction among women [HR: 1.13; (CI 1.08-1.19)] compared to men [HR: 1.05; (CI 1.02-1.08)]. By using our created proxies, we were able to investigate the impact of personality on the development of myocardial infarction. Persons with higher levels of diligence and sociability mimicking predominantly conscientiousness and extraversion personalities respectively are less likely to experience myocardial infarction, while personalities predominantly characterised by nervousness pose higher risk for developing myocardial infarction. These initial findings invite further validation of the use of the personality proxies in UK Biobank cohort.