Amyloid-PET imaging predicts functional decline in clinically normal individuals.

Background: There is good evidence that elevated amyloid-β (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) signal is associated with cognitive decline in clinically normal (CN) individuals. However, it is less well established whether there is an association between the Aβ burden and decline in daily living activities in this population. Moreover, Aβ-PET Centiloids (CL) thresholds that can optimally predict functional decline have not yet been established.

The amyloid imaging for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease consortium: A European collaboration with global impact.

Background: Amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation is considered the earliest pathological change in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Amyloid Imaging to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease (AMYPAD) consortium is a collaborative European framework across European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations (EFPIA), academic, and 'Small and Medium-sized enterprises' (SME) partners aiming to provide evidence on the clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging in diagnostic work-up of AD and to support clinical trial design by developing optimal quantitative methodology in an early AD population.

The Amypad Studies: In the Diagnostic and Patient Management Study (DPMS), 844 participants from eight centres across three clinical subgroups (245 subjective cognitive decline, 342 mild cognitive impairment, and 258 dementia) were included.

Reduced activity of GIRK1-containing heterotetramers is sufficient to affect neuronal functions, including synaptic plasticity and spatial learning and memory.

Key Points: G-protein inwardly rectifying K (GIRK) channels consist of four homologous subunits (GIRK1-4) and are essential regulators of electrical excitability in the nervous system. GIRK2-null mice have been widely investigated for their distinct behaviour and altered depotentiation following long-term potentiation (LTP), whereas GIRK1 mice are less well characterized. Here we utilize a novel knockin mouse strain in which the GIRK1 subunit is fluorescently tagged with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP-GIRK1) and the GIRK1-null mouse line to investigate the role of GIRK1 in neuronal processes such as spatial learning and memory, locomotion and depotentiation following LTP.

The tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) V2 protein interacts with the host papain-like cysteine protease CYP1.

The V2 protein of Tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus (TYLCV) is an RNA-silencing suppressor that counteracts the innate immune response of the host plant. However, this anti-host defense function of V2 may include targeting of other defensive mechanisms of the plant. Specifically, we show that V2 recognizes and directly binds the tomato CYP1 protein, a member of the family of papain-like cysteine proteases which are involved in plant defense against diverse pathogens.

STK25 protein mediates TrkA and CCM2 protein-dependent death in pediatric tumor cells of neural origin.

The TrkA receptor tyrosine kinase induces death in medulloblastoma cells via an interaction with the cerebral cavernous malformation 2 (CCM2) protein. We used affinity proteomics to identify the germinal center kinase class III (GCKIII) kinases STK24 and STK25 as novel CCM2 interactors. Down-modulation of STK25, but not STK24, rescued medulloblastoma cells from NGF-induced TrkA-dependent cell death, suggesting that STK25 is part of the death-signaling pathway initiated by TrkA and CCM2.