Downregulation of Ribosomal Protein Genes Is Revealed in a Model of Rat Hippocampal Neuronal Culture Activation with GABA(A)R/GlyRa2 Antagonist Picrotoxin.

Long-read transcriptome sequencing provides us with a convenient tool for the thorough study of biological processes such as neuronal plasticity. Here, we aimed to perform transcriptional profiling of rat hippocampal primary neuron cultures after stimulation with picrotoxin (PTX) to further understand molecular mechanisms of neuronal activation. To overcome the limitations of short-read RNA-Seq approaches, we performed an Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION-based long-read sequencing and transcriptome assembly of rat primary hippocampal culture mRNA at three time points after the PTX activation.

The Role of Transposable Elements of the Human Genome in Neuronal Function and Pathology.

Transposable elements (TEs) have been extensively studied for decades. In recent years, the introduction of whole-genome and whole-transcriptome approaches, as well as single-cell resolution techniques, provided a breakthrough that uncovered TE involvement in host gene expression regulation underlying multiple normal and pathological processes. Of particular interest is increased TE activity in neuronal tissue, and specifically in the hippocampus, that was repeatedly demonstrated in multiple experiments.

Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 As a Possible Neuroprotective Agent and Memory Enhancer-Its Comparative Expression, Processing and Signaling in Mammalian CNS.

A number of studies performed on rodents suggest that insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) or its analogs may possibly be used for treating some conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, autistic spectrum disorders or aging-related cognitive impairment. Still, for translational research a comparative knowledge about the function of IGF-2 and related molecules in model organisms (rats and mice) and humans is necessary. There is a number of important differences in IGF-2 signaling between species.

Experiments with Snails Add to Our Knowledge about the Role of aPKC Subfamily Kinases in Learning.

Protein kinase Mζ is considered important for memory formation and maintenance in different species, including invertebrates. PKMζ participates in multiple molecular pathways in neurons, regulating translation initiation rate, AMPA receptors turnover, synaptic scaffolding assembly, and other processes. Here, for the first time, we established the sequence of mRNA encoding PKMζ homolog in land snail .

Intracerebroventricular Administration of IgG-Saporin Alters Expression of Microglia-Associated Genes in the Dorsal But Not Ventral Hippocampus.

One of important aspects of development of Alzheimer's disease is degeneration of septal cholinergic neurons that innervate the hippocampus. We took advantage of widely used model of cholinergic deficit in the hippocampus, intracerebroventricular administration of IgG-saporin (Ig-saporin), to analyze the postponed consequences of cholinergic deficit in different parts of the hippocampus. We studied effects of the immunotoxin on the behavior of rats and gene expression in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus using RNA-seq approach.

Adaptive Changes in the Vestibular System of Land Snail to a 30-Day Spaceflight and Readaptation on Return to Earth.

The vestibular system receives a permanent influence from gravity and reflexively controls equilibrium. If we assume gravity has remained constant during the species' evolution, will its sensory system adapt to abrupt loss of that force? We address this question in the land snail exposed to 30 days of near weightlessness aboard the Bion-M1 satellite, and studied geotactic behavior of postflight snails, differential gene expressions in statocyst transcriptome, and electrophysiological responses of mechanoreceptors to applied tilts. Each approach revealed plastic changes in the snail's vestibular system assumed in response to spaceflight.

Kinases of eIF2a Switch Translation of mRNA Subset during Neuronal Plasticity.

Compared to other types of cells, neurons express the largest number of diverse mRNAs, including neuron-specific ones. This mRNA diversity is required for neuronal function, memory storage, maintenance and retrieval. Regulation of translation in neurons is very complicated and involves various proteins.

Upstream Open Reading Frames Located in the Leader of Protein Kinase Mζ mRNA Regulate Its Translation.

For protein synthesis that occurs locally in dendrites, the translational control mechanisms are much more important for neuronal functioning than the transcription levels. Here, we show that uORFs (upstream open reading frames) in the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) play a critical role in regulation of the translation of protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ). Elimination of these uORFs activates translation of the reporter protein and in primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons.

The private healtcare systems in europe. What can we learn from Russia?

The European healthcare system is characterized by different kinds of funding: public, insurance-based, and mixed. In Italy, the prolonged economic crisis and the need for a cost reduction in the public administrations make necessary a cut in expenditure, which has a significant impact also on the funding of the healthcare system. The comparison of different European healthcare systems may offer useful insights for a better definition of the European and / or national healthcare provision strategies, which would be economically and financially sustainable but also capable to protect the population health.