LncRNAs Associated with Neuronal Development and Oncogenesis Are Deregulated in SOD1-G93A Murine Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused in 10% of cases by inherited mutations considered "familial". An ever-increasing amount of evidence is showing a fundamental role for RNA metabolism in ALS pathogenesis, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear to play a role in ALS development. Here, we aim to investigate the expression of a panel of lncRNAs (linc-Enc1, linc-Brn1a, linc-Brn1b, linc-p21, Hottip, Tug1, Eldrr, and Fendrr) which could be implicated in early phases of ALS.

Mitochondrial Metabolism as Target of the Neuroprotective Role of Erythropoietin in Parkinson's Disease.

Existing therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD) are only symptomatic. As erythropoietin (EPO) is emerging for its benefits in neurodegenerative diseases, here, we test the protective effect driven by EPO in in vitro (SH-SY5Y cells challenged by MPP) and in vivo (C57BL/6J mice administered with MPTP) PD models. EPO restores cell viability in both protective and restorative layouts, enhancing the dopaminergic recovery.

Neural precursors cells expanded in a 3D micro-engineered niche present enhanced therapeutic efficacy .

Stem Cells (SCs) show a great potential in therapeutics for restoring and regenerating native tissues. The clinical translation of SCs therapies is currently hindered by the inability to expand SCs in large therapeutic dosages, while maintaining their safety and potency. The use of biomaterials allows for the generation of active biophysical signals for directing SCs fate through 3D micro-scaffolds, such as the one named "Nichoid", fabricated with two-photon laser polymerization with a spatial resolution of 100 nm.

Dissecting the Effect of a 3D Microscaffold on the Transcriptome of Neural Stem Cells with Computational Approaches: A Focus on Mechanotransduction.

3D cell cultures are becoming more and more important in the field of regenerative medicine due to their ability to mimic the cellular physiological microenvironment. Among the different types of 3D scaffolds, we focus on the Nichoid, a miniaturized scaffold with a structure inspired by the natural staminal niche. The Nichoid can activate cellular responses simply by subjecting the cells to mechanical stimuli.

A New Selective PPARγ Modulator Inhibits Triglycerides Accumulation during Murine Adipocytes' and Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Differentiation.

Understanding the molecular basis of adipogenesis is vital to identify new therapeutic targets to improve anti-obesity drugs. The adipogenic process could be a new target in the management of this disease. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of GMG-43AC, a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ modulator, during adipose differentiation of murine pre-adipocytes and human Adipose Derived Stem Cells (hADSCs).

Majority of cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons in the spinal cord of C57Bl/6N mice is present in ectopic position unlike in other studied experimental mice strains and mammalian species.

Cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons (CSF-cNs) represent a specific class of neurons located in close vicinity of brain ventricles and central canal. In contrast with knowledge gained from other vertebrate species, we found that vast majority of CSF-cNs in the spinal cord of C57Bl/6N mice is located in ectopic distal ventral position. However, we found that small number of ectopic CSF-cNs is present also in spinal cord of other investigated experimental mice strains (C57Bl/6J, Balb/C) and mammalian species (Wistar rats, New Zealand White rabbits).

Erythropoietin as a Neuroprotective Molecule: An Overview of Its Therapeutic Potential in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a cytokine mainly induced in hypoxia conditions. Its major production site is the kidney. EPO primarily acts on the erythroid progenitor cells in the bone marrow.

HuR interacts with lincBRN1a and lincBRN1b during neuronal stem cells differentiation.

LncRNAs play crucial roles in cellular processes and their regulatory effects in the adult brain and neural stem cells (NSCs) remain to be entirely characterized. We report that 10 lncRNAs (LincENC1, FABL, lincp21, HAUNT, PERIL, lincBRN1a, lincBRN1b, HOTTIP, TUG1 and FENDRR) are expressed during murine NSCs differentiation and interact with the RNA-binding protein ELAVL1/HuR. Furthermore, we characterize the function of two of the deregulated lncRNAs, lincBRN1a and lincBRN1b, during NSCs' differentiation.

Neuroprotection, Recovery of Function and Endogenous Neurogenesis in Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Following Transplantation of Activated Adipose Tissue.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating disease, which leads to paralysis and is associated to substantially high costs for the individual and society. At present, no effective therapies are available. Here, the use of mechanically-activated lipoaspirate adipose tissue (MALS) in a murine experimental model of SCI is presented.

Counteracting neuroinflammation in experimental Parkinson's disease favors recovery of function: effects of Er-NPCs administration.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, presenting with midbrain dopaminergic neurons degeneration. A number of studies suggest that microglial activation may have a role in PD. It has emerged that inflammation-derived oxidative stress and cytokine-dependent toxicity may contribute to nigrostriatal pathway degeneration and exacerbate the progression of the disease in patients with idiopathic PD.

EPO-releasing neural precursor cells promote axonal regeneration and recovery of function in spinal cord traumatic injury.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition characterized by a complex of neurological dysfunctions ranging from loss of sensation to partial or complete limb paralysis. Recently, we reported that intravenous administration of neural precursors physiologically releasing erythropoietin (namely Er-NPCs) enhances functional recovery in animals following contusive spinal cord injury through the counteraction of secondary degeneration. Er-NPCs reached and accumulated at the lesion edges, where they survived throughout the prolonged period of observation and differentiated mostly into cholinergic neuron-like cells.

Recovery from experimental parkinsonism by intrastriatal application of erythropoietin or EPO-releasing neural precursors.

An extensive literature has shown a powerful neuroprotective action of Erythropoietin (EPO) both in vivo and in vitro. This study shows that EPO, whether ectopically administered or released by neural precursors, does reverse MPTP-induced parkinsonism in mice. Unilateral stereotaxic injection of 2.

Brain adaptation to hypoxia and hyperoxia in mice.

Aims: Hyperoxic breathing might lead to redox imbalance and signaling changes that affect cerebral function. Paradoxically, hypoxic breathing is also believed to cause oxidative stress. Our aim is to dissect the cerebral tissue responses to altered O fractions in breathed air by assessing the redox imbalance and the recruitment of the hypoxia signaling pathways.

Grafted Neural Precursors Integrate Into Mouse Striatum, Differentiate and Promote Recovery of Function Through Release of Erythropoietin in MPTP-Treated Mice.

Erythropoietin-releasing neural precursor cells (Er-NPCs) are a subclass of subventricular zone-derived neural progenitors, capable of surviving for 6 hr after death of donor. They present higher neural differentiation. Here, Er-NPCs were studied in animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Human Antigen R Binding and Regulation of SOX2 mRNA in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Since 2005, sex determining region y-box 2 (SOX2) has drawn the attention of the scientific community for being one of the key transcription factors responsible for pluripotency induction in somatic stem cells. Our research investigated the turnover regulation of SOX2 mRNA in human adipose-derived stem cells, considered one of the most valuable sources of somatic stem cells in regenerative medicine. Mitoxantrone is a drug that acts on nucleic acids primarily used to treat certain types of cancer and was recently shown to ameliorate the outcome of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Neural stem cell transplantation in experimental contusive model of spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury is a devastating clinical condition, characterized by a complex of neurological dysfunctions. Animal models of spinal cord injury can be used both to investigate the biological responses to injury and to test potential therapies. Contusion or compression injury delivered to the surgically exposed spinal cord are the most widely used models of the pathology.

Exogenous adult postmortem neural precursors attenuate secondary degeneration and promote myelin sparing and functional recovery following experimental spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating clinical condition, characterized by a complex of neurological dysfunctions. Neural stem cells from the subventricular zone of the forebrain have been considered a potential tool for cell replacement therapies. We recently isolated a subclass of neural progenitors from the cadaver of mouse donors.