Early alterations of functional connectivity, regional brain volumes and astrocyte markers in the beta-sitosterol beta-d-glucoside (BSSG) rat model of parkinsonism.

The β-sitosterol-β-ᴅ-glucoside (BSSG) rat model of experimental parkinsonism develops pathological behaviour and motor changes that progress over time. The purpose of this study was to identify early changes in structure and function of the brain of rats treated with BSSG using both structural and resting-state functional MRI. BSSG and non-BSSG rats were fed five days a week for sixteen weeks, then underwent in vivo MRI scans and an assessment of motor performance 2 and 8 weeks later (18 and week 24 from BSSG).

Simultaneous detection of DNA variation and methylation at HLA class II locus and immune gene promoters using targeted SureSelect Methyl-Sequencing.

The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) locus associates with a variety of complex diseases, particularly autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The HLA-DR15 haplotype, for example, confers the major risk for developing Multiple Sclerosis in Caucasians, pinpointing an important role in the etiology of this chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. In addition to the protein-coding variants that shape the functional HLA-antigen-T cell interaction, recent studies suggest that the levels of HLA molecule expression, that are epigenetically controlled, also play a role in disease development.

Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for COVID-19: A Retrospective Observational Study at a Regional Hospital.

Background: Monoclonal antibodies represent one option for treatment of COVID-19 early after infection. Although large clinical trials have been successfully conducted, real world data are needed to obtain a realistic assessment of the assumed effect on hospitalization rates.

Methods: For this retrospective, observational study, clinical data were collected in 2021 from outpatients (402) as well as hospitalized patients (350) receiving monoclonal antibodies Bamlanivimab, Casirivimab/Imdevimab or Etesevimab/Bamlanivimab.

In Vivo Phenotyping of Familial Parkinson's Disease with Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. We have previously developed a disease-in-a-dish model for familial PD using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from two patients carrying the p.A53T α-synuclein (αSyn) mutation.

Phosphorylated exogenous alpha-synuclein fibrils exacerbate pathology and induce neuronal dysfunction in mice.

Approximately 90% of alpha-synuclein (α-Synuclein) deposited in Lewy bodies is phosphorylated at serine 129 suggesting that the accumulation of phosphorylated α-Synuclein is critical in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. However, in vivo experiments addressing the role of phosphorylated α-Synuclein in the progression of Parkinson's disease have produced equivocal data. To clarify a role of Ser129 phosphorylation of α-Synuclein in pathology progression we performed stereotaxic injections targeting the mouse striatum with three fibrilar α-Synuclein types: wt-fibrils, phosphorylated S129 fibrils and, phosphorylation incompetent, S129A fibrils.