Airway Inflammation and Lung Function in Sickle Cell Disease.

Asthma is a common comorbid condition in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, obstructive lung disease is prevalent in SCD, independent of a diagnosis of asthma. It is speculated that the heightened state of inflammation in SCD, involving pathways distinct from allergic asthma, may underlie the SCD-specific obstructive disease.

Methods to improve the noninvasive diagnosis and assessment of disease severity in children with suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Study design.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is strongly associated with obesity and is the most common liver disease in the developed world. In children with suspected NAFLD, present guidelines suggest consideration of alternative diagnoses via extensive blood testing, though the yield of this work up is unknown. Furthermore, the gold standard diagnostic test for NAFLD remains liver biopsy, making the development of non-invasive tests critically important.

Postsynaptic Proteome of Non-Demented Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathology.

Some individuals, here referred to as Non-Demented with Alzheimer's Neuropathology (NDAN), retain their cognitive function despite the presence of amyloid plaques and tau tangles typical of symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD). In NDAN, unlike AD, toxic amyloid-β oligomers do not localize to the postsynaptic densities (PSDs). Synaptic resistance to amyloid-β in NDAN may thus enable these individuals to remain cognitively intact despite the AD-like pathology.

NMNAT2:HSP90 Complex Mediates Proteostasis in Proteinopathies.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2 (NMNAT2) is neuroprotective in numerous preclinical models of neurodegeneration. Here, we show that brain nmnat2 mRNA levels correlate positively with global cognitive function and negatively with AD pathology. In AD brains, NMNAT2 mRNA and protein levels are reduced.

Absence of amyloid β oligomers at the postsynapse and regulated synaptic Zn2+ in cognitively intact aged individuals with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.

Background: Early cognitive impairment in Alzheimer Disease (AD) is thought to result from the dysfunctional effect of amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers targeting the synapses. Some individuals, however, escape cognitive decline despite the presence of the neuropathologic features of AD (Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles). We term this group Non-Demented with AD Neuropathology or NDAN.

Potential role of α-synuclein in neurodegeneration: studies in a rat animal model.

Neuronal protein α-synuclein (α-syn) is an essential player in the development of neurodegenerative diseases called synucleinopathies. A spontaneous autosomal recessive rat model for neurodegeneration was developed in our laboratory. These rats demonstrate progressive increases in α-syn in the brain mesencephalon followed by loss of dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia (BG) and motor impairments.

Brain serum amyloid P levels are reduced in individuals that lack dementia while having Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.

The neuropathological signs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) include beta amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. There is a significant population of individuals that have these key hallmarks but show no signs of cognitive impairment, termed non-demented with AD neuropathology (NDAN). The protective mechanism allowing these individuals to escape dementia is unknown.

Selective, quantitative measurement of releasable synaptic zinc in human autopsy hippocampal brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease patients.

Aberrant central nervous system zinc homeostasis has been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there are conflicting reports describing zinc concentration either increased or decreased in the brain of AD patients. Such discrepancies may be due to differences in the brain area examined, zinc detection method, and/or tissue composition.

Increased insertion of glutamate receptor 2-lacking alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors at hippocampal synapses upon repeated morphine administration.

Evidence suggests that the long-term adaptations in the hippocampus after repeated drug treatment may parallel its role during memory formation. The neuroplasticity that subserves learning and memory is also believed to underlie addictive processes. We have reported previously that repeated morphine administration alters local distribution of endocytic proteins at hippocampal synapses, which could in turn affect expression of glutamate receptors.

Neuronal dopamine transporter activity, density and methamphetamine inhibition are differentially altered in the nucleus accumbens and striatum with no changes in glycosylation in rats behaviorally sensitized to methamphetamine.

Animals sensitized to methamphetamine (METH) have altered dopaminergic systems, including dopamine transporter (DAT) activity. We investigated the effects induced by a sensitizing dose (5 mg/kg, i.p.

Differential effects of Zn2+ on the kinetics and cocaine inhibition of dopamine transport by the human and rat dopamine transporters.

Zn2+ may play a major role in the modulation of neurotransmission because it modulates membrane receptors and channels. Recent literature has shown Zn2+ inhibits dopamine transport by the dopamine transporter (DAT), the main target of cocaine and some other drugs of abuse. Cocaine inhibits DAT and modulation of the DAT by Zn2+ may alter effects of cocaine on dopamine neurotransmission.

Methylphenidate analogs with behavioral differences interact differently with arginine residues on the dopamine transporter in rat striatum.

The methylphenidate analogs N-methyl-4-methyl-methylphenidate and N-benzylmethylphenidate are believed to interact differently with the dopamine transporter (DAT) in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we report that methylphenidate and N-methyl-4-methyl-methylphenidate, but not N-benzylmethylphenidate, protect the rat striatal DAT from the arginine-selective chemical modifying agent, phenylglyoxal. This suggests that methylphenidate and N-methyl-4-methyl-methylphenidate, but not N-benzylmethylphenidate, interact with the guanidine groups of arginine residues in the DAT of rat striatum.

Unraveling neuronal dopamine transporter mechanisms with rotating disk electrode voltammetry.

Herein we describe how the rotating disk electrode voltammetric technique can be used to examine the mechanism(s) of the inward transport of dopamine by the neuronal transporter for dopamine (DAT). The usefulness of making measurements kinetically resolving dopamine transport, interpretations of changes in Km and Vmax, approaches to defining pre-steady-state binding of dopamine to DAT, interactions between competing inhibitors, chemical modification of functional groups within DAT, and a presentation of a hypothetical multi-state model of dopamine transport are presented and discussed.