Publications by authors named "Peter Mcpherson"

Antibody-based research applications are critical for biological discovery. Yet there are no industry standards for comparing the performance of antibodies in various applications. We describe a knockout cell line-based antibody characterization platform, developed and approved jointly by industry and academic researchers, that enables the systematic comparison of antibody performance in western blot, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence.

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Article Synopsis
  • Lewy bodies (LBs), which are linked to Parkinson's disease (PD), can be formed in human dopaminergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) when exposed to α-synuclein fibrils and immune challenges.
  • Immune response factors like interferon-γ and interleukin-1β, along with activated microglia, play a critical role in promoting this inclusion formation and impair lysosomal function.
  • The study suggests that LB-like inclusions may arise from disruptions in autophagy, highlighting a possible connection between immune dysfunction and PD development.
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Research into the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is a fast-paced pursuit, with new findings about PD and other synucleinopathies being made each year. The involvement of various lysosomal proteins, such as TFEB, TMEM175, GBA, and LAMP1/2, marks the rising awareness about the importance of lysosomes in PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. This, along with recent developments regarding the involvement of microglia and the immune system in neurodegenerative diseases, has brought about a new era in neurodegeneration: the role of proinflammatory cytokines on the nervous system, and their downstream effects on mitochondria, lysosomal degradation, and autophagy.

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Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) feature altered brain development, developmental delay and seizures, with seizures exacerbating developmental delay. Here we identify a cohort with biallelic variants in DENND5A, encoding a membrane trafficking protein, and develop animal models with phenotypes like the human syndrome. We demonstrate that DENND5A interacts with Pals1/MUPP1, components of the Crumbs apical polarity complex required for symmetrical division of neural progenitor cells.

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Background: De-escalation is often advocated to reduce harm associated with violence and use of restrictive interventions, but there is insufficient understanding of factors that influence de-escalation behaviour in practice. For the first time, using behaviour change and implementation science methodology, this paper aims to identify the drivers that will enhance de-escalation in acute inpatient and psychiatric intensive care mental health settings.

Methods: Secondary analysis of 46 qualitative interviews with ward staff (n = 20) and patients (n = 26) informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework.

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Sequestosome-1, encoded by the gene , functions as a bridge between ubiquitinated proteins and the proteasome or autophagosome, thereby regulating protein degradation pathways. Loss of Sequestosome-1 is hypothesized to enhance neurodegeneration progression in several diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal disorders (FTD). Sequestosome-1 reproducible research would be facilitated with the availability of well-characterized anti-Sequestosome-1 antibodies.

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Raspberry ketone (RK) is a product of the phenylpropanoid pathway in a variety of plants and is the second most expensive natural flavouring in the world. It is also widely used as a nutritional supplement due to its reported ability to promote lipolysis and fat oxidation in vivo. We have evaluated the thermodynamics of RK using the correlation consistent ccCA-CBS-2 approach which afforded calculation of (inter alia) the enthalpy of formation.

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A member of the RNA-binding protein family, T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA1) regulates mRNA translation and splicing as well as cellular stress by promoting stress granule formation. Variants of the gene have implications in neurogenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Reproducible research on TIA1 would be enhanced with the availability of high-quality anti-TIA1 antibodies.

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Rab1 is a highly conserved small GTPase that exists in humans as two isoforms: Rab1A and Rab1B, sharing 92% sequence identity. These proteins regulate vesicle trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi and within the Golgi stacks. Rab1A and Rab1B may be oncogenes, as they are frequently dysregulated in various human cancers.

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Background: Individuals with severe mental illness living in supported accommodation are often socially excluded. Social inclusion is an important aspect of recovery-based practice and quality of life. The Social Inclusion Questionnaire User Experience (SInQUE) is a measure of social inclusion that has been validated for use with people with mental health problems.

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Designing a relevant and engaging curriculum for biochemistry undergraduates can be challenging for topics which are at the periphery of the subject. We have used the framework of context-based learning as a means of assessing understanding of quantum theory in a group of students in their junior year. Our context, the role of retinol in skincare, provides a basis for the simple application of quantum mechanical principles to a biological context in an adaptation of the polyene in a box concept.

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Vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 35 is a subunit of the retromer complex, a vital constituent of the endosomal protein sorting pathway. The D620N mutation in the gene has been reported to be linked to type 17 Parkinson's Disease progression, the exact molecular mechanism remains to be solved. The scientific community would benefit from the accessibility of validated and high-quality anti-hVPS35 antibodies.

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Rab35 (Ras-associated binding protein) is a small GTPase that regulates endosomal membrane trafficking and functions in cell polarity, cytokinesis, and growth factor signaling. Altered Rab35 function contributes to progression of glioblastoma, defects in primary cilia formation, and altered cytokinesis. Here, we report a pediatric patient with global developmental delay, hydrocephalus, a Dandy-Walker malformation, axial hypotonia with peripheral hypertonia, visual problems, and conductive hearing impairment.

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Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are a heterogenous group of epilepsies in which altered brain development leads to developmental delay and seizures, with the epileptic activity further negatively impacting neurodevelopment. Identifying the underlying cause of DEEs is essential for progress toward precision therapies. Here we describe a group of individuals with biallelic variants in and determine that variant type is correlated with disease severity.

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Lysosomes help maintain cellular proteostasis, and defects in lysosomal positioning and function can cause disease, including neurodegenerative disorders. The spatiotemporal distribution of lysosomes is regulated by small GTPases including Rabs, which are activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). DENN domain proteins are the largest family of Rab GEFs.

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Antibodies are critical reagents to detect and characterize proteins. It is commonly understood that many commercial antibodies do not recognize their intended targets, but information on the scope of the problem remains largely anecdotal, and as such, feasibility of the goal of at least one potent and specific antibody targeting each protein in a proteome cannot be assessed. Focusing on antibodies for human proteins, we have scaled a standardized characterization approach using parental and knockout cell lines (Laflamme et al.

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Superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn] 1 (SOD1), is an antioxidant enzyme encoded by the gene , responsible for regulating oxidative stress levels by sequestering free radicals. Identified as the first gene with mutations in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a determinant for studying diseases of aging and neurodegeneration. With guidance on well-characterized anti-SOD1 antibodies, the reproducibility of SOD1 research would be enhanced.

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CHCHD10 is a mitochondrial protein, implicated in the regulation of mitochondrial morphology and cristae structure, as well as the maintenance of mitochondrial DNA integrity. Recently discovered to be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in its mutant form, the scientific community would benefit from the availability of validated anti-CHCHD10 antibodies. In this study, we characterized four CHCHD10 commercial antibodies for Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls.

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Charged multivesicular body protein 2B is a subunit of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport III (ESRCT-III), a complex implicated in the lysosomal degradation pathway and formation of multivesicular bodies. Mutations to the gene can result in abnormal protein aggregates in neurons and is therefore predicted to be associated in neurodegenerative diseases, including across the ALS-FTD spectrum. Through our standardized experimental protocol which compares read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls, this study aims to enhance the reproducibility of research on this target by characterizing eight commercial antibodies against charged multivesicular body protein 2b using Western Blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence.

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Profilin-1, a member of the Profilin family, is a ubiquitously expressed protein that controls actin polymerization in a concentration-dependent manner. As mutations in the Profilin-1 gene have potential implications in neurodegenerative disease progression, well-characterized anti-Profilin-1 antibodies would be beneficial to the scientific community. In this study, we characterized sixteen Profilin-1 commercial antibodies for Western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence applications, using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls.

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Transmembrane protein 106B (TMEM106B), a protein that is localized to the lysosome, is genetically linked to many neurodegenerative diseases and forms fibrils in diseased brains. The reproducibility of TMEM106B research would be enhanced if the community had access to well-characterized anti-TMEM106B antibodies. In this study, we characterized six commercially available TMEM106B antibodies for their performance in Western blot, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence, using a standardized experimental protocol based on comparing read-outs in knockout cell lines and isogenic parental controls.

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Nonlinear curve fitting is an important process in laboratory medicine, particularly with the increased use of highly sensitive antibody-based assays. Although the process is often automated in commercially available software, it is important that clinical scientists and physicians recognize the limitations of the various approaches used and are able to select the most appropriate model. This article summarizes the key nonlinear functions and demonstrates their application to common laboratory data.

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Cytokinesis relies on membrane trafficking pathways regulated by Rabs and guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). During cytokinesis, the intercellular cytokinetic bridge (ICB) connecting daughter cells undergoes abscission, which requires actin depolymerization. Rab35 recruits MICAL1 to oxidize and depolymerize actin filaments.

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