Mesenchymal Stem Cells Overexpressing FGF21 Preserve Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in Experimental Ischemic Stroke.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is a prominent pathophysiological mechanism in stroke. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) preserves BBB integrity following ischemic stroke. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has been shown to be a potent neuroprotective agent that reduces neuroinflammation and protects against BBB leakage.

Design and off-target prediction for antisense oligomers targeting bacterial mRNAs with the MASON web server.

Antisense oligomers (ASOs), such as peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), designed to inhibit the translation of essential bacterial genes, have emerged as attractive sequence- and species-specific programmable RNA antibiotics. Yet, potential drawbacks include unwanted side effects caused by their binding to transcripts other than the intended target. To facilitate the design of PNAs with minimal off-target effects, we developed MASON (ake ntiense ligomers ow), a web server for the design of PNAs that target bacterial mRNAs.

Comprehensive analysis of PNA-based antisense antibiotics targeting various essential genes in uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that target mRNAs of essential bacterial genes exhibit specific bactericidal effects in several microbial species, but our mechanistic understanding of PNA activity and their target gene spectrum is limited. Here, we present a systematic analysis of PNAs targeting 11 essential genes with varying expression levels in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). We demonstrate that UPEC is susceptible to killing by peptide-conjugated PNAs, especially when targeting the widely-used essential gene acpP.

Risk Factors for Postischemic Stroke Epilepsy in Young Adults: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Taiwan.

Background: The incidence of ischemic stroke has been increasing in the young population over the past 20 years. Poststroke epilepsy (PSE) is a common complication after stroke. However, few population-based studies with sufficient follow-up have investigated factors associated with PSE, especially factors related to comorbidities and unhealthy lifestyles in the modern young population.

Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cell Therapy in Blood-Brain Barrier Preservation Following Ischemia: Molecular Mechanisms and Prospects.

Ischemic stroke is the leading cause of mortality and long-term disability worldwide. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a prominent pathophysiological mechanism, responsible for a series of subsequent inflammatory cascades that exacerbate the damage to brain tissue. However, the benefit of recanalization is limited in most patients because of the narrow therapeutic time window.