Scientific Resources

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is currently evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of various disorders of the central nervous system. To assess its capacity to reach central therapeutic targets,the brain bioavailability of IVIg must be determined. We thus quantified the passage of IVIg through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of C57Bl/6 mice using complementary quantitative and qualitative methodologies. As determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,a small proportion of systemically injected IVIg was detected in the brain of mice (0.009±0.001% of injected dose in the cortex) whereas immunostaining revealed localization mainly within microvessels and less frequently in neurons. Pharmacokinetic analyses evidenced a low elimination rate constant (0.0053% per hour) in the cortex,consistent with accumulation within cerebral tissue. In situ cerebral perfusion experiments revealed that a fraction of IVIg crossed the BBB without causing leakage. A dose-dependent decrease of brain uptake was consistent with a saturable blood-to-brain transport mechanism. Finally,brain uptake of IVIg after a subchronic treatment was similar in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer disease compared with nontransgenic controls. In summary,our results provide evidence of BBB passage and bioavailability of IVIg into the brain in the absence of BBB leakage and in sufficient concentration to interact with the therapeutic targets. View Publication

While all forms of tobacco exposure have negative health effects,the significance of exposure to electronic cigarettes (eCig) is not fully understood. Here,we studied the global effects of eCig on the micro RNA (miRNA) transcriptome in human lung epithelial cells. Primary human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells differentiated at air-liquid interface were exposed to eCig liquid. Exposure of NHBE to any eCig liquid resulted in the induction of oxidative stress-response genes including GCLM,GCLC,GPX2,NQO1 and HO-1. Vaporization of,and/or the presence of nicotine in,eCig liquid was associated with a greater response. We identified 578 miRNAs dysregulated by eCig exposure in NHBE,and 125 miRNA affected by vaporization of eCig liquid. Nicotine containing eCig vapor displayed the most profound effects upon miRNA expression. We selected 8 miRNAs (29A,140,126,374A,26A-2,147B,941 and 589) for further study. We validated increased expression of multiple miRNAs,including miR126,following eCig exposure. We also found significant reduction in the expression of two miR126 target genes,MYC and MRGPRX3,following exposure. These data demonstrated that eCig exposure has profound effects upon gene expression in human lung epithelial cells,some of which are epigenetically programmed at the level of miRNA regulation. View Publication

Glioblastoma is the most common form of primary malignant brain tumour. These tumours are highly proliferative and infiltrative resulting in a median patient survival of only 14 months from diagnosis. The current treatment regimens are ineffective against the small population of cancer stem cells residing in the tumourigenic niche; however,a new therapeutic approach could involve the removal of these cells from the microenvironment that maintains the cancer stem cell phenotype. We have isolated multipotent sphere-forming cells from human high grade glioma (glioma sphere-forming cells (GSCs)) to investigate the adhesive and migratory properties of these cells in vitro. We have focused on the role of two closely related metalloproteinases ADAM10 and ADAM17 due to their high expression in glioblastoma and GSCs and their ability to activate cytokines and growth factors. Here,we report that ADAM10 and ADAM17 inhibition selectively increases GSC,but not neural stem cell,migration and that the migrated GSCs exhibit a differentiated phenotype. We also observed a correlation between nestin,a stem/progenitor marker,and fibronectin,an extracellular matrix protein,expression in high grade glioma tissues. GSCs adherence on fibronectin is mediated by α5β1 integrin,where fibronectin further promotes GSC migration and is an effective candidate for in vivo cancer stem cell migration out of the tumourigenic niche. Our results suggest that therapies against ADAM10 and ADAM17 may promote cancer stem cell migration away from the tumourigenic niche resulting in a differentiated phenotype that is more susceptible to treatment. View Publication

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) enter cells via two distinct pathways: the endosomal pathway using cathepsins to activate spike protein and the cell-surface or early endosome pathway using extracellular proteases such as transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). We previously reported that clinical isolates of HCoV-229E preferred cell-surface TMPRSS2 to endosomal cathepsin for cell entry,and that they acquired the ability to use cathepsin L by repeated passage in cultured cells and were then able to enter cells via the endosomal pathway. Here,we show that clinical isolates of HCoV-OC43 and -HKU1 preferred the cell-surface TMRRSS2 to endosomal cathepsins for cell entry,similar to HCoV-229E. In addition,the cell-culture-adapted HCoV-OC43 lost the ability to infect and replicate in air-liquid interface cultures of human bronchial tracheal epithelial cells. These results suggest that circulating HCoVs in the field generally use cell-surface TMPRSS2 for cell entry,not endosomal cathepsins,in human airway epithelial cells. View Publication

Stem cells,including cancer stem cells (CSCs),require niches to maintain stemness,yet it is unclear how CSCs maintain stemness in the suboptimal environment outside their niches during invasion. Postnatal co-deletion of Pten and Trp53 in mouse neural stem cells (NSCs) leads to the expansion of these cells in their subventricular zone (SVZ) niches but fails to maintain stemness outside the SVZ. We discovered that Qki is a major regulator of NSC stemness. Qk deletion on a Pten-/-; Trp53-/- background helps NSCs maintain their stemness outside the SVZ in Nes-CreERT2; QkL/L; PtenL/L; Trp53L/L mice,which develop glioblastoma with a penetrance of 92% and a median survival time of 105 d. Mechanistically,Qk deletion decreases endolysosome-mediated degradation and enriches receptors essential for maintaining self-renewal on the cytoplasmic membrane to cope with low ligand levels outside niches. Thus,downregulation of endolysosome levels by Qki loss helps glioma stem cells (GSCs) maintain their stemness in suboptimal environments outside their niches. View Publication

Neutrophils are the most abundant WBCs and have an essential role in the clearance of pathogens. Tight regulation of neutrophil numbers and their recruitment to sites of inflammation is critical in maintaining a balanced immune response. In various inflammatory conditions,such as rheumatoid arthritis,vasculitis,cystic fibrosis,and inflammatory bowel disease,increased serum G-CSF correlates with neutrophilia and enhanced neutrophil infiltration into inflamed tissues. We describe a fully human therapeutic anti-G-CSFR antibody (CSL324) that is safe and well tolerated when administered via i.v. infusion to cynomolgus macaques. CSL324 was effective in controlling G-CSF-mediated neutrophilia when administered either before or after G-CSF. A single ascending-dose study showed CSL324 did not alter steady-state neutrophil numbers,even at doses sufficient to completely prevent G-CSF-mediated neutrophilia. Weekly infusions of CSL324 (%10 mg/kg) for 3 wk completely neutralized G-CSF-mediated pSTAT3 phosphorylation without neutropenia. Moreover,repeat dosing up to 100 mg/kg for 12 wk did not result in neutropenia at any point,including the 12-wk follow-up after the last infusion. In addition,CSL324 had no observable effect on basic neutrophil functions,such as phagocytosis and oxidative burst. These data suggest that targeting G-CSFR may provide a safe and effective means of controlling G-CSF-mediated neutrophilia as observed in various inflammatory diseases. View Publication

Metformin has been widely used as an oral drug for diabetes mellitus for approximately 60 years. Interestingly,recent reports showed that metformin exhibited an anti-tumor action in a wide range of malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study,we investigated its impact on tumor-initiating HCC cells. Metformin suppressed cell growth and induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis showed that metformin treatment markedly reduced the number of tumor-initiating epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)(+) HCC cells. Non-adherent sphere formation assays of EpCAM(+) cells showed that metformin impaired not only their sphere-forming ability,but also their self-renewal capability. Consistent with this,immunostaining of spheres revealed that metformin significantly decreased the number of component cells positive for hepatic stem cell markers such as EpCAM and α-fetoprotein. In a xenograft transplantation model using non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mice,metformin and/or sorafenib treatment suppressed the growth of tumors derived from transplanted HCC cells. Notably,the administration of metformin but not sorafenib decreased the number of EpCAM(+) cells and impaired their self-renewal capability. As reported,metformin activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through phosphorylation; however its inhibitory effect on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway did not necessarily correlate with its anti-tumor activity toward EpCAM(+) tumor-initiating HCC cells. These results indicate that metformin is a promising therapeutic agent for the elimination of tumor-initiating HCC cells and suggest as-yet-unknown functions other than its inhibitory effect on the AMPK/mTOR pathway. View Publication

UNLABELLED Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes lifelong latent infections in the sensory neurons of the trigeminal ganglia (TG),wherein it retains the capacity to reactivate. The interferon (IFN)-driven antiviral response is critical for the control of HSV-1 acute replication. We therefore sought to further investigate this response in TG neurons cultured from adult mice deficient in a variety of IFN signaling components. Parallel experiments were also performed in fibroblasts isolated concurrently. We showed that HSV-1 replication was comparable in wild-type (WT) and IFN signaling-deficient neurons and fibroblasts. Unexpectedly,a similar pattern was observed for the IFN-sensitive vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). Despite these findings,TG neurons responded to IFN-β pretreatment with STAT1 nuclear localization and restricted replication of both VSV and an HSV-1 strain deficient in γ34.5,while wild-type HSV-1 replication was unaffected. This was in contrast to fibroblasts in which all viruses were restricted by the addition of IFN-β. Taken together,these data show that adult TG neurons can mount an effective antiviral response only if provided with an exogenous source of IFN-β,and HSV-1 combats this response through γ34.5. These results further our understanding of the antiviral response of neurons and highlight the importance of paracrine IFN-β signaling in establishing an antiviral state. IMPORTANCE Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a ubiquitous virus that establishes a lifelong latent infection in neurons. Reactivation from latency can cause cold sores,blindness,and death from encephalitis. Humans with deficiencies in innate immunity have significant problems controlling HSV infections. In this study,we therefore sought to elucidate the role of neuronal innate immunity in the control of viral infection. Using neurons isolated from mice,we found that the intrinsic capacity of neurons to restrict virus replication was unaffected by the presence or absence of innate immunity. In contrast,neurons were able to mount a robust antiviral response when provided with beta interferon,a molecule that strongly stimulates innate immunity,and that HSV-1 can combat this response through the γ34.5 viral gene. Our results have important implications for understanding how the nervous system defends itself against virus infections. View Publication

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) have been widely used in gene therapy applications for central nervous system diseases. Though rAAV can efficiently target neurons and astrocytes in mouse brains,microglia,the immune cells of the brain,are refractile to rAAV. To identify AAV capsids with microglia-specific transduction properties,we initially screened the most commonly used serotypes,AAV1-9 and rh10,on primary mouse microglia cultures. While these capsids were not permissive,we then tested the microglial targeting properties of a newly characterized set of modified rAAV6 capsid variants with high tropism for monocytes. Indeed,these newly characterized rAAV6 capsid variants,specially a triply mutated Y731F/Y705F/T492V form,carrying a self-complementary genome and microglia-specific promoters (F4/80 or CD68) could efficiently and selectively transduce microglia in vitro. Delivery of these constructs in mice brains resulted in microglia-specific expression of green fluorescent protein,albeit at modest levels. We further show that CD68 promoter-driven expression of the inflammatory cytokine,interleukin-6,using this capsid variant leads to increased astrogliosis in the brains of wild-type mice. Our study describes the first instance of AAV-targeted microglial gene expression leading to functional modulation of the innate immune system in mice brains. This provides the rationale for utilizing these unique capsid/promoter combinations for microglia-specific gene targeting for modeling or functional studies. View Publication

Neurogenesis in the subventricular zone (SVZ) is regulated by diffusible factors and cell-cell contacts. In vivo,SVZ stem cells are associated with the abluminal surface of blood vessels and such interactions are thought to regulate their neurogenic capacity. SVZ neural stem cells (NSCs) have been described to contact endothelial-derived laminin via α6β1 integrin. To elucidate whether heterocellular contacts with brain endothelial cells (BEC) regulate SVZ cells neurogenic capacities,cocultures of SVZ neurospheres and primary BEC,both obtained from C57BL/6 mice,were performed. The involvement of laminin-integrin interactions in SVZ homeostasis was tested in three ways. Firstly,SVZ cells were analyzed following incubation of BEC with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (CHX) prior to coculture,a treatment expected to decrease membrane proteins. Secondly,SVZ cells were cocultured with BEC in the presence of an anti-α6 integrin neutralizing antibody. Thirdly,BEC were cultured with β1-/- SVZ cells. We showed that contact with BEC supports,at least in part,proliferation and stemness of SVZ cells,as evaluated by the number of BrdU positive (+) and Sox2+ cells in contact with BEC. These effects are dependent on BEC-derived laminin binding to α6β1 integrin and are decreased in cocultures incubated with anti-α6 integrin neutralizing antibody and in cocultures with SVZ β1-/- cells. Moreover,BEC-derived laminin sustains stemness in SVZ cell cultures via activation of the Notch and mTOR signaling pathways. Our results show that BEC/SVZ interactions involving α6β1 integrin binding to laminin,contribute to SVZ cell proliferation and stemness. View Publication

Prion diseases are irreversible progressive neurodegenerative diseases,leading to severe incapacity and death. They are characterized in the brain by prion amyloid deposits,vacuolisation,astrocytosis,neuronal degeneration,and by cognitive,behavioural and physical impairments. There is no treatment for these disorders and stem cell therapy therefore represents an interesting new approach. Gains could not only result from the cell transplantation,but also from the stimulation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSC) or by the combination of both approaches. However,the development of such strategies requires a detailed knowledge of the pathology,particularly concerning the status of the adult neurogenesis and endogenous NSC during the development of the disease. During the past decade,several studies have consistently shown that NSC reside in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and that adult neurogenesis occurs throughout the adulthood in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle or the Dentate Gyrus of the hippocampus. Adult NSC are believed to constitute a reservoir for neuronal replacement during normal cell turnover or after brain injury. However,the activation of this system does not fully compensate the neuronal loss that occurs during neurodegenerative diseases and could even contribute to the disease progression. We investigated here the status of these cells during the development of prion disorders. We were able to show that NSC accumulate and replicate prions. Importantly,this resulted in the alteration of their neuronal fate which then represents a new pathologic event that might underlie the rapid progression of the disease. View Publication

Somatic cell reprogramming may become a powerful approach to generate specific human cell types for cell-fate determination studies and potential transplantation therapies of neurological diseases. Here we report a reprogramming methodology with which human adipose stem cells (hADSCs) can be differentiated into neural cells. After being reprogrammed with polycistronic plasmid carrying defined factor OCT3/4,SOX2,KLF4 and c-MYC,and further treated with neural induce medium,the hADSCs switched to differentiate toward neural cell lineages. The generated cells had normal karyotypes and exogenous vector sequences were not inserted in the genomes. Therefore,this cell lineage conversion methodology bypasses the risk of mutation and gene instability,and provides a novel strategy to obtain patient-specific neural cells for basic research and therapeutic application. View Publication