Neuromolecular Underpinnings of Negative Cognitive Bias in Depression

This selective review aims to summarize the recent advances in understanding the neuromolecular underpinnings of biased cognition in depressive disorder. We begin by considering the cognitive correlates of depressed mood and the key brain systems implicated in its development. We then review the core findings across two domains of biased cognitive function in depression: pessimistic judgment bias and abnormal response to negative feedback. In considering their underlying substrates, we focus on the neurochemical mechanisms identified by genetic, molecular and pharmacological challenge studies. We conclude by discussing experimental approaches to the treatment of depression, which are derived largely from an improved understanding of its cognitive substrates.

Review of Genetic Variants of Butyrylcholinesterase and Their Potential Impact on Human Health

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme found in plasma and many other parts of the body. It is enzyme that hydrolyses drugs containing ester bonds such as drugs acting at the neuromuscular junction (succinylcholine) and local anaesthetics (procaine). Examination of the gene for mutations or polymorphisms causing the observed biochemical phenotypes has isolated those responsible for all the most widely known variants. The molecular bases of several genetic variants of BChE have been reported, such as the Atypical variant, fluoride-resistant variant, silent variant, K variant, J variant and C5 variant. In general, BChE polymorphisms have been shown to produce enzymes with varying levels of catalytic activity. Genetic variants of human butyrylcholinesterase were one of the first examples in the new field of pharmacogenetics when it was recognized that abnormal response to the succinylcholine was due to a mutated enzyme with low binding affinity. Beside that, variant of BChE has potential impact for Alzheimer disease patology.

Review of Genetic Variants of Butyrylcholinesterase and Their Potential Impact on Human Health

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme found in plasma and many other parts of the body. It is enzyme that hydrolyses drugs containing ester bonds such as drugs acting at the neuromuscular junction (succinylcholine) and local anaesthetics (procaine). Examination of the gene for mutations or polymorphisms causing the observed biochemical phenotypes has isolated those responsible for all the most widely known variants. The molecular bases of several genetic variants of BChE have been reported, such as the Atypical variant, fluoride-resistant variant, silent variant, K variant, J variant and C5 variant. In general, BChE polymorphisms have been shown to produce enzymes with varying levels of catalytic activity. Genetic variants of human butyrylcholinesterase were one of the first examples in the new field of pharmacogenetics when it was recognized that abnormal response to the succinylcholine was due to a mutated enzyme with low binding affinity. Beside that, variant of BChE has potential impact for Alzheimer disease patology.

Review of Genetic Variants of Butyrylcholinesterase and Their Potential Impact on Human Health

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme found in plasma and many other parts of the body. It is enzyme that hydrolyses drugs containing ester bonds such as drugs acting at the neuromuscular junction (succinylcholine) and local anaesthetics (procaine). Examination of the gene for mutations or polymorphisms causing the observed biochemical phenotypes has isolated those responsible for all the most widely known variants. The molecular bases of several genetic variants of BChE have been reported, such as the Atypical variant, fluoride-resistant variant, silent variant, K variant, J variant and C5 variant. In general, BChE polymorphisms have been shown to produce enzymes with varying levels of catalytic activity. Genetic variants of human butyrylcholinesterase were one of the first examples in the new field of pharmacogenetics when it was recognized that abnormal response to the succinylcholine was due to a mutated enzyme with low binding affinity. Beside that, variant of BChE has potential impact for Alzheimer disease patology

Characterization and modelling of the abnormal electrophysiological response under beta-adrenergic stimulation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation Introduction Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inheritable heart pathology and the main cause of sudden cardiac death in young adults. HCM patients often present an enhanced arrhythmogenicity that can lead to lethal arrhythmias, especially during exercise. Recent studies have shown an abnormal response of HCM myocytes to β-adrenergic stimulation (β-ARS), with prolongation of their action potential duration (APD). The mechanisms underlying this aberrant response to sympathetic stimulation remain unknown. Purpose To investigate the key ionic mechanisms underlying the HCM abnormal response to β-ARS using human-based experimental and computational methodologies. Methods Experimental ionic currents, action potential and calcium transient were recorded in human adult cardiomyocytes from control and HCM patients. Isoproterenol (10-7 mol/L) was used to elicit β-ARS. Whole-cell ruptured patch voltage clamp experiments were conducted to characterise L-type calcium and potassium currents, with recordings performed before and after 3 min of drug exposure. The latest models of human ventricular electrophysiology and beta-adrenergic receptor signalling were integrated and calibrated using the human measured data. Simulations under isoproterenol were performed to quantify the effects of β-ARS on the action potential and calcium transient. The role of the main ion currents affected by β-ARS and by HCM remodelling was evaluated. Results In vitro, isoproterenol shortened APD (-16 ± 3%) in control, while prolonging APD in HCM myocytes (+23 ± 8%). Analysis of the measured data indicated two possible mechanisms contributing to APD prolongation in HCM myocytes. Firstly, a protracted L-type calcium current, presenting slower inactivation kinetics in HCM compared to control. The relative increase of potassium currents under β-ARS was also lower in HCM myocytes. The developed in silico models of β-ARS replicated the behaviour observed in the experimental data, based on slower L-type calcium current inactivation kinetics and a smaller increase of potassium currents in HCM. In absence of β-ARS, simulated HCM cardiomyocytes exhibited prolonged APD compared to control (525 ± 88 vs 281 ± 56 ms, p < 0.001). Under β-ARS, APD in control was reduced (-16.46%), whereas APD was prolonged in HCM (+11.63%). Further analysis showed that the reduction of the potassium currents increment under β-ARS was the main cause of the APD prolongation in HCM myocytes, with L-type calcium inactivation minimally contributing to APD prolongation. Conclusions In this study we assessed the effects of β-ARS on ion currents and APD in control and HCM myocytes. Our modelling results suggest that the increase of potassium repolarising currents under β-ARS is greatly reduced in HCM cardiomyocytes, being the main mechanism underlying their APD prolongation. This APD prolongation may have severe consequences in HCM patients, increasing the risk of exercise-induced arrhythmias. Abstract Figure.

Structure-based design of a Cortistatin analogue with immunomodulatory activity in models of inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are forms of inflammatory bowel disease whose incidence and prevalence are increasing worldwide. These diseases lead to chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract as a result of an abnormal response of the immune system. Recent studies positioned Cortistatin, which shows low stability in plasma, as a candidate for IBD treatment. Here, using NMR structural information, we design five Cortistatin analogues adopting selected native Cortistatin conformations in solution. One of them, A5, preserves the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of Cortistatin in vitro and in mouse models of the disease. Additionally, A5 displays an increased half-life in serum and a unique receptor binding profile, thereby overcoming the limitations of the native Cortistatin as a therapeutic agent. This study provides an efficient approach to the rational design of Cortistatin analogues and opens up new possibilities for the treatment of patients that fail to respond to other therapies.

Role of LrrkA in the Control of Phagocytosis and Cell Motility in Dictyostelium discoideum

LrrkA is a Dictyostelium discoideum kinase with leucine-rich repeats. LrrkA stimulates Kil2 and intra-phagosomal killing of ingested bacteria in response to folate. In this study, we show that genetic inactivation of lrrkA also causes a previously unnoticed phenotype: lrrkA KO cells exhibit enhanced phagocytosis and cell motility compared to parental cells. This phenotype is cell autonomous, is reversible upon re-expression of LrrkA, and is not due to an abnormal response to inhibitory quorum-sensing factors secreted by D. discoideum in its medium. In addition, folate increases motility in parental D. discoideum cells, but not in lrrkA KO cells, suggesting that LrrkA plays a pivotal role in the cellular response to folate. On the contrary, lrrkA KO cells regulate gene transcription in response to folate in a manner indistinguishable from parental cells. Overall, based on analysis of mutant phenotypes, we identify gene products that participate in the control of intracellular killing, cell motility, and gene transcription in response to folate. These observations reveal a mechanism by which D. discoideum encountering bacterially-secreted folate can migrate, engulf, and kill bacteria more efficiently.

Implementasi Metode K-Medoids Clustering Dalam Pengelompokan Data Penyakit Alergi Pada Anak

Allergies are an abnormal response from the immune system. People who experience allergies have an immune system that reacts to a substance that is usually harmless in the environment. There are two limitations in this study, namely, seafood allergy and air allergy. In this study, the data used were sourced from the National Statistics Agency in 2011-2019. This study uses data mining techniques in data processing with the k-medoids clustering method. The k-medoids method is a clustering method that functions to split the dataset into several groups. The advantages of this method are able to overcome the weaknesses of the k-means method which is sensitive to outliers. Another advantage of this method is that the results of the clustering process do not depend on the order in which the dataset is entered. This method can be applied to data on the percentage of children affected by allergies by province, so that it can be seen the grouping of provinces based on this data. From this grouping data obtained 3 clusters namely low cluster (2 provinces), medium cluster (30 provinces) and high cluster (2 provinces) from the percentage of allergy immunization under five in each province. It is hoped that this research can provide information to the health department, especially the public health center regarding data grouping of Allergic Diseases in children in Indonesia which has an impact on equity in giving anti-allergic immunization to children in Indonesia

Induced Expression of kir6.2 in A1 Astrocytes Propagates Inflammatory Neurodegeneration via Drp1-dependent Mitochondrial Fission

Glia-mediated inflammatory processes are crucial in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). As the most abundant cells of the brain and active participants in neuroinflammatory responses, astrocytes largely propagate inflammatory signals and amplify neuronal loss. Hence, intensive control of astrocytic activation is necessary to prevent neurodegeneration. In this study, we report that the astrocytic kir6.2, as a abnormal response after inflammatory stimuli, promotes the reactivity of A1 neurotoxic astrocytes. Using kir6.2 knockout (KO) mice, we find reversal effects of kir6.2 deficiency on A1-like astrocyte activation and death of dopaminergic neurons in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse models for PD. Further in vitro experiments show that aberrant kir6.2 expression induced by inflammatory irritants in astrocytes mediates the dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-dependent excessive mitochondrial fragmentation and results in mitochondrial malfunctions. By deleting kir6.2, astrocytic activation is reduced and astrocytes-derived neuronal injury is prevented. We therefore conclude that astrocytic kir6.2 can potentially elucidate the pathology of PD and promote the development of therapeutic strategies for PD.