High-Content Screening in hPSC-Neural Progenitors Identifies Drug Candidates that Inhibit Zika Virus Infection in Fetal-like Organoids and Adult Brain
Chen, Studer, and colleagues utilize human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitors to perform a high-content screen for anti-ZIKV drug discovery. Hippeastrine hydrobromide was identified and shown to eliminate ZIKV in infected human neural progenitors, rescue a ZIKV-induced microcephaly phenotype in human forebrain organoids, and suppress virus propagation in adult mice with active ZIKV infection.
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Pathogen-Induced TLR4-TRIF Innate Immune Signaling in Hematopoietic Stem Cells Promotes Proliferation but Reduces Competitive Fitness
Takizawa et al. show that self-renewing hematopoietic cells directly sense gram-negative bacterial infection through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation, which leads to impaired function via proliferative stress. Genetic and pharmacological blockage of the TLR4-TRIF-ROS-p38 axis can maintain HSC function without disrupting emergency granulopoietic responses to infection.
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Human iPSC Glial Mouse Chimeras Reveal Glial Contributions to Schizophrenia
Goldman and colleagues use mice chimerized with human patient-derived glial progenitor cells to find out whether glia contribute to childhood-onset schizophrenia. The defects in cell differentiation, myelination, and behavior they see strongly suggest that glial cells do, in fact, have a previously unappreciated role in the pathogenesis of this disease.
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ASCL1 Reorganizes Chromatin to Direct Neuronal Fate and Suppress Tumorigenicity of Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Glioblastoma is characterized by a block in cellular differentiation. Park et al. identify a subset of glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) that express high levels of the proneural transcription factor ASCL1 and differentiate in response to Notch inhibition, effectively abrogating their stemness properties and tumorigenic potential.
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Direct Reprogramming of Fibroblasts via a Chemically Induced XEN-like State
In this article, Deng and colleagues show that functional neurons and hepatocytes can be induced from fibroblasts via a chemically induced and highly expandable XEN-like state, bypassing the pluripotent stage. This featured lineage reprogramming strategy would be generalized for generating other functional desirable cell types.
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Innate reaction of hematopoietic stem cells to severe infections (Thu, 20 Jul 2017)
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Using a pig model to study chronic diseases may help minimize drug failure rate (Thu, 20 Jul 2017)
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Reducing inflammation protects stem cells during wound repair (Thu, 20 Jul 2017)
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'Nano-in-micro' stem cell delivery could rescue blood flow after injury (Wed, 19 Jul 2017)
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Genome therapy could lead to new treatment for life-threatening blood disorders (Mon, 17 Jul 2017)
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Advance furthers stem cells for use in drug discovery, cell therapy (Fri, 14 Jul 2017)
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Using a microRNA to shift the makeup of glioblastoma subtypes (Thu, 13 Jul 2017)
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Hormone replacement therapies help breast cancer grow, spread (Wed, 12 Jul 2017)
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Neural stem cells steered by electric fields in rat brain (Tue, 11 Jul 2017)
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Stem cell-based therapy for targeting skin-to-brain cancer (Mon, 10 Jul 2017)
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New technology to manipulate cells could help treat Parkinson's, arthritis, other diseases (Mon, 10 Jul 2017)
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How high-fat diet impacts colorectal cancer (Thu, 06 Jul 2017)
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Genetic DJ: Growing cells remix their genes (Wed, 05 Jul 2017)
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Freeze-frames of enzymes in action have implications for a new cancer treatment concept (Mon, 03 Jul 2017)
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First 'haploid' human stem cells could change the face of medical research (Wed, 28 Jun 2017)
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