Publications

Abstract

PURPOSE:

Many distinct regulatory factors have been shown to be required for the proper initiation of neuron-type-specific differentiation programs, but much less is known about the regulatory programs that maintain the differentiated state in the adult [1-3]

Channelopathies are disorders caused by abnormal ion channel function in differentiated excitable tissues.

Striatal locally projecting neurons, or interneurons, act on nearby circuits and shape functional output to the rest of the basal ganglia. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of striatal cells enriching for interneurons.

Behavioral and molecular characterization of cell-type-specific populations governing fear learning and behavior is a promising avenue for the rational identification of potential 

Like most homeostatic systems, adiposity in mammals is defended between upper and lower boundary conditions. While leptin and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) signaling are required for defending energy set point, mechanisms controlling upper and lower homeostatic boundaries are less well understood. In contrast to the MC4R, deletion of the MC3R does not produce measurable hyperphagia or hypometabolism under normal conditions.

Cancer cells sustain their metabolic needs through nutrients and oxygen supplied by the bloodstream. The requirement for tumor angiogenesis has been therapeutically exploited in the clinical setting mainly by means of inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor family of ligands and receptors.

The differentiated phenotype of articular chondrocytes of synovial joints needs to be maintained throughout life. Disruption of the articular cartilage, frequently associated with chondrocyte hypertrophy and calcification, is a central feature in osteoarthritis (OA). However, the molecular mechanisms whereby phenotypes of articular chondrocytes are maintained and pathological calcification is inhibited remain poorly understood.

Ustekinumab is a human monoclonal antibody selectively targeting the shared p40 subunit of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-23. Its efficacy for the treatment of psoriasis has been well documented in previous trials. We report a rare case of a patient who developed Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue after the commencement of ustekinumab as the treatment of plaque type psoriasis. To our knowledge, no link between ustekinumab and tongue SCC has been demonstrated before. Our report suggests that ustekinumab may induce the development of oral SCC in predisposed individuals.

Genome-wide association studies have repeatedly mapped susceptibility loci for emphysema to genes that modify hedgehog signaling, but the functional relevance of hedgehog signaling to this morbid disease remains unclear. In the current study, we identified a broad population of mesenchymal cells in the adult murine lung receptive to hedgehog signaling, characterized by higher activation of hedgehog surrounding the proximal airway relative to the distal alveoli.