Electroconvulsive seizure has a proven therapeutic application in the treatment of severe depression and treatment‐resistant depression. Despite the efficacy of electroconvulsive seizure as a ...non‐chemical antidepressant treatment, the mechanism of action is unclear. Elevation in hippocampal trophic factor expression and concomitant cellular proliferation are thought to play a role in its action. We examined whether the reported induction of angiogenic factors and endothelial cell proliferation leads to an increase in vascular density. Two hippocampal regions, the dentate gyrus and the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), were examined employing a combination of vascular density quantification, angiogenic gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry. A 6% increase in vascular density was observed in the dentate gyrus but this did not achieve statistical significance. The SLM of the hippocampus exhibited a robust 20–30% increase in vascular density and was accompanied by an increase in expression of inhibitor of differentiation‐3. There was also an induction of the angiogenesis markers αVβ3 integrin and Del1. Increases in the vascular density of the SLM could be in response to enhanced metabolic activity in this region. This is supported by the induction of glutamine synthetase and the glutamate transporter GLT1.
Chronic pain affects over 1 in 5 adults in the US, and is often accompanied by psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Despite its prevalence and many comorbidities, the ...mechanisms and effects of chronic pain, especially in the brain, are unclear.
Using a postmortem brain gene expression dataset (N=304) of four regions (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), basolateral amygdala, medial amygdala), we calculated surrogate variables preserving for chronic pain in order to account for measured and unmeasured sources of heterogeneity in the data. The dataset's measured variables were checked for correlation with our surrogate variables, and the uncorrelated variables were checked for collinearity with each other. These variables were used with chronic pain in a linear regression model with gene expression (measured in log2cpm), which quantifies the association between chronic pain and gene expression, adjusted for our identified non collinear covariates and surrogate variables. We corrected for multiple testing within tissues using false-discovery rate correction.
We identified three genes as significantly associated and downregulated with chronic pain in the dACC: VEGF B (vascular endothelial growth factor B) (estimate value from regression = -0.0945, SE 0.0174, FDR-adjusted P-value = 0.002), B4GALT2 (beta-1-4-galactosyltransferase 2) (estimate value = -0.0935, SE = 0.0190, P = 0.01), and LRRC59 (leucine rich repeat containing 59) (estimate value = -0.0571, SE = 0.0123, P = 0.03).
These differentially expressed genes (DEGs), particularly VEGF B, suggest that chronic pain has significant impacts on gene expression in the brain – VEGF B has been previously implicated in bone cancer pain, endometriosis and endometrial cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and other chronic pain-related conditions. The two other significant gene results have not previously been implicated in chronic pain. Future work will include differential gene expression analysis for specific cell types in the dACC, and DEGs associated with opioids commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain.
Multidisciplinary studies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) implicate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in disease risk and pathophysiology. ...Postmortem brain studies have relied on bulk-tissue RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), but single-cell RNA-seq is needed to dissect cell-type-specific mechanisms. The authors conducted the first single-nucleus RNA-seq postmortem brain study in PTSD to elucidate disease transcriptomic pathology with cell-type-specific resolution.
Profiling of 32 DLPFC samples from 11 individuals with PTSD, 10 with MDD, and 11 control subjects was conducted (∼415K nuclei; >13K cells per sample). A replication sample included 15 DLPFC samples (∼160K nuclei; >11K cells per sample).
Differential gene expression analyses identified significant single-nucleus RNA-seq differentially expressed genes (snDEGs) in excitatory (EX) and inhibitory (IN) neurons and astrocytes, but not in other cell types or bulk tissue. MDD samples had more false discovery rate-corrected significant snDEGs, and PTSD samples had a greater replication rate. In EX and IN neurons, biological pathways that were differentially enriched in PTSD compared with MDD included glucocorticoid signaling. Furthermore, glucocorticoid signaling in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cortical neurons demonstrated greater relevance in PTSD and opposite direction of regulation compared with MDD, especially in EX neurons. Many snDEGs were from the 17q21.31 locus and are particularly interesting given causal roles in disease pathogenesis and DLPFC-based neuroimaging (PTSD:
,
, and
; MDD:
and
), while others were regulated by glucocorticoids in iPSC-derived neurons (PTSD:
,
; MDD:
).
The study findings point to cell-type-specific mechanisms of brain stress response in PTSD and MDD, highlighting the importance of examining cell-type-specific gene expression and indicating promising novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Different genes form complex networks within cells to carry out critical cellular functions, while network alterations in this process can potentially introduce downstream transcriptome perturbations ...and phenotypic variations. Therefore, developing efficient and interpretable methods to quantify network changes and pinpoint driver genes across conditions is crucial. We propose a hierarchical graph representation learning method, called iHerd. Given a set of networks, iHerd first hierarchically generates a series of coarsened sub-graphs in a data-driven manner, representing network modules at different resolutions (e.g., the level of signaling pathways). Then, it sequentially learns low-dimensional node representations at all hierarchical levels via efficient graph embedding. Lastly, iHerd projects separate gene embeddings onto the same latent space in its graph alignment module to calculate a rewiring index for driver gene prioritization. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we applied iHerd on a tumor-to-normal GRN rewiring analysis and cell-type-specific GCN analysis using single-cell multiome data of the brain. We showed that iHerd can effectively pinpoint novel and well-known risk genes in different diseases. Distinct from existing models, iHerd’s graph coarsening for hierarchical learning allows us to successfully classify network driver genes into early and late divergent genes (EDGs and LDGs), emphasizing genes with extensive network changes across and within signaling pathway levels. This unique approach for driver gene classification can provide us with deeper molecular insights. The code is freely available at https://github.com/aicb-ZhangLabs/iHerd. All other relevant data are within the manuscript and supporting information files.
Degradation of the vascular basement membrane stimulates angiogenesis and is tightly controlled by balancing the actions of metalloproteases and their inhibitors. Previous work demonstrated that ...electroconvulsive seizure (ECS) elevates angiogenic factors and endothelial proliferation in the hippocampus. The robust induction of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloprotease 1 (TIMP-1) in the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM) corresponds to sites of increased vascular density. This led us to examine the spatial and cellular expression of TIMP-1 and its substrate, matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP-9). Chronic ECS increased TIMP-1 by 12-fold and MMP-9 by 3-fold in discrete SLM cells. We then characterized the expression of TIMP-1 mRNA in relation to vasculature in the SLM and glial-limiting membrane (GLM). Employing laser microdissection we identified the cell types associated with SLM vasculature and also phenotyped the cells expressing TIMP-1 and MMP-9. We concluded that TIMP-1 is produced by perivascular cells positive for alpha smooth actin and that MMP-9 is expressed by GFAP-positive astrocytes. These studies suggest that ECS-induced remodelling occurs at the vascular basement membrane and facilitates neovascularization.
Background: MGTA-145, a CXCR2 agonist, has shown promising activity for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilization with plerixafor in pre-clinical models and healthy volunteers. It has the potential ...to become the first GCSF free regimen for HSC mobilization/apheresis in preparation for transplant, with fewer side effects, better patient experience and optimal resource utilization.
Methods: We conducted a single center phase 2 trial of MGTA-145 + plerixafor for HSC mobilization in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), NCT04552743. Primary endpoint was collection of ≥2 x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg in up to 2 days of mobilization/apheresis. Secondary endpoints were collection of 4 and 6 x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg, safety and engraftment. Patients with MM, 18-70 years of age, within 1 year of starting treatment & CrCl > 30 ml/min were eligible.
Patients received plerixafor 0.24 mg/kg (0.16 mg/kg if renal dysfunction) SQ, followed 2 hours later by MGTA-145 (0.03 mg/kg) IV over 3-10 minutes and apheresis within 30 minutes. Mobilization and collection were repeated for a second consecutive day if day 1 yield was < 6 x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg.
The study was open-label single arm trial of 15 patients. If 13 or more patients met primary endpoint, an expansion cohort of 10 patients was planned. The trial has 85% power at a 5% one-sided type I error rate. Our analysis is based on aggregated results from total cohort of 25 patients.
Results: Median age was 62 years, 52% were female, 24% had ISS stage 3, 57% had high-risk FISH (primarily gain1q). Induction therapy was VRD in 68% (17), daratumumab VRD in 24% (6), CyBorD in 8% (2) patients. Median duration of induction was 4 months (3-6) and median lenalidomide exposure was 5 cycles (1-8), with > VGPR in 88% of patients. (Table 1)
Plerixafor 0.24 mg/kg was given in 24 (96%) patients. Median pre-apheresis CD34 count was day 1, 24/uL (3-99) & day 2, 15/uL (5-46). Median total HSC cell yield (CD34+ cells/kg x 10 6) was 5.0 (1.1-16.2), day 1 yield was 3.4 (0.3-16.2) and day 2 yield was 1.9 (0.5-4.6) (Fig1). 88% (n=22) of patients met the primary endpoint of collecting sufficient HSCs in < 2 days of mobilization + apheresis to proceed to transplant, 68% (17) in 1 day (2 x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg). 3 patients who did not meet primary endpoint successfully collected HSCs with standard GCSF + plerixafor dosing & 2-3 apheresis sessions. Secondary endpoints of 4 and 6 x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg in < 2 days were met in 68% (17) and 40% (10) patients.
MGTA-145+plerixafor was well tolerated. At least 1 treatment emergent AE (TEAE) with MGTA-145 was seen in 60% of patients (grade 1, n= 14, grade 2, n=1). Pain (all grade 1) was most common, seen in 44% (11), with 38% (9) patients experiencing acute onset transient bone pain with MGTA-145 (duration: 7 minutes, range: 3-28). Using the validated Brief Pain Inventory, 56% (14) patients self-reported pain with mobilization vs 40% (10) at baseline. 7/15 patients without baseline pain reported pain with mobilization. An increase for worst pain was seen on mobilization day 1, that returned to the baseline, but no difference for aggregate score of pain severity/interference (linear mixed effects model).
At last follow-up, 18 patients have completed transplant with MGTA-145 mobilized graft, with melphalan 200 mg/m 2 in 15 (83%) patients. Median of 3.5 (2.2-8.1) x 10 6 CD34+ cells/kg were infused. All patients have engrafted. Median time to neutrophil engraftment of 12 days (range: 11-15) & platelet engraftment (platelets > 20,000, no transfusion in 7 days) of 17.5 days (15-33) are comparable to historical data (DiPersio et al. 2009). RBC transfusion was needed in 3 (17%) patients. 14 patients have day 100 follow-up, all with durable engraftment.
MGTA-145 + plerixafor mobilized grafts had a favorable graft composition. We observed high enrichment for CD90+CD45RA- among CD34+ cells, a CD34 subset of long term engrafting HSCs (median: 36% of CD34+ cells, range 10-66%, N=25). 74% (17 of 23) grafts were minimal residual disease negative with next generation flow cytometry.
Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate the novel G-CSF-free regimen of MGTA-145 + plerixafor for HSC cell mobilization & collection for hematologic malignancies. The study cohort was representative of transplant eligible patients with MM, with 88% patients meeting the primary endpoint. The regimen was well tolerated. Patients achieved timely & durable engraftment. Our data support further development of this regimen for rapid HSC mobilization.
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Sidana: Janssen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Allogene: Research Funding; Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy. Kumar: Bluebird Bio: Consultancy; Adaptive: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Carsgen: Research Funding; Astra-Zeneca: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Oncopeptides: Consultancy; KITE: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Tenebio: Research Funding; Takeda: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Beigene: Consultancy; Antengene: Consultancy, Honoraria; Amgen: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche-Genentech: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; BMS: Consultancy, Research Funding; Abbvie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding. Muffly: Pfizer, Amgen, Jazz, Medexus, Pfizer: Consultancy; Astellas, Jasper, Adaptive, Baxalta: Research Funding; Adaptive: Honoraria, Other: fees for non-CME/CE services: , Research Funding. Arai: Magenta Therapeutics: Research Funding. Meyer: Indee, Jura: Consultancy; Orca Biosystems: Research Funding; GigaImmune: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company; Triursus Therapeutics: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company. Rezvani: US Department of Justice: Consultancy; Kaleido: Other: One-time scientific advisory board; Nohla Therapeutics: Other: One-time scientific advisory board; Pharmacyclics-Abbvie: Research Funding. Weng: Kite Pharma: Research Funding. Frank: Kite-Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Allogene Therapeutics: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Research Funding. Shiraz: Kite Pharma-Gilead: Research Funding. Girgenti: Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment. Goncalves: Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties. Schmelmer: Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties. Davis: Magenta Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months. Shizuru: Jasper Therapeutics, Inc.: Current holder of stock options in a privately-held company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Chair of scientific advisory board; Forty seven Inc: Other: Inventor on a patent licenses by Forty Seven. Forty seven was acquired by Gilead in 2020. Miklos: Pharmacyclics: Patents & Royalties; Kite, a Gilead Company, Amgen, Atara, Wugen, Celgene, Novartis, Juno-Celgene-Bristol Myers Squibb, Allogene, Precision Bioscience, Adicet, Pharmacyclics, Janssen, Takeda, Adaptive Biotechnologies and Miltenyi Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Pharmacyclics, Amgen, Kite, a Gilead Company, Novartis, Roche, Genentech, Becton Dickinson, Isoplexis, Miltenyi, Juno-Celgene-Bristol Myers Squibb, Allogene, Precision Biosciences, Adicet, Adaptive Biotechnologies: Research Funding; Adaptive Biotechnologies, Novartis, Juno/Celgene-BMS, Kite, a Gilead Company, Pharmacyclics-AbbVie, Janssen, Pharmacyclics, AlloGene, Precision Bioscience, Miltenyi Biotech, Adicet, Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.
A single subanesthetic dose of ketamine, an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, produces rapid and sustained antidepressant actions in depressed patients, addressing a major unmet need for the ...treatment of mood disorders. Ketamine produces a rapid increase in extracellular glutamate and synaptic formation in the prefrontal cortex, but the initial cellular trigger that initiates this increase and ketamine's behavioral actions has not been identified. To address this question, we used a combination of viral shRNA and conditional mutation to produce cell-specific knockdown or deletion of a key NMDAR subunit, GluN2B, implicated in the actions of ketamine. The results demonstrated that the antidepressant actions of ketamine were blocked by GluN2B-NMDAR knockdown on GABA (Gad1) interneurons, as well as subtypes expressing somatostatin (Sst) or parvalbumin (Pvalb), but not glutamate principle neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Further analysis of GABA subtypes showed that cell-specific knockdown or deletion of GluN2B in Sst interneurons blocked or occluded the antidepressant actions of ketamine and revealed sex-specific differences that are associated with excitatory postsynaptic currents on mPFC principle neurons. These findings demonstrate that GluN2B-NMDARs on GABA interneurons are the initial cellular trigger for the rapid antidepressant actions of ketamine and show sex-specific adaptive mechanisms to GluN2B modulation.
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