Uncovering Novel Extracellular Matrix Transcriptome Alterations in Lesions of Multiple Sclerosis

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the central nervous system (CNS) is an interconnected network of proteins and sugars with critical roles in both homeostasis and disease. In neurological diseases, excessive ECM deposition and remodeling impact both injury and repair. CNS lesions of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory and degenerative disease, cause prominent alterations of the ECM. However, there are a lack of data investigating how the multitude of ECM members change in relation to each other and how this affects the MS disease course. Here, we evaluated ECM changes in MS lesions compared to a control brain using databases generated in-house through spatial mRNA-sequencing and through a public resource of single-nucleus RNA sequencing previously published by Absinta and colleagues. These results underline the importance of publicly available datasets to find new targets of interest, such as the ECM. Both spatial and public datasets demonstrated widespread changes in ECM molecules and their interacting proteins, including alterations to proteoglycans and glycoproteins within MS lesions. Some of the altered ECM members have been described in MS, but other highly upregulated members, including the SPARC family of proteins, have not previously been highlighted. SPARC family members are upregulated in other conditions by reactive astrocytes and may influence immune cell activation and MS disease course. The profound changes to the ECM in MS lesions deserve more scrutiny as they impact neuroinflammation, injury, and repair.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis as a source of human embryonic stem cells for disease research and drug discovery

Embryos surplus to therapeutic requirements following preimplantation genetic diagnosis can be used to derive human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines carrying mutations significant to human disease. These cells provide a powerful in vitro tool for modelling disease progression in a number of cell types as well as having the potential to revolutionise drug discovery. Robust and reproducible directed differentiation protocols are needed to maximise the potential of these cells. In this review, we explore the current use of hESC and induced pluripotent stem cells in disease-specific research and discuss the use of stem cell technology in drug discovery and toxicity testing.

Factors related to the incidence of the malabsorption syndrome

Malabsorption syndrome has been produced in the laboratory with chicks and feed supplied by poultry integrators who had experienced the problem. Feed supplied by one company produced chicks that developed pale shanks and had apparent malabsorption of certain nutrients. One chick source also had a statistically lower pigmentation score than the other.

An intermittent problem with tibial dyschondroplasia

Broilers observed in the summer of 1978 had an excessively high incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia, causing both downgrading and loss of parts from broken legs. No etiological agent was determined. Birds held to 16 weeks of age retained the cartilaginous lesions. Bone ash was not diagnostic. Serology indicated no correlation with infectious bursal disease. No bacteria were isolated. The condition was not observed in the next placement of chicks.