Power Sharing, Capacity Building, and Evolving Roles in ELSI: The Center for the Ethics of Indigenous Genomic Research

Persistent, unresolved issues stemming from a legacy of scientific exploitation and bio-colonialism have kept many tribal nations from participating in genomic research. The Center for the Ethics of Indigenous Genomic Research (CEIGR) aims to model meaningful community engagement that moves toward more inclusive and equitable research practices related to genomics. This article reflects on key successes and challenges behind CEIGR's efforts to shape Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) research in ways that are informed by Indigenous perspectives, to locate community partnerships at the center of genomics research, and to conduct normative and empirical research with Indigenous communities that is grounded in the concepts of reciprocity, transparency and cultural competency. The structure of CEIGR represents an important shift away from a traditional model centered on a university-based principal investigators toward a partner-centered research approach that emphasizes equity and community control by distributing power and decision-making across all CEIGR partner sites. We discuss three features of CEIGR that have contributed to this shift towards an equitable, community-driven partnership: 1) balancing local priorities with collective goals; 2) distributing power in ways that promote equitable partnerships; and 3) capacity building and co-learning across partner sites. The discussion of these three areas in this article speaks to a particular strength of our Center: the interdependence among partners and collective willingness to maintain a plasticity of leadership that creates space for all of our partners to lead, support, exchange and strengthen ELSI research.

Health-Related Participatory Research in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: A Scoping Review

A scoping review was conducted to assess the state of the literature on health-related participatory research involving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Online databases were searched for relevant articles published between 1/1/2000 and 5/31/2017. 10,000+ data points relevant to community-level engagement in and regulation of research, community research capacity and cultural adaptation were extracted from 178 articles. Community engagement varied across study components: 136 (76%) articles reported community participation in research-related meetings and other events and 49 (27%) articles reported community involvement in initiation of research. 156 (88%) articles reported use of community-level tools to guide or regulate research. 93 (52%) articles reported that community members received research-related training. 147 (82%) articles described some type of cultural adaptation. Across all articles, data points on community engagement were not reported in 3061 (40%) out of 7740 cases. Findings suggest a need for increased community engagement in early stages of the research process and for reporting guidelines for participatory research involving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. There is also need to further existing research on the impact of different components of participatory research on process and outcome measures and to develop funding mechanisms that account for the time and resource intensive nature of participatory research.

Transcriptional activity of the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter in murine embryonic stem (ES) cells and preimplantation embryos

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were transfected with a plasmid composed of an E. coli lacZ gene fused to 1.8 kb of rat neuron-specific enolase (NSE) promoter sequences. While this reporter construct had been shown previously to function exclusively in postmitotic neurons and neuro-endocrine cells of transgenic mice, stably transfected ES cell clones unexpectedly displayed beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) activity in the undifferentiated state. This transcriptional activity of the heterologous NSE promoter was confirmed by the identification of endogenous NSE mRNA in undifferentiated ES cells, mouse morulae and blastocysts. NSE protein, however, could not be found in undifferentiated ES cells. Interestingly, in ES cells which were cultured for 7 days under differentiation conditions in vitro, beta-Gal activity decreased to basal levels consistent with the parallel down-regulation of endogenous NSE mRNA. In contrast, prolonged culture of ES cells under differentiation conditions led to the reappearance of NSE mRNA and beta-Gal activity after 17 days. Significant increases in beta-Gal activity were also observed in ES cells which were cultured either on dishes coated with attachment factors such as laminin and gelatin or in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF). These results suggest that i) transcriptional control mechanisms regulating neuronal gene expression are present at early developmental stages in the mouse and ii) ES cells provide a useful in vitro model system for the analysis of developmentally regulated cellular and molecular events coupled to neuron-specific enolase promoter activity.

Peripheral kappa-opioid modulation of the formalin response: an electrophysiological study in the rat

The activity of single dorsal horn nociceptive neurones was recorded in the spinal cord of halothane anaesthetized rats. S.c. injection of a 5% formalin solution into the receptive field of these neurones resulted in two peaks of neuronal firing over a period of 60 min. Prior administration of the kappa-opioid receptor agonist U50488H directly into the site of formalin injection caused a dose-dependent decrease in the size of both the first and second peaks of the response which was naloxone reversible. Injection of U50488H into the contralateral paw had no effect on either peak of the formalin response. Injection of the top dose (100 micrograms) of U50488H had no effect on the electrically evoked A beta- or C-fibre responses of the neurone. Neither morphine nor Tyr-D-Ser(Otbu)-Gly-Phe-Leu-Thr (DSTBULET), administered into the receptive field, had any significant effect on either peak of the formalin response. Plasma extravasation in the skin, measured using Evans blue, produced by the formalin injection was not blocked by U50488H. Thus, whilst the spinal responses of this peripheral model of inflammation can be inhibited by peripheral kappa-opioid activation, but not mu- or delta-, plasma extravasation associated with this inflammation is not reduced.