Synapses are essential units for the flow of information in the brain.Over the last 70 years,synapses have been widely studied in multiple animal models including worms,fruit flies,and rodents.In comparison,the study ...Synapses are essential units for the flow of information in the brain.Over the last 70 years,synapses have been widely studied in multiple animal models including worms,fruit flies,and rodents.In comparison,the study of human synapses has evolved significantly slower,mainly because of technical limitations.However,three novel methods allowing the analysis of molecular,morphological,and functional properties of human synapses may expand our knowledge of the human brain.Here,we briefly describe these methods,and evaluate how the information provided by each unique approach may contribute to the functional and anatomical analysis of the synaptic component of human brain circuitries.In particular,using tissue from cryopreserved human brains,synaptic plasticity can be studied in isolated synaptosomes by fluorescence analysis of single-synapse long-term potentiation（FASS-LTP）,and subpopulations of synapses can be thoroughly assessed in the ribbons of brain tissue by array tomography（AT）.Currently,it is also possible to quantify synaptic density in the living human brain by positron emission tomography（PET）,using a novel synaptic radio-ligand.Overall,data provided by FASS-LTP,AT,and PET may significantly contribute to the global understanding of synaptic structure and function in both healthy and diseased human brains,thus directly impacting translational research.展开更多
Both thymocytes and tumor cells express M2 type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(M2PK),which is different from R type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(RPK)that is expressed in erythrocytes.In this report,the effect of RPK and...Both thymocytes and tumor cells express M2 type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(M2PK),which is different from R type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(RPK)that is expressed in erythrocytes.In this report,the effect of RPK and M2PK on the transcription of human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1)was tested.The results indicated that M2PK could enhance HIV-1 transcription from its long terminal repeat(LTR)promoter,while RPK did not have such an effect.Specific down-regulation of M2PK could inhibit HIV-1 transcription from its LTR region.Furthermore,it was found that the C terminal region of M2PK is responsible for this effect.Collectively,the cellular factor M2PK that is expressed in thymocytes could facilitate the transcription of HIV-1.展开更多
基金supported by National Institutes of Health Grants R21-AG048506,P01-AG000538 and RO1-AG34667(to CWC)UC MEXUS-CONACYT Grant CN-16-170(to GAP and CWC)
文摘Synapses are essential units for the flow of information in the brain.Over the last 70 years,synapses have been widely studied in multiple animal models including worms,fruit flies,and rodents.In comparison,the study of human synapses has evolved significantly slower,mainly because of technical limitations.However,three novel methods allowing the analysis of molecular,morphological,and functional properties of human synapses may expand our knowledge of the human brain.Here,we briefly describe these methods,and evaluate how the information provided by each unique approach may contribute to the functional and anatomical analysis of the synaptic component of human brain circuitries.In particular,using tissue from cryopreserved human brains,synaptic plasticity can be studied in isolated synaptosomes by fluorescence analysis of single-synapse long-term potentiation（FASS-LTP）,and subpopulations of synapses can be thoroughly assessed in the ribbons of brain tissue by array tomography（AT）.Currently,it is also possible to quantify synaptic density in the living human brain by positron emission tomography（PET）,using a novel synaptic radio-ligand.Overall,data provided by FASS-LTP,AT,and PET may significantly contribute to the global understanding of synaptic structure and function in both healthy and diseased human brains,thus directly impacting translational research.
基金This work was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(No.2006CB504305)National Special Research Program of Major Infectious Diseases(No.2008ZX10001-002)the 111 Project(No.B06018).
文摘Both thymocytes and tumor cells express M2 type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(M2PK),which is different from R type isoenzyme of pyruvate kinase(RPK)that is expressed in erythrocytes.In this report,the effect of RPK and M2PK on the transcription of human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1)was tested.The results indicated that M2PK could enhance HIV-1 transcription from its long terminal repeat(LTR)promoter,while RPK did not have such an effect.Specific down-regulation of M2PK could inhibit HIV-1 transcription from its LTR region.Furthermore,it was found that the C terminal region of M2PK is responsible for this effect.Collectively,the cellular factor M2PK that is expressed in thymocytes could facilitate the transcription of HIV-1.
