Cells Commons^™

The Effects Of Abused Drugs On Ferroptosis Pathways: Potential Therapeutic Targets For Substance Use Disorders, Tamara Bouchard, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Tina Nguyen, Yan Cheng, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain major public health concerns worldwide, particularly in developed countries. SUDs are characterized by persistent neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Despite decades of extensive investigation, the detailed mechanisms underlying SUDs remain elusive. Ferroptosis is a highly regulated cell death process deeply affected by iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant systems. It has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis in drug-induced pathological changes. Various types of abused substances including alcohol, cocaine, …

Corticobasal Syndrome With Mixed Pathology In The Absence Of Grn Mutation: A Clinico-Pathological Case Of Ftld-Tdp With Coexisting Alzheimer’S And Lewy Body Pathology, Hugo Zamarron, David Irwin, Jeffery Phillips, Edward Lee, Matthew Tisdall, Corey Mcmillan

Research Colloquium

Background: Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by often asymmetric fronto-pariteal and extra-pyramidal features that is traditionally associated with tauopathy, but pathological findings are heterogenous, including other forms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and mixed pathologies of aging. We present clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic features of asymmetry in a unique patient with CBS and underlying FTLD with TDP-43 pathology (FTLD-TDP), co-occurring with other age-related pathologies.

Case Presentation: A 76-year-old man presented with progressive cognitive and motor dysfunction including asymmetric parkinsonism, left-sided dystonia and rigidity, apraxia, visuospatial impairment, and a subtle social disorder including apathy and social withdrawal. The …

Deciphering The Contribution Of Microglia To Neurodegeneration In Friedreich's Ataxia, Sydney N. Gillette

Master's Theses

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most prevalent inherited ataxia, affecting one in every 50,000 individuals in the United States. This hereditary condition is caused by an abnormal GAA trinucleotide repeat expansion within the first intron of the frataxin gene resulting in decreased levels of the frataxin protein (FXN). Insufficient cellular frataxin levels results in iron accumulation, increased reactive oxygen species production and mitochondrial dysfunction. Tissues most heavily impacted are those most dependent on oxidative phosphorylation as an energy source and include the nervous system and muscle tissue. This is evident in the clinical phenotype which includes muscle weakness, ataxia, neurodegeneration …

What Do We Know So Far About Ofatumumab For Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis? A Meta-Analytical Study, Hafiza Munazza Taj, Maryam Talib, Sania Siddiqa, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Karla Robles-Velasco, Ivan Cherrez-Ojeda

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Ofatumumab is a monoclonal antibody that reduces the level of B cells that alter the progression of relapsing multiple sclerosis. Originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2020, this meta-analysis determines the outcomes of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for endline outcomes of Gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions on MRI scans reported as Cohen's d and relapse rate reported as risk ratio. All four RCTs reported favorable findings of gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions (Cohen's d = -0.44, p < 0.00001). The relapse rate was reduced by 46% post ofatumumab administration (RR = 0.54, p < 0.00001). With 14 ongoing trials in this area, more data is required to consolidate our findings.

Picosecond Pulsed Electric Fields And Promise In Neurodegeneration Research, Martina Zamponi, Ross Petrella, Peter A. Mollica

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

The delivery of pulsed electric fields to biological cells for regenerative research and therapeutic applications is a field that has been widely explored. Picosecond pulsed electric fields have been shown to induce intracellular effects and directly target cell membrane proteins as well as being able to induce cell permeabilization and death by apoptosis. Additionally, ultrashort pulses can be focused and delivered in a noncontact manner for possible targeting of deep and inaccessible tissues. The unique characteristics of picosecond pulses make them a possible approach for treatment of Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseases, both characterized by progressive neuronal degeneration and death, and …