REVIEWS
- Rodent models in Down syndrome research: impact and future opportunities
Summary: Mouse models have boosted therapeutic options for Down syndrome, and improved models are being developed to better understand the pathophysiology of this genetic condition.
- Central and peripheral circadian clocks and their role in Alzheimer's disease
Summary: This Review summarizes how studies in Drosophila and mouse models accelerate our understanding of the links between circadian rhythm dysfunctions and age-related neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- The chromatin remodeling BAP complex limits tumor-promoting activity of the Hippo pathway effector Yki to prevent neoplastic transformation in Drosophila epithelia
Summary: Using a Drosophila model of epithelial transformation, the authors identify the SWI/SNF BAP complex as an element that represses Yorkie activity and cooperates with the Yorkie protein in malignant tumor formation.
- p53-independent DUX4 pathology in cell and animal models of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Summary: DUX4 is thought to mediate cytopathology through p53. Here, DUX4 is shown to kill primary myoblasts and promote pathological phenotypes in the iDUX4[2.7] mouse model on the p53-null background, calling into question this notion.
- Activation of the Nkx2.5–Calr–p53 signaling pathway by hyperglycemia induces cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in adult zebrafish
Summary: Induction of hyperglycemia gives rise to cardiac apoptosis and dysfunction in adult zebrafish via the Nkx2.5–Calr–p53 signaling pathway, resulting in adult cardiomyopathy.
- Adipose tissue and metabolic and inflammatory responses to stroke are altered in obese mice
Summary: Obesity, a co-morbidity for stroke, affected the acute metabolic and inflammatory response to stroke, highlighting the importance of considering comorbidities in preclinical stroke research, especially when identifying biomarkers.
- Increased acetylation of microtubules rescues human tau-induced microtubule defects and neuromuscular junction abnormalities in Drosophila
Highlighted Article: Increased acetylation of microtubules by genetic and pharmacological approaches rescues human tau overexpression-induced toxicity in Drosophila muscles and neurons.
- MMP-14 overexpression correlates with the neurodegenerative process in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy
Summary: MMP-14 overexpression correlates with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy disease and progression, as determined using mouse models and human samples. TTR gene silencing in the preclinical model decreases MMP-14 plasma levels.
- The Parkinson's disease-associated protein DJ-1 plays a positive nonmitochondrial role in endocytosis in Dictyostelium cells
Editor's choice: The Dictyostelium homologue of the Parkinson's disease-associated protein DJ-1 is located in the cytosol, and its loss causes cytopathological defects in endocytic and autophagic cell death pathways, but stimulates respiration by functionally normal mitochondrial respiratory complexes.