Group I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors: A Role in Neurodevelopmental Disorders?

Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGlu1 and mGlu5) are coupled to polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis and are involved in activity-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity, both during development and in the adult life. Group I mGlu receptors can also regulate proliferation, differentiation, and survival of neural stem/progenitor cells, which further support their role in brain development. An exaggerated response to activation of mGlu5 receptors may underlie synaptic dysfunction in Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of mental retardation. In addition, group I mGlu receptors are overexpressed in dysplastic neurons of focal cortical dysplasia and hemimegaloencephaly, which are disorders of cortical development associated with chronic epilepsy. Drugs that block the activity of group I mGlu receptors (in particular, mGlu5 receptors) are potentially helpful for the treatment of Fragile X syndrome and perhaps other neurodevelopmental disorders.     

Structure and electrophysiological responses of gustatory organs on the ovipositor of the parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma

Location, structure and histology of chemosensilla on the tip of the ovipositor of the parasitoid Leptopilina heterotoma are described based on SEM and TEM studies. Furthermore, we developed a method for recording extracellular action potentials from the gustatory neurons in response to host haemolymph. This method allowed us to record multi-unit recordings from a sensillum occurring singly on the unpaired ovipositor valve. The TEM study of the ovipositor tip revealed the presence of six dendrites, the electrophysiological recordings provided evidence for the activity of three or possibly four gustatory neurons in response to the complex stimulus offered, leaving other taste functions or a mechanoreceptor function open for the remaining neurons.     

3-O-methylfunicone, from Penicillium pinophilum, is a selective inhibitor of breast cancer stem cells

Objectives: Cancer stem cells make up a subpopulation of cells within tumours that drive tumour initiation, growth and recurrence. They are resistant to many current types of cancer treatment, causing failure of such therapeutic approaches, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In the study described here, anti‐proliferative effects of 3‐O‐methylfunicone (OMF), a metabolite from Penicillium pinophilum, were investigated on human breast cancer MCF‐7 cells and cancer stem cells selected as mammospheres derived from MCF‐7s. Materials and methods: Stemness markers were analysed on isolated mammospheres showing positive expression of CD24, CD29, CD44, CD133, CD184 and CD338. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were analysed by flow cytometry and RT‐PCR. Cell colony formation assays were performed to evaluate colony formation of mammospheres. Results and conclusion: OMF treatment affected both MCF‐7 and mammosphere growth, inducing apoptosis. In addition, OMF strongly reduced stemness markers and survivin, hTERT and Nanog‐1 gene expression. Growth of colonies in soft‐agar was significantly affected by OMF treatment, too. Lastly, we tested ability of MCF‐7 cells to form mammospheres after treatment with OMF or cisplatin, demonstrating that OMF treatment resulted in drastic reduction in number of mammospheres. These results introduce OMF as an effective molecule in suppressing breast cancer stem cells.