Topic: neuronal metabolism

Mutations in Na+/H+ exchanger NHE6 (SLC9A6) underlie several X-linked developmental brain disorders including the neurodegenerative disease Christianson Syndrome (CS). Symptoms include cerebellar atrophy, non-verbal status, seizures and severe cognitive disabilities. NHE6 deletion or loss-of-function mutations lead to attenuated endosomal signaling, dysregulated synaptic transmission and abnormal dendritic branching in vitro and in vivo [1]. In this project, we aim to investigate the localization of wildtype- and CS-associated NHE6 variants in primary neurons, the importance of NHE6 in recepto

Behaviourally relevant sensory input is routinely transmitted and processed in biological networks, despite perpetual perceptually unrelated external, and spontaneously generated internal activity. Such activity has traditionally been understood as noise. In feed-forward networks, such noise can pose a challenge, because disambiguating stimulus-evoked activity and noise in deeper layers becomes increasingly difficult, for example in pattern classification tasks. On the other hand, the beneficial effects of noise for stochastic regularization and preventing co-adaptation were recognized in deep

The hypothalamus is a complex structure involved in different body functions including the control of feeding and body energy expenditure. The arcuate nucleus (ARC), in particular, is a critical nucleus involved in these processes.In the brain, the communication and the interactions between glial and neuronal cells are fundamental in maintaining the brain metabolic homeostasis1.In particular, the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), an immune receptor expressed in the brain microglia, has recently emerged as central in controlling the metabolic fitness of neurons in the de

Trehalose is a natural disaccharide formed by a 1,1-glycosidic bond between two α-glucose units, widely used in food industry due to its peculiar chemical properties. In the last 20 years the involuntary trehalose intake is exponentially increased, with unknown long-term effects on the population. Furthermore, circulating trehalose is able to reach the CNS. Importantly, trehalose induces autophagy in an mTORC1-independent manner activating the transcription factor EB (TFEB), the master transcriptional regulator of autophagy-lysosomal biogenesis. Accordingly, several studies indicated that treh

Tusc5 is a transmembrane protein that assists trafficking of Glucose transporters molecules in adipocites. We and others have previously described Tusc5 in projection sensory neurons. Glut4 transporters (localized in muscles and adipocytes) are continuously recycled through endosomes from and to the plasma membrane and stored in GSVs (Glut4 Storage Vesicles). In adipocites, Tusc5 follows Glut4 trafficking between GSVs and cell surface, upon insulin stimulation. Tusc5 interacts with the signaling cascade of fusion of GSVs with the plasma membrane, similar to the exocytosis mechanism in neuronal