Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is potentially lethal, but it is also a treatable autoimmune disorder characterized by prominent psychiatric and neurologic symptoms. It is often accompanied with teratoma or other neoplasm, especially in female patients. Anti-NMDAR antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum are characteristic features of the disease, thereby suggesting a pathogenic role in the disease. Here, we summarize recent studies that have clearly documented that both clinical manifestations and the antibodies may contribute to early diagnosis and multidisciplinary care. The clinical course of the disorder is reversible and the relapse could occur in some patients. Anti-NMDAR encephalitis coexisting with demyelinating disorders makes the diagnosis more complex; thus, clinicians should be aware of the overlapping diseases.

A highly selective ratiometric fluorescent chemodosimeter derived from 4-hydroxynaphthalimide was designed and synthesized to image palladium species in living cells by virtue of a palladium-catalyzed depropargylation reaction, and it could monitor three typical palladium species (0, + 2 and + 4) without additional reagents.

By using solubility control to crystallize the prenucleation clusters of hydrosol, a family of titanium-oxo clusters possessing the {Ti18O27} core in which the 18 Ti(IV)-ions are uniquely connected with μ-oxo ligands into a triple-decked pentagonal prism was obtained. The cluster cores are wrapped by external sulfate and aqua ligands, showing good solubilities and stabilities in a variety of solvents including acetonitrile and water and allowing their solution chemistry being studied by means of electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy, (17)O NMR, and vibrational spectroscopy. Furthermore, this study provides new titanium oxide candidates for surface modifications and homogeneous photocatalysis.

BackgroundMycoplasma hyorhinis infection has been postulated to play a role in the development of several types of cancer, but the direct evidence and mechanism remained to be determined.MethodsImmunohistochemistry assay and nested polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) were performed to examine the mycoplasma hyorhinis infection in gastric cancer tissues. Statistical analysis was used to check the association between mycoplasma infection and clinicopathologic parameters. Transwell chamber assay and metastasis assay were used to evaluate mycoplasma hyorhinis' effects on metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mycoplasma hyorhinis-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation were investigated by Western blot.ResultsMycoplasma hyorhinis infection in gastric cancer tissues was revealed and statistical analysis indicated a significant association between mycoplasma infections and lymph node metastasis, Lauren's Classification, TNM stage, and age of the patients. Mycoplasma hyorhinis promoted tumor cell migration, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, which was possibly associated with the enhanced phosphorylation of EGFR and ERK1/2. The antibody against p37 protein of Mycoplasma hyorhinis could inhibit the migration of the infected cells.ConclusionsThe infection of mycoplasma hyorhinis may contribute to the development of gastric cancer and Mycoplasma hyorhinis-induced malignant phenotypes were possibly mediated by p37.

Astrocytes, which are five-fold more numerous than neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), are traditionally viewed to provide simple structural and nutritional supports for neurons and to participate in the composition of the blood brain barrier (BBB). In recent years, the active roles of astrocytes in regulating cerebral blood flow (CBF) and in maintaining the homeostasis of the tripartite synapse have attracted increasing attention. More importantly, astrocytes have been associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a major cause of dementia in the elderly. Although microglia-induced inflammation is considered important in the development and progression of AD, inflammation attributable to astrogliosis may also play crucial roles. A1 reactive astrocytes induced by inflammatory stimuli might be harmful by up-regulating several classical complement cascade genes thereby leading to chronic inflammation, while A2 induced by ischemia might be protective by up-regulating several neurotrophic factors. Here we provide a concise review of the emerging roles of astrocytes in the homeostasis maintenance of the neuro-vascular unit (NVU) and the tripartite synapse with emphasis on reactive astrogliosis in the context of AD, so as to pave the way for further research in this area, and to search for potential therapeutic targets of AD.

Mounting evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is not just a consequence but a vital contributor to the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Microglia in particular, may contribute to the induction and modulation of inflammation in PD. Upon stimulation, microglia convert into activated phenotypes, which exist along a dynamic continuum and bear different immune properties depending on the disease stage and severity. Activated microglia release various factors involved in neuroinflammation, such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and prostaglandins (PGs). Further, activated microglia interact with other cell types (e.g., neurons, astrocytes and mast cells) and are closely associated with α-synuclein (α-syn) pathophysiology and iron homeostasis disturbance. Taken together, microglial activation and microglia-mediated inflammatory responses play essential roles in the pathogenesis of PD and elucidation of the complexity and imbalance of microglial activation may shed light on novel therapeutic approaches for PD.

Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) acts as a weak acid distributed mainly in acidic organelle lysosomes of phagocytes and plays a crucial role in the immune defense. The elaborate interrelation between the variations of HOCl levels in lysosomes and different physiological and pathological processes remains unclear. Thus, the accurate determination of lysosomal HOCl in living cells and in vivo is very important. Because of extremely low concentration and difficulty in distinguishing HOCl from OCl under the physiological environment, it is still a great challenge to specifically monitor the intracellular intrinsic HOCl levels without exogenous stimulation, which impedes an exact understanding of its biological roles. In this paper, based on the electrophilic addition of Cl to sulfide moiety, we have developed a two-photon fluorescent probe O-(N-butyl-1,8-naphthalimide)-4-yl-N,N-dimethylthiocarbamate (NDMTC) for the specific determination of HOCl over OCl and other bioactive molecules. Our results show that NDMTC possesses a detection limit of 7.6 pM, and it is the first fluorescent probe for detecting HOCl at the picomolar level. Furthermore, by introducing an alkylmorpholine group to the NDMTC framework, the lysosome-targetable derivative Lyso-NDMTC was obtained, and its ability to image HOCl in the lysosome organelles was clearly confirmed. Combined with two-photon fluorescence imaging of background suppression and deeper tissue penetration, NDMTC and Lyso-NDMTC were used to successfully visualize intracellular native HOCl and discern tumor tissue in mice. This study offers two perfect fluorescence imaging probes for further investigation of pathological roles of HOCl in various diseases.

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