White fat stores excess energy, whereas brown and beige fat are thermogenic and dissipate energy as heat. Thermogenic adipose tissues markedly improve glucose and lipid homeostasis in mouse models, although the extent to which brown adipose tissue (BAT) influences metabolic and cardiovascular disease in humans is unclear 1,2 . Here we retrospectively categorized 134,529 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans from 52,487 patients, by presence or absence of BAT, and used propensity score matching to assemble a study cohort. Scans in the study population were initially conducted for indications related to cancer diagnosis, treatment or surveillance, without previous stimulation. We report that individuals with BAT had lower prevalences of cardiometabolic diseases, and the presence of BAT was independently correlated with lower odds of type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, congestive heart failure and hypertension. These findings were supported by improved blood glucose, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein values.

Midbrain dopamine neurons project to numerous targets throughout the brain to modulate various behaviors and brain states. Within this small population of neurons exists significant heterogeneity based on physiology, circuitry, and disease susceptibility. Recent studies have shown that dopamine neurons can be subdivided based on gene expression; however, the extent to which genetic markers represent functionally relevant dopaminergic subpopulations has not been fully explored. Here we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing of mouse dopamine neurons and validated studies showing that Neurod6 and Grp are selective markers for dopaminergic subpopulations. Using a combination of multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization, retrograde labeling, and electrophysiology in mice of both sexes, we defined the anatomy, projection targets, physiological properties, and disease vulnerability of dopamine neurons based on Grp and/or Neurod6 expression. We found that the combinatorial expression of Grp and Neurod6 defines dopaminergic subpopulations with unique features. Grp+/Neurod6 + dopamine neurons reside in the ventromedial VTA, send projections to the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens, and have noncanonical physiological properties. Grp+/Neurod6- dopamine neurons are found in the VTA as well as in the ventromedial portion of the SNc, where they project selectively to the dorsomedial striatum. Grp-/Neurod6 + dopamine neurons represent a smaller VTA subpopulation, which is preferentially spared in a 6-OHDA model of Parkinson’s disease. Together, our work provides detailed characterization of Neurod6 and Grp expression in the midbrain and generates new insights into how these markers define functionally relevant dopaminergic subpopulations.

We have designed, synthesized, and applied a rhodol-based chromophore to a molecular wire-based platform for voltage sensing to achieve fast, sensitive, and bright voltage sensing using twophoton (2P) illumination. Rhodol VoltageFluor-5 (RVF5) is a voltage-sensitive dye with improved 2P cross-section for use in thick tissue or brain samples. RVF5 features a dichlororhodol core with pyrrolidyl substitution at the nitrogen center. In mammalian cells under one-photon (1P) illumination, RVF5 demonstrates high voltage sensitivity (28% ΔF/F per 100 mV) and improved photostability relative to first-generation voltage sensors. This photostability enables multisite optical recordings from neurons lacking tuberous sclerosis complex 1, Tsc1, in a mouse model of genetic epilepsy. Using RVF5, we show that Tsc1 KO neurons exhibit increased activity relative to wild-type neurons and additionally show that the proportion of active neurons in the network increases with the loss of Tsc1. The high photostability and voltage sensitivity of RVF5 is recapitulated under 2P illumination. Finally, the ability to chemically tune the 2P absorption profile through the use of rhodol scaffolds affords the unique opportunity to image neuronal voltage changes in acutely prepared mouse brain slices using 2P illumination. Stimulation of the mouse hippocampus evoked spiking activity that was readily discerned with bath-applied RVF5, demonstrating the utility of RVF5 and molecular wire-based voltage sensors with 2P-optimized fluorophores for imaging voltage in intact brain tissue. Neuronal membrane potential dynamics drive neurotransmitter release and are therefore responsible for the unique physiology associated with neurons at cellular, circuit, and organismal levels. Despite the central importance of proper neuronal firing to human health, an integrated understanding of neuronal activity in the context of larger brain circuits remains elusive, due in part to a lack of methods for interrogating membrane potential dynamics with sufficient spatial and temporal resolution.Traditional methods for monitoring membrane potential rely heavily on the use of invasive electrodes, through one of two methods. The first method, patch-clamp electrophysiology, uses a single electrode to make contact with or puncture a cell to record changes in membrane potential, sacrificing throughput and spatial resolution to achieve a comprehensive description of a single cellular electrophysiological profile. A second method uses multielectrode arrays (MEAs), in which patterned arrays of electrodes introduced to cells or tissues report on electrical changes. Spatial resolution of MEAs depends on the number and positioning of the electrodes within the array. Although throughput is improved relative to patch-clamp electrophysiology, the extracellularly recorded signals are typically less sensitive than whole-cell methods and can be an amalgamation of several cells, making deconvolution of recorded signals and precise correlation to specific cells difficult or impossible. Addi...

Introduction The development of molecular probes based on novel engineered protein constructs is under active investigation due to the great potential of this generalizable strategy for imaging a variety of tumor targets. Discussion In this report, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-binding Affibody molecules were radiolabeled with 64Cu and their imaging ability was further evaluated in tumor mice models to understand the promise and limitations of such probes. The anti-HER2 Affibody molecules in monomeric (ZHER2:477) and dimeric [(ZHER2:477)2] forms were site specifically modified with the maleimide-functionalized chelator, 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclodode-cane-1,4,7-tris(acetic acid)-10-acetate mono (N-ethylmaleimide amide) (Mal-DOTA). The resulting DOTA–Affibody conjugates were radiolabeled with 64Cu and evaluated in nude mice bearing subcutaneous SKOV3 tumors. Biodistribution experiments showed that tumor uptake values of 64Cu-DOTA-ZHER2:477 and 64Cu-DOTA-(ZHER2:477)2 were 6.12±1.44% and 1.46±0.50% ID/g, respectively, in nude mice (n=3 each) at 4 h postinjection. Moreover, 64Cu-labeled monomer exhibited significantly higher tumor/blood ratio than that of radiolabeled dimeric counterpart at all time points examined in this study. MicroPET imaging of 64Cu-DOTA-ZHER2:477 in SKOV3 tumor mice clearly showed good and specific tumor localization. This study demonstrates that 64Cu-labeled ZHER2:477 is a promising targeted molecular probe for imaging HER2 receptor expression in living mice. Further work is needed to improve the excretion properties, hence dosimetry and imaging efficacy, of the radiometal-based probe.

Strict, lineage-intrinsic requirement for continuous adult Gfi-1b expression at two distinct critical stages of erythropoiesis and megakaryopoiesis.

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