Neuronal alterations in AKT isotype expression in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is characterized by substantial alterations in brain function, and previous studies suggest insulin signaling pathways, particularly involving AKT, are implicated in the pathophysiology of the disorder. This study demonstrates elevated mRNA expression of AKT1-3 in neurons from schizophrenia subjects, contrary to unchanged or diminished total AKT protein expression reported in previous postmortem studies, suggesting a potential decoupling of transcript and protein levels. Sex-specific differential AKT activity was observed, indicating divergent roles in males and females with schizophrenia. Alongside AKT, upregulation of PDPK1, a critical component of the insulin signaling pathway, and several protein phosphatases known to regulate AKT were detected. Moreover, enhanced expression of the transcription factor FOXO1, a regulator of glucose metabolism, hints at possible compensatory mechanisms related to insulin signaling dysregulation. Findings were largely independent of antipsychotic medication use, suggesting inherent alterations in schizophrenia. These results highlight the significance of AKT and related signaling pathways in schizophrenia, proposing that these changes might represent a compensatory response to a primary defect of conical insulin signaling pathways. This research underscores the need for a detailed understanding of these signaling pathways for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.

Nano-biotechnology, an applicable approach for sustainable future.

Nanotechnology is one of the most emerging fields of research within recent decades and is based upon the exploitation of nano-sized materials (e.g., nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanomembranes, nanowires, nanofibers and so on) in various operational fields. Nanomaterials have multiple advantages, including high stability, target selectivity, and plasticity. Diverse biotic (e.g., Capsid of viruses and algae) and abiotic (e.g., Carbon, silver, gold and etc.) materials can be utilized in the synthesis process of nanomaterials. "Nanobiotechnology" is the combination of nanotechnology and biotechnology disciplines. Nano-based approaches are developed to improve the traditional biotechnological methods and overcome their limitations, such as the side effects caused by conventional therapies. Several studies have reported that nanobiotechnology has remarkably enhanced the efficiency of various techniques, including drug delivery, water and soil remediation, and enzymatic processes. In this review, techniques that benefit the most from nano-biotechnological approaches, are categorized into four major fields: medical, industrial, agricultural, and environmental.

Selenium enhances the expression of miR-9, miR-124 and miR-29a during neural differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Selenium (Se) is a trace element that plays important role in antioxidant defense in the brain. Sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) is an inorganic salt of Se which has an antioxidant function. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Sodium selenite on the expression of important neuronal microRNAs during neural differentiation of bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs). METHODS: Mesenchymal stem cells were collected from rat bone marrow and cultured in the Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) medium. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay was conducted to determine the toxicity of Na2SeO3. For neural induction, BMSCs were divided into control, Na2SeO3 containing (10 ng/mL) and Na2SeO3 free groups and cultured in DMEM medium supplemented with Isobutyl-l-methylxanthine (IBMX), Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), B27, Retinoic acid, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) for 14 days. At the end of the differentiation, immunostaining against Microtubule associated protein 2 (Map-2) and Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) proteins was performed. Also, the total RNA is extracted from control and neural differentiated cells using a special kit, and the expression of miR-9, miR-124, and miR-29a was analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Increasing Na2SeO3 concentrations had increasing toxicity; therefore, the concentration of 10 ng/mL was used as a supplement during neural differentiation. Examination of the expression of Map-2 and ChAT proteins showed that Na2SeO3 increased the expression of them and consequently the neuronal differentiation of BMSCs. Na2SeO3 also significantly increased the expression of miR-9, miR-124, and miR-29a in BMSCs undergoing neuronal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the protective effect of selenium on neural differentiation of stem cells may be mediated through neuron specific microRNAs. This result further highlights the importance of selenium supplementation in preventing neuronal diseases.