Homocysteine enhances the excitability of cultured hippocampal neurons without altering the gene expression of voltage-gated ion channels.

Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels lead to hyperhomocysteinemia, a condition associated with various neurological disorders affecting multiple brain regions, including the hippocampus. In this study, we investigated the effects of exposing cultured rat hippocampal neurons to Hcy concentrations corresponding to mild, moderate, and severe hyperhomocysteinemia. A short 24-hour exposure had minimal effects, whereas prolonged exposure up to 14 days moderately enhanced hippocampal excitability without altering the gene expression of voltage-dependent calcium, sodium, or potassium channels or intracellular calcium levels.

Functional characterization of a novel de novo CACNA1C pathogenic variant in a patient with neurodevelopmental disorder.

Mutations in CACNA1C, the gene encoding Ca1.2 voltage-gated calcium channels, are associated with a spectrum of disorders, including Timothy syndrome and other neurodevelopmental and cardiac conditions. In this study, we report a child with a de novo heterozygous missense variant (c.

Electrophysiological characterization of sourced human iPSC-derived motor neurons.

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons provide a powerful platform for studying motor neuron diseases. These cells enable human-specific modeling of disease mechanisms and high-throughput drug screening. While commercially available iPSC-derived motor neurons offer a convenient alternative to time-intensive differentiation protocols, their electrophysiological properties and maturation require comprehensive evaluation to validate their utility for research and therapeutic applications.

Thiazole-Based IL-17 Inhibitors Discovered by Scaffold Morphing.

The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-17A (IL-17) plays an important role in the body's defense against bacterial and fungal infections. However, overexpression of IL-17 has been associated with several diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis, and even cancer. The role of IL-17 in psoriasis has been confirmed by clinical use of IL-17 antibodies, e.