Biology subjects

Bush, R. J.

Publications and source records attributed to Bush, R. J..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

GPNMB and glycosphingolipid measurements in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma from Parkinson's disease patients in the BioFind cohort

BackgroundParkinsons disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor dysfunction and broad cellular impairment, including significant disruptions in lysosomal function, lipid metabolism, and intracellular trafficking. Glycosphingolipids (GSLs), critical for various cellular processes, depend on effective lysosomal degradation. Aberrant GSL metabolism has been linked to PD pathology, and glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) has emerged as a biomarker associated with lysosomal dysfunction and lipid imbalance in PD ObjectivesTo assess the relationship between GPNMB and GSL levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from PD patients and controls within the BioFIND cohort. We also investigated potential sex differences and associations with PD-related biomarkers such as -synuclein MethodsGSL species and GPNMB protein levels were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ELISA assays, respectively, in matched CSF and plasma samples from PD patients and controls ResultsLevels of the paraglobosides GSL species, alpha-2,3SpG and pGb were significantly elevated in the plasma of PD patients compared to healthy controls, while levels of the ganglioside GD1a and the lacto-series GSL, Leb combined (GD1a + Leb), were significantly reduced in PD. GPNMB levels positively correlated with several GSL species in both plasma and CSF. Plasma GSLs and GPNMB concentrations were significantly higher in females compared to males, independent of PD diagnosis. CSF GPNMB correlated positively with age and -synuclein concentrations InterpretationOur findings confirm that GSL metabolism is altered in PD. They also highlight significant sex-based biochemical variations in GSL and GPNMB levels, emphasizing the need for sex-specific analyses in PD biomarker research. The relationship between GSLs and GPNMB supports their potential as interconnected biomarkers of lipid pathology in PD.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Newly Sequenced Genomes Reveal Patterns of Gene Family Expansion in select Dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera)

Gene family evolution plays a key role in shaping patterns of biodiversity across the tree of life. In Insecta, adaptive gene family turnover has broadly been tied to vision, diet, pesticide resistance, immune response and survival in extreme environments. Patterns of gene family evolution are of particular interest in Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), which represents the first lineage to fly, and one of the most exceptional groups of predators. Previous work in Odonata found expansions of opsin genes are correlated with the diversification of the herbivorous insects that Odonata prey upon, but general trends in gene family turnover has not been studied in this order. Here, we show that two families of suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies), Libellulidae and Petaluridae, have expanded gene repertoire related to their unique life history and diversification patterns. These results are an important step towards understanding why Libellulidae is, generally, a species rich family of short lived species that are highly tolerant to poor water quality, while Petaluridae is a species poor family of habitat and behavioral specialists. Specifically, Libellulidae share expanded gene families related to immune response, desiccation response, and processing of free radicals, which all potentially enable many Libellulidae to inhabit low quality water bodies. Likewise, Petaluridae show unique patterns of gene turnover in gene families implicated in sensory perception, which could be tied to the unique semi-terrestrial lifestyle of the nymphs of this family. Furthermore, Odonata as a whole has a gene gene turnover rate that is an order of magnitude smaller than other studied insect orders, potentially contributing to the relatively low species diversity in the order Odonata compared to other insects. These results offer important hypotheses for the consideration of evolutionary drivers across Insecta.

evolutionary biology↗