Biology subjects

Peng, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Peng, B..

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

bioRxiv2019

Anterograde Trans-Synaptic AAV Strategies for Probing Neural Circuitry

Elucidating the organization and function of neural circuits is greatly facilitated by viral tools that spread transsynaptically. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has been shown to exhibit anterograde transneuronal spread. However, the synaptic specificity of the spread and its broad application in various neural circuits remain to be explored. Here, using anatomical, functional, and molecular approaches, we provide strong evidence for the specifically preferential spread of AAV1 to post-synaptically connected neurons. Besides glutamatergic synapses made onto excitatory and inhibitory neurons, AAV1 also transsynaptically spreads through GABAergic synapses and effectively tags spinal cord neurons receiving long-distance projections from various brain regions, but exhibits little or no spread through neuromodulatory projections (e.g. serotonergic, cholinergic, and noradrenergic). Combined with newly designed intersectional and sparse labeling strategies, AAV1 can be utilized to categorize neurons according to their input sources, morphological and molecular identities. These properties make AAV a unique anterograde transsynaptic tool for establishing a comprehensive cell-atlas of the brain.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

PI16 is a non-neuronal regulator of neuropathic pain

Chronic pain is a major clinical problem of which the mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here we describe the concept that PI16, a protein of unknown function mainly produced by fibroblasts, controls neuropathic pain. The spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain increases PI16 protein levels in fibroblasts in DRG meninges and in the epi/perineurium of the sciatic nerve. We did not detect PI16 expression in neurons or glia in spinal cord, DRG and nerve. Mice deficient in PI16 are protected against neuropathic pain. In vitro, PI16 promotes trans-endothelial leukocyte migration. In vivo, PI16-/- mice show reduced endothelial barrier permeability, lower leukocyte infiltration and reduced activation of the endothelial barrier regulator MLCK and reduced phosphorylation of its substrate MLC2 in response to SNI. In summary, our findings support a model in which PI16 promotes neuropathic pain by mediating a cross talk between fibroblasts and the endothelial barrier leading to barrier opening, cellular influx and increased pain. Its key role in pain and its limited cellular and tissue distribution makes PI16 an attractive target for pain management.\n\nGraphical Abstract\n\nO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=128 HEIGHT=200 SRC=\"FIGDIR/small/696542v1_ufig1.gif\" ALT=\"Figure 1\">\nView larger version (22K):\norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@172f530org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@3f62a8org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16606ccorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1485156_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Metagenomic Next-generation Sequencing of Cerebrospinal Fluid for the Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Infections: A Multicentre Prospective Study

BackgroundInfectious encephalitis and meningitis are often treated empirically without identification of the causative pathogen. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a high throughput technology that enables the detection of pathogens independent of prior clinical or laboratory information.\n\nMethodsThe present study was a multicentre prospective evaluation of mNGS of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of suspected central nervous system infections.\n\nResultsA total of 276 patients were enrolled in this study between Jan 1, 2017 and Jan 1, 2018. Identification of an etiologic pathogen in CSF by mNGS was achieved in 101 patients (36.6%). mNGS detected 11 bacterial species, 7 viral species, 2 fungal species, and 2 parasitic species. The five leading positive detections were varicella-zoster virus (17), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (14), herpes simplex virus 1 (12), Epstein-Barr virus (12), and Cryptococcus neoformans (7). False positives occurred in 12 (4.3%) patients with bacterial infections known to be widespread in hospital environments. False negatives occurred in 16 (5.8%) patients and included bacterial, viral and fungal aetiologies.\n\nConclusionsmNGS of CSF is a powerful diagnostic method to identify the pathogen for many central nervous system infections.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2018

Anti-BP180 Autoantibodies Are Present in Stroke and Recognize Human Cutaneous BP180 and BP180-NC16A

BackgroundCurrent evidence has revealed a significant association between bullous pemphigoid (BP) and neurological diseases (ND), including stroke, but the incidence of BP autoantibodies in patients with stroke has not previously been investigated.\n\nObjectiveOur study aims to assess BP antigen-specific antibodies in stroke patients.\n\nMethods100 patients with stroke and 100 healthy controls were randomly selected to measure anti-BP180/230 IgG autoantibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), salt split indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and immunoblotting against human cutaneous BP180 and BP180-NC16A.\n\nResultsAnti-BP180 autoantibodies were found in 14(14.0%) patients with stroke and 5(5.0 %) of controls by ELISA (p<0.05). Sera from 13(13.0%) patients with stroke and 3(3.0 %) controls reacted with 180-kDa proteins from human cutis extract (p<0.05). 11(11.0%) of stroke and 2(2.0 %) of control sera recognized the human recombinant full length BP180 and NC16A (p<0.05). The anti-BP180-positive patients were significantly younger than the negative patients in stroke (p<0.001).\n\nLimitationsLongitudinal changes in antibody titers and long-term clinical outcome for a long duration were not fully investigated.\n\nConclusionDevelopment of anti-BP180 autoantibodies occur at a higher frequency after stroke, suggesting BP180 as a shared autoantigen in stroke with BP and providing novel insights into BP pathogenesis in aging.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2018

SoS Notebook: An Interactive Multi-Language Data Analysis Environment

MotivationComplex bioinformatic data analysis workflows involving multiple scripts in different languages can be difficult to consolidate, share, and reproduce. An environment that streamlines the entire processes of data collection, analysis, visualization and reporting of such multi-language analyses is currently lacking.\n\nResultsWe developed Script of Scripts (SoS) Notebook, a web-based notebook environment that allows the use of multiple scripting language in a single notebook, with data flowing freely within and across languages. SoS Notebook enables researchers to perform sophisticated bioinformatic analysis using the most suitable tools for different parts of the workflow, without the limitations of a particular language or complications of cross-language communications.\n\nAvailabilitySoS Notebook is hosted at http://vatlab.github.io/SoS/ and is distributed under a BSD license.\n\nContactbpeng@mdanderson.org

bioinformatics↗