Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

About: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine is a education organization based out in Springfield, Illinois, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 3747 authors who have published 5977 publications receiving 209115 citations. The organization is also known as: SIU School of Medicine.

The genetically epilepsy-prone rat.

Abstract: 1. The genetically epilepsy-prone rat (GEPR) is a valuable model for investigating mechanisms involved in epilepsy because of the controllable nature of the convulsions and their genetic origin. 2. The GEPR exhibits audiogenic seizures (AGS) and also displays higher than normal sensitivity to convulsant drugs, kindling, electroshock and hyperthermic seizures. 3. An abnormal electroencephalographic pattern and increased thresholds for auditory evoked potentials from the cochlea and brainstem are observed in the GEPR. 4. Afterdischarge-like responses and decreased sound-induced inhibition are observed in neurophysiological recordings from neurons of the inferior colliculus (IC) in the GEPR. 5. Significant deficits of norepinephrine and serotonin are observed in many regions of the GEPR brain. 6. Increases in the number of GABAergic neurons and a reduced effectiveness of iontophoretically-applied GABA are observed in the IC of this animal. 7. GABA agonists or an excitant amino acid (EAA) antagonist block AGS susceptibility when microinjected into brainstem auditory nuclei of the GEPR up to the level of IC. 8. A GABA antagonist or an EAA agonist induces susceptibility to AGS in normal rats following microinjection into IC. An increase in EAA release in IC during AGS in the GEPR is also observed. 9. This increased release of EAA and the reduced effectiveness of GABA in IC may be important seizure initiation mechanisms in the GEPR. 10. The AGS pathway in the GEPR appears to involve the auditory nuclei up to the IC as well as the brainstem reticular formation and substantia nigra but not the entopenduncular nucleus or hippocampus.

Depression in schizophrenia.

Abstract: Depressive syndromes that occur during the course of schizophrenia are not clearly understood but have important implications for the treatment of the schizophrenic patient. In this review of the literature on depression secondary to schizophrenia, the author notes that lack of tested diagnostic criteria has led to a misunderstanding of its relatively high frequency and its association with poor outcome features such as impaired psychosocial functioning, schizophrenic relapse, and suicide. Differential diagnosis, including ruling out akinetic depression, is essential, he believes, partly because the concept of schizophrenic depression as postpsychotic is not supported by evidence. Clinical management must address such increased risk factors as relapse and suicide, but evidence indicates that secondary depression in schizophrenia does not respond to antidepressant medication.

Candida albicans Als proteins mediate aggregation with bacteria and yeasts.

Abstract: Candida albicans occupies a microniche on mucosal surfaces where diverse microbial populations interact within a biofilm. Because C. albicans is intimately involved with other microbes in this environment we studied the interactions of C. albicans with other fungi and bacteria that form mixed microbial aggregates. Once aggregation is initiated, aggregates form rapidly and incorporate fungal as well as bacterial cells. The fungus formed mixed microbial aggregates with homotypic cells (i.e., self to self, e.g., C. albicans or Als1p-expressing yeast cells aggregating with cells bearing Als1p); with heterotypic cells (i.e., self to non-self, e.g., C. albicans or Alsp-expressing yeast cells aggregating with other Candida species); and with xenotypic cells (e.g., C. albicans or Alsp-expressing yeast cells forming aggregates with bacteria). When either of the C. albicans adhesins Als1p or Als5p was displayed on the surface of non-adherent Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, the S. cerevisiae also mediated these mixed microbial interactions. Thus the Als adhesins are potentially important for the co-adhesion of mixed microbial communities in biofilms and on mucus surfaces.

MicroRNA-101-mediated Akt activation and estrogen-independent growth.

Abstract: MicroRNAs are gene regulators that work through a posttranscriptional repression mechanism Dysregulation of microRNA expression could lead to a variety of disorders, in particular, human cancer, and has also been implicated in antihormone therapy resistance However, little is known whether microRNAs have a role in estrogen-independent growth, leading to tamoxifen resistance in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors In this study, we use an in vivo selection system against a microRNA library using the MCF-7 model and demonstrate that miR-101 promotes estrogen-independent growth and causes the upregulation of phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) without impacting the ER level or activity Importantly, although miR-101 suppresses cell growth in normal estradiol (E2)-containing medium, it promotes cell growth in E2-free medium Moreover, estrogen deprivation greatly enhances miR-101-mediated Akt activation Finally, we show that MAGI-2 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase), a scaffold protein required for PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) activity, is a direct target for miR-101; suppression of MAGI-2 by miR-101 reduces PTEN activity, leading to Akt activation Taken together, these results not only establish a role for miR-101 in estrogen-independent signaling but also provide a mechanistic link between miR-101 and Akt activation