Objective Sorting mechanisms that cause the amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the β-secretases and γ-secretases to colocalize in the same compartment play an important role in the regulation of Aβ production in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We and others have reported that genetic variants in the Sortilin-related receptor (SORL1) increased the risk of AD, that SORL1 is involved in trafficking of APP, and that under expression of SORL1 leads to overproduction of Aβ. Here we explored the role of one of its homologs, the sortilin-related VPS10 domain containing receptor 1 (SORCS1), in AD. Methods We analyzed the genetic associations between AD and 16 SORCS1–single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 6 independent data sets (2,809 cases and 3,482 controls). In addition, we compared SorCS1 expression levels of affected and unaffected brain regions in AD and control brains in microarray gene expression and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) sets, explored the effects of significant SORCS1-SNPs on SorCS1 brain expression levels, and explored the effect of suppression and overexpression of the common SorCS1 isoforms on APP processing and Aβ generation. Results Inherited variants in SORCS1 were associated with AD in all datasets (0.001 < p < 0.049). In addition, SorCS1 influenced APP processing. While overexpression of SorCS1 reduced γ-secretase activity and Aβ levels, the suppression of SorCS1 increased γ-secretase processing of APP and the levels of Aβ. Interpretations These data suggest that inherited or acquired changes in SORCS1 expression or function may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD.

A number of studies have reported in the last decade that human tooth germs contain multipotent cells that give rise to dental and peri-odontal structures. The dental pulp, third molars in particular, have been shown to be a significant stem cell source. In this study, we isolated and characterized human tooth germ stem cells (hTGSCs) from third molars and assessed the expression of developmentally important transcription factors, such as oct4, sox2, klf4, nanog and c-myc, to determine their pluri-potency. Flowcytometry analysis revealed that hTGSCs were positive for CD73, CD90, CD105 and CD166, but negative for CD34, CD45 and CD133, suggesting that these cells are mesenchymal-like stem cells. Under specific culture conditions, hTGSCs differentiated into osteogenic, adipogenic and neurogenic cells, as well as formed tube-like structures in Matrigel assay. hTGSCs showed significant levels of expression of sox2 and c-myc messenger RNA (mRNA), and a very high level of expression of klf4 mRNA when compared with human embryonic stem cells. This study reports for the first time that hTGSCs express developmentally important transcription factors that could render hTGSCs an attractive candidate for future somatic cell re-programming studies to differentiate germs into various tissue types, such as neurons and vascular structures. In addition, these multipotential hTGSCs could be important stem cell sources for autologous transplantation.

Several biomarkers are used in confirming the diagnosis of cognitive disorders. This study evaluates whether the level of these markers after heart surgery correlates with the development of cognitive dysfunction, which is a frequent complication of cardiac interventions. Concentrations of amyloid-β peptide, tau, and S100β in the cerebro-spinal fluid were assessed, as well as cognitive functions were evaluated before and after coronary artery bypass grafting, utilizing immuno-assays and psychometric tests, respectively. A drastic rise in the level of S100β was observed one week after the surgery, a mark of a severe generalized cerebral injury. The level of amyloid-β peptide significantly decreased, whereas the concentration of tau markedly increased six months postoperatively. Gradual cognitive decline was also present. These findings clearly demonstrate post-surgical cognitive impairment associated with changes in biomarkers similar to that seen in Alzheimer's disease, suggesting a unifying pathognomic factor between the two disorders. A holistic approach to coronary heart disease and Alzheimer's-type dementia is proposed.

In order to review the current status of the potential relationship between anesthesia and Alzheimer's disease, a group of scientists recently met in Philadelphia for a full day of presentations and discussions. This special article represents a consensus view on the possible link between Alzheimer's disease and anesthesia and the steps required to test this more definitively.There is growing interest in the potential relationship between anesthesia and the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. In an initial attempt to address and coordinate the available evidence and hypotheses, a small group of physicians and scientists was convened in May, 2008 at the University of Pennsylvania, for a full day of discussion. Out of these discussions, the following points were distilled:

Myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome or ME/CFS, is a multifactorial and debilitating disease that has an impact on over 4 million people in the United States alone. The pathogenesis of ME/CFS remains largely unknown; however, a genetic predisposition has been suggested. In the present study, we used a DNA single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip representing over 906,600 known SNPs to analyze DNA from ME/CFS subjects and healthy controls. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) of an ME/CFS cohort conducted to date. Here 442 SNPs were identified as candidates for association with ME/CFS (adjusted P-value<0.05). Whereas the majority of these SNPs are represented in non-coding regions of the genome, 12 SNPs were identified in the coding region of their respective gene. Among these, two candidate SNPs resulted in missense substitutions, one in a pattern recognition receptor and the other in an uncharacterized coiled-coil domain-containing protein. We also identified five SNPs that cluster in the non-coding regions of T-cell receptor loci. Further examination of these polymorphisms may help identify contributing factors to the pathophysiology of ME/CFS, as well as categorize potential targets for medical intervention strategies.