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Abstract: The extracellular membrane-associated protein F-spondin has been implicated in cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesion and plays an important role in axonal pathfinding. We report here that F-spondin is expressed in non-neuronal cells in the embryonic chicken ciliary ganglion (CG) and robustly promotes survival of cultured CG neurons. Using deletion constructs of F-spondin we found that the amino-terminal Reelin/Spondin domain cooperates with thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSR) 6, a functional TGFβ-activation domain. In ovo treatment with blocking antibodies raised against the Reelin/Spondin domain or the TSR-domains caused increased apoptosis of CG neurons during the phase of programmed cell death and loss of about 30% of the neurons compared to controls. The Reelin/Spondin domain receptor — APP and its downstream signalling molecule disabled-1 are expressed in CG neurons. F-spondin induced rapid phosphorylation of disabled-1. Moreover, both blocking the central APP domain and interference with disabled-1 signalling disrupted the survival promoting effect of F-spondin. Taken together, our data suggest that F-spondin can promote neuron survival by a mechanism involving the Reelin/Spondin and the TSR domains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] more...

Background: Individual dispositions have previously been associated with increased risk for depressive symptoms. The direction of the association has been found to be sometimes reciprocal. We examined whether temperament traits are associated with depressive symptoms and whether depressive symptoms contribute to changes in temperament.Methods: Participants (n=674-811) were from a population-based Young Finns Study. Temperament was assessed by a Finnish version of the Formal Characteristics of Behavior - Temperament Inventory. Depressive symptoms were assessed with modified BDI (mBDI) in 1997, 2001, 2007 and 2012, and BDI-II in 2012.Results: Higher perseveration and emotional reactivity were associated with higher level of depressive symptoms, and higher endurance was associated with lower level of depressive symptoms in 2007 and 2012. These associations were independent of several potential confounders and baseline depressive symptoms. The results of cross-lagged structural equation modeling showed that the associations between temperament and depressive symptoms were reciprocal: briskness, endurance and activity decreased the risk for depressive symptoms while depressive symptoms decreased the level of these characteristics. Perseveration, emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms reinforced each other over time.Limitations: The depressive symptoms scales we used are not meant for measuring clinically diagnosed depression. The relationships between temperament traits and depressive symptoms were not strong enough to provide a clinical basis for guiding treatment.Conclusions: Lower perseveration, lower emotional reactivity and higher endurance seem to be health protective temperament characteristics that reduce the risk for depressive symptoms. The reciprocal associations between temperament and depressive symptoms imply mutual health protective and health declining effects. Clinical relevance of the study is that enhancing positive loops and self-concept, and supporting individual stress management might be helpful in prevention of depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

We studied 76 healthy monozygotic (MZ) and same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs (mean age 35 ± 8 years, body mass index, BMI, 23.6 ± 3.9 kg/m[SUP2] to determine genetic and environmental contributions to systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and serum lipids [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol) and triglycerides (TG)]. SBP, DBP and HR were measured clinically and by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Parameters of the genetic models for age-, sex- and BMI-adjusted data were estimated by model fitting and path analysis technique using LISREL 8. We found significant genetic effect on SBP and DBP for both clinical and ABP measurements, ranging from 37 0.000000or night-time ambulatory DBP to 79 0.000000or daytime ambulatory SBP. Estimates of genetic effects were higher for daytime than night-time ABP values, and higher for ambulatory 24-h SBP than office SBP measurements to 69 0.000000or 24-h mean values. In summary we also found genetic effect on TC, LDC-chol and HDL-chol with estimates ranging from 36to 64, but not on TG. Furthermore, a shared environmental component for TG was found, estimated at 36 We showed significant genetic effect on both office and ambulatory BP and HR, with stronger genetic effect on daytime than night-time BP. We also found genetic effect on TC and lipoprotein fraction, but no significant genetic effect on TG. Environmental factors influencing serum TG, such as alcohol consumption, may explain the apparent lack of genetic effect in this healthy, non-obese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...