Alicia Pickrell

Twin tots mommy. Mito PI. Wifey to neuroscientist PI.

[E-mit @Emit38935125]

Modelling POLG mutations in mice unravels a critical role of POLγΒ in regulating phenotypic severity

https://t.co/l7MPyqiXgS

[Hirase lab@KU @Hiraselab_KU]

Specific targeting of brain endothelial cells using enhancer AAV vectors: Neuron https://t.co/Cel4PKLRPI

(pleased to know that AAV8-P3-Alb-mScarlet was effectively used: https://t.co/a9J0kQffD0)

[John Lukens @LukensJohnR]

STING deletion protects against amyloid β–induced Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis https://t.co/v5D3c5uMyP

[RehlingLab @RehlingLab]

Silencing mitochondrial gene expression in living cells | Science https://t.co/wRDoCKbFzT. Wonderful that our paper is out now in Science. A big thanks to LD Cruz-Zaragoza and the team, @warscheidlab & @JakobsLab .

[Journal of Cell Biology @JCellBiol]

The #mitophagy receptors BNIP3 and NIX mediate tight attachment and expansion of the isolation membrane to #mitochondria, say Shun-ichi Yamashita, Ritsuko Arai, Tomotake Kanki, Satoshi Waguri and colleagues https://t.co/Vlls7qPNCV

#Autophagy

[Lorenzo Galluzzi @deadoc80]

Here comes our @NatImmunol N&V on a recent @Nature paper by the Chi lab @StJude on #mitochondria in the regulation of #IFN signaling in #cancer. Kudos to Katia Cosentino and Joost Verduijn! @RicercaUnimore @FoxChaseCancer Available at https://t.co/pzbFgW0HGy

[Michael Okun @MichaelOkun]

BREAKING: Your brain’s connective tissue isn’t just glue: It’s a switchboard for neuromodulation. We used to think that astrocytes (the beautiful star-shaped glial cells) were the brain’s 'support staff.' But thanks to exciting new work from Guttenplan and colleagues this week in Science, we have more evidence that glia are more than just passive observers. They are active gatekeepers, controlling how brain circuits turn on and off in response to neuromodulators like dopamine, norepinephrine, and glutamate not to mention 'electricity.'
Key Points:
- The gating is driven by GPCR signaling and internal cell state, not just calcium.
- G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) activity in astrocytes, especially via the dopamine D2 receptor (Dop2R), changes how these cells regulate circuits.
- Dopamine responses can be flipped from inhibitory to excitatory via astrocyte control.
- Astrocytes can reverse how neurons react to dopamine, dramatically changing behavior in animal models.
- These mechanisms are ancient and conserved across species.
- From fruit flies to rats, astrocytes play this surprising regulatory role meaning human relevance is likely high.
- Glia may hold the key to improving neuromodulation therapies.
- By targeting astrocyte gating mechanisms, we might one day use this to fine-tune DBS or pharmacological treatments more precisely and effectively.
- The bottom line? Glia are emerging as not just as glue, but as circuit integrators.
- Glia could be the secret to unlocking smarter, more personalized neuromodulation.
My take: This isn’t just basic science, it’s a potential game changer for how we think about treating Parkinson’s, depression, epilepsy, and beyond. If astrocytes can 'gate' neuron responses, then targeting glia may be the next frontier in brain modulation therapies like deep brain stimulation (DBS), focused ultrasound, or even neuropharmacology. Glial cells, especially astrocytes, aren’t just background noise; they dynamically shape how neurons behave. This study uncovers a 'gating' mechanism, where one neurotransmitter can flip a switch in astrocytes that changes how they respond to other astrocytes and the surrounding brain tissue. The findings are conserved across species: flies, zebrafish, and mammals. This data collectively suggests that incredibly this process likely has a fundamental role in brain evolution and function. Astrocytes are not passive. They actively decide how and when neurons fire. Exposure to neuromodulators like norepinephrine could potentially unlock how the astrocyte respond to other transmitters such as dopamine and glutamate.
#GliaMatters #Astrocytes #Neuromodulation #Parkinsons #Neuroscience #DBS #BrainHealth
https://t.co/6VedYGyKLa @ParkinsonDotOrg @FixelInstitute

[J Cell Science @J_Cell_Sci]

Metin Özdemir, Sven Dennerlein and colleagues define a TOM complex interactome, revealing diverse interaction partners that include the new interactors MAPL, ATAD1 and TRABD.
https://t.co/X4Q8VTnS53
#JCSMitoSI #Mitochondria

[Nature Neuroscience @NatureNeuro]

Neuronal activity influences the growth of #myelin sheaths along axons by signalling through metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) on oligodendrocytes

https://t.co/1GDKKMAgtZ

[Journal of Cell Biology @JCellBiol]

Shun-ichi Yamashita, Ritsuko Arai, Tomotake Kanki, Satoshi Waguri et al. show that the #mitophagy receptors BNIP3 and NIX are required for tight attachment & expansion of the isolation membrane along the mitochondrial surface https://t.co/vKO7imo6QX

#Autophagy #Mitochondria

[Shalini Agarwal @Agarwal_Shal04]

Excited that our work revealing the regulation of PINK1 by ISR pathway, is out now! A new regulatory axis in mitophagy and mitochondrial quality control. https://t.co/ia52foTR02 #pink1 #mitophagy #isr #hri #neurodegeneration @mrcppu @dundeeuni @miratul_neuro

[David Pla-Martín @Dpla_]

Excited to share our latest paper in @ScienceAdvances! We finally dissected a new pathway for mitochondrial quality control upon mtDNA replication stress! Let’s start a short thread! 🧵

https://t.co/YPb6TMTitu

[Molecular Cell @MolecularCell]

ZBP1 senses splicing aberration through Z-RNA to promote cell death https://t.co/oBmo4W9HXY

[Science Magazine @ScienceMagazine]

Scientists have identified extensive interactions between T and B cells in the meninges that promote CNS inflammation in mouse models of Multiple Sclerosis.

Read more in @SciImmunology: https://t.co/rXnWURBMgZ

[nature @Nature]

Nature research paper: Human de novo mutation rates from a four-generation pedigree reference

https://t.co/2IlOKYGjIs

[Martin Picard @MitoPsychoBio]

Mitochondria are social organelles and they don’t discriminate

The Mitochondrial Information Processing System (MIPS) collaborates with all other organelles for the greater good of the cell and organism

https://t.co/UrxfvMiARs

[Cell Biology J-Club @cell_club]

Active control of mitochondrial network morphology by metabolism-driven redox state | PNAS https://t.co/IhfJRoWI4O

[eLife - the journal @eLife]

Cells have a clever way of flagging damaged DNA so it can be fixed.

New research shows they use tiny chemical tags—called m6A—to mark trouble spots and call in repair tools.
https://t.co/hGjNlbd7zQ

[ShorterLab @ShorterLab]

Astrocytic RNA editing regulates the host immune response to alpha-synuclein | Science Advances https://t.co/4QjyFywacj

[Felipe X. Pimentel-Muiños @fxpimentelm]

Happy to share a recent publication from our lab @CBM_CSIC_UAM describing a novel unconventional autophagic pathway that inhibits ATP secretion during apoptosis by sequestering it into atypical LC3-positive vesicles
https://t.co/vBjCyc3WZG