Yellow brains and blue light

Fetal dropsy and neonatal jaundice were well known in the 17th century, but considered to be different diseases. Basal brain ganglia stained yellow were observed by Antoine Dugès in 1821, who also suggested that this finding may be associated with seizures. From observing kernicterus to understanding haemolytic disease of the newborn, 140 years passed, and the entire field of immunology had to develop. Only 25 years passed from understanding isoimmunization to the availability of effective prevention. With exchange transfusions, an effective but risky treatment for haemolytic disease and severe jaundice evolved in the 1940s. With some hesitation in the US, phototherapy followed in the 1950s. Rhesus haemolytic disease was practically eradicated during the 1960s by anti-D immunoglobulin. Kernicterus returned in the 1990s because of lessened awareness, and difficulty in monitoring bilirubin values after early discharge from maternity wards.

Human cerebral organoids establish subcortical projections in the mouse brain after transplantation

Numerous studies have used human pluripotent stem cell-derived cerebral organoids to elucidate the mystery of human brain development and model neurological diseases in vitro, but the potential for grafted organoid-based therapy in vivo remains unknown. Here, we optimized a culturing protocol capable of efficiently generating small human cerebral organoids. After transplantation into the mouse medial prefrontal cortex, the grafted human cerebral organoids survived and extended projections over 4.5 mm in length to basal brain regions within 1 month. The transplanted cerebral organoids generated human glutamatergic neurons that acquired electrophysiological maturity in the mouse brain. Importantly, the grafted human cerebral organoids functionally integrated into pre-existing neural circuits by forming bidirectional synaptic connections with the mouse host neurons. Furthermore, compared to control mice, the mice transplanted with cerebral organoids showed an increase in freezing time in response to auditory conditioned stimuli, suggesting the potentiation of the startle fear response. Our study showed that subcortical projections can be established by microtransplantation and may provide crucial insights into the therapeutic potential of human cerebral organoids for neurological diseases.

Uncovering the psychoactivity of a cannabinoid from liverworts associated with a legal high

Phytochemical studies on the liverwort Radula genus have previously identified the bibenzyl (−)-cis-perrottetinene (cis-PET), which structurally resembles (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-trans-THC) from Cannabis sativa L. Radula preparations are sold as cannabinoid-like legal high on the internet, even though pharmacological data are lacking. Herein, we describe a versatile total synthesis of (−)-cis-PET and its (−)-trans diastereoisomer and demonstrate that both molecules readily penetrate the brain and induce hypothermia, catalepsy, hypolocomotion, and analgesia in a CB1 receptor–dependent manner in mice. The natural product (−)-cis-PET was profiled on major brain receptors, showing a selective cannabinoid pharmacology. This study also uncovers pharmacological differences between Δ9-THC and PET diastereoisomers. Most notably, (−)-cis-PET and (−)-trans-PET significantly reduced basal brain prostaglandin levels associated with Δ9-trans-THC side effects in a CB1 receptor–dependent manner, thus mimicking the action of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol. Therefore, the natural product (−)-cis-PET is a psychoactive cannabinoid from bryophytes, illustrating the existence of convergent evolution of bioactive cannabinoids in the plant kingdom. Our findings may have implications for bioprospecting and drug discovery and provide a molecular rationale for the reported effects upon consumption of certain Radula preparations as moderately active legal highs.