SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “migration”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2025

Policy paper of the Committee on Ethics and Task Force on Migration and Mental Health: Migration and mental health of migrants, refugees, asylum seekers - Ethical dilemmas and concerns.

BACKGROUND: International migration is a complex phenomenon of global and historical relevance. It includes voluntary, forced, and workforce migration, shaped by diverse determinants. Push factors comprise war, persecution, and political instability, while pull factors include stability, economic opportunities, education, and favorable living conditions. Forced migration is frequently associated with displacement and a disproportionate burden of mental health disorders, which are urgent yet difficult to address due to structural, cultural, and legal barriers. METHODS: Evidence demonstrates that restricted health care access exacerbates psychiatric disorders, while treatment delays contribute to poorer outcomes. Barriers include administrative limitations, linguistic and cultural differences, stigma, and resource shortages. This policy paper was developed by the Committee on Ethics and the Task Force on Migration and Mental Health of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA). Relevant literature was reviewed and combined with the professional expertise of committee members. The draft was subsequently evaluated by the Publication Committee and the EPA Board, and revised accordingly. RESULTS: Ethical principles in refugee care are insufficiently implemented in many European countries. Core principles of medical ethics - beneficence, respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, and justice - as well as the obligation to advance psychiatric standards and apply psychiatric expertise for societal benefit, are inconsistently upheld. CONCLUSIONS: The primary duty of physicians is to promote health and well-being through competent, timely, and compassionate care. The EPA therefore advocates coordinated strategies to mitigate the mental health consequences of war, displacement, and trauma, and to secure equitable access to psychiatric services for migrants and refugees.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Preoperative Proximal Migration of the Radial Head as an Independent Predictor of Suboptimal Outcomes After Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) is widely performed for capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). However, preoperative predictors of suboptimal postoperative outcomes remain unclear. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The authors aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes after OAT for capitellar OCD and identify preoperative risk factors associated with suboptimal outcomes. They hypothesized that radiographic indicators of disease severity, including preoperative proximal migration of the radial head, lesion size, and lateral wall disruption, would be associated with suboptimal postoperative clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The records of adolescent athletes who underwent OAT for capitellar OCD with a minimum 2-year follow-up were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes included elbow range of motion (ROM) and Timmerman-Andrews (T-A) score. A suboptimal outcome was defined as a postoperative T-A score <160. Preoperative radiographs were used to measure proximal migration of the radial head relative to the coronoid process, hypertrophy of the radial head, OCD lesion area, and a 5-grade lateral wall disruption classification; measurement reliability was assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of a suboptimal outcome, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff value for proximal migration. RESULTS: A total of 69 elbows (mean age, 13.6 years; mean follow-up, 48 months) were included. ROM and T-A scores improved significantly after OAT, and all athletes returned to any sports. Of these, 50 elbows (72%) achieved good outcomes, whereas 19 (28%) had suboptimal outcomes. Preoperative proximal migration was significantly greater in the suboptimal outcome group compared with the good outcome group (mean, 2.1 ± 2.3 vs 0.5 ± 1.7 mm; P = .002), as were lesion area (mean, 70 ± 16 vs 58 ± 20 mm2; P = .02) and lateral wall disruption grade (median, 5 vs 3; P = .01). On multivariate analysis, proximal migration of the radial head was the only independent predictor of a suboptimal outcome (adjusted OR, 1.47 per 1-mm increase; 95% CI, 1.03-2.09; P = .033). ROC analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.72 with an optimal cutoff of 2.2 mm (sensitivity, 56%; specificity, 84%). CONCLUSION: OAT resulted in significant clinical improvement in adolescents with capitellar OCD; however, 28% of patients were classified as having suboptimal outcomes. Preoperative proximal migration of the radial head is an independent predictor of a suboptimal postoperative outcome. A value >2.2 mm may indicate advanced radiocapitellar incongruity, a condition in which OAT may be less effective.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Migration strategies, connectivity and corridor features of the partial migrant little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) across the Iberian Peninsula.

The study of migration ecology is crucial for understanding the factors and pressures affecting migratory species. Here, we studied the migratory ecology of the little bustard (Tetrax tetrax), a steppe bird that has suffered a sharp decline over recent decades, mainly due to agricultural intensification. Using 105 adult birds tagged across the main Iberian regions where the species is present (Alentejo, Extremadura, Ebro Valley, Northern Plateau, Southern Plateau and Guadalquivir Valley), we analysed the ratio of migratory and resident birds in each population and assessed their connectivity during the three main migratory periods (summer, winter and pre-breeding). Additionally, we describe the features of the migrations recorded in terms of length, duration and day period. Our results corroborate that little bustards can be considered partial migrants across Iberia, although the proportion of residents versus migrants varied between populations: the Alentejo (94.74%) and Northern Plateau (93.75%) had the highest proportion of migrants, followed by Guadalquivir Valley (81.82%), Extremadura (65.38%), Southern Plateau (55.56%) and Ebro Valley (25.93%). Migratory connectivity varied between periods: the pre-breeding and summering migrations showed a trend to move northwards, while birds moved southwards for winter. Regarding the migratory corridors obtained from the 253 migrations identified, we found three main routes: one corridor that connects the Northern Plateau with the western part of the Southern Plateau and Extremadura, another one that connects the Southern Plateau, Extremadura, Alentejo and Guadalquivir Valley, and one corridor that concentrates migrations within the Ebro Valley, and between the Ebro Valley and the Southern Plateau. Finally, analyses showed that little bustards migrate at night through areas dominated by herbaceous cover (avoiding tree-covered land and water bodies) and of low elevation and terrain roughness. Our results highlight the importance of developing an international and inter-regional conservation strategy to protect not only the breeding and wintering quarters, but also this endangered species' migratory corridors, thus supporting the viability of the metapopulation.

Brownian bridge kernel↗

PubMed2026

Reversibility of Nuclear and 3D Genomic Changes in Non-Cancerous Fibroblasts After Constricted Migration.

Metastatic cancer cells and healthy fibroblasts must traverse constrictive spaces to reach secondary sites. After passing through multiple constrictions, cancer cells often experience stable changes to their nucleus morphology, 3D genome structure, and migratory phenotype. Here, we investigate whether fibroblasts (BJ-5ta), which are non-cancerous and have an inherent ability to migrate to fulfill roles in wound repair, likewise experience nuclear and 3D genomic changes with constricted migration. We find that BJ-5ta cells only slightly increase their migratory capacity after sequential constricted migrations but do experience nuclear deformations and 3D genome alterations at the compartment level after constricted migration. Transient compartment shifts spatially rearranged genes associated with preparation for and response to migration. Unlike the stable changes associated with long term phenotype changes in cancer cells, however, the nucleus deformations recovered back to unmigrated levels following proliferation and cell movement. Some compartment changes persist and might influence responses to future stimuli, but most 3D genome changes revert to the unmigrated state after cell proliferation. Our study shows that non-cancerous migratory cells are not necessarily less susceptible to nucleus and 3D genome alterations caused by constricted migration, but do recover from such alterations more readily than cancer cells. [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text].

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Elements on the move: How ungulate migration expands Alpine biogeochemical footprints.

Through depositing waste products, animals influence the spatial distribution of elements across landscapes. Yet the relationship between animal movement and element distribution remains poorly characterized. We developed a spatially explicit agent-based model to test how migratory versus resident red deer (Cervus elaphus) influence nitrogen redistribution across an alpine landscape in the Central-Eastern Italian Alps. Specifically, we asked how both local-scale and landscape-scale movement alter the spatial extent and magnitude of nitrogen deposition. We parameterized our model with GPS telemetry from 2021 to 2024 and remotely sensed vegetation data. We simulated four different scenarios which allowed us to disentangle the relative effects of large-scale (migration persisting) and fine-scale (resident behaviour) movement: (i) mixed migratory-resident (300 deer), (ii) fully resident (300 deer), (iii) reduced resident (150 deer) and (iv) reduced migratory (150 deer). The potential for nitrogen intake, assimilation, and excretion occurred hourly across a seasonally dynamic landscape. Across all scenarios, tree cover density and slope consistently emerged as positive predictors of nitrogen transport. Thus, regardless of resident or migratory status, red deer act as mediators of local element transport. Similarly, proximity to roads/trails reduced nitrogen inputs and created closed systems, indicating that barriers constrain both local and landscape-scale element transport. Migration substantially expanded the spatial extent of nitrogen redistribution and enabled the upward movement of elements, both locally upslope and into higher elevation habitats, effectively transporting elements against gravitational forces. Consequently, the loss of migration is likely to weaken these large-scale element linkages and reduce associated ecosystem functions. Our results demonstrate that different animal movement patterns play distinct and complementary roles in connecting element pools across landscapes. While both resident and migrant foraging redistribute elements locally, migratory movements link lowland and alpine habitats, expanding the spatial reach of element redistribution. Thus, loss of migration not only reduces the spatial extent of element distribution but also alters the topographic pathways through which elements are cycled. These findings highlight the broader ecosystem consequences of declining animal movement extent, and migration in particular, and underscore the importance of conserving behavioural diversity to maintain element heterogeneity and ecosystem functioning in mountain systems.

animal ecology↗

PubMed2026

Furmonertinib inhibits non-small cell lung cancer progression through ANGPT1-mediated regulation of cell migration and apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutic agents. This study investigates the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of furmonertinib (FUR) in lung cancer cells. METHODS: Transcriptomic and clinical data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were utilized to identify FUR target genes, followed by functional enrichment, survival, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses. Human lung cancer cell line A549 was treated with FUR and/or ANGPT1-specific siRNA. Cell migration, apoptosis, and protein expression were assessed by wound healing, flow cytometry, and Western blotting. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity response target stability (DARTS) assays were used to assess FUR-induced stabilization of angiopoietin-1 (ANGPT1) protein. RESULTS: FUR treatment significantly inhibited cell migration and increased apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 12 overlapping target genes of FUR from the PharmMapper and SwissTargetPrediction databases, with ANGPT1 emerging as a key candidate. ANGPT1 expression was downregulated in tumor tissues and positively correlated with patient survival. Western blotting confirmed that FUR upregulated ANGPT1 protein levels in a dose-dependent manner. Knockdown of ANGPT1 enhanced migration and suppressed apoptosis, while FUR reversed these effects. FUR treatment enhanced the stability of ANGPT1 under high-temperature conditions while reducing its sensitivity to protease. ANGPT1 may have affected tumor cell migration through cell adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) pathways. CONCLUSIONS: FUR suppresses lung cancer progression by upregulating ANGPT1, thereby inhibiting cell migration and promoting apoptosis. ANGPT1 is a potential therapeutic target and provides new insights into the anti-tumor mechanism of FUR in lung cancer.

Lung cancer↗

PubMed2026

Migration intentions among nigerian neurosurgeons: a national survey of workforce retention.

Physician emigration from low- and middle-income countries creates critical workforce shortages. This study explored factors influencing migration intentions among Nigerian neurosurgeons and trainees. We conducted an anonymized survey of consultant neurosurgeons, fellows, and residents practicing in Nigeria. Invitations were sent by email and professional messaging platforms, and snowball sampling was used to increase participation. The survey included quantitative and open-ended questions on demographics, income, migration plans, and retention factors. Seventy-nine respondents participated (61.5 % consultants; 93.7 % male; median age: 44 years). Nearly all practiced general neurosurgery (97.3 %), and many also performed trauma (65.3 %) and spine (61.3 %) neurosurgery. Most (85.7 %) reported that their earnings were insufficient to support their families. Nearly 40 % were considering emigration, most often citing financial pressures (88.5 %) and poor working conditions (63.5 %) as push factors. By contrast, personal or family ties (63.0 %) and relocation costs (45.2 %) were cited as reasons to stay. Respondents identified higher salaries (58.1 %) and greater investment in the health sector (51.4 %) as key measures to improve retention. In univariable analyses, younger age, income insufficiency, income dissatisfaction, and feeling undervalued at work were associated with migration intention. Financial insecurity emerged as the dominant driver of migration intentions among Nigerian neurosurgeons. In addition to salary increases, sustained investment in healthcare infrastructure and workforce support is essential to improve retention. International partnerships may complement these efforts by building neurosurgical capacity and mitigating brain drain.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Galvanin (TMEM154) is an electric-field sensor for directed cell migration.

Directed cell migration of immune and epithelial cells is critical for their rapid response to tissue injury or infection. Endogenous electric fields generated by disruption of the transepithelial potential across the skin have been postulated to play an important role in guiding cells to wound sites, though how individual cells sense these tissue-scale physical cues remains largely unknown. We have identified Galvanin (TMEM154), a previously uncharacterized single-pass transmembrane protein, as being required for electric-field-guided migration of individual rapidly moving cells. Galvanin functions in both immune and epithelial cell types. Upon exposure of cells to an electric field, Galvanin rapidly relocalizes to the anodal side of a cell, and the net charge on its extracellular domain is necessary and sufficient to drive this spatial relocalization. Furthermore, expression of Galvanin is sufficient to confer electric field-guided migration on otherwise non-responsive epithelial cells. In human neutrophils, we show that Galvanin relocalization is immediately followed by changes in the spatial pattern of cellular protrusion and retraction. The strong directional response of these cells is lost upon truncation of Galvanin's intracellular domain, suggesting that Galvanin acts as a direct sensor of the electric field, transducing spatial information about a cell's electrical environment to the intracellular migratory apparatus. This sensor relocalization mechanism of cell steering defines a new paradigm for directed cell migration.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2026

Oncogenic PIK3CA enhances collective migration of mammary epithelial cells through ERK wave propagation.

Oncogenic mutations of the PIK3CA gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) enhance cell migration via ERK (ERK1 and ERK2, also known as MAPK3 and MAPK1, respectively) activation. We analyzed the factors regulating collective cell migration (CCM) of genome-edited MCF10A cell lines carrying hotspot PIK3CA mutations E545K or H1047R. H1047R enhanced CCM and promoted the propagation of waves of ERK activity backwards from the wound edge, whereas E545K impaired both coordinated CCM and ERK activity wave formation. The distance traveled by ERK activity waves correlated with directional persistence of migrating cells. Inhibition of cell contractility stimulated ERK wave propagation and efficient CCM of E545K cells but impaired ERK waves and CCM in control cells. Impaired ERK wave propagation was consistently associated with non-linear cell-cell junctions and the loss of polarized distribution of actomyosin. Taken together, these analyses suggest that polarized actomyosin contractility and pulsatile ERK activation must be constrained in the territory of a phase diagram compatible with mechanotransduction of ERK waves across cell-cell junctions to achieve highly coordinated and efficient collective migration.

Cell Movement↗

PubMed2024

Extreme elevational migration spurred cryptic speciation in giant hummingbirds.

The ecoevolutionary drivers of species niche expansion or contraction are critical for biodiversity but challenging to infer. Niche expansion may be promoted by local adaptation or constrained by physiological performance trade-offs. For birds, evolutionary shifts in migratory behavior permit the broadening of the climatic niche by expansion into varied, seasonal environments. Broader niches can be short-lived if diversifying selection and geography promote speciation and niche subdivision across climatic gradients. To illuminate niche breadth dynamics, we can ask how "outlier" species defy constraints. Of the 363 hummingbird species, the giant hummingbird (Patagona gigas) has the broadest climatic niche by a large margin. To test the roles of migratory behavior, performance trade-offs, and genetic structure in maintaining its exceptional niche breadth, we studied its movements, respiratory traits, and population genomics. Satellite and light-level geolocator tracks revealed an >8,300-km loop migration over the Central Andean Plateau. This migration included a 3-wk, ~4,100-m ascent punctuated by upward bursts and pauses, resembling the acclimatization routines of human mountain climbers, and accompanied by surging blood-hemoglobin concentrations. Extreme migration was accompanied by deep genomic divergence from high-elevation resident populations, with decisive postzygotic barriers to gene flow. The two forms occur side-by-side but differ almost imperceptibly in size, plumage, and respiratory traits. The high-elevation resident taxon is the world's largest hummingbird, a previously undiscovered species that we describe and name here. The giant hummingbirds demonstrate evolutionary limits on niche breadth: when the ancestral niche expanded due to evolution (or loss) of an extreme migratory behavior, speciation followed.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

MX1 promotes gastric cancer cell migration via inhibiting ANXA2 ubiquitination and degradation.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a globally lethal malignancy, with invasion and metastasis driving treatment failure and poor prognosis. MX dynamin like GTPase 1 (MX1) shows tumor-specific functional heterogeneity, while its expression, biological functions and molecular mechanisms in GC remain unclear. Here, we explored MX1's clinical significance and its regulatory mechanism in GC cell migration. We integrated public databases and institutional paired clinical samples for bioinformatics analysis of MX1's correlation with clinical outcomes, and verified its pro-migratory effect via Transwell and wound healing assays. Co-immunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry (Co-IP/MS), immunofluorescence and ubiquitination assays were used to identify MX1-interacting proteins and dissect the underlying mechanism, and the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer database was applied for chemosensitivity analysis. MX1 was aberrantly upregulated in GC tissues and served as an independent prognostic biomarker, with high expression associated with shortened overall, first-progression and post-progression survival. MX1 promoted GC cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition pathway enrichment, and directly bound Annexin A2 (ANXA2) in the cytoplasm; both were co-enriched in endothelial and epithelial cells by single-cell sequencing. MX1 dose-dependently upregulated ANXA2 protein (without affecting its mRNA) by inhibiting NEDD4L/TRIM65-mediated ANXA2 ubiquitination and degradation, enhancing ANXA2 stability. Additionally, high MX1 expression correlated with increased paclitaxel sensitivity in GC patients based on database analysis, and CCK-8 assays confirmed that MX1 overexpression significantly reduced the paclitaxel IC50 in gastric cancer cells, supporting its potential as a predictive biomarker for paclitaxel efficacy. This study demonstrates that MX1 promotes GC cell migration by suppressing ANXA2 ubiquitination and degradation, highlighting the critical role of the MX1-ANXA2 axis in GC progression. These findings provide novel molecular targets and theoretical support for GC prognostic evaluation, individualized chemotherapy and targeted therapy.

ANXA2↗

PubMed2026

KLF5 promotes proliferation, migration, and autophagy-/EMT‑associated molecular changes in lens epithelial cells via transcriptional activation of THBS1 in traumatic cataract.

PURPOSE: Traumatic cataract is a common blinding eye disease after ocular trauma, and its pathogenesis is closely related to lens epithelial cell dysfunction, while the definite molecular regulatory mechanism between upstream transcription factor and downstream target gene remains poorly clarified. This study aimed to clarify the role and molecular mechanism of the krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5)/ thrombosponin 1 (THBS1) axis in regulating proliferation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and autophagy of lens epithelial cells in traumatic cataract, and to explore its potential clinical therapeutic value. METHODS: The GSE295383 dataset in the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database was downloaded, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by linear models for microarray data (limma) package of R language. Combined with Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), the gene co-expression network was constructed and the key modules were screened. Gene ontology (GO), kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) combined with human transcription factor target (hTFtarget) and JASPAR databases were used to predict the upstream transcription factors of THBS1. Subsequently, SRA01/04 cells were induced with transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-β2) to construct a cataract cell model. RESULTS: THBS1 and KLF5 were highly expressed in LECs exposed to TGF-β2. KLF5 could activate THBS1 transcription by binding to THBS1 promoter - 174 to -165 sites. Knockdown of THBS1 inhibited TGF-β2-induced viability, proliferation, migration, and altered the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)- and autophagy-related markers in LECs. Knockdown of KLF5 downregulated THBS1 expression and produced a similar inhibitory effect, while overexpression of THBS1 reversed the effect of KLF5 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that KLF5 promoted the proliferation, migration, and EMT‑associated molecular changes of LECs in traumatic cataract through transcriptional activation of THBS1, and regulated the expression of autophagy‑related markers in LECs, suggesting that KLF5/THBS1 axis might be a potential target for the treatment of traumatic cataract.

Cataract↗

PubMed2026

Loss of Function Dnmt3a Mutation Leads to Aberrant Neutrophil Migration.

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH), an age-related expansion of somatically mutated hematopoietic clones, is associated with increased risk of severe infections including coronavirus disease (COVID)-19, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated the impact of Dnmt3a deficiency in a murine model of influenza A virus (IAV) pneumonia. Dnmt3a-deficient mice exhibited increased pulmonary viral burden and reduced neutrophil accumulation in IAV-infected lungs despite comparable circulating neutrophil numbers. Functional analyses of neutrophils showed impaired chemotactic migration in vitro, whereas maturation, antimicrobial enzyme content, and metabolic capacity were unchanged. Transcriptomic profiling revealed downregulation of pathways involved in chemotaxis, cytokine signaling, and cellular activation, including reduced expression of Cxcr1. Supporting the translational relevance of these findings, proteomic analysis of plasma from individuals with germline DNMT3A mutations (Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome) revealed alterations in proteins associated with cell migration and cytoskeletal dynamics. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that Dnmt3a loss compromises innate immune defense by impairing neutrophil migration in a cell-intrinsic manner, leading to ineffective pathogen clearance. This work provides mechanistic insight into how CH-associated mutations contribute to age-associated susceptibility to infection and highlights altered leukocyte trafficking as a potential therapeutic target in aging populations with CH.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Nuclear rupture in confined cell migration triggers nuclear actin polymerization to limit chromatin leakage.

Upon cell migration in confined space, such as during cancer metastasis, mechanical forces from the extracellular matrix act onto the nucleus leading to nuclear envelope (NE) rupture, chromatin leakage and genomic instability. Here we found that during confined migration, NE rupture triggers dynamic nuclear F-actin formation dependent on the formins DIAPH1 and DIAPH3. We show that DIAPH3 dynamically and transiently relocates to the nucleus upon NE rupture. Interfering with DIAPH1/3 or with nuclear actin polymerization resulted in nuclear instability during confined migration. Notably, nuclear formin activity or actin assembly limit NE rupture-induced chromatin leakage. Similarly, silencing of Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) reduced NE rupture-triggered nuclear F-actin assembly and increased chromatin leakage. Consistent with this, ATR promotes the phosphorylation of DIAPH3 at S1072 adjacent to its autoregulatory domain to promote nuclear actin polymerization. Using atomic force microscopy, we found that nuclear actin assembly or nuclear DIAPH3 activity promotes nuclear stiffness in an ATR-dependent manner. Thus, our study identifies an ATR-formin module that regulates nuclear mechanical properties through induction of intranuclear actin scaffolding.

Formins↗

PubMed2026

Rbp-Jκ controls NK cell late maturation and migration via chromatin landscape remodeling.

The transcriptional regulator Rbp-Jκ is a pivotal molecular switch in Notch signaling; however, its cell-intrinsic role in natural killer (NK) cell maturation and migration remains incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that NK cell-specific deletion of Rbp-Jκ (Ncr1iCre × Rbp-Jκfl/fl, Rbp-JκΔNK) impairs NK cell terminal maturation and migration, as evidenced by increased retention of NK cells in bone marrow, a reduced number of circulating NK cells and decreased expression of migration mediators (CD62L, S1pr5, and Cx3cr1). Despite exhibiting an activated phenotype, Rbp-Jκ-deficient NK cells fail to control B16F10 lung metastases in vivo because of impaired tissue mobilization. Multiomics (scRNA-seq/scATAC-seq, bulk ATAC-seq, and CUT&Tag) reveal that Rbp-Jκ orchestrates chromatin remodeling in NK cells, suppressing the expression of genes related to NK cell activation and cytotoxicity while promoting the expression of genes involved in ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation. Notably, Rbp-Jκ directly binds to the Kruppel-like factor 2 (Klf2) promoter, and loss of Rbp-Jκ reduces both the mRNA and protein levels of Klf2. Klf2 overexpression rescues the decreased expression of CD62L and CX3CR1 in Rbp-Jκ-deficient NK cells. The cooccupancy of Rbp-Jκ and Klf2 at shared genomic loci is confirmed by ChIP-qPCR. In summary, our study reveals that Rbp-Jκ acts as a master regulator of NK cell terminal maturation and tissue homing via chromatin reprogramming, with Klf2 acting as its critical downstream transcription factor.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Lipidomic profiling of mouse brain and human neuron cultures reveals a role for Mboat7 in mTOR-dependent neuronal migration.

Mutations in lipid regulator genes are a frequent cause of autism spectrum disorder, including those regulating phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling. MBOAT7 encodes a key acyltransferase in PI synthesis and is mutated in an autism-related condition with neurodevelopmental delay and epilepsy. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we analyzed the PI-associated glycerolipidome in mice and humans during neurodevelopment and found dynamic regulation at times corresponding to neural apoptosis in the brains of Mboat7 knockout mice. Mboat7 function was necessary for polyunsaturated lipid synthesis and cortical neural migration, and loss resulted in massive accumulation of the precursor lysophosphatidylinositol and hyperactive mTOR signaling. Inhibiting mTOR signaling rescued migration defects. Our findings demonstrate roles for lipid remodeling during neurodevelopment and implicate lipid regulation in neuronal migration, revealing potential paths to treatment for MBOAT7 deficiency.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures: A scoping review of clinical features, diagnostic testing including genetics, long-term outcomes, mortality, and current and emerging therapeutic strategies.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS) is among the most severe developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), marked by intractable multifocal seizures migrating across both hemispheres, profound developmental arrest, and high early mortality. Advances in next-generation sequencing have revealed a heterogeneous genetic architecture dominated by KCNT1 gain-of-function variants across more than 30 implicated genes, creating opportunities for precision therapeutics. OBJECTIVE: To systematically map published evidence on the clinical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, genetic, and therapeutic landscape of EIMFS, and to delineate critical knowledge gaps and future research priorities. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, searching PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library/CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov. RESULTS: Of 643 articles screened, 89 met inclusion criteria. Beyond confirmation of the canonical electroclinical phenotype, several gaps emerged: neonatal versus post-neonatal onset stratification by genetic etiology remains largely uncharacterized; genotype-specific EEG biomarkers are lacking except for a single small KCNT1 study; and the clinical significance of atypical EEG features-including burst suppression and hypsarrhythmia-is undefined. Neuroimaging literature documents progressive cerebral atrophy and myelination abnormalities without quantitative volumetry, diffusion tractography markers, or attribution to seizure burden, medication effects, or underlying etiology. Genetic diagnostic yield was 70-80%, with KCNT1 accounting for 30-50% of solved cases; however, genotype-outcome stratification is limited. Seizures were broadly refractory; potassium bromide, ketogenic diet, cannabidiol, and quinidine (in KCNT1-confirmed cases) showed partial efficacy. Emerging precision approaches include sodium channel blockers for SCN2A gain-of-function variants, novel small molecules, fluoxetine, antisense oligonucleotides, and divalent siRNA targeting KCNT1. Systemic-to-pulmonary collateral circulation causing severe cardiopulmonary complications was reported across multiple cases, yet no consensus screening protocol exists. CONCLUSIONS: EIMFS remains one of the most refractory epilepsy syndromes of infancy. Precision genetic diagnosis is essential to guide targeted therapy. International collaborative registries, standardized outcome measures, genotype-stratified biomarker studies, and rapid point-of-care genomic testing are urgently needed to advance evidence-based care for this highly vulnerable population.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Sex-biased Migration and Demographic History of the Big European Firefly Lampyris noctiluca.

Differential dispersion between the sexes can impact the colonization process and demographic history of a species. Here, we explored the demographic history of the big European firefly, Lampyris noctiluca, which exhibits female neoteny. Distribution of L. noctiluca extends throughout Europe, but nothing is known about its colonization process. To investigate its demographic history, we produced the first Lampyris genome (653 Mb), including an IsoSeq annotation and the identification of the X chromosome. We collected 115 individuals from six populations of L. noctiluca (Finland to Italy) and generated whole-genome re-sequencing data for each individual. We inferred several population expansions and bottlenecks throughout the Pleistocene that correlate with glaciation events. Surprisingly, we uncovered strong population structure and low gene flow. We reject a stepwise, south to north, colonization history scenario and instead uncovered a complex demographic history with a putative eastern European origin. Analyzing the evolutionary history of the mitochondrial genome as well as X-linked and autosomal loci, we found evidence of a maternal colonialization of Germany, putatively from a farther western European population, followed by a male-only migration from south of the Alps (Italy). Overall, investigating the demographic history and colonization patterns of a species should form part of an integrative approach of biodiversity research. Our results provide evidence of sex-biased migration which is important to consider for demographic, biogeographic and species delimitation studies.

Animals↗