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The linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC) is required for optimal gene activation and prevention of cell death upon activation of immune receptors, including TNFR1.sup.1. Deficiency in the LUBAC components SHARPIN or HOIP in mice results in severe inflammation in adulthood or embryonic lethality, respectively, owing to deregulation of TNFR1-mediated cell death.sup.2-8. In humans, deficiency in the third LUBAC component HOIL-1 causes autoimmunity and inflammatory disease, similar to HOIP deficiency, whereas HOIL-1 deficiency in mice was reported to cause no overt phenotype.sup.9-11. Here we show, by creating HOIL-1-deficient mice, that HOIL-1 is as essential for LUBAC function as HOIP, albeit for different reasons: whereas HOIP is the catalytically active component of LUBAC, HOIL-1 is required for LUBAC assembly, stability and optimal retention in the TNFR1 signalling complex, thereby preventing aberrant cell death. Both HOIL-1 and HOIP prevent embryonic lethality at mid-gestation by interfering with aberrant TNFR1-mediated endothelial cell death, which only partially depends on RIPK1 kinase activity. Co-deletion of caspase-8 with RIPK3 or MLKL prevents cell death in Hoil-1.sup.-/- (also known as Rbck1.sup.-/-) embryos, yet only the combined loss of caspase-8 with MLKL results in viable HOIL-1-deficient mice. Notably, triple-knockout Ripk3.sup.-/-Casp8.sup.-/-Hoil-1.sup.-/- embryos die at late gestation owing to haematopoietic defects that are rescued by co-deletion of RIPK1 but not MLKL. Collectively, these results demonstrate that both HOIP and HOIL-1 are essential LUBAC components and are required for embryogenesis by preventing aberrant cell death. Furthermore, they reveal that when LUBAC and caspase-8 are absent, RIPK3 prevents RIPK1 from inducing embryonic lethality by causing defects in fetal haematopoiesis.The HOIL-1 component of the LUBAC ubiquitin ligase complex is required for LUBAC activity, which prevents lethality during embryogenesis by preventing aberrant TNFR1-mediated endothelial cell death and RIPK1-mediated defects in haematopoiesis., Author(s): Nieves Peltzer [sup.1] , Maurice Darding [sup.1] , Antonella Montinaro [sup.1] , Peter Draber [sup.1] [sup.2] , Helena Draberova [sup.1] [sup.2] , Sebastian Kupka [sup.1] , Eva Rieser [sup.1] [...]

A study conducted by Christopher E. Henderson et al revealed that recombinant brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4/5 can promote the survival of purified rat motor neurons in vitro. In addition, the study found evidence suggesting that each neurotrophin has its own specific receptor and that NT-3 and BDNF mRNAs exist in skeletal muscle during the stage when the neurons grow into the muscle and compete for these factors. These findings bring science closer to the possibility of developing cures for various neurodegenerative motor neuron diseases.