“
“Teratomas are very rare intracranial tumors and cytogenetic information on this group remains rare. We report a case of a mature teratoma with abnormal +21 trisomy Selleck Torin 1 in tumor karyotype ocurring in a non-Down syndrome (DS) infant. Additionally, the evidence for the contribution of chromosome 21

trisomy in this neoplasia are briefly reviewed. The 6-month-old male baby presented with a posterior fossa tumor. Histological evaluation of tumor specimen showed a mature teratoma composed of fully differentiated ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal components. Although somatic karyotyping of the index case was normal, composite tumor karyotype depicted 47, XY, +21[6]/46,XY[6]. Besides previous reports of children with DS and intracranial teratomas, this is the first report to describe the occurrence of an isolated chromosome 21 trisomy within the tumor of a non-DS child. The participation of chromosome 21 in this rare pediatric tumor, either somatic or restricted to tumor specimen, may deserve special interest and further investigation. “
“Innate immunity within the central nervous system (CNS) is primarily provided by resident microglia. Microglia are pivotal in immune surveillance and also facilitate the co-ordinated responses

between the immune system and the brain. For example, microglia interpret and propagate inflammatory signals Neratinib order that Lumacaftor in vivo are initiated in the periphery. This transient microglial activation helps mount the appropriate physiological and behavioural response following peripheral

infection. With normal ageing, however, microglia develop a more inflammatory phenotype. For instance, in several models of ageing there are increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain and increased expression of inflammatory receptors on microglia. This increased inflammatory status of microglia with ageing is referred to as primed, reactive or sensitized. A modest increase in the inflammatory profile of the CNS and altered microglial function in ageing has behavioural and cognitive consequences. Nonetheless, there are major differences in microglial biology between young and old age when the immune system is challenged and microglia are activated. In this context, microglial activation is amplified and prolonged in the aged brain compared with adults. The cause of this amplified microglial activation may be related to impairments in several key regulatory systems with age that make it more difficult to resolve microglial activation. The consequences of impaired regulation and microglial hyper-activation following immune challenge are exaggerated neuroinflammation, sickness behaviour, depressive-like behaviour and cognitive deficits.