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Zha X, Zheng G, Skutella T, Kiening K, Unterberg A, Younsi A. Microglia: a promising therapeutic target in spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:454-463. [PMID: 38819048 PMCID: PMC11317945 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-02044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia are present throughout the central nervous system and are vital in neural repair, nutrition, phagocytosis, immunological regulation, and maintaining neuronal function. In a healthy spinal cord, microglia are accountable for immune surveillance, however, when a spinal cord injury occurs, the microenvironment drastically changes, leading to glial scars and failed axonal regeneration. In this context, microglia vary their gene and protein expression during activation, and proliferation in reaction to the injury, influencing injury responses both favorably and unfavorably. A dynamic and multifaceted injury response is mediated by microglia, which interact directly with neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neural stem/progenitor cells. Despite a clear understanding of their essential nature and origin, the mechanisms of action and new functions of microglia in spinal cord injury require extensive research. This review summarizes current studies on microglial genesis, physiological function, and pathological state, highlights their crucial roles in spinal cord injury, and proposes microglia as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Zha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Guoli Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Skutella
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Karl Kiening
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Unterberg
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Younsi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Zhu X, Xu Z, Liu Y, Yang J, Bai L, Li X, Sun Q, Li H, Chen G. Unveiling microglia heterogeneity in intracerebral hemorrhage. Neuroscience 2024; 555:167-177. [PMID: 39067680 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are important innate immune cells in the brain, and a rich diversity of subtypes has recently been discovered that expand beyond the traditional classification of traditional M1 (pro-inflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory) classifications. Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating form of stroke, and the understanding of its later-stage pathological mechanisms remains incomplete. In this study, through the analysis of single-cell transcripts from mice brains 14 days post-ICH, three disease-associated expression patterns of microglia were identified. These include a lipid metabolism and phagocytosis phenotype reminiscent of Disease-Associated Microglia (DAM) initially discovered in Alzheimer's disease models, a phenotype associated with angiogenesis, and a relatively independent phenotype similar to the pro-inflammatory M1 state. These findings were further validated through immunofluorescence in both mouse and human specimens. In addition, analysis of single-cell transcripts from mice brains 3 days post-ICH suggested that microglia involved in lipid metabolism and phagocytosis likely emerge from early proliferating populations. Given the distinct origins and phenotypic characteristics of pro-inflammatory and reparative microglia, interventions targeting these cells hold the potential to modulate the delicate balance between injury and repair during the pathophysiological process of ICH, highlighting a pivotal direction for future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xunan Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhongmou Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yangyang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Lei Bai
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qing Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haiying Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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Duan Z, Zhou W, He S, Wang W, Huang H, Yi L, Zhang R, Chen J, Zan X, You C, Gao X. Intranasal Delivery of Curcumin Nanoparticles Improves Neuroinflammation and Neurological Deficits in Mice with Intracerebral Hemorrhage. SMALL METHODS 2024:e2400304. [PMID: 38577823 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202400304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) represents one of the most severe subtypes of stroke. Due to the complexity of the brain injury mechanisms following ICH, there are currently no effective treatments to significantly improve patient functional outcomes. Curcumin, as a potential therapeutic agent for ICH, is limited by its poor water solubility and oral bioavailability. In this study, mPEG-PCL is used to encapsulate curcumin, forming curcumin nanoparticles, and utilized the intranasal administration route to directly deliver curcumin nanoparticles from the nasal cavity to the brain. By inhibiting pro-inflammatory neuroinflammation of microglia following ICH in mice, reprogramming pro-inflammatory microglia toward an anti-inflammatory function, and consequently reducing neuronal inflammatory death and hematoma volume, this approach improved blood-brain barrier damage in ICH mice and promoted the recovery of neurological function post-stroke. This study offers a promising therapeutic strategy for ICH to mediate neuroinflammatory microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongxin Duan
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wenjie Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shi He
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wanyu Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hongyi Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Linbin Yi
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Junli Chen
- Department of Pathophysiology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Zan
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chao You
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
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Gargas J, Janowska J, Gebala P, Maksymiuk W, Sypecka J. Reactive Gliosis in Neonatal Disorders: Friend or Foe for Neuroregeneration? Cells 2024; 13:131. [PMID: 38247822 PMCID: PMC10813898 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
A developing nervous system is particularly vulnerable to the influence of pathophysiological clues and injuries in the perinatal period. Astrocytes are among the first cells that react to insults against the nervous tissue, the presence of pathogens, misbalance of local tissue homeostasis, and a lack of oxygen and trophic support. Under this background, it remains uncertain if induced astrocyte activation, recognized as astrogliosis, is a friend or foe for progressing neonatal neurodevelopment. Likewise, the state of astrocyte reactivity is considered one of the key factors discriminating between either the initiation of endogenous reparative mechanisms compensating for aberrations in the structures and functions of nervous tissue or the triggering of neurodegeneration. The responses of activated cells are modulated by neighboring neural cells, which exhibit broad immunomodulatory and pro-regenerative properties by secreting a plethora of active compounds (including interleukins and chemokines, neurotrophins, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide synthase and complement components), which are engaged in cell crosstalk in a paracrine manner. As the developing nervous system is extremely sensitive to the influence of signaling molecules, even subtle changes in the composition or concentration of the cellular secretome can have significant effects on the developing neonatal brain. Thus, modulating the activity of other types of cells and their interactions with overreactive astrocytes might be a promising strategy for controlling neonatal astrogliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Joanna Sypecka
- NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, A. Pawinskiego 5, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (J.G.); (J.J.)
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