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Smail MA, Lenz KM. Developmental functions of microglia: Impact of psychosocial and physiological early life stress. Neuropharmacology 2024; 258:110084. [PMID: 39025401 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Microglia play numerous important roles in brain development. From early embryonic stages through adolescence, these immune cells influence neuronal genesis and maturation, guide connectivity, and shape brain circuits. They also interact with other glial cells and structures, influencing the brain's supportive microenvironment. While this central role makes microglia essential, it means that early life perturbations to microglia can have widespread effects on brain development, potentially resulting in long-lasting behavioral impairments. Here, we will focus on the effects of early life psychosocial versus physiological stressors in rodent models. Psychosocial stress refers to perceived threats that lead to stress axes activation, including prenatal stress, or chronic postnatal stress, including maternal separation and resource scarcity. Physiological stress refers to physical threats, including maternal immune activation, postnatal infection, and traumatic brain injury. Differing sources of early life stress have varied impacts on microglia, and these effects are moderated by factors such as developmental age, brain region, and sex. Overall, these stressors appear to either 1) upregulate basal microglia numbers and activity throughout the lifespan, while possibly blunting their responsivity to subsequent stressors, or 2) shift the developmental curve of microglia, resulting in differential timing and function, impacting the critical periods they govern. Either could contribute to behavioral dysfunctions that occur after the resolution of early life stress. Exploring how different stressors impact microglia, as well as how multiple stressors interact to alter microglia's developmental functions, could deepen our understanding of how early life stress changes the brain's developmental trajectory. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Microglia".
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa A Smail
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Kathryn M Lenz
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Chronic Brain Injury Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Pramanik S, Devi M H, Chakrabarty S, Paylar B, Pradhan A, Thaker M, Ayyadhury S, Manavalan A, Olsson PE, Pramanik G, Heese K. Microglia signaling in health and disease - Implications in sex-specific brain development and plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 165:105834. [PMID: 39084583 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Microglia, the intrinsic neuroimmune cells residing in the central nervous system (CNS), exert a pivotal influence on brain development, homeostasis, and functionality, encompassing critical roles during both aging and pathological states. Recent advancements in comprehending brain plasticity and functions have spotlighted conspicuous variances between male and female brains, notably in neurogenesis, neuronal myelination, axon fasciculation, and synaptogenesis. Nevertheless, the precise impact of microglia on sex-specific brain cell plasticity, sculpting diverse neural network architectures and circuits, remains largely unexplored. This article seeks to unravel the present understanding of microglial involvement in brain development, plasticity, and function, with a specific emphasis on microglial signaling in brain sex polymorphism. Commencing with an overview of microglia in the CNS and their associated signaling cascades, we subsequently probe recent revelations regarding molecular signaling by microglia in sex-dependent brain developmental plasticity, functions, and diseases. Notably, C-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1), triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), calcium (Ca2+), and apolipoprotein E (APOE) emerge as molecular candidates significantly contributing to sex-dependent brain development and plasticity. In conclusion, we address burgeoning inquiries surrounding microglia's pivotal role in the functional diversity of developing and aging brains, contemplating their potential implications for gender-tailored therapeutic strategies in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subrata Pramanik
- Jyoti and Bhupat Mehta School of Health Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India.
| | - Harini Devi M
- Jyoti and Bhupat Mehta School of Health Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Saswata Chakrabarty
- Jyoti and Bhupat Mehta School of Health Sciences and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam, India
| | - Berkay Paylar
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden
| | - Ajay Pradhan
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden
| | - Manisha Thaker
- Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Inc., 2425 New Holland Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601, USA
| | - Shamini Ayyadhury
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Arulmani Manavalan
- Department of Cariology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600077, India
| | - Per-Erik Olsson
- Biology, The Life Science Center, School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden
| | - Gopal Pramanik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand 835215, India.
| | - Klaus Heese
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133791, the Republic of Korea.
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Wu J, Ren R, Chen T, Su LD, Tang T. Neuroimmune and neuroinflammation response for traumatic brain injury. Brain Res Bull 2024; 217:111066. [PMID: 39241894 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.111066] [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: 06/15/2024] [Revised: 08/18/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major diseases leading to mortality and disability, causing a serious disease burden on individuals' ordinary lives as well as socioeconomics. In primary injury, neuroimmune and neuroinflammation are both responsible for the TBI. Besides, extensive and sustained injury induced by neuroimmune and neuroinflammation also prolongs the course and worsens prognosis of TBI. Therefore, this review aims to explore the role of neuroimmune, neuroinflammation and factors associated them in TBI as well as the therapies for TBI. Thus, we conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for articles published between 2010 and 2023. Keywords included "traumatic brain injury," "neuroimmune response," "neuroinflammation," "astrocytes," "microglia," and "NLRP3." Articles were selected based on relevance and quality of evidence. On this basis, we provide the cellular and molecular mechanisms of TBI-induced both neuroimmune and neuroinflammation response, as well as the different factors affecting them, are introduced based on physiology of TBI, which supply a clear overview in TBI-induced chain-reacting, for a better understanding of TBI and to offer more thoughts on the future therapies for TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyun Wu
- Neuroscience Care Unit, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Reng Ren
- Neuroscience Care Unit, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Neuroscience Care Unit, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Li-Da Su
- Neuroscience Care Unit, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China.
| | - Tianchi Tang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China.
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Walker KA, Rhodes ST, Liberman DA, Gore AC, Bell MR. Microglial responses to inflammatory challenge in adult rats altered by developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls in a sex-specific manner. Neurotoxicology 2024; 104:95-115. [PMID: 39038526 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2024.07.009] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls are ubiquitous environmental contaminants linkedc with peripheral immune and neural dysfunction. Neuroimmune signaling is critical to brain development and later health; however, effects of PCBs on neuroimmune processes are largely undescribed. This study extends our previous work in neonatal or adolescent rats by investigating longer-term effects of perinatal PCB exposure on later neuroimmune responses to an inflammatory challenge in adulthood. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a low-dose, environmentally relevant, mixture of PCBs (Aroclors 1242, 1248, and 1254, 1:1:1, 20 μg / kg dam BW per gestational day) or oil control during gestation and via lactation. Upon reaching adulthood, rats were given a mild inflammatory challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 μg / kg BW, ip) or saline control and then euthanized 3 hours later for gene expression analysis or 24 hours later for immunohistochemical labeling of Iba1+ microglia. PCB exposure did not alter gene expression or microglial morphology independently, but instead interacted with the LPS challenge in brain region- and sex-specific ways. In the female hypothalamus, PCB exposure blunted LPS responses of neuroimmune and neuromodulatory genes without changing microglial morphology. In the female prefrontal cortex, PCBs shifted Iba1+ cells from reactive to hyperramified morphology in response to LPS. Conversely, in the male hypothalamus, PCBs shifted cell phenotypes from hyperramified to reactive morphologies in response to LPS. The results highlight the potential for long-lasting effects of environmental contaminants that are differentially revealed over a lifetime, sometimes only after a secondary challenge. These neuroimmune endpoints are possible mechanisms for PCB effects on a range of neural dysfunction in adulthood, including mental health and neurodegenerative disorders. The findings suggest possible interactions with other environmental challenges that also influence neuroimmune systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A Walker
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Health Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
| | - Simone T Rhodes
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Health Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
| | - Deborah A Liberman
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Health Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
| | - Andrea C Gore
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy and Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Margaret R Bell
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Health Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA; Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy and Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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VanRyzin JW, Marquardt AE, McCarthy MM. Feminization of social play behavior depends on microglia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.19.608675. [PMID: 39229086 PMCID: PMC11370478 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.19.608675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Many sex differences in brain and behavior are established developmentally by the opposing processes of feminization and masculinization, which manifest following differential steroid hormone exposure in early life. The cellular mechanisms underlying masculinization are well-documented, a result of the fact that it is steroid-mediated and can be easily induced in newborn female rodents via exogenous steroid treatment. However, the study of feminization of particular brain regions has largely been relegated to being "not masculinization" given the absence of an identified initiating trigger. As a result, the mechanisms of this key developmental process remain elusive. Here we describe a novel role for microglia, the brain's innate immune cell, in the feminization of the medial amygdala and a complex social behavior, juvenile play. In the developing amygdala, microglia promote proliferation of astrocytes equally in both sexes, with no apparent effect on rates of cell division, but support cell survival selectively in females through the trophic actions of Tumor Necrosis Factor α (TNFα). We demonstrate that disrupting TNFα signaling, either by depleting microglia or inhibiting the associated signaling pathways, prevents the feminization of astrocyte density and increases juvenile play levels to that seen in males. This data, combined with our previous finding that male-like patterns of astrocyte density are sculpted by developmental microglial phagocytosis, reveals that sexual differentiation of the medial amygdala involves opposing tensions between active masculinization and active feminization, both of which require microglia but are achieved via distinct processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W VanRyzin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Drug Development and University of Maryland Medicine - Institute for Neuroscience Discovery (UM-MIND), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Ashley E Marquardt
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Drug Development and University of Maryland Medicine - Institute for Neuroscience Discovery (UM-MIND), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Drug Development and University of Maryland Medicine - Institute for Neuroscience Discovery (UM-MIND), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201
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Pecheva D, Smith DM, Casey BJ, Woodward LJ, Dale AM, Filippi CG, Watts R. Sex and mental health are related to subcortical brain microstructure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2403212121. [PMID: 39042688 PMCID: PMC11295051 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403212121] [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: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Some mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are more common in females, while others such as autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity (AD/H) are more common in males. However, the neurobiological origins of these sex differences are poorly understood. Animal studies have shown substantial sex differences in neuronal and glial cell structure, while human brain imaging studies have shown only small differences, which largely reflect overall body and brain size. Advanced diffusion MRI techniques can be used to examine intracellular, extracellular, and free water signal contributions and provide unique insights into microscopic cellular structure. However, the extent to which sex differences exist in these metrics of subcortical gray matter structures implicated in psychiatric disorders is not known. Here, we show large sex-related differences in microstructure in subcortical regions, including the hippocampus, thalamus, and nucleus accumbens in a large sample of young adults. Unlike conventional T1-weighted structural imaging, large sex differences remained after adjustment for age and brain volume. Further, diffusion metrics in the thalamus and amygdala were associated with depression, anxiety, AD/H, and antisocial personality problems. Diffusion MRI may provide mechanistic insights into the origin of sex differences in behavior and mental health over the life course and help to bridge the gap between findings from experimental, epidemiological, and clinical mental health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diliana Pecheva
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
| | - Diana M. Smith
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
| | - B. J. Casey
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York, NY10027
| | - Lianne J. Woodward
- Faculty of Health, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8140, New Zealand
| | - Anders M. Dale
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA92093
| | - Christopher G. Filippi
- Department of Radiology, The Hospital for Sick Children and the SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1E8, Canada
| | - Richard Watts
- Faculty of Health, University of Canterbury, Christchurch8140, New Zealand
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Fitzgerald E, Pokhvisneva I, Patel S, Yu Chan S, Peng Tan A, Chen H, Pelufo Silveira P, Meaney MJ. Microglial function interacts with the environment to affect sex-specific depression risk. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:597-606. [PMID: 38670238 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
There is a two-fold higher incidence of depression in females compared to men with recent studies suggesting a role for microglia in conferring this sex-dependent depression risk. In this study we investigated the nature of this relation. Using GWAS enrichment, gene-set enrichment analysis and Mendelian randomization, we found minimal evidence for a direct relation between genes functionally related to microglia and sex-dependent genetic risk for depression. We then used expression quantitative trait loci and single nucleus RNA-sequencing resources to generate polygenic scores (PGS) representative of individual variation in microglial function in the adult (UK Biobank; N = 54753-72682) and fetal (ALSPAC; N = 1452) periods. The adult microglial PGS moderated the association between BMI (UK Biobank; beta = 0.001, 95 %CI 0.0009 to 0.003, P = 7.74E-6) and financial insecurity (UK Biobank; beta = 0.001, 95 %CI 0.005 to 0.015, P = 2E-4) with depressive symptoms in females. The fetal microglia PGS moderated the association between maternal prenatal depressive symptoms and offspring depressive symptoms at 24 years in females (ALSPAC; beta = 0.04, 95 %CI 0.004 to 0.07, P = 0.03). We found no evidence for an interaction between the microglial PGS and depression risk factors in males. Our results illustrate a role for microglial function in the conferral of sex-dependent depression risk following exposure to a depression risk factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada.
| | - Irina Pokhvisneva
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
| | - Sachin Patel
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada
| | - Shi Yu Chan
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore
| | - Ai Peng Tan
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Department of Diagnostic Imaging, National University Health System, Singapore; Brain - Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), Singapore
| | - Helen Chen
- Department of Psychological Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore; Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Patricia Pelufo Silveira
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Canada; Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Singapore; Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Brain - Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), Singapore.
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Bailey ML, Nixon C, Rusch DB, Buechlein A, Rosvall KA, Bentz AB. Maternal social environment shapes yolk testosterone allocation and embryonic neural gene expression in tree swallows. Horm Behav 2024; 163:105561. [PMID: 38759417 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Offspring from females breeding in competitive social environments are often exposed to more testosterone (T) during embryonic development, which can affect traits from growth to behavior in potentially adaptive ways. Despite the important role of maternally derived steroids in shaping offspring development, the molecular mechanisms driving these processes are currently unclear. Here, we use tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to explore the effects of the maternal social environment on yolk T concentrations and genome-wide patterns of neural gene expression in embryos. We measured aggressive interactions among females breeding at variable densities and collected their eggs at two timepoints, including the day laid to measure yolk T concentrations and on embryonic day 11 to measure gene expression in whole brain samples. We found that females breeding in high-density sites experienced elevated rates of physical aggression and their eggs had higher yolk T concentrations. A differential gene expression and weighted gene co-expression network analysis indicated that embryos from high-density sites experienced an upregulation of genes involved in hormone, circulatory, and immune processes, and these gene expression patterns were correlated with yolk T levels and aggression. Genes implicated in neural development were additionally downregulated in embryos from high-density sites. These data highlight how early neurogenomic processes may be affected by the maternal social environment, giving rise to phenotypic plasticity in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Leigh Bailey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Cameron Nixon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Douglas B Rusch
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Aaron Buechlein
- Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | | | - Alexandra B Bentz
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
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Fanikos M, Kohn SA, Stamato R, Brenhouse HC, Gildawie KR. Impacts of age and environment on postnatal microglial activity: Consequences for cognitive function following early life adversity. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306022. [PMID: 38917075 PMCID: PMC11198844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) increases the likelihood of later-life neuropsychiatric disorders and cognitive dysfunction. Importantly, ELA, neuropsychiatric disorders, and cognitive deficits all involve aberrant immune signaling. Microglia are the primary neuroimmune cells and regulate brain development. Microglia are particularly sensitive to early life insults, which can program their responses to future challenges. ELA in the form of maternal separation (MS) in rats alters later-life microglial morphology and the inflammatory profile of the prefrontal cortex, a region important for cognition. However, the role of microglial responses during MS in the development of later cognition is not known. Therefore, here we aimed to determine whether the presence of microglia during MS mediates long-term impacts on adult working memory. Clodronate liposomes were used to transiently deplete microglia from the brain, while empty liposomes were used as a control. We hypothesized that if microglia mediate the long-term impacts of ELA on working memory in adulthood, then depleting microglia during MS would prevent these deficits. Importantly, microglial function shifts throughout the neonatal period, so an exploratory investigation assessed whether depletion during the early versus late neonatal period had different effects on adult working memory. Surprisingly, empty liposome treatment during the early, but not late, postnatal period induced microglial activity changes that compounded with MS to impair working memory in females. In contrast, microglial depletion later in infancy impaired later life working memory in females, suggesting that microglial function during late infancy plays an important role in the development of cognitive function. Together, these findings suggest that microglia shift their sensitivity to early life insults across development. Our findings also highlight the potential for MS to impact some developmental processes only when compounded with additional neuroimmune challenges in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Fanikos
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Skylar A. Kohn
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Stamato
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Heather C. Brenhouse
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kelsea R. Gildawie
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Perez-Pouchoulen M, Holley AS, Reinl EL, VanRyzin JW, Mehrabani A, Dionisos C, Mirza M, McCarthy MM. Viral-mediated inflammation by Poly I:C induces the chemokine CCL5 in NK cells and its receptors CCR1 and CCR5 in microglia in the neonatal rat cerebellum. NEUROIMMUNE PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS 2024; 3:155-168. [PMID: 39175524 PMCID: PMC11338497 DOI: 10.1515/nipt-2024-0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Objectives To study the effect of viral inflammation induced by Polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (PIC) on the cerebellum during a critical period of development in rats. Methods Neonatal rat pups were treated with PIC on postnatal days (PN) 8 and 10 after which we quantified RNA using Nanostring, qRT-PCR and RNAscope and analyzed immune cells through flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry on PN11. Using the same paradigm, we also analyzed play juvenile behavior, anxiety-like behavior, motor balance using the balance beam and the rotarod assays as well as fine motor behavior using the sunflower seed opening test. Results We determined that male and female pups treated with PIC reacted with a significant increase in CCL5, a chemotactic cytokine that attracts T-cells, eosinophils and basophils to the site of inflammation, at PN11. PIC treatment also increased the expression of two receptors for CCL5, CCR1 and CCR5 in the cerebellar vermis in both males and females at PN11. In-situ hybridization (RNAscope®) for specific transcripts revealed that microglia express both CCL5 receptors under inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions in both males and females. PIC treatment also increased the total number of CCL5+ cells in the developing cerebellum which were determined to be both natural killer cells and T-cells. There were modest but significant impacts of PIC treatment on large and fine motor skills and juvenile play behavior. Conclusions Our findings suggest an important role for CCL5 and other immune cells in mediating inflammation in the developing cerebellum that potentially impact the maturation of cerebellar neurons during a critical period of development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda S. Holley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Erin L. Reinl
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan W. VanRyzin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amir Mehrabani
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christie Dionisos
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Muhammed Mirza
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Margaret M. McCarthy
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- UM-MIND, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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11
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Seiffe A, Kazlauskas N, Campolongo M, Depino AM. Juvenile peripheral LPS exposure overrides female resilience to prenatal VPA effects on adult sociability in mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11435. [PMID: 38763939 PMCID: PMC11102908 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62217-6] [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: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibits a gender bias, with boys more frequently affected than girls. Similarly, in mouse models induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA), males typically display reduced sociability, while females are less affected. Although both males and females exhibit VPA effects on neuroinflammatory parameters, these effects are sex-specific. Notably, females exposed to VPA show increased microglia and astrocyte density during the juvenile period. We hypothesized that these distinct neuroinflammatory patterns contribute to the resilience of females to VPA. To investigate this hypothesis, we treated juvenile animals with intraperitoneal bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), a treatment known to elicit brain neuroinflammation. We thus evaluated the impact of juvenile LPS-induced inflammation on adult sociability and neuroinflammation in female mice prenatally exposed to VPA. Our results demonstrate that VPA-LPS females exhibit social deficits in adulthood, overriding the resilience observed in VPA-saline littermates. Repetitive behavior and anxiety levels were not affected by either treatment. We also evaluated whether the effect on sociability was accompanied by heightened neuroinflammation in the cerebellum and hippocampus. Surprisingly, we observed reduced astrocyte and microglia density in the cerebellum of VPA-LPS animals. These findings shed light on the complex interactions between prenatal insults, juvenile inflammatory stimuli, and sex-specific vulnerability in ASD-related social deficits, providing insights into potential therapeutic interventions for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Araceli Seiffe
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-UBA, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 2do piso, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nadia Kazlauskas
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-UBA, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 2do piso, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcos Campolongo
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-UBA, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 2do piso, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Amaicha Mara Depino
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Universidad de Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-UBA, Int. Guiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 2do piso, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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12
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Hiramoto K, Kubo S, Tsuji K, Sugiyama D, Hamano H. Decreased Memory and Learning Ability Mediated by Bmal1/M1 Macrophages/Angptl2/Inflammatory Cytokine Pathway in Mice Exposed to Long-Term Blue Light Irradiation. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:4924-4934. [PMID: 38785563 PMCID: PMC11120424 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46050295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Humans are persistently exposed to massive amounts of blue light via sunlight, computers, smartphones, and similar devices. Although the positive and negative effects of blue light on living organisms have been reported, its impact on learning and memory remains unknown. Herein, we examined the effects of widespread blue light exposure on the learning and memory abilities of blue light-exposed mice. Ten-week-old male ICR mice were divided into five groups (five mice/group) and irradiated with blue light from a light-emitting diode daily for 6 months. After 6 months of blue light irradiation, mice exhibited a decline in memory and learning abilities, assessed using the Morris water maze and step-through passive avoidance paradigms. Blue light-irradiated mice exhibited a decreased expression of the clock gene brain and muscle arnt-like 1 (Bmal1). The number of microglia and levels of M1 macrophage CC-chemokine receptor 7 and inducible nitric oxide synthase were increased, accompanied by a decrease in M2 macrophage arginase-1 levels. Levels of angiopoietin-like protein 2 and inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β were elevated. Our findings suggest that long-term blue light exposure could reduce Bmal1 expression, activate the M1 macrophage/Angptl2/inflammatory cytokine pathway, induce neurodegeneration, and lead to a decline in memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Hiramoto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Mie, Japan
| | - Sayaka Kubo
- Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku 140-8170, Tokyo, Japan; (S.K.); (K.T.); (D.S.); (H.H.)
| | - Keiko Tsuji
- Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku 140-8170, Tokyo, Japan; (S.K.); (K.T.); (D.S.); (H.H.)
| | - Daijiro Sugiyama
- Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku 140-8170, Tokyo, Japan; (S.K.); (K.T.); (D.S.); (H.H.)
| | - Hideo Hamano
- Research Department, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku 140-8170, Tokyo, Japan; (S.K.); (K.T.); (D.S.); (H.H.)
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13
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Green TRF, Rowe RK. Quantifying microglial morphology: an insight into function. Clin Exp Immunol 2024; 216:221-229. [PMID: 38456795 PMCID: PMC11097915 DOI: 10.1093/cei/uxae023] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia are specialized immune cells unique to the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia have a highly plastic morphology that changes rapidly in response to injury or infection. Qualitative and quantitative measurements of ever-changing microglial morphology are considered a cornerstone of many microglia-centric research studies. The distinctive morphological variations seen in microglia are a useful marker of inflammation and severity of tissue damage. Although a wide array of damage-associated microglial morphologies has been documented, the exact functions of these distinct morphologies are not fully understood. In this review, we discuss how microglia morphology is not synonymous with microglia function, however, morphological outcomes can be used to make inferences about microglial function. For a comprehensive examination of the reactive status of a microglial cell, both histological and genetic approaches should be combined. However, the importance of quality immunohistochemistry-based analyses should not be overlooked as they can succinctly answer many research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabitha R F Green
- Department of Integrative Physiology, The University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Rachel K Rowe
- Department of Integrative Physiology, The University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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14
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Uweru OJ, Okojie AK, Trivedi A, Benderoth J, Thomas LS, Davidson G, Cox K, Eyo UB. A P2RY12 deficiency results in sex-specific cellular perturbations and sexually dimorphic behavioral anomalies. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:95. [PMID: 38622726 PMCID: PMC11017545 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03079-7] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Microglia are sexually dimorphic, yet, this critical aspect is often overlooked in neuroscientific studies. Decades of research have revealed the dynamic nature of microglial-neuronal interactions, but seldom consider how this dynamism varies with microglial sex differences, leaving a significant gap in our knowledge. This study focuses on P2RY12, a highly expressed microglial signature gene that mediates microglial-neuronal interactions, we show that adult females have a significantly higher expression of the receptor than adult male microglia. We further demonstrate that a genetic deletion of P2RY12 induces sex-specific cellular perturbations with microglia and neurons in females more significantly affected. Correspondingly, female mice lacking P2RY12 exhibit unique behavioral anomalies not observed in male counterparts. These findings underscore the critical, sex-specific roles of P2RY12 in microglial-neuronal interactions, offering new insights into basal interactions and potential implications for CNS disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ogochukwu J Uweru
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
| | - Akhabue K Okojie
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Aparna Trivedi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jordan Benderoth
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Lauren S Thomas
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Georgia Davidson
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kendall Cox
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ukpong B Eyo
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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15
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Lazzarini G, Gatta A, Miragliotta V, Vaglini F, Viaggi C, Pirone A. Glial cells are affected more than interneurons by the loss of Engrailed 2 gene in the mouse cerebellum. J Anat 2024; 244:667-675. [PMID: 38009365 PMCID: PMC10941518 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13982] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Glial cells play a pivotal role in the inflammatory processes, which are common features of several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Their major role in modulating neuroinflammation underscores their significance in these conditions. Engrailed-2 knockout mice (En2-/- ) are considered a valuable model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to their distinctive neuroanatomical and behavioral traits. Given the higher prevalence of ASD in males, our objective was to investigate glial and interneuron alterations in the cerebellum of En2-/- mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice in both sexes. We employed immunohistochemical analysis to assess cell density for all cell types studied and analyzed the area (A) and shape factor (SF) of microglia cell bodies. Our findings revealed the following: (a) In WT mice, the density of microglia and astrocytes was higher in females than in males, while interneuron density was lower in females. Notably, in En2-mutant mice, these differences between males and females were not present. (b) In both male and female En2-/- mice, astrocyte density exceeded that in WT mice, with microglia density being greater only in females. (c) In WT females, microglia cell bodies exhibited a larger area and a lower shape factor compared to WT males. Remarkably, the En2 mutation did not appear to influence these sex-related differences. (d) In both male and female En2-/- mice, we observed a consistent pattern: microglia cell bodies displayed a larger area and a smaller shape factor. Given the ongoing debate surrounding the roles of glia and sex-related factors in ASD, our observations provide valuable insights into understanding how an ASD-associated gene En2 affects specific cell types in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Francesca Vaglini
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical TechnologiesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Cristina Viaggi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical TechnologiesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Andrea Pirone
- Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
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16
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Uweru OJ, Okojie KA, Trivedi A, Benderoth J, Thomas LS, Davidson G, Cox K, Eyo U. A P2RY12 Deficiency Results in Sex-specific Cellular Perturbations and Sexually Dimorphic Behavioral Anomalies. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3997803. [PMID: 38496602 PMCID: PMC10942488 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3997803/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are sexually dimorphic, yet, this critical aspect is often overlooked in neuroscientific studies. Decades of research have revealed the dynamic nature of microglial-neuronal interactions, but seldom consider how this dynamism varies with microglial sex differences, leaving a significant gap in our knowledge. This study focuses on P2RY12, a highly expressed microglial signature gene that mediates microglial-neuronal interactions, we show that adult females have a significantly higher expression of the receptor than adult male microglia. We further demonstrate that a genetic deletion of P2RY12 induces sex-specific cellular perturbations with microglia and neurons in females more significantly affected. Correspondingly, female mice lacking P2RY12 exhibit unique behavioral anomalies not observed in male counterparts. These findings underscore the critical, sex-specific roles of P2RY12 in microglial-neuronal interactions, offering new insights into basal interactions and potential implications for CNS disease mechanisms.
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17
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Peedikayil-Kurien S, Setty H, Oren-Suissa M. Environmental experiences shape sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits and behaviour. FEBS J 2024; 291:1080-1101. [PMID: 36582142 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Dimorphic traits, shaped by both natural and sexual selection, ensure optimal fitness and survival of the organism. This includes neuronal circuits that are largely affected by different experiences and environmental conditions. Recent evidence suggests that sexual dimorphism of neuronal circuits extends to different levels such as neuronal activity, connectivity and molecular topography that manifest in response to various experiences, including chemical exposures, starvation and stress. In this review, we propose some common principles that govern experience-dependent sexually dimorphic circuits in both vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. While sexually dimorphic neuronal circuits are predetermined, they have to maintain a certain level of fluidity to be adaptive to different experiences. The first layer of dimorphism is at the level of the neuronal circuit, which appears to be dictated by sex-biased transcription factors. This could subsequently lead to differences in the second layer of regulation namely connectivity and synaptic properties. The third regulator of experience-dependent responses is the receptor level, where dimorphic expression patterns determine the primary sensory encoding. We also highlight missing pieces in this field and propose future directions that can shed light onto novel aspects of sexual dimorphism with potential benefits to sex-specific therapeutic approaches. Thus, sexual identity and experience simultaneously determine behaviours that ultimately result in the maximal survival success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hagar Setty
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meital Oren-Suissa
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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18
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Ardalan M, Mallard C. From hormones to behavior through microglial mitochondrial function. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 117:471-472. [PMID: 38341051 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ardalan
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Clinical Medicine, Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus Denmark.
| | - Carina Mallard
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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19
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Boland R, Kokiko-Cochran ON. Deplete and repeat: microglial CSF1R inhibition and traumatic brain injury. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1352790. [PMID: 38450286 PMCID: PMC10915023 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1352790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health burden affecting millions of people. Sustained neuroinflammation after TBI is often associated with poor outcome. As a result, increased attention has been placed on the role of immune cells in post-injury recovery. Microglia are highly dynamic after TBI and play a key role in the post-injury neuroinflammatory response. Therefore, microglia represent a malleable post-injury target that could substantially influence long-term outcome after TBI. This review highlights the cell specific role of microglia in TBI pathophysiology. Microglia have been manipulated via genetic deletion, drug inhibition, and pharmacological depletion in various pre-clinical TBI models. Notably, colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) and its receptor (CSF1R) have gained much traction in recent years as a pharmacological target on microglia. CSF1R is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor that is essential for microglia proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Small molecule inhibitors targeting CSF1R result in a swift and effective depletion of microglia in rodents. Moreover, discontinuation of the inhibitors is sufficient for microglia repopulation. Attention is placed on summarizing studies that incorporate CSF1R inhibition of microglia. Indeed, microglia depletion affects multiple aspects of TBI pathophysiology, including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and functional recovery with measurable influence on astrocytes, peripheral immune cells, and neurons. Taken together, the data highlight an important role for microglia in sustaining neuroinflammation and increasing risk of oxidative stress, which lends to neuronal damage and behavioral deficits chronically after TBI. Ultimately, the insights gained from CSF1R depletion of microglia are critical for understanding the temporospatial role that microglia develop in mediating TBI pathophysiology and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Boland
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chronic Brain Injury Program, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Olga N Kokiko-Cochran
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Chronic Brain Injury Program, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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20
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Goikolea-Vives A, Fernandes C, Thomas MSC, Thornton C, Stolp HB. Sex-specific behavioural deficits in adulthood following acute activation of the GABAA receptor in the neonatal mouse. Dev Neurosci 2024:000536641. [PMID: 38325353 DOI: 10.1159/000536641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sex differences exist in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Part of the aetiology of NDDs has been proposed to be alterations in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, leading to the question of whether males and females respond differently to altered neurotransmitter balance. We investigated whether pharmacological alteration of GABAA signalling in early development results in sex-dependent changes in adult behaviours associated with NDDs. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice received intraperitoneal injections of 0.5mg/kg muscimol or saline on postnatal days (P) 3-5 and were subjected to behavioural testing, specifically open field, light dark box, marble burying, sucralose preference, social interaction and olfactory habituation/dishabituation tests between P60-90. RESULTS Early postnatal administration of muscimol resulted in reduced anxiety in the light dark box test in both male and female adult mice. Muscimol reduced sucralose preference in males, but not females, whereas female mice showed reduced social behaviours. Regional alterations in cortical thickness were observed in the weeks following GABAA receptor activation, pointing to an evolving structural difference in the brain underlying adult behaviour. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that activation of the GABAA receptor in the first week of life resulted in long-lasting changes in a range of behaviours in adulthood following altered neurodevelopment. Sex of the individual affected the nature and severity of these abnormalities, explaining part of the varied pathophysiology and neurodevelopmental diagnosis that derive from excitatory/inhibitory imbalance.
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21
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Dadwal S, Heneka MT. Microglia heterogeneity in health and disease. FEBS Open Bio 2024; 14:217-229. [PMID: 37945346 PMCID: PMC10839410 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), have received significant attention due to their critical roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and mediating cerebral immune responses. Understanding the origin of microglia has been a subject of great interest, and emerging evidence suggests that microglia consist of multiple subpopulations with unique molecular and functional characteristics. These subpopulations of microglia may exhibit specialized roles in response to different environmental cues as in disease conditions. The newfound understanding of microglial heterogeneity has significant implications for elucidating their roles in both physiological and pathological conditions. In the context of disease, microglia have been studied rigorously as they play a very important role in neuroinflammation. Dysregulated microglial activation and function contribute to chronic inflammation. Further exploration of microglial heterogeneity and their interactions with other cell types in the CNS will undoubtedly pave the way to novel therapeutic strategies targeting microglia-mediated pathologies. In this review, we discuss the latest advances in the field of microglia research, focusing specifically on the origin and subpopulations of microglia, the populations of microglia types in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases, and how microglia are regulated in the healthy CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilauni Dadwal
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems BiomedicineUniversity of LuxembourgBelvalLuxembourg
| | - Michael T. Heneka
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems BiomedicineUniversity of LuxembourgBelvalLuxembourg
- Division of Infectious Diseases and ImmunologyUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMAUSA
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22
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Kaplan HS, Logeman BL, Zhang K, Santiago C, Sohail N, Naumenko S, Ho Sui SJ, Ginty DD, Ren B, Dulac C. Sensory Input, Sex, and Function Shape Hypothalamic Cell Type Development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576835. [PMID: 38328205 PMCID: PMC10849564 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Mammalian behavior and physiology undergo dramatic changes in early life. Young animals rely on conspecifics to meet their homeostatic needs, until weaning and puberty initiate nutritional independence and sex-specific social interactions, respectively. How neuronal populations regulating homeostatic functions and social behaviors develop and mature during these transitions remains unclear. We used paired transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility profiling to examine the developmental trajectories of neuronal populations in the hypothalamic preoptic region, where cell types with key roles in physiological and behavioral control have been identified1-6. These data reveal a remarkable diversity of developmental trajectories shaped by the sex of the animal, and the location and behavioral or physiological function of the corresponding cell types. We identify key stages of preoptic development, including the perinatal emergence of sex differences, postnatal maturation and subsequent refinement of signaling networks, and nonlinear transcriptional changes accelerating at the time of weaning and puberty. We assessed preoptic development in various sensory mutants and find a major role for vomeronasal sensing in the timing of preoptic cell type maturation. These results provide novel insights into the development of neurons controlling homeostatic functions and social behaviors and lay ground for examining the dynamics of these functions in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harris S. Kaplan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brandon L. Logeman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Epigenomics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Current address: Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Celine Santiago
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 220 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Noor Sohail
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Serhiy Naumenko
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Newborn Screening Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Shannan J. Ho Sui
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David D. Ginty
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 220 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bing Ren
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Center for Epigenomics, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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23
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Vecchiarelli HA, Lopes LT, Paolicelli RC, Stevens B, Wake H, Tremblay MÈ. Synapse Regulation. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 37:179-208. [PMID: 39207693 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-55529-9_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are the resident immune cells of the brain. As such, they rapidly detect changes in normal brain homeostasis and accurately respond by fine-tuning in a tightly regulated manner their morphology, gene expression, and functional behavior. Depending on the nature of these changes, microglia can thicken and retract their processes, proliferate and migrate, release numerous signaling factors and compounds influencing neuronal physiology (e.g., cytokines and trophic factors), in addition to secreting proteases able to transform the extracellular matrix, and phagocytosing various types of cellular debris, etc. Because microglia also transform rapidly (on a time scale of minutes) during experimental procedures, studying these very special cells requires methods that are specifically non-invasive. The development of such methods has provided unprecedented insights into the roles of microglia during normal physiological conditions. In particular, transcranial two-photon in vivo imaging revealed that presumably "resting" microglia continuously survey the brain parenchyma with their highly motile processes, in addition to modulating their structural and functional interactions with neuronal circuits along the changes in neuronal activity and behavioral experience occurring throughout the lifespan. In this chapter, we will describe how surveillant microglia interact with synaptic elements and modulate the number, maturation, function, and plasticity of synapses in the healthy developing, mature, and aging brain, with consequences on neuronal activity, learning and memory, and the behavioral outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rosa C Paolicelli
- Division of Psychiatry Research, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Beth Stevens
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Center for Life Science, Boston Children's Hospital, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hiroaki Wake
- Division of Brain Circuits, National Institute for Basic Biology, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
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Bordt EA, Moya HA, Jo YC, Ravichandran CT, Bankowski IM, Ceasrine AM, McDougle CJ, Carlezon WA, Bilbo SD. Gonadal hormones impart male-biased behavioral vulnerabilities to immune activation via microglial mitochondrial function. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:680-695. [PMID: 37972878 PMCID: PMC10996880 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a strong male bias in the prevalence of many neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. However, the mechanisms underlying this sex bias remain elusive. Infection during the perinatal period is associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorder development. Here, we used a mouse model of early-life immune activation that reliably induces deficits in social behaviors only in males. We demonstrate that male-biased alterations in social behavior are dependent upon microglial immune signaling and are coupled to alterations in mitochondrial morphology, gene expression, and function specifically within microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain. Additionally, we show that this behavioral and microglial mitochondrial vulnerability to early-life immune activation is programmed by the male-typical perinatal gonadal hormone surge. These findings demonstrate that social behavior in males over the lifespan are regulated by microglia-specific mechanisms that are shaped by events that occur in early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan A Bordt
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Haley A Moya
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Young Chan Jo
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Caitlin T Ravichandran
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA
| | - Izabella M Bankowski
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Alexis M Ceasrine
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Pediatrics, Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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25
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Floriddia E. In conversation with Ukpong Eyo. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1-3. [PMID: 38052908 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01532-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
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26
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Reed EG, Keller-Norrell PR. Minding the Gap: Exploring Neuroinflammatory and Microglial Sex Differences in Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17377. [PMID: 38139206 PMCID: PMC10743742 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417377] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Research into Alzheimer's Disease (AD) describes a link between AD and the resident immune cells of the brain, the microglia. Further, this suspected link is thought to have underlying sex effects, although the mechanisms of these effects are only just beginning to be understood. Many of these insights are the result of policies put in place by funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to consider sex as a biological variable (SABV) and the move towards precision medicine due to continued lackluster therapeutic options. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated assessment of the current research that summarizes sex differences and the research pertaining to microglia and their varied responses in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin G. Reed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44242, USA
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27
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Al-Beltagi M. Pre-autism: What a paediatrician should know about early diagnosis of autism. World J Clin Pediatr 2023; 12:273-294. [PMID: 38178935 PMCID: PMC10762597 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v12.i5.273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism, also known as an autism spectrum disorder, is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder usually diagnosed in the first three years of a child's life. A range of symptoms characterizes it and can be diagnosed at any age, including adolescence and adulthood. However, early diagnosis is crucial for effective management, prognosis, and care. Unfortunately, there are no established fetal, prenatal, or newborn screening programs for autism, making early detection difficult. This review aims to shed light on the early detection of autism prenatally, natally, and early in life, during a stage we call as "pre-autism" when typical symptoms are not yet apparent. Some fetal, neonatal, and infant biomarkers may predict an increased risk of autism in the coming baby. By developing a biomarker array, we can create an objective diagnostic tool to diagnose and rank the severity of autism for each patient. These biomarkers could be genetic, immunological, hormonal, metabolic, amino acids, acute phase reactants, neonatal brainstem function biophysical activity, behavioral profile, body measurements, or radiological markers. However, every biomarker has its accuracy and limitations. Several factors can make early detection of autism a real challenge. To improve early detection, we need to overcome various challenges, such as raising community awareness of early signs of autism, improving access to diagnostic tools, reducing the stigma attached to the diagnosis of autism, and addressing various culturally sensitive concepts related to the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Al-Beltagi
- Department of Pediatric, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Algahrbia, Egypt
- Department of Pediatric, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
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28
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King'uyu DN, Nti-Kyemereh L, Bonin JL, Feustel PJ, Tram M, MacNamara KC, Kopec AM. The effect of morphine on rat microglial phagocytic activity: An in vitro study of brain region-, plating density-, sex-, morphine concentration-, and receptor-dependency. J Neuroimmunol 2023; 384:578204. [PMID: 37774553 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578204] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023]
Abstract
Opioids have long been used for clinical pain management, but also have addictive properties that have contributed to the ongoing opioid epidemic. While opioid activation of opioid receptors is well known to contribute to reward and reinforcement, data now also suggest that opioid activation of immune signaling via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) may also play a role in addiction-like processes. TLR4 expression is enriched in immune cells, and in the nervous system is primarily expressed in microglia. Microglial phagocytosis is important for developmental, homeostatic, and pathological processes. To examine how morphine impacts microglial phagocytosis, we isolated microglia from adult male and female rat cortex and striatum and plated them in vitro at 10,000 (10K) or 50,000 cells/well densities. Microglia were incubated with neutral fluorescent microbeads to stimulate phagocytosis in the presence of one of four morphine concentrations. We found that the brain region from which microglia are isolated and plating density, but not morphine concentration, impacts cell survival in vitro. We found that 10-12 M morphine, but not higher concentrations, increases phagocytosis in striatal microglia in vitro independent of sex and plating density, while 10-12 M morphine increased phagocytosis in cortical microglia in vitro independent of sex, but contingent on a plating density. Finally, we demonstrate that the effect of 10-12 M morphine in striatal microglia plated at 10 K density is mediated via TLR4, and not μORs. Overall, our data suggest that in rats, a morphine-TLR4 signaling pathway increases phagocytic activity in microglia independent of sex. This may is useful information for better understanding the possible neural outcomes associated with morphine exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N King'uyu
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America.
| | - Lily Nti-Kyemereh
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America; Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211, United States of America
| | - Jesse L Bonin
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America
| | - Paul J Feustel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America
| | - Michelle Tram
- Siena College, Loudonville, NY 12211, United States of America
| | - Katherine C MacNamara
- Department of Immunology and Microbial Disease, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America
| | - Ashley M Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, United States of America
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29
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Morishita M, Kobayashi K, Mitsuzuka M, Takagi R, Ono K, Momma R, Tsuneoka Y, Horio S, Tsukahara S. Two-Step Actions of Testicular Androgens in the Organization of a Male-Specific Neural Pathway from the Medial Preoptic Area to the Ventral Tegmental Area for Modulating Sexually Motivated Behavior. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7322-7336. [PMID: 37722849 PMCID: PMC10621776 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0361-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is a sexually dimorphic region of the brain that regulates social behaviors. The sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) of the MPOA has been studied to understand sexual dimorphism, although the anatomy and physiology of the SDN is not fully understood. Here, we characterized SDN neurons that contribute to sexual dimorphism and investigated the mechanisms underlying the emergence of such neurons and their roles in social behaviors. A target-specific neuroanatomical study using transgenic mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of Calb1, a gene expressed abundantly in the SDN, revealed that SDN neurons are divided into two subpopulations, GABA neurons projecting to the ventral tegmental area (VTA), where they link to the dopamine system (CalbVTA neurons), and GABA neurons that extend axons in the MPOA or project to neighboring regions (CalbnonVTA neurons). CalbVTA neurons were abundant in males, but were scarce or absent in females. There was no difference in the number of CalbnonVTA neurons between sexes. Additionally, we found that emergence of CalbVTA neurons requires two testicular androgen actions that occur first in the postnatal period and second in the peripubertal period. Chemogenetic analyses of CalbVTA neurons indicated a role in modulating sexual motivation in males. Knockdown of Calb1 in the MPOA reduced the intromission required for males to complete copulation. These findings provide strong evidence that a male-specific neural pathway from the MPOA to the VTA is organized by the two-step actions of testicular androgens for the modulation of sexually motivated behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The MPOA is a sexually dimorphic region of the brain that regulates social behaviors, although its sexual dimorphism is not fully understood. Here, we describe a population of MPOA neurons that contribute to the sexual dimorphism. These neurons only exist in masculinized brains, and they project their axons to the ventral tegmental area, where they link to the dopamine system. Emergence of such neurons requires two testicular androgen actions that occur first in the postnatal period and second in the peripubertal period. These MPOA neurons endow masculinized brains with a neural pathway from the MPOA to the ventral tegmental area and modulate sexually motivated behavior in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Morishita
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Kaito Kobayashi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Moeri Mitsuzuka
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Ryo Takagi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Kota Ono
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Rami Momma
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
| | - Yousuke Tsuneoka
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo 43-8540, Japan
| | - Shuhei Horio
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shinji Tsukahara
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama 338-8570, Japan
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30
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Cignarella A, Vegeto E, Bolego C, Trabace L, Conti L, Ortona E. Sex-oriented perspectives in immunopharmacology. Pharmacol Res 2023; 197:106956. [PMID: 37820857 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Several immunopharmacological agents are effective in the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated conditions, with a favorable impact on life expectancy and clinical outcomes for a large number of patients. Nevertheless, response variation and undesirable effects of these drugs represent major issues, and overall efficacy remains unpredictable. Males and females show a distinct difference in immune system responses, with females generally mounting stronger responses to a variety of stimuli. Therefore, exploring sex differences in the efficacy and safety of immunopharmacological agents would strengthen the practice of precision medicine. As a pharmacological target highlight, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) is the first functionally characterized ligand of the coinhibitory programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1). The PD-L1/PD-1 crosstalk plays an important role in the immune response and is relevant in cancer, infectious and autoimmune disease. Sex differences in the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors are well documented, with male patients responding better than female patients. Similarly, higher efficacy of and adherence to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in chronic inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease have been reported in male patients. The pharmacological basis of sex-specific responses to immune system modulating drugs is actively investigated in other settings such as stroke and type 1 diabetes. Advances in therapeutics targeting the endothelium could soon be wielded against autoimmunity and metabolic disorders. Based on the established sexual dimorphism in immune-related pathophysiology and disease presentation, sex-specific immunopharmacological protocols should be integrated into clinical guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisabetta Vegeto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Bolego
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Lucia Conti
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Ortona
- Center for Gender-Specific Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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31
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Fong H, Zheng J, Kurrasch D. The structural and functional complexity of the integrative hypothalamus. Science 2023; 382:388-394. [PMID: 37883552 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh8488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamus ("hypo" meaning below, and "thalamus" meaning bed) consists of regulatory circuits that support basic life functions that ensure survival. Sitting at the interface between peripheral, environmental, and neural inputs, the hypothalamus integrates these sensory inputs to influence a range of physiologies and behaviors. Unlike the neocortex, in which a stereotyped cytoarchitecture mediates complex functions across a comparatively small number of neuronal fates, the hypothalamus comprises upwards of thousands of distinct cell types that form redundant yet functionally discrete circuits. With single-cell RNA sequencing studies revealing further cellular heterogeneity and modern photonic tools enabling high-resolution dissection of complex circuitry, a new era of hypothalamic mapping has begun. Here, we provide a general overview of mammalian hypothalamic organization, development, and connectivity to help welcome newcomers into this exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmony Fong
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Deborah Kurrasch
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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32
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Fung W, Tan TM, Kolotuev I, Heiman MG. A sex-specific switch in a single glial cell patterns the apical extracellular matrix. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4174-4186.e7. [PMID: 37708887 PMCID: PMC10578079 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Apical extracellular matrix (aECM) constitutes the interface between every tissue and the outside world. It is patterned into diverse tissue-specific structures through unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that a male-specific genetic switch in a single C. elegans glial cell patterns the overlying aECM from a solid sheet to an ∼200 nm pore, thus allowing a male sensory neuron to access the environment. Using cell-specific genetic sex reversal, we find that this switch reflects an inherent sex difference in the glial cell that is independent of the sex identity of the surrounding neurons. Through candidate and unbiased genetic screens, we find that this glial sex difference is controlled by factors shared with neurons (mab-3, lep-2, and lep-5) as well as previously unidentified regulators whose effects may be glia specific (nfya-1, bed-3, and jmjd-3.1). The switch results in male-specific glial expression of a secreted Hedgehog-related protein, GRL-18, that we discover localizes to transient nanoscale rings at sites where aECM pores will form. Using electron microscopy, we find that blocking male-specific gene expression in glia prevents pore formation, whereas forcing male-specific glial gene expression induces an ectopic pore. Thus, a switch in gene expression in a single cell is necessary and sufficient to pattern aECM into a specific structure. Our results highlight that aECM is not a simple homogeneous meshwork, but instead is composed of discrete local features that reflect the identity of the underlying cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Fung
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Taralyn M Tan
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Irina Kolotuev
- Electron Microscopy Facility, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maxwell G Heiman
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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33
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Garcia-Segura LM, Méndez P, Arevalo MA, Azcoitia I. Neuroestradiol and neuronal development: Not an exclusive male tale anymore. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101102. [PMID: 37689249 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
The brain synthesizes a variety of neurosteroids, including neuroestradiol. Inhibition of neuroestradiol synthesis results in alterations in basic neurodevelopmental processes, such as neurogenesis, neuroblast migration, neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis. Although the neurodevelopmental actions of neuroestradiol are exerted in both sexes, some of them are sex-specific, such as the well characterized effects of neuroestradiol derived from the metabolism of testicular testosterone during critical periods of male brain development. In addition, recent findings have shown sex-specific actions of neuroestradiol on neuroblast migration, neuritic growth and synaptogenesis in females. Among other factors, the epigenetic regulation exerted by X linked genes, such as Kdm6a/Utx, may determine sex-specific actions of neuroestradiol in the female brain. This review evidences the impact of neuroestradiol on brain formation in both sexes and highlights the interaction of neural steriodogenesis, hormones and sex chromosomes in sex-specific brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Pablo Méndez
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain
| | - M Angeles Arevalo
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Iñigo Azcoitia
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, C José Antonio Nováis 12, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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34
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Bobotis BC, Braniff O, Gargus M, Akinluyi ET, Awogbindin IO, Tremblay MÈ. Sex differences of microglia in the healthy brain from embryonic development to adulthood and across lifestyle influences. Brain Res Bull 2023; 202:110752. [PMID: 37652267 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Microglia, the central nervous system innate immune cells, play a critical role in maintaining a homeostatic environment in the brain throughout life. These cells exhibit an impressive range of functions and characteristics that help to ensure proper functioning of the brain. Notably, microglia can present differences in their genetic and physical traits, which can be influenced by a range of factors, including age, environmental exposures, disease, and sex. Remarkably, microglia have been found to express receptors for sex hormones, suggesting that these hormones may play a role in modulating microglial behavior and potentially contribute to sex differences. Additionally, sex-chromosomal factors were shown to impact microglial genetics and functioning. In this review, we will examine how microglial responses in homeostasis are impacted by their interaction with sex hormones and sex chromosomes. Specifically, our investigation will focus on examining this interaction from embryonic development to adulthood, and the influence of lifestyle elements on various microglial features, including density and distribution, morphology, transcriptome, and proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olivia Braniff
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Makenna Gargus
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Toyin Akinluyi
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
| | - Ifeoluwa Oluleke Awogbindin
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Neuroimmunology Group, Molecular Drug Metabolism and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Neurosciences Axis, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
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35
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Zhou Y, Bhatt H, Mojica CA, Xin H, Pessina MA, Rosene DL, Moore TL, Medalla M. Mesenchymal-derived extracellular vesicles enhance microglia-mediated synapse remodeling after cortical injury in aging Rhesus monkeys. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:201. [PMID: 37660145 PMCID: PMC10475204 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02880-0] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the microglial neuro-immune interactions in the primate brain is vital to developing therapeutics for cortical injury, such as stroke or traumatic brain injury. Our previous work showed that mesenchymal-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) enhanced motor recovery in aged rhesus monkeys following injury of primary motor cortex (M1), by promoting homeostatic ramified microglia, reducing injury-related neuronal hyperexcitability, and enhancing synaptic plasticity in perilesional cortices. A focal lesion was induced via surgical ablation of pial blood vessels over lying the cortical hand representation of M1 of aged female rhesus monkeys, that received intravenous infusions of either vehicle (veh) or EVs 24 h and again 14 days post-injury. The current study used this same cohort to address how these injury- and recovery-associated changes relate to structural and molecular interactions between microglia and neuronal synapses. Using multi-labeling immunohistochemistry, high-resolution microscopy, and gene expression analysis, we quantified co-expression of synaptic markers (VGLUTs, GLURs, VGAT, GABARs), microglia markers (Iba1, P2RY12), and C1q, a complement pathway protein for microglia-mediated synapse phagocytosis, in perilesional M1 and premotor cortices (PMC). We compared this lesion cohort to age-matched non-lesion controls (ctr). Our findings revealed a lesion-related loss of excitatory synapses in perilesional areas, which was ameliorated by EV treatment. Further, we found region-dependent effects of EVs on microglia and C1q expression. In perilesional M1, EV treatment and enhanced functional recovery were associated with increased expression of C1q + hypertrophic microglia, which are thought to have a role in debris-clearance and anti-inflammatory functions. In PMC, EV treatment was associated with decreased C1q + synaptic tagging and microglia-spine contacts. Our results suggest that EV treatment may enhance synaptic plasticity via clearance of acute damage in perilesional M1, and thereby preventing chronic inflammation and excessive synaptic loss in PMC. These mechanisms may act to preserve synaptic cortical motor networks and a balanced normative M1/PMC synaptic function to support functional recovery after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Zhou
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Hrishti Bhatt
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Chromewell A Mojica
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Hongqi Xin
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health Systems, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Monica A Pessina
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Douglas L Rosene
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tara L Moore
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Maria Medalla
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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36
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Cornil CA, Balthazart J. Contribution of birds to the study of sexual differentiation of brain and behavior. Horm Behav 2023; 155:105410. [PMID: 37567061 PMCID: PMC10543621 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral neuroendocrinology has largely relied on mammalian models to understand the relationship between hormones and behavior, even if this discipline has historically used a larger diversity of species than other fields. Recent advances revealed the potential of avian models in elucidating the neuroendocrine bases of behavior. This paper provides a review focused mainly on the contributions of our laboratory to the study of sexual differentiation in Japanese quail and songbirds. Quail studies have firmly established the role of embryonic estrogens in the sexual differentiation of male copulatory behavior. While most sexually differentiated features identified in brain structure and physiology result from the different endocrine milieu of adults, a few characteristics are organized by embryonic estrogens. Among them, a sex difference was identified in the number and morphology of microglia which is not associated with sex differences in the concentration/expression of neuroinflammatory molecules. The behavioral role of microglia and neuroinflammatory processes requires further investigations. Sexual differentiation of singing in zebra finches is not mediated by the same endocrine mechanisms as male copulatory behavior and "direct" genetic effect, i.e., not mediated by gonadal steroids have been identified. Epigenetic contributions have also been considered. Finally sex differences in specific aspects of singing behavior have been identified in canaries after treatment of adults with exogenous testosterone suggesting that these aspects of song are differentiated during ontogeny. Integration of quail and songbirds as alternative models has thus expanded understanding of the interplay between hormones and behavior in the control of sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte A Cornil
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, 15 Avenue Hippocrate (Bat. B36), 4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Jacques Balthazart
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, 15 Avenue Hippocrate (Bat. B36), 4000 Liège, Belgium
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37
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Juckel G, Freund N. Microglia and microbiome in schizophrenia: can immunomodulation improve symptoms? J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:1187-1193. [PMID: 36810627 PMCID: PMC10460707 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02605-w] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
In this overview, influences of microglia activation and disturbances of the microbiome in the devastating disorder schizophrenia are discussed. Despite previous assumptions of a primary neurodegenerative character of this disorder, current research underlines the important autoimmunological and inflammatory processes here. Early disturbances of microglial cells as well as cytokines could lead to weakness of the immunological system in the prodromal phase and then fully manifest in patients with schizophrenia. Measurements of microbiome features might allow identifying the prodromal phase. In conclusion, such thinking would imply several new therapeutic options regulating immune processes by old or new anti-inflammatory agents in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg Juckel
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr-University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital, Alexandrinenstr.1, 44791, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Nadja Freund
- Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr-University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital, Alexandrinenstr.1, 44791, Bochum, Germany
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38
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Dawson MS, Gordon-Fleet K, Yan L, Tardos V, He H, Mui K, Nawani S, Asgarian Z, Catani M, Fernandes C, Drescher U. Sexual dimorphism in the social behaviour of Cntnap2-null mice correlates with disrupted synaptic connectivity and increased microglial activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Commun Biol 2023; 6:846. [PMID: 37582968 PMCID: PMC10427688 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05215-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
A biological understanding of the apparent sex bias in autism is lacking. Here we have identified Cntnap2 KO mice as a model system to help better understand this dimorphism. Using this model, we observed social deficits in juvenile male KO mice only. These male-specific social deficits correlated with reduced spine densities of Layer 2/3 and Layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex, a forebrain region prominently associated with the control of social behaviour. Furthermore, in male KO mice, microglia showed an increased activated morphology and phagocytosis of synaptic structures compared to WT mice, whereas no differences were seen in female KO and WT mice. Our data suggest that sexually dimorphic microglial activity may be involved in the aetiology of ASD, disrupting the development of neural circuits that control social behaviour by overpruning synapses at a developmentally critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt S Dawson
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Kevin Gordon-Fleet
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Lingxin Yan
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Vera Tardos
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Huanying He
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Kwong Mui
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Smriti Nawani
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, IoPPN, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Zeinab Asgarian
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- Molecular Therapeutics Lab, University College London, Research Department of Targeted Intervention, London, W1W 7TY, UK
| | - Marco Catani
- NatBrainLab, Departments of Neuroimaging Sciences and Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, IoPPN, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Cathy Fernandes
- Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, IoPPN, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, IoPPN, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Uwe Drescher
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, IoPPN, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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Bhatia TN, Jamenis AS, Abbas M, Clark RN, Miner KM, Chandwani MN, Kim RE, Hilinski W, O'Donnell LA, Luk KC, Shi Y, Hu X, Chen J, Brodsky JL, Leak RK. A 14-day pulse of PLX5622 modifies α-synucleinopathy in preformed fibril-infused aged mice of both sexes. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 184:106196. [PMID: 37315905 PMCID: PMC10528721 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106196] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive microglia are observed with aging and in Lewy body disorders, including within the olfactory bulb of men with Parkinson's disease. However, the functional impact of microglia in these disorders is still debated. Resetting these reactive cells by a brief dietary pulse of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor PLX5622 may hold therapeutic potential against Lewy-related pathologies. To our knowledge, withdrawal of PLX5622 after short-term exposure has not been tested in the preformed α-synuclein fibril (PFF) model, including in aged mice of both sexes. Compared to aged female mice, we report that aged males on the control diet showed higher numbers of phosphorylated α-synuclein+ inclusions in the limbic rhinencephalon after PFFs were injected in the posterior olfactory bulb. However, aged females displayed larger inclusion sizes compared to males. Short-term (14-day) dietary exposure to PLX5622 followed by control chow reduced inclusion numbers and levels of insoluble α-synuclein in aged males-but not females-and unexpectedly raised inclusion sizes in both sexes. Transient delivery of PLX5622 also improved spatial reference memory in PFF-infused aged mice, as evidenced by an increase in novel arm entries in a Y-maze. Superior memory was positively correlated with inclusion sizes but negatively correlated with inclusion numbers. Although we caution that PLX5622 delivery must be tested further in models of α-synucleinopathy, our data suggest that larger-sized-but fewer-α-synucleinopathic structures are associated with better neurological outcomes in PFF-infused aged mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarun N Bhatia
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anuj S Jamenis
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Muslim Abbas
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rachel N Clark
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kristin M Miner
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Manisha N Chandwani
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Roxanne E Kim
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Lauren A O'Donnell
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kelvin C Luk
- Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yejie Shi
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Xiaoming Hu
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jun Chen
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health Care System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Institute of Brain Disorders & Recovery and Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Brodsky
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rehana K Leak
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Hiramoto K, Imai M, Tanaka S, Ooi K. Dementia Is Induced via the AGEs/Iba1/iNOS Pathway in Aged KK-Ay/Tajcl Mice. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1540. [PMID: 37511915 PMCID: PMC10381697 DOI: 10.3390/life13071540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The onset and exacerbation of dementia have been observed in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of aging on the cognitive function in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes. Pathogen-free KK-Ay/TaJcl mice were used in this study. The cognitive abilities and memory declined in the mice and worsened in the 50-week-olds. The levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), receptor for AGE (RAGE), and Iba1 in the hippocampus were increased in the mice compared to those in the control mice. Hippocampal levels of CC-chemokine receptor 7 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, which are from M1-type macrophages that shift from microglia, were higher in KK-Ay/TaJcl mice than in control mice. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and nitric oxide (NO) levels secreted by M1-type macrophages were similarly elevated in the mice and were even higher at the age of 50 weeks. NO levels were markedly elevated in the 50-week-old mice. In contrast, differentiation of CD163 and arginase-1 did not change in both mouse types. Memory and learning declined with age in diabetic mice, and the AGEs/RAGE/M1-type macrophage/NO and TNF-α pathways played an important role in exacerbating memory and learning in those mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Hiramoto
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Japan
| | - Masashi Imai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Japan
| | - Shota Tanaka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Japan
| | - Kazuya Ooi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka 513-8670, Japan
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41
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Calvo N, Einstein G. Steroid hormones: risk and resilience in women's Alzheimer disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1159435. [PMID: 37396653 PMCID: PMC10313425 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1159435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
More women have Alzheimer disease (AD) than men, but the reasons for this phenomenon are still unknown. Including women in clinical research and studying their biology is key to understand not just their increased risk but also their resilience against the disease. In this sense, women are more affected by AD than men, but their reserve or resilience mechanisms might delay symptom onset. The aim of this review was to explore what is known about mechanisms underlying women's risk and resilience in AD and identify emerging themes in this area that merit further research. We conducted a review of studies analyzing molecular mechanisms that may induce neuroplasticity in women, as well as cognitive and brain reserve. We also analyzed how the loss of steroid hormones in aging may be linked to AD. We included empirical studies with human and animal models, literature reviews as well as meta-analyses. Our search identified the importance of 17-b-estradiol (E2) as a mechanism driving cognitive and brain reserve in women. More broadly, our analysis revealed the following emerging perspectives: (1) the importance of steroid hormones and their effects on both neurons and glia for the study of risk and resilience in AD, (2) E2's crucial role in women's brain reserve, (3) women's verbal memory advantage as a cognitive reserve factor, and (4) E2's potential role in linguistic experiences such as multilingualism and hearing loss. Future directions for research include analyzing the reserve mechanisms of steroid hormones on neuronal and glial plasticity, as well as identifying the links between steroid hormone loss in aging and risk for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gillian Einstein
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tema Genus, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Women’s College Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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42
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Galindo-Paredes G, Flores G, Morales-Medina JC. Olfactory bulbectomy induces nociceptive alterations associated with gliosis in male rats. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2023; 14:494-506. [PMID: 37388490 PMCID: PMC10300455 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a major health concern worldwide with a wide array of symptoms. Emerging evidence suggests a high comorbidity between MDD and chronic pain, however, the relationship between these two diseases is not completely understood. Growing evidence suggests that glial cells play a key role in both disorders. Hence, we examined the effect of olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), a well-known model of depression-related behavior, on nociceptive behaviors and the number and morphology of astrocytes and glial cells in brain regions involved in the control of nociceptive processes in male rats. The brain regions analyzed included the basolateral amygdala (BLA), central amygdala (CeA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and CA1 subregion of the hippocampus. A battery of behavioral tests, mechanical allodynia, thermal cold allodynia and mechanical hyperalgesia, was evaluated before and four weeks after OBX. Quantitative morphological analysis, as well as assessment of the number of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionizing calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) positive astrocytes and microglia were carried out to characterize glial remodeling and density, respectively. OBX caused mechanical and cold allodynia in an asynchronous pattern. The cold allodynia was noticeable one week following surgery, while mechanical allodynia became apparent two weeks after surgery. In the BLA, CeA and CA1, OBX caused significant changes in glial cells, such as hypertrophy and hypotrophy in GFAP-positive astrocytes and Iba1-positive microglia, respectively. Iba1-positive microglia in the PFC underwent selective hypotrophy due to OBX and OBX enhanced both GFAP-positive astrocytes and Iba1-positive microglia in the BLA. In addition, OBX increased the number of GFAP-positive astrocytes in the CeA and CA1. The amount of Iba1-positive microglia in the PFC also increased as a result of OBX. Furthermore, we found that there was a strong link between the observed behaviors and glial activation in OBX rats. Overall, our work supports the neuroinflammatory hypothesis of MDD and the comorbidity between pain and depression by demonstrating nociceptive impairment and significant microglial and astrocytic activation in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gumaro Galindo-Paredes
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, AP 62, CP 90000 Tlaxcala, Mexico
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Cinvestav del IPN, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, 14 Sur 6301, San Manuel 72570, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Julio César Morales-Medina
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, AP 62, CP 90000 Tlaxcala, Mexico
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43
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Maitra M, Mitsuhashi H, Rahimian R, Chawla A, Yang J, Fiori LM, Davoli MA, Perlman K, Aouabed Z, Mash DC, Suderman M, Mechawar N, Turecki G, Nagy C. Cell type specific transcriptomic differences in depression show similar patterns between males and females but implicate distinct cell types and genes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2912. [PMID: 37217515 PMCID: PMC10203145 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38530-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, heterogenous, and potentially serious psychiatric illness. Diverse brain cell types have been implicated in MDD etiology. Significant sexual differences exist in MDD clinical presentation and outcome, and recent evidence suggests different molecular bases for male and female MDD. We evaluated over 160,000 nuclei from 71 female and male donors, leveraging new and pre-existing single-nucleus RNA-sequencing data from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Cell type specific transcriptome-wide threshold-free MDD-associated gene expression patterns were similar between the sexes, but significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) diverged. Among 7 broad cell types and 41 clusters evaluated, microglia and parvalbumin interneurons contributed the most DEGs in females, while deep layer excitatory neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocyte precursors were the major contributors in males. Further, the Mic1 cluster with 38% of female DEGs and the ExN10_L46 cluster with 53% of male DEGs, stood out in the meta-analysis of both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malosree Maitra
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Haruka Mitsuhashi
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Reza Rahimian
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anjali Chawla
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jennie Yang
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Laura M Fiori
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria Antonietta Davoli
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kelly Perlman
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Zahia Aouabed
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Deborah C Mash
- Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Matthew Suderman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada.
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Corina Nagy
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada.
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Douglas Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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44
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Sun Y, Che J, Zhang J. Emerging non-proinflammatory roles of microglia in healthy and diseased brains. Brain Res Bull 2023; 199:110664. [PMID: 37192719 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110664] [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: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microglia, the resident myeloid cells of the central nervous system, are the first line of defense against foreign pathogens, thereby confining the extent of brain injury. However, the role of microglia is not limited to macrophage-like functions. In addition to proinflammatory response mediation, microglia are involved in neurodevelopmental remodeling and homeostatic maintenance in the absence of disease. An increasing number of studies have also elucidated microglia-mediated regulation of tumor growth and neural repair in diseased brains. Here, we review the non-proinflammatory roles of microglia, with the aim of promoting a deeper understanding of the functions of microglia in healthy and diseased brains and contributing to the development of novel therapeutics that target microglia in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinying Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032, Shanghai China.
| | - Ji Che
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032, Shanghai China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 200032, Shanghai China; Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 200032, Shanghai China.
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45
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Stratoulias V, Ruiz R, Kanatani S, Osman AM, Keane L, Armengol JA, Rodríguez-Moreno A, Murgoci AN, García-Domínguez I, Alonso-Bellido I, González Ibáñez F, Picard K, Vázquez-Cabrera G, Posada-Pérez M, Vernoux N, Tejera D, Grabert K, Cheray M, González-Rodríguez P, Pérez-Villegas EM, Martínez-Gallego I, Lastra-Romero A, Brodin D, Avila-Cariño J, Cao Y, Airavaara M, Uhlén P, Heneka MT, Tremblay MÈ, Blomgren K, Venero JL, Joseph B. ARG1-expressing microglia show a distinct molecular signature and modulate postnatal development and function of the mouse brain. Nat Neurosci 2023:10.1038/s41593-023-01326-3. [PMID: 37169859 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Molecular diversity of microglia, the resident immune cells in the CNS, is reported. Whether microglial subsets characterized by the expression of specific proteins constitute subtypes with distinct functions has not been fully elucidated. Here we describe a microglial subtype expressing the enzyme arginase-1 (ARG1; that is, ARG1+ microglia) that is found predominantly in the basal forebrain and ventral striatum during early postnatal mouse development. ARG1+ microglia are enriched in phagocytic inclusions and exhibit a distinct molecular signature, including upregulation of genes such as Apoe, Clec7a, Igf1, Lgals3 and Mgl2, compared to ARG1- microglia. Microglial-specific knockdown of Arg1 results in deficient cholinergic innervation and impaired dendritic spine maturation in the hippocampus where cholinergic neurons project, which in turn results in impaired long-term potentiation and cognitive behavioral deficiencies in female mice. Our results expand on microglia diversity and provide insights into microglia subtype-specific functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassilis Stratoulias
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Rocío Ruiz
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Shigeaki Kanatani
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ahmed M Osman
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lily Keane
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jose A Armengol
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cellular Biology, University of Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Moreno
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cellular Biology, University of Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Adriana-Natalia Murgoci
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Irene García-Domínguez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Isabel Alonso-Bellido
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Fernando González Ibáñez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, and Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Katherine Picard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, and Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guillermo Vázquez-Cabrera
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Mercedes Posada-Pérez
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Nathalie Vernoux
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, and Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Dario Tejera
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Gerontopsychiatry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kathleen Grabert
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathilde Cheray
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Eva M Pérez-Villegas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cellular Biology, University of Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Irene Martínez-Gallego
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cellular Biology, University of Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | | | - David Brodin
- Bioinformatics and Expression Analysis Core Facility, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Javier Avila-Cariño
- Department of Molecular Biology and Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Yang Cao
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mikko Airavaara
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Drug Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Per Uhlén
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael T Heneka
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, and Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Klas Blomgren
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jose L Venero
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, IBiS/Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Bertrand Joseph
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Toxicology Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Kirkland JM, Edgar EL, Patel I, Kopec AM. Impaired microglia-mediated synaptic pruning in the nucleus accumbens during adolescence results in persistent dysregulation of familiar, but not novel social interactions in sex-specific ways. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.02.539115. [PMID: 37205324 PMCID: PMC10187149 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionarily conserved, peer-directed social behaviors are essential to participate in many aspects of human society. These behaviors directly impact psychological, physiological, and behavioral maturation. Adolescence is an evolutionarily conserved period during which reward-related behaviors, including social behaviors, develop via developmental plasticity in the mesolimbic dopaminergic 'reward' circuitry of the brain. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an intermediate reward relay center that develops during adolescence and mediates both social behaviors and dopaminergic signaling. In several developing brain regions, synaptic pruning mediated by microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, is important for normal behavioral development. In rats, we previously demonstrated that microglial synaptic pruning also mediates NAc and social development during sex-specific adolescent periods and via sex-specific synaptic pruning targets. In this report, we demonstrate that interrupting microglial pruning in NAc during adolescence persistently dysregulates social behavior towards a familiar, but not novel social partner in both sexes, via sex-specific behavioral expression. This leads us to infer that naturally occurring NAc pruning serves to reduce social behaviors primarily directed toward a familiar conspecific in both sexes, but in sex-specific ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Kirkland
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Erin L. Edgar
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ishan Patel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ashley M. Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
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47
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Kirkland JM, Patel I, Kopec AM. Microglia-mediated synaptic pruning in the nucleus accumbens during adolescence: A preliminary study of the proteomic consequences and putative female-specific pruning target. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.02.539121. [PMID: 37205455 PMCID: PMC10187173 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.539121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of copious neural development, particularly in the 'reward' circuitry of the brain, and reward-related behavioral development, including social development. One neurodevelopmental mechanism that appears to be common across brain regions and developmental periods is the requirement for synaptic pruning to produce mature neural communication and circuits. We published that microglia-C3-mediated synaptic pruning also occurs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) reward region during adolescence to mediate social development in male and female rats. However, both the adolescent stage in which microglial pruning occurred, and the synaptic pruning target, were sex specific. NAc pruning occurred between early and mid-adolescence in male rats to eliminate dopamine D1 receptors (D1rs), and between pre- and early adolescence in female rats (P20-30) to eliminate an unknown, non-D1r target. In this report, we sought to better understand the proteomic consequences of microglial pruning in the NAc, and what the female pruning target might be. To do this, we inhibited microglial pruning in the NAc during each sex's pruning period and collected tissue for mass spectrometry proteomic analysis and ELISA validation. We found that the proteomic consequences of inhibiting microglial pruning in the NAc were inversely proportional between the sexes, and a novel, female-specific pruning target may be Lynx1. Please note, if this preprint will be pushed further to publication it will not be by me (AMK), as I am leaving academia. So, I'm going to write more conversationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Kirkland
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ishan Patel
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
| | - Ashley M. Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College
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48
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Tariq MB, Lee J, McCullough LD. Sex differences in the inflammatory response to stroke. Semin Immunopathol 2023; 45:295-313. [PMID: 36355204 PMCID: PMC10924671 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-022-00969-x] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and disproportionally affects women, in part due to their higher longevity. Older women have poorer outcomes after stroke with high rates of cognitive deficits, depression, and reduced quality of life. Post-stroke inflammatory responses are also sexually dimorphic and drive differences in infarct size and recovery. Factors that influence sex-specific immune responses can be both intrinsic and extrinsic. Differences in gonadal hormone exposure, sex chromosome compliment, and environmental/social factors can drive changes in transcriptional and metabolic profiles. In addition, how these variables interact, changes across the lifespan. After the onset of ischemic injury, necrosis and apoptosis occur, which activate microglia and other glial cells within the central nervous system, promoting the release of cytokines and chemokines and neuroinflammation. Cells involved in innate and adaptive immune responses also have dual functions after stroke as they can enhance inflammation acutely, but also contribute to suppression of the inflammatory cascade and later repair. In this review, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex-specific inflammatory responses to ischemic stroke. Understanding these differences is critical to identifying therapeutic options for both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal Tariq
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Juneyoung Lee
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Louise D McCullough
- Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, MSB7044B, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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49
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Kadlecova M, Freude K, Haukedal H. Complexity of Sex Differences and Their Impact on Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051261. [PMID: 37238932 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are present in brain morphology, sex hormones, aging processes and immune responses. These differences need to be considered for proper modelling of neurological diseases with clear sex differences. This is the case for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with two-thirds of cases diagnosed in women. It is becoming clear that there is a complex interplay between the immune system, sex hormones and AD. Microglia are major players in the neuroinflammatory process occurring in AD and have been shown to be directly affected by sex hormones. However, many unanswered questions remain as the importance of including both sexes in research studies has only recently started receiving attention. In this review, we provide a summary of sex differences and their implications in AD, with a focus on microglia action. Furthermore, we discuss current available study models, including emerging complex microfluidic and 3D cellular models and their usefulness for studying hormonal effects in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Kadlecova
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kristine Freude
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Henriette Haukedal
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
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50
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Guez-Barber D, Colon LM, Raphael D, Wragan MA, Yun S, Eisch AJ. Female and male microglia are not different in the dentate gyrus of postnatal day 10 mice. Neurosci Lett 2023; 803:137171. [PMID: 36898652 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, support normal brain function and the brain's response to disease and injury. The hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is important for microglial study due to its central role in many behavioral and cognitive functions. Interestingly, microglia and related cells are distinct in female vs. male rodents, even in early life. Indeed, postnatal day (P)-dependent sex differences in number, density, and morphology of microglia have been reported in certain hippocampal subregions at specific ages. However, sex differences in the DG have not yet been assessed at P10, a translationally relevant time point as the rodent neuroanatomical eqivalent of human term gestation. To address this knowledge gap, Iba1+ cells in the DG (which are enriched in the Hilus and Molecular Layer) in female and male C57BL/6J mice were analyzed for their number (via stereology) and density (via stereology and via sampling). Next, Iba1+ cells were classified into morphology categories previously established in the literature. Finally, the percent of Iba1+ cells in each morphology category was multiplied by total cell number to generate a total number of Iba1+ cells in each category. Results show no sex difference in Iba1+ cell number, density, or morphology in the P10 Hilus or Molecular Layer. The lack of sex difference in Iba1+ cells in P10 DG using commonly-employed methodologies (sampling, stereology, morphology classification) provides a baseline from which to interpret microglia changes seen after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Guez-Barber
- Division of Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lorianna M Colon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, CHOP Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dana Raphael
- School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Max A Wragan
- School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sanghee Yun
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, CHOP Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Amelia J Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, CHOP Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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