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Latini L, De Araujo DSM, Amato R, Canovai A, Buccarello L, De Logu F, Novelli E, Vlasiuk A, Malerba F, Arisi I, Florio R, Asari H, Capsoni S, Strettoi E, Villetti G, Imbimbo BP, Monte MD, Nassini R, Geppetti P, Marinelli S, Cattaneo A. A p75 neurotrophin receptor-sparing nerve growth factor protects retinal ganglion cells from neurodegeneration by targeting microglia. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 39252503 DOI: 10.1111/bph.17316] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the output stage of retinal information processing, via their axons forming the optic nerve (ON). ON damage leads to axonal degeneration and death of RGCs, and results in vision impairment. Nerve growth factor (NGF) signalling is crucial for RGC operations and visual functions. Here, we investigate a new neuroprotective mechanism of a novel therapeutic candidate, a p75-less, TrkA-biased NGF agonist (hNGFp) in rat RGC degeneration, in comparison with wild type human NGF (hNGFwt). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Both neonate and adult rats, whether subjected or not to ON lesion, were treated with intravitreal injections or eye drops containing either hNGFp or hNGFwt. Different doses of the drugs were administered at days 1, 4 or 7 after injury for a maximum of 10 days, when immunofluorescence, electrophysiology, cellular morphology, cytokine array and behaviour studies were carried out. Pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed on rabbits treated with hNGFp ocular drops. RESULTS hNGFp exerted a potent RGC neuroprotection by acting on microglia cells, and outperformed hNGFwt in rescuing RGC degeneration and reducing inflammatory molecules. Delayed use of hNGFp after ON lesion resulted in better outcomes compared with treatment with hNGFwt. Moreover, hNGFp-based ocular drops were less algogenic than hNGFwt. Pharmacokinetic measurements revealed that biologically relevant quantities of hNGFp were found in the rabbit retina. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our data point to microglia as a new cell target through which NGF-induced TrkA signalling exerts neuroprotection of the RGC, emphasizing hNGFp as a powerful treatment to tackle retinal degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Latini
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Rosario Amato
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Lucia Buccarello
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco De Logu
- Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Elena Novelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council-CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anastasiia Vlasiuk
- Faculty of Biosciences, Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree Between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Epigenetics and Neurobiology Unit, EMBL Rome, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Malerba
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Ivan Arisi
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Florio
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Hiroki Asari
- Faculty of Biosciences, Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree Between EMBL and Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simona Capsoni
- BIO@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Section of Human Physiology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Enrica Strettoi
- Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council-CNR, Pisa, Italy
| | - Gino Villetti
- Department of Research & Development, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | - Romina Nassini
- Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Pierangelo Geppetti
- Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Marinelli
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonino Cattaneo
- European Brain Research Institute-Fondazione Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rome, Italy
- BIO@SNS Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
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Ahmed S, Polis B, Jamwal S, Sanganahalli BG, MacDowell Kaswan Z, Islam R, Kim D, Bowers C, Giuliano L, Biederer T, Hyder F, Kaffman A. Transient impairment in microglial function causes sex-specific deficits in synaptic maturity and hippocampal function in mice exposed to early adversity. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 122:95-109. [PMID: 39134183 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Abnormal development and function of the hippocampus are two of the most consistent findings in humans and rodents exposed to early-life adversity (ELA), with males often being more affected than females. Using the limited bedding (LB) paradigm as a rodent model of ELA, we found that male adolescent mice that had been exposed to LB exhibit significant deficits in contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in the hippocampus, which are not observed in females. This is linked to altered developmental refinement of connectivity, with LB severely impairing microglial-mediated synaptic pruning in the hippocampus of male and female pups on postnatal day 17 (P17), but not in adolescent P33 mice when levels of synaptic engulfment by microglia are substantially lower. Since the rodent hippocampus undergoes intense synaptic pruning during the second and third weeks of life, we investigated whether microglia are required for the synaptic and behavioral aberrations observed in adolescent LB mice. Indeed, transient ablation of microglia from P13-21 in normally developing mice caused sex-specific behavioral and synaptic abnormalities similar to those observed in adolescent LB mice. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of microglia during the same period reversed the microglial-mediated phagocytic deficits at P17 and restored normal contextual fear conditioning and synaptic connectivity in adolescent LB male mice. Our data support an additional contribution of astrocytes in the sex-specific effects of LB, with increased expression of the membrane receptor MEGF10 and enhanced synaptic engulfment in hippocampal astrocytes of 17-day-old LB females, but not in LB male littermates. These findings suggest a potential compensatory mechanism that may explain the relative resilience of LB females. Collectively, our study highlights a novel role for glial cells in mediating sex-specific hippocampal deficits in a mouse model of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahabuddin Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Baruh Polis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sumit Jamwal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Basavaraju G Sanganahalli
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Zoe MacDowell Kaswan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Rafiad Islam
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Dana Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Christian Bowers
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Lauryn Giuliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 100 College Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology & Biomedical Imaging and Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06519, USA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven CT, 06511, USA.
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Sierra A, Miron VE, Paolicelli RC, Ransohoff RM. Microglia in Health and Diseases: Integrative Hubs of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041366. [PMID: 38438189 PMCID: PMC11293550 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are usually referred to as "the innate immune cells of the brain," "the resident macrophages of the central nervous system" (CNS), or "CNS parenchymal macrophages." These labels allude to their inherent immune function, related to their macrophage lineage. However, beyond their classic innate immune responses, microglia also play physiological roles crucial for proper brain development and maintenance of adult brain homeostasis. Microglia sense both external and local stimuli through a variety of surface receptors. Thus, they might serve as integrative hubs at the interface between the external environment and the CNS, able to decode, filter, and buffer cues from outside, with the aim of preserving and maintaining brain homeostasis. In this perspective, we will cast a critical look at how these multiple microglial functions are acquired and coordinated, and we will speculate on their impact on human brain physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Sierra
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Glial Cell Biology Laboratory, Science Park of UPV/EHU, E-48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of the Basque Country EHU/UPV, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque Foundation, Bilbao 48009, Spain
| | - Veronique E Miron
- BARLO Multiple Sclerosis Centre, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto M5B 1T8, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 1A8, Canada
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa C Paolicelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Nikodemova M, Oberto JR, Berschel MR, Michaelson AL, Watters JJ, Mitchell GS. Acute Postnatal Inflammation Alters Adult Microglial Responses to LPS that Are Sex-, Region- and Timing of Postnatal Inflammation-Dependent. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4565866. [PMID: 38978595 PMCID: PMC11230508 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4565866/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Background Adverse events in early life can have impact lasting into adulthood. We investigated the long-term effects of systemic inflammation during postnatal development on adult microglial responses to LPS in two CNS regions (cortex, cervical spinal cord) in male and female rats. Methods Inflammation was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1 mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally during postnatal development at P7, P12 or P18. As adults (12 weeks of age), the rats received a second LPS dose (1 mg/kg). Control rats received saline. Microglia were isolated 3 hours post-LPS from the cortex and cervical spinal cord. Gene expression was assessed via qRT-PCR for pro-inflammatory (IL-6, iNOS, Ptgs2, C/EBPb, CD14, CXCL10), anti-inflammatory (CD68, Arg-1), and homeostatic genes (P2Y12, Tmemm119). CSF-1 and CX3CL1 mRNA was analyzed in microglia-free homogenates. Results Basal gene expression in adult microglia was largely unaffected by early life LPS. Changes in adult microglial pro-inflammatory genes in response to LPS were either unchanged or attenuated in rats exposed to LPS during postnatal development. Ptgs2, C/EBPb, CXCL10 and Arg-1 were the genes most affected, with expression levels significantly downregulated vs control rats without postnatal LPS exposure. Cortical microglia were affected more by postnatal inflammation than spinal microglia, and males were more impacted than females. Overall, inflammatory challenge at P18 had the greatest effect on adult microglial gene expression, whereas challenge at P7 had less impact. Microglial homeostatic genes were unaffected by postnatal LPS. Conclusions Long-lasting effects of postnatal inflammation on adult microglia depend on the timing of postnatal inflammation, CNS region and sex.
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Liu Q, Liu Z, Xie W, Li Y, Wang H, Zhang S, Wang W, Hao J, Geng D, Yang J, Wang L. Single-cell sequencing of the substantia nigra reveals microglial activation in a model of MPTP. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1390310. [PMID: 38952478 PMCID: PMC11215054 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1390310] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a neurotoxin widely used to induce PD models, but the effect of MPTP on the cells and genes of PD has not been fully elucidated. Methods Single-nucleus RNA sequencing was performed in the Substantia Nigra (SN) of MPTP mice. UMAP analysis was used for the dimensionality reduction visualization of the SN in the MPTP mice. Known marker genes highly expressed genes in each cluster were used to annotate most clusters. Specific Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) and PD risk genes analysis were used to find MPTP-associated cells. GO, KEGG, PPI network, GSEA and CellChat analysis were used to reveal cell type-specific functional alterations and disruption of cell-cell communication networks. Subset reconstruction and pseudotime analysis were used to reveal the activation status of the cells, and to find the transcription factors with trajectory characterized. Results Initially, we observed specific DEGs and PD risk genes enrichment in microglia. Next, We obtained the functional phenotype changes in microglia and found that IGF, AGRN and PTN pathways were reduced in MPTP mice. Finally, we analyzed the activation state of microglia and revealed a pro-inflammatory trajectory characterized by transcription factors Nfe2l2 and Runx1. Conclusion Our work revealed alterations in microglia function, signaling pathways and key genes in the SN of MPTP mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Ziyu Liu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Wenmeng Xie
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Yibo Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Hongfang Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Sanbing Zhang
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Wenyu Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jiaxin Hao
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Dandan Geng
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aging and Cancer Biology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Third Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- The Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
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Bar E, Fischer I, Rokach M, Elad-Sfadia G, Shirenova S, Ophir O, Trangle SS, Okun E, Barak B. Neuronal deletion of Gtf2i results in developmental microglial alterations in a mouse model related to Williams syndrome. Glia 2024; 72:1117-1135. [PMID: 38450767 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24519] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a heterozygous microdeletion, characterized by hypersociability and unique neurocognitive abnormalities. Of the deleted genes, GTF2I has been linked to hypersociability in WS. We have recently shown that Gtf2i deletion from forebrain excitatory neurons, referred to as Gtf2i conditional knockout (cKO) mice leads to multi-faceted myelination deficits associated with the social behaviors affected in WS. These deficits were potentially mediated also by microglia, as they present a close relationship with oligodendrocytes. To study the impact of altered myelination, we characterized these mice in terms of microglia over the course of development. In postnatal day 30 (P30) Gtf2i cKO mice, cortical microglia displayed a more ramified state, as compared with wild type (controls). However, postnatal day 4 (P4) microglia exhibited high proliferation rates and an elevated activation state, demonstrating altered properties related to activation and inflammation in Gtf2i cKO mice compared with control. Intriguingly, P4 Gtf2i cKO-derived microglial cells exhibited significantly elevated myelin phagocytosis in vitro compared to control mice. Lastly, systemic injection of clemastine to P4 Gtf2i cKO and control mice until P30, led to a significant interaction between genotypes and treatments on the expression levels of the phagocytic marker CD68, and a significant reduction of the macrophage/microglial marker Iba1 transcript levels in the cortex of the Gtf2i cKO treated mice. Our data thus implicate microglia as important players in WS, and that early postnatal manipulation of microglia might be beneficial in treating inflammatory and myelin-related pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ela Bar
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry & Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inbar Fischer
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - May Rokach
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Galit Elad-Sfadia
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sophie Shirenova
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Omer Ophir
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sari Schokoroy Trangle
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Eitan Okun
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Paul Feder Laboratory on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Boaz Barak
- The School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Barry-Carroll L, Gomez-Nicola D. The molecular determinants of microglial developmental dynamics. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:414-427. [PMID: 38658739 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-024-00813-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Microglia constitute the largest population of parenchymal macrophages in the brain and are considered a unique subset of central nervous system glial cells owing to their extra-embryonic origins in the yolk sac. During development, microglial progenitors readily proliferate and eventually colonize the entire brain. In this Review, we highlight the origins of microglial progenitors and their entry routes into the brain and discuss the various molecular and non-molecular determinants of their fate, which may inform their specific functions. Specifically, we explore recently identified mechanisms that regulate microglial colonization of the brain, including the availability of space, and describe how the expansion of highly proliferative microglial progenitors facilitates the occupation of the microglial niche. Finally, we shed light on the factors involved in establishing microglial identity in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Barry-Carroll
- Nutrineuro, UMR 1286 INRAE, Bordeaux University, Bordeaux INP, Bordeaux, France
| | - Diego Gomez-Nicola
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK.
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Dalton GD, Siecinski SK, Nikolova VD, Cofer GP, Hornburg K, Qi Y, Johnson GA, Jiang YH, Moy SS, Gregory SG. Transcriptome Analysis Identifies An ASD-Like Phenotype In Oligodendrocytes And Microglia From C58/J Amygdala That Is Dependent On Sex and Sociability. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.15.575733. [PMID: 38293238 PMCID: PMC10827122 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.15.575733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Background Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model. Methods Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala. Results C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression. Limitations Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its potential as an ASD therapeutic. Conclusions Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability.
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Xu Y, Koch SC, Chamessian A, He Q, Sundukova M, Heppenstall P, Ji R, Fitzgerald M, Beggs S. Microglial Refinement of A-Fiber Projections in the Postnatal Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn Is Required for Normal Maturation of Dynamic Touch. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1354232023. [PMID: 37989592 PMCID: PMC10860632 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1354-23.2023] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory systems are shaped in postnatal life by the refinement of synaptic connectivity. In the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, somatosensory circuits undergo postnatal activity-dependent reorganization, including the refinement of primary afferent A-fiber terminals from superficial to deeper spinal dorsal horn laminae which is accompanied by decreases in cutaneous sensitivity. Here, we show in the mouse that microglia, the resident immune cells in the CNS, phagocytose A-fiber terminals in superficial laminae in the first weeks of life. Genetic perturbation of microglial engulfment during the initial postnatal period in either sex prevents the normal process of A-fiber refinement and elimination, resulting in an altered sensitivity of dorsal horn cells to dynamic tactile cutaneous stimulation, and behavioral hypersensitivity to dynamic touch. Thus, functional microglia are necessary for the normal postnatal development of dorsal horn sensory circuits. In the absence of microglial engulfment, superfluous A-fiber projections remain in the dorsal horn, and the balance of sensory connectivity is disrupted, leading to lifelong hypersensitivity to dynamic touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Xu
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie C Koch
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Chamessian
- Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Qianru He
- Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Mayya Sundukova
- SISSA (International School for Advanced Studies), 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paul Heppenstall
- SISSA (International School for Advanced Studies), 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - RuRong Ji
- Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Maria Fitzgerald
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Simon Beggs
- Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
- Developmental Neurosciences, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH United Kingdom
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Yazawa I, Yoshida Y, Yoshimi R, Ozato K. Immature functional development of lumbar locomotor networks in adult Irf8-/- mice. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1234215. [PMID: 38239832 PMCID: PMC10794560 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1234215] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
To date, research on the role of the brainstem and spinal cord in motor behavior has relied on in vitro preparations of the neonatal rodent spinal cord, with or without the brainstem; their spatial and temporal scope are subject to technical limitations imposed by low oxygen tension in deep tissues. Therefore, we created an arterially perfused in situ preparation that allowed us to investigate functional interactions in the CNS from the neonatal to adult period. Decerebrated rodents were kept alive via total artificial cardiopulmonary bypass for extracorporeal circulation; the plasma oxygen and ion components needed for survival were supplied through the blood vessels. Interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) is a transcription factor that promotes myeloid cell development and stimulates innate immune responses. In the brain, IRF8 is expressed only in microglia and directs the expression of many genes that serve microglial functions. Recent evidence indicates that IRF8 affects behavior and modulates Alzheimer's disease progression in a mouse model. However, whether this immune deficiency arising from the absence of IRF8 influences the development of the neuronal network in the spinal cord is unknown. We applied the above methodology to mice of all ages and electrophysiologically explored whether the absence of IRF8 influences the development of lumbar central pattern generator (CPG) networks. In mice of all ages, bilateral neuronal discharges by the normal CPG networks activated by the modulated sympathetic tone via descending pathways at high flow rates became organized into discharge episodes punctuated by periods of quiescence. Similar discharge episodes were generated by the adult CPG networks (≥P14 days) activated by drug application. However, discharge episodes elicited by activating the neonatal-juvenile CPG networks (
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Affiliation(s)
- Itaru Yazawa
- Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University, Kitakyushu, Japan
- Laboratory of Neural Control, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yuko Yoshida
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ryusuke Yoshimi
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Stem Cell and Immune Regulation, Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Keiko Ozato
- Division of Developmental Biology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
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11
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Au NPB, Wu T, Kumar G, Jin Y, Li YYT, Chan SL, Lai JHC, Chan KWY, Yu KN, Wang X, Ma CHE. Low-dose ionizing radiation promotes motor recovery and brain rewiring by resolving inflammatory response after brain injury and stroke. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:43-63. [PMID: 37774892 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.015] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke share a common pathophysiology that worsens over time due to secondary tissue injury caused by sustained inflammatory response. However, studies on pharmacological interventions targeting the complex secondary injury cascade have failed to show efficacy. Here, we demonstrated that low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) reduced lesion size and reversed motor deficits after TBI and photothrombotic stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated significant reduction of infarct volume in LDIR-treated mice after stroke. Systems-level transcriptomic analysis showed that genes upregulated in LDIR-treated stoke mice were enriched in pathways associated with inflammatory and immune response involving microglia. LDIR induced upregulation of anti-inflammatory- and phagocytosis-related genes, and downregulation of key pro-inflammatory cytokine production. These findings were validated by live-cell assays, in which microglia exhibited higher chemotactic and phagocytic capacities after LDIR. We observed substantial microglial clustering at the injury site, glial scar clearance and reversal of motor deficits after stroke. Cortical microglia/macrophages depletion completely abolished the beneficial effect of LDIR on motor function recovery in stroke mice. LDIR promoted axonal projections (brain rewiring) in motor cortex and recovery of brain activity detected by electroencephalography recordings months after stroke. LDIR treatment delayed by 8 h post-injury still maintained full therapeutic effects on motor recovery, indicating that LDIR is a promising therapeutic strategy for TBI and stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tan Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gajendra Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuting Jin
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Shun Lam Chan
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Joseph Ho Chi Lai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kannie Wai Yan Chan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kwan Ngok Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Surgery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Him Eddie Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.
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12
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Ndukwe K, Serrano PA, Rockwell P, Xie L, Figueiredo-Pereira M. Histone deacetylase inhibitor RG2833 has therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease in females. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.26.573348. [PMID: 38234827 PMCID: PMC10793399 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.26.573348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Nearly two-thirds of patients with Alzheimer's are women. Identifying therapeutics specific for women is critical to lowering their elevated risk for developing this major cause of adult dementia. Moreover, targeting epigenetic processes that regulate multiple cellular pathways is advantageous given Alzheimer's multifactorial nature. Histone acetylation is an epigenetic process heavily involved in memory consolidation. Its disruption is linked to Alzheimer's. Through our computational studies, we predicted that the investigational drug RG2833 (N-[6-(2-aminoanilino)-6-oxohexyl]-4-methylbenzamide) has repurposing potential for Alzheimer's. RG2833 is a histone deacetylase HDAC1/3 inhibitor that is orally bioavailable and permeates the blood-brain-barrier. We investigated the RG2833 therapeutic potential in TgF344-AD rats, which are a model of Alzheimer's that exhibits age-dependent progression, thus mimicking this aspect of Alzheimer's patients that is difficult to establish in animal models. We investigated the RG2833 effects on cognitive performance, gene expression, and AD-like pathology in 11-month TgF344-AD female and male rats. A total of 89 rats were used: wild type n = 45 (17 females, 28 males), and TgF344-AD n = 44 (24 females, 20 males)] across multiple cohorts. No obvious toxicity was detected in the TgF344-AD rats up to 6 months of RG2833-treatment starting at 5 months of age administering the drug in rodent chow at ∼30mg/kg of body weight. We started treatment early in the course of pathology when therapeutic intervention is predicted to be more effective than in later stages of the disease. The drug-treatment significantly mitigated hippocampal-dependent spatial memory deficits in 11-month TgF344-AD females but not in males, compared to wild type littermates. This female sex-specific drug effect has not been previously reported. RG2833-treatment failed to ameliorate amyloid beta accumulation and microgliosis in female and male TgF344-AD rats. However, RNAseq analysis of hippocampal tissue from TgF344-AD rats showed that drug-treatment in females upregulated the expression of immediate early genes, such as Arc, Egr1 and c-Fos, and other genes involved in synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation. Remarkably, out of 17,168 genes analyzed for each sex, no significant changes in gene expression were detected in males at P < 0.05, false discovery rate < 0.05, and fold-change ≥ 1.5. Our data suggest that histone modifying therapeutics such as RG2833 improve cognitive behavior by modulating the expression of immediate early, neuroprotective and synaptic plasticity genes. Our preclinical study supports that RG2833 has therapeutic potential specifically for female Alzheimer's patients. RG2833 evaluations using other AD-related models is necessary to confirm our findings.
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Mehmood A, Shah S, Guo RY, Haider A, Shi M, Ali H, Ali I, Ullah R, Li B. Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 Emerges as a Central Player in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:4071-4101. [PMID: 37955798 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-023-01432-7] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
MECP2 and its product methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) are associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), which are inflammatory, autoimmune, and demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS). However, the mechanisms and pathways regulated by MeCP2 in immune activation in favor of MS and NMOSD are not fully understood. We summarize findings that use the binding properties of MeCP2 to identify its targets, particularly the genes recognized by MeCP2 and associated with several neurological disorders. MeCP2 regulates gene expression in neurons, immune cells and during development by modulating various mechanisms and pathways. Dysregulation of the MeCP2 signaling pathway has been associated with several disorders, including neurological and autoimmune diseases. A thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying MeCP2 function can provide new therapeutic strategies for these conditions. The nervous system is the primary system affected in MeCP2-associated disorders, and other systems may also contribute to MeCP2 action through its target genes. MeCP2 signaling pathways provide promise as potential therapeutic targets in progressive MS and NMOSD. MeCP2 not only increases susceptibility and induces anti-inflammatory responses in immune sites but also leads to a chronic increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines gene expression (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β) and downregulates the genes involved in immune regulation (IL-10, FoxP3, and CX3CR1). MeCP2 may modulate similar mechanisms in different pathologies and suggest that treatments for MS and NMOSD disorders may be effective in treating related disorders. MeCP2 regulates gene expression in MS and NMOSD. However, dysregulation of the MeCP2 signaling pathway is implicated in these disorders. MeCP2 plays a role as a therapeutic target for MS and NMOSD and provides pathways and mechanisms that are modulated by MeCP2 in the regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Mehmood
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Suleman Shah
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruo-Yi Guo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Arsalan Haider
- Key Lab of Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengya Shi
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Hamid Ali
- Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road Tarlai Kalan, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Ijaz Ali
- Centre for Applied Mathematics and Bioinformatics, Gulf University for Science and Technology, Hawally, 32093, Kuwait
| | - Riaz Ullah
- Medicinal Aromatic and Poisonous Plants Research Center, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Neurology of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050000, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Gao C, Jiang J, Tan Y, Chen S. Microglia in neurodegenerative diseases: mechanism and potential therapeutic targets. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:359. [PMID: 37735487 PMCID: PMC10514343 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01588-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 97.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia activation is observed in various neurodegenerative diseases. Recent advances in single-cell technologies have revealed that these reactive microglia were with high spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Some identified microglia in specific states correlate with pathological hallmarks and are associated with specific functions. Microglia both exert protective function by phagocytosing and clearing pathological protein aggregates and play detrimental roles due to excessive uptake of protein aggregates, which would lead to microglial phagocytic ability impairment, neuroinflammation, and eventually neurodegeneration. In addition, peripheral immune cells infiltration shapes microglia into a pro-inflammatory phenotype and accelerates disease progression. Microglia also act as a mobile vehicle to propagate protein aggregates. Extracellular vesicles released from microglia and autophagy impairment in microglia all contribute to pathological progression and neurodegeneration. Thus, enhancing microglial phagocytosis, reducing microglial-mediated neuroinflammation, inhibiting microglial exosome synthesis and secretion, and promoting microglial conversion into a protective phenotype are considered to be promising strategies for the therapy of neurodegenerative diseases. Here we comprehensively review the biology of microglia and the roles of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, dementia with Lewy bodies and Huntington's disease. We also summarize the possible microglia-targeted interventions and treatments against neurodegenerative diseases with preclinical and clinical evidence in cell experiments, animal studies, and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Gao
- Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingwen Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuyan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China.
| | - Shengdi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200025, Shanghai, China.
- Lab for Translational Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), Shanghai Tech University, 201210, Shanghai, China.
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15
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Rusu B, Kukreja B, Wu T, Dan SJ, Feng MY, Kalish BT. Single-Nucleus Profiling Identifies Accelerated Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell Senescence in a Mouse Model of Down Syndrome. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0147-23.2023. [PMID: 37491366 PMCID: PMC10449487 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0147-23.2023] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, is associated with lifelong cognitive deficits. However, the mechanisms by which triplication of chromosome 21 genes drive neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction are poorly understood. Here, using the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS, we performed an integrated single-nucleus ATAC and RNA-sequencing (snATAC-seq and snRNA-seq) analysis of the adult cortex. We identified cell type-specific transcriptional and chromatin-associated changes in the Ts65Dn cortex, including regulators of neuroinflammation, transcription and translation, myelination, and mitochondrial function. We discovered enrichment of a senescence-associated transcriptional signature in Ts65Dn oligodendrocyte (OL) precursor cells (OPCs) and epigenetic changes consistent with a loss of heterochromatin. We found that senescence is restricted to a subset of OPCs concentrated in deep cortical layers. Treatment of Ts65Dn mice with a senescence-reducing flavonoid rescued cortical OPC proliferation, restored microglial homeostasis, and improved contextual fear memory. Together, these findings suggest that cortical OPC senescence may be an important driver of neuropathology in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Rusu
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1A8, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Bharti Kukreja
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Taiyi Wu
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Sophie J Dan
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1A8, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1A8, Canada
| | - Min Yi Feng
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1A8, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Brian T Kalish
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1A8, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
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16
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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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17
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Dermitzakis I, Manthou ME, Meditskou S, Tremblay MÈ, Petratos S, Zoupi L, Boziki M, Kesidou E, Simeonidou C, Theotokis P. Origin and Emergence of Microglia in the CNS-An Interesting (Hi)story of an Eccentric Cell. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:2609-2628. [PMID: 36975541 PMCID: PMC10047736 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45030171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia belong to tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS), representing the primary innate immune cells. This cell type constitutes ~7% of non-neuronal cells in the mammalian brain and has a variety of biological roles integral to homeostasis and pathophysiology from the late embryonic to adult brain. Its unique identity that distinguishes its "glial" features from tissue-resident macrophages resides in the fact that once entering the CNS, it is perennially exposed to a unique environment following the formation of the blood-brain barrier. Additionally, tissue-resident macrophage progenies derive from various peripheral sites that exhibit hematopoietic potential, and this has resulted in interpretation issues surrounding their origin. Intensive research endeavors have intended to track microglial progenitors during development and disease. The current review provides a corpus of recent evidence in an attempt to disentangle the birthplace of microglia from the progenitor state and underlies the molecular elements that drive microgliogenesis. Furthermore, it caters towards tracking the lineage spatiotemporally during embryonic development and outlining microglial repopulation in the mature CNS. This collection of data can potentially shed light on the therapeutic potential of microglia for CNS perturbations across various levels of severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iasonas Dermitzakis
- Department of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Eleni Manthou
- Department of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Soultana Meditskou
- Department of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Steven Petratos
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Lida Zoupi
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences & Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK
| | - Marina Boziki
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, Second Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Kesidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, Second Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Constantina Simeonidou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paschalis Theotokis
- Department of Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, Second Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece
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18
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Zhou Y, Tada M, Cai Z, Andhey PS, Swain A, Miller KR, Gilfillan S, Artyomov MN, Takao M, Kakita A, Colonna M. Human early-onset dementia caused by DAP12 deficiency reveals a unique signature of dysregulated microglia. Nat Immunol 2023; 24:545-557. [PMID: 36658241 PMCID: PMC9992145 DOI: 10.1038/s41590-022-01403-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The TREM2-DAP12 receptor complex sustains microglia functions. Heterozygous hypofunctional TREM2 variants impair microglia, accelerating late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Homozygous inactivating variants of TREM2 or TYROBP-encoding DAP12 cause Nasu-Hakola disease (NHD), an early-onset dementia characterized by cerebral atrophy, myelin loss and gliosis. Mechanisms underpinning NHD are unknown. Here, single-nucleus RNA-sequencing analysis of brain specimens from DAP12-deficient NHD individuals revealed a unique microglia signature indicating heightened RUNX1, STAT3 and transforming growth factor-β signaling pathways that mediate repair responses to injuries. This profile correlated with a wound healing signature in astrocytes and impaired myelination in oligodendrocytes, while pericyte profiles indicated vascular abnormalities. Conversely, single-nuclei signatures in mice lacking DAP12 signaling reflected very mild microglial defects that did not recapitulate NHD. We envision that DAP12 signaling in microglia attenuates wound healing pathways that, if left unchecked, interfere with microglial physiological functions, causing pathology in human. The identification of a dysregulated NHD microglia signature sparks potential therapeutic strategies aimed at resetting microglia signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyue Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mari Tada
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Zhangying Cai
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Prabhakar S Andhey
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Amanda Swain
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelly R Miller
- 10x Genomics, Pleasanton, CA, USA
- Deepcell, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Susan Gilfillan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxim N Artyomov
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Masaki Takao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Internal Medicine, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), National Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Brain Bank, Mihara Memorial Hospital, Isesaki, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kakita
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Marco Colonna
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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19
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Diagnostic and prognostic value of the RUNXOR/RUNX1 axis in multiple sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106032. [PMID: 36754216 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106032] [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: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The runt-related transcription factor-1 (RUNX1) gene with its lncRNA RUNXOR are recently becoming a research focus in various diseases, specifically immune-related diseases as they are implicated in multiple pathways. Interestingly, their role in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unstudied. The present study explored the role of RUNXOR/RUNX1 in the development and progression of MS and investigated their possible mechanism of action. We measured the serum expression levels of lncRNA RUNXOR, as well as RUNX1, microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2), nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNAs in 30 healthy controls and 120 MS patients subdivided into 4 groups: 30 clinically isolated syndrome patients, 30 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients in relapse, 30 RRMS patients in remission and 30 secondary progressive MS patients. Additionally, we measured the serum protein levels of RUNX1, MAP2, NGF, BDNF and interleukin-10 (IL-10). All measured RNA expression levels were markedly downregulated and, consequently, the protein levels of RUNX1, MAP2, NGF, BDNF and IL-10 were significantly decreased in MS patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, the levels of the measured parameters varied significantly within the MS groups. According to receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses, lncRNA RUNXOR, RUNX1 mRNA and its protein levels were predictors of disease progression, in addition to RUNX1 mRNA exhibiting a diagnostic potential. Altogether, this study suggests the implication of the RUNXOR-RUNX1 axis in MS development, progression, and increased MS-related disability, and highlights the potential utility of the studied parameters as promising diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers for MS.
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20
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Dayananda KK, Ahmed S, Wang D, Polis B, Islam R, Kaffman A. Early life stress impairs synaptic pruning in the developing hippocampus. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 107:16-31. [PMID: 36174883 PMCID: PMC10497209 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.09.014] [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: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity impairs normal hippocampal function and connectivity in various mammalian species, including humans and rodents. According to the 'cumulative model' the number of early adversities can be summed up to determine the risk for developing psychopathology later in life. In contrast, the 'dimensional model' argues that 'Deprivation' and 'Threat' impact different developmental processes that should not be added in determining clinical outcomes. Here we examine these predictions in male and female mice exposed to a single adversity - limited bedding (LB) - versus mice exposed to multiple adversities - unpredictable postnatal stress (UPS) - focusing on microglia-mediated synaptic pruning in the developing hippocampus. Exposure to both LB and UPS reduced the ramification of microglia, impaired their ability to phagocytose synaptic material in vivo and ex vivo, and decreased expression of TREM2. Abnormal phagocytic activity was associated with increased spine density in CA1 pyramidal neurons that was seen in 17-day-old groups and persisted in peri-pubescent 29-day-old LB and UPS mice. Exposure to LB caused more severe impairment in microglial ramification and synaptic engulfment compared to UPS, outcomes that were accompanied by a UPS-specific increase in the expression of several genes implicated in synaptic pruning. We propose that despite being a single stressor, LB represents a more severe form of early deprivation, and that appropriate levels of hippocampal stimulation during the second and third weeks of life are necessary to support normal microglial ramification and synaptic pruning. Further, impaired synaptic pruning during this critical period of hippocampal development contributes to the abnormal hippocampal function and connectivity seen in UPS and LB later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran K Dayananda
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Sahabuddin Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Daniel Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Baruh Polis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Rafiad Islam
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Arie Kaffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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21
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Implications of microglial heterogeneity in spinal cord injury progression and therapy. Exp Neurol 2023; 359:114239. [PMID: 36216123 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Microglia are widely distributed in the central nervous system (CNS), where they aid in the maintenance of neuronal function and perform key auxiliary roles in phagocytosis, neural repair, immunological control, and nutrition delivery. Microglia in the undamaged spinal cord is in a stable state and serve as immune monitors. In the event of spinal cord injury (SCI), severe changes in the microenvironment and glial scar formation lead to axonal regeneration failure. Microglia participates in a series of pathophysiological processes and behave both positive and negative consequences during this period. A deep understanding of the characteristics and functions of microglia can better identify therapeutic targets for SCI. Technological innovations such as single-cell RNA sequencing (Sc-RNAseq) have led to new advances in the study of microglia heterogeneity throughout the lifespan. Here,We review the updated studies searching for heterogeneity of microglia from the developmental and pathological state, survey the activity and function of microglia in SCI and explore the recent therapeutic strategies targeting microglia in the CNS injury.
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22
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Katoh Y, Iriyama T, Yano E, Sayama S, Seyama T, Kotajima-Murakami H, Sato A, Sakuma H, Iguchi Y, Yoshikawa M, Inaoka N, Ichinose M, Toshimitsu M, Sone K, Kumasawa K, Nagamatsu T, Ikeda K, Osuga Y. Increased production of inflammatory cytokines and activation of microglia in the fetal brain of preeclamptic mice induced by angiotensin II. J Reprod Immunol 2022; 154:103752. [PMID: 36202022 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103752] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive obstetric disorder with poor prognosis for both the mother and offspring. Infants born to mothers with PE are known to be at increased risk of developing higher brain dysfunction, such as autism. However, how maternal PE can affect the environment in the fetal brain has not been fully elucidated. Here, we examined the impact of PE on the fetal brain in a mouse model of PE induced by angiotensin II (Ang II), focusing on changes in the inflammatory condition. We confirmed that pregnant mice which were continuously administered Ang II exhibited PE phenotypes, including high blood pressure, proteinuria, and fetal growth restriction. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the brain of fetuses on embryonic day 17.5 (E17.5) in the Ang II-administered pregnant mice showed increased expression of cytokines, interleukin (IL)- 6, IL-17a, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, IL-12, IL-4, and IL-10. Immunohistochemical analysis over a wide area, from the tip of the frontal lobe to the posterior cerebral end, on E17.5 revealed that the microglia in the fetal brain of the Ang II-administered group displayed higher solidity and circularity than those of the control group, indicating that the microglia had transformed to an amoeboid morphology and were activated. Our findings suggest that maternal PE may cause altered inflammatory conditions in the fetal brain, which might be associated with the pathological mechanism connecting maternal PE and brain dysfunction in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihisa Katoh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Iriyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Eriko Yano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seisuke Sayama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Seyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Atsushi Sato
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sakuma
- Department of Brain Development and Neural Regeneration, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Iguchi
- Technology Research Division, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Midori Yoshikawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoko Inaoka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mari Ichinose
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masatake Toshimitsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenbun Sone
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiichi Kumasawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Nagamatsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yutaka Osuga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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23
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A simplified procedure for isolation of primary murine microglia. Biotechniques 2022; 73:273-279. [DOI: 10.2144/btn-2022-0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There are various approaches in which one can isolate microglia from murine brains, such as immunomagnetic, density gradient, FACS and differential adhesive methods. In this procedure a modified flask-tapping approach was used due to its simplicity and reproducibility. Our protocol requires only a single step to isolate the microglia from the mixed cell population. Once the microglia were isolated, we characterized cell purity, microglial morphology and phagocytic activity. The single-step protocol, without the need for additional astrocyte or oligodendrocyte separation, allows microglial cells to be used immediately for experimental purposes. The protocol is low-cost and can be performed in any lab with standard cell-culture equipment.
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24
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Vidal-Itriago A, Radford RAW, Aramideh JA, Maurel C, Scherer NM, Don EK, Lee A, Chung RS, Graeber MB, Morsch M. Microglia morphophysiological diversity and its implications for the CNS. Front Immunol 2022; 13:997786. [PMID: 36341385 PMCID: PMC9627549 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.997786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Microglia are mononuclear phagocytes of mesodermal origin that migrate to the central nervous system (CNS) during the early stages of embryonic development. After colonizing the CNS, they proliferate and remain able to self-renew throughout life, maintaining the number of microglia around 5-12% of the cells in the CNS parenchyma. They are considered to play key roles in development, homeostasis and innate immunity of the CNS. Microglia are exceptionally diverse in their morphological characteristics, actively modifying the shape of their processes and soma in response to different stimuli. This broad morphological spectrum of microglia responses is considered to be closely correlated to their diverse range of functions in health and disease. However, the morphophysiological attributes of microglia, and the structural and functional features of microglia-neuron interactions, remain largely unknown. Here, we assess the current knowledge of the diverse microglial morphologies, with a focus on the correlation between microglial shape and function. We also outline some of the current challenges, opportunities, and future directions that will help us to tackle unanswered questions about microglia, and to continue unravelling the mysteries of microglia, in all its shapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Vidal-Itriago
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rowan A. W. Radford
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jason A. Aramideh
- Brain and Mind Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cindy Maurel
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Natalie M. Scherer
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emily K. Don
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Albert Lee
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger S. Chung
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manuel B. Graeber
- Brain and Mind Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marco Morsch
- Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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25
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A tool for mapping microglial morphology, morphOMICs, reveals brain-region and sex-dependent phenotypes. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:1379-1393. [PMID: 36180790 PMCID: PMC9534764 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01167-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Environmental cues influence the highly dynamic morphology of microglia. Strategies to characterize these changes usually involve user-selected morphometric features, which preclude the identification of a spectrum of context-dependent morphological phenotypes. Here we develop MorphOMICs, a topological data analysis approach, which enables semiautomatic mapping of microglial morphology into an atlas of cue-dependent phenotypes and overcomes feature-selection biases and biological variability. We extract spatially heterogeneous and sexually dimorphic morphological phenotypes for seven adult mouse brain regions. This sex-specific phenotype declines with maturation but increases over the disease trajectories in two neurodegeneration mouse models, with females showing a faster morphological shift in affected brain regions. Remarkably, microglia morphologies reflect an adaptation upon repeated exposure to ketamine anesthesia and do not recover to control morphologies. Finally, we demonstrate that both long primary processes and short terminal processes provide distinct insights to morphological phenotypes. MorphOMICs opens a new perspective to characterize microglial morphology. Colombo et al. build a morphological spectrum of over 40,000 microglia across development and disease with a topological data analysis approach that allows mapping of new conditions along these sex-region-specific and brain-region-specific atlases.
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26
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Green TRF, Murphy SM, Moreno-Montano MP, Audinat E, Rowe RK. Reactive morphology of dividing microglia following kainic acid administration. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:972138. [PMID: 36248637 PMCID: PMC9556904 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.972138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The microglial response to a pathological microenvironment is hallmarked by a change in cellular morphology. Following a pathological stimulus, microglia become reactive and simultaneously divide to create daughter cells. Although a wide array of microglial morphologies has been observed, the exact functions of these distinct morphologies are unknown, as are the morphology and reactivity status of dividing microglia. In this study, we used kainic acid to trigger microglial activation and cell division. Following a cortical kainic acid injection, microglial morphology and proliferation were examined at 3 days post-injection using immunohistochemistry for ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) to stain for microglia, and KI67 as a marker of cell division. Individual microglial cells were isolated from photomicrographs and skeletal and fractal analyses were used to examine cell size and spatial complexity. We examined the morphology of microglia in both wildtype and microglia-specific tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α knockout mice. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models or a two-way ANOVA. We found that dividing microglia had a more reactive morphology (larger cell body area, longer cell perimeter, and less ramification) compared to microglia that were not dividing, regardless of microglial release of TNF-α. However, we also observed dividing microglia with a complex, more ramified morphology. Changes in microglial morphology and division were greatest near the kainic acid injection site. This study uses robust and quantitative techniques to better understand microglial cell division, morphology, and population dynamics, which are essential for the development of novel therapeutics that target microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabitha R. F. Green
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Sean M. Murphy
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Maria P. Moreno-Montano
- Institute of Functional Genomics (IGF), University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Etienne Audinat
- Institute of Functional Genomics (IGF), University of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Rachel K. Rowe
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Rachel K. Rowe,
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27
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Advanced therapeutic strategies targeting microglia: beyond neuroinflammation. Arch Pharm Res 2022; 45:618-630. [PMID: 36166145 DOI: 10.1007/s12272-022-01406-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
For a long time, microglia have been recognized as the main culprits of neuroinflammatory responses because they are primary phagocytes present in the parenchyma of the central nervous system (CNS). However, with the evolving concept of microglial biology, advanced and precise approaches, rather than the global inhibition of activated microglia, have been proposed in the management of neurological disorders. Yolk sac-derived resident microglia have heterogeneous composition according to brain region, sex, and diseases. They play a key role in the maintenance of CNS homeostasis and as primary phagocytes. The perturbation of microglia development can induce neurodevelopmental disorders. Microglia aggravate or alleviate neuroinflammation according to microenvironment and their spatiotemporal dynamics. They are long-lived cells and repopulate via their proliferation or external monocyte engraft. Based on this evolving concept, understanding advanced therapeutic strategies targeting microglia can give us an opportunity to discover novel therapies for neurological disorders.
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28
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Stetzik L, Mercado G, Smith L, George S, Quansah E, Luda K, Schulz E, Meyerdirk L, Lindquist A, Bergsma A, Jones RG, Brundin L, Henderson MX, Pospisilik JA, Brundin P. A novel automated morphological analysis of Iba1+ microglia using a deep learning assisted model. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:944875. [PMID: 36187297 PMCID: PMC9520629 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.944875] [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: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence for the key role of microglial functional state in brain pathophysiology. Consequently, there is a need for efficient automated methods to measure the morphological changes distinctive of microglia functional states in research settings. Currently, many commonly used automated methods can be subject to sample representation bias, time consuming imaging, specific hardware requirements and difficulty in maintaining an accurate comparison across research environments. To overcome these issues, we use commercially available deep learning tools Aiforia® Cloud (Aifoira Inc., Cambridge, MA, United States) to quantify microglial morphology and cell counts from histopathological slides of Iba1 stained tissue sections. We provide evidence for the effective application of this method across a range of independently collected datasets in mouse models of viral infection and Parkinson's disease. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive workflow with training details and annotation strategies by feature layer that can be used as a guide to generate new models. In addition, all models described in this work are available within the Aiforia® platform for study-specific adaptation and validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Stetzik
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States,*Correspondence: Lucas Stetzik,
| | - Gabriela Mercado
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lindsey Smith
- Aiforia Inc, Cambridge Innovation Center, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Sonia George
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Emmanuel Quansah
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Katarzyna Luda
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Emily Schulz
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lindsay Meyerdirk
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Allison Lindquist
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Alexis Bergsma
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Russell G. Jones
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Lena Brundin
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Michael X. Henderson
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | | | - Patrik Brundin
- Parkinson’s Disease Center, Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
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29
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Gonzalez A, Hammock EAD. Oxytocin and microglia in the development of social behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210059. [PMID: 35858111 PMCID: PMC9272152 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a well-established regulator of social behaviour. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, regulate brain development and maintenance in health and disease. Oxytocin and microglia interact: microglia appear to regulate the oxytocin system and are, in turn, regulated by oxytocin, which appears to have anti-inflammatory effects. Both microglia and oxytocin are regulated in sex-specific ways. Oxytocin and microglia may work together to promote experience-dependent circuit refinement through multiple developmental-sensitive periods contributing to individual differences in social behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interplays between oxytocin and other neuromodulators in shaping complex social behaviours'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. D. Hammock
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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30
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Fu J, Sun H, Xu F, Chen R, Wang X, Ding Q, Xia T. RUNX regulated immune-associated genes predicts prognosis in breast cancer. Front Genet 2022; 13:960489. [PMID: 36092942 PMCID: PMC9459239 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.960489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women. RUNX family has been involved in the regulation of different carcinogenic processes and signaling pathways with cancer, which is closely related to immunity and prognosis of various tumors, and also plays an important role in the development and prognosis of breast cancer. Methods: We discovered the expression of RUNX family through GEPIA Dataset and then evaluated the relationship between RUNX family and immune-related genes and the prognosis of breast cancer through analyzing TCGA database. A prognostic model was established and verified via cox proportional hazards regression model using R packages. We evaluated the accuracy of the prognostic model by Kaplan-Meier curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Additionally, we obtained the relationship between the RUNX family and immune infiltration by TIMER database. Finally, the dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the regulation of RUNX3 on potential target genes ULBP2 and TRDV1, and the effects of ULBP2 and TRDV1 on the growth of breast cancer cells were explored by CCK-8, colony formation and wound healing assays. Results: We screened out RUNX family-regulated immune-related genes associated with the prognosis of breast cancer. These predictors included PSME2, ULBP2, IL-18, TSLP, NPR3, TRDV1. Then a prognosis-related risk score model was built using the independent risk factors to provide a clinically appropriate method predicting the overall survival (OS) probability of the patients with breast cancer. In addition, a further research was made on the functions of high risk immune gene ULBP2 and low risk immune gene TRDV1 which regulated by RUNX3, the results showed that down-regulation of ULBP2 suppressed breast cancer cell proliferation and TRDV1 had the opposite functions. The prognostic model we constructed could promote the development of prognostic, and was associated with lower immune infiltration. Conclusion: The expression of RUNX family was closely related to the prognosis of breast cancer. At the same time, RUNX family could modulate the functions of immune-related genes, and affect the development and prognosis of breast cancer. These immune-related genes regulated by RUNX family could be promising prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Qiang Ding
- *Correspondence: Tiansong Xia, ; Qiang Ding,
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31
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Ansari JA, Dey RK, Mishra SK, Roy O, Kushwaha S, Singh V, Patnaik S, Ghosh D. Perinatal arsenic exposure-induced sustained microglial activation leads to impaired cognitive response in BALB/c mice. Neurotoxicology 2022; 92:1-14. [PMID: 35777461 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2022.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Arsenic is infamous for its adverse health effects worldwide. It is known to induce cognitive impairment in experimental model animals and children in the arsenic-affected area. Although the effect of arsenic on neuronal health is well studied, but the involvement of the brain immune component, microglia, has not been well explored. The present study is focused on examining the role of microglia in arsenic-induced cognitive impairment. We have used balb/c mice for the study. Pregnant dams were gavaged with sodium arsenite (0.38 mg/kg body weight) from gestational day 5 (GD5) till postnatal day 22 (PND22). Mice were sacrificed on PND 7, 14, 22 and isolated brains were used for various assays. The study reveals that perinatal arsenic exposure keeps the microglia activated and skews them towards the M1 phenotype. Increased microglial proliferation, ROS, NO, higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were observed in the arsenic exposed group. Enhanced phagocytosis and phagocytic receptor TREM2, along with decreased expression of SNAP25 and PSD95, were correlated for enhanced neuronal pruning leading to impaired learning and memory response. Taken together, the study reveals an association between arsenic exposure and altered cognitive response where enhanced neuronal pruning by arsenic-activated microglia plays an important role in developing mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamal Ahmad Ansari
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Rajib K Dey
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Shubhendra K Mishra
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Opalina Roy
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Shaivya Kushwaha
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Vikas Singh
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Satyakam Patnaik
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; Water Analysis Laboratory, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Debabrata Ghosh
- Immunotoxicology Laboratory, Food, Drug & Chemical Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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32
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Mehl LC, Manjally AV, Bouadi O, Gibson EM, Tay TL. Microglia in brain development and regeneration. Development 2022; 149:275253. [PMID: 35502782 PMCID: PMC9124570 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It has recently emerged that microglia, the tissue-resident macrophages of the central nervous system, play significant non-innate immune roles to support the development, maintenance, homeostasis and repair of the brain. Apart from being highly specialized brain phagocytes, microglia modulate the development and functions of neurons and glial cells through both direct and indirect interactions. Thus, recognizing the elements that influence the homeostasis and heterogeneity of microglia in normal brain development is crucial to understanding the mechanisms that lead to early disease pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. In this Review, we discuss recent studies that have elucidated the physiological development of microglia and summarize our knowledge of their non-innate immune functions in brain development and tissue repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey C Mehl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Ouzéna Bouadi
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Erin M Gibson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tuan L Tay
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany.,BrainLinks-BrainTools Centre, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79110, Germany.,Freiburg Institute of Advanced Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
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Li Q, Wu Y, Chen J, Xuan A, Wang X. Microglia and immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neurol Scand 2022; 145:273-278. [PMID: 34779509 DOI: 10.1111/ane.13551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Microglia are a type of glial cells that play a key role in the repair of damage to the central nervous system (CNS). In the pathological condition of Alzheimer's disease (AD), β-amyloid peptide and a variety of pro-inflammatory factors can activate microglia, resulting in the secretion of a variety of inflammatory factors and neurotoxins. This leads to neuronal damage and even apoptosis, thus triggering AD. In contrast, microglia can protect the CNS by phagocytizing Aβ to slow down AD development. In this review, the roles of microglia in AD neuroinflammation and the scope of immunotherapy for AD are summarized to provide a theoretical basis for AD prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 China
| | - Yingying Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 China
| | - Jichun Chen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 China
| | - Aiguo Xuan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology Guangzhou Medical University Guangzhou 510260 China
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34
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Quek H, Cuní-López C, Stewart R, Colletti T, Notaro A, Nguyen TH, Sun Y, Guo CC, Lupton MK, Roberts TL, Lim YC, Oikari LE, La Bella V, White AR. ALS monocyte-derived microglia-like cells reveal cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation, DNA damage, and cell-specific impairment of phagocytosis associated with disease progression. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:58. [PMID: 35227277 PMCID: PMC8887023 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02421-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease characterised by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Increasing evidence indicates that neuroinflammation mediated by microglia contributes to ALS pathogenesis. This microglial activation is evident in post-mortem brain tissues and neuroimaging data from patients with ALS. However, the role of microglia in the pathogenesis and progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis remains unclear, partly due to the lack of a model system that is able to faithfully recapitulate the clinical pathology of ALS. To address this shortcoming, we describe an approach that generates monocyte-derived microglia-like cells that are capable of expressing molecular markers, and functional characteristics similar to in vivo human brain microglia.
Methods
In this study, we have established monocyte-derived microglia-like cells from 30 sporadic patients with ALS, including 15 patients with slow disease progression, 6 with intermediate progression, and 9 with rapid progression, together with 20 non-affected healthy controls.
Results
We demonstrate that patient monocyte-derived microglia-like cells recapitulate canonical pathological features of ALS including non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated-TDP-43-positive inclusions. Moreover, ALS microglia-like cells showed significantly impaired phagocytosis, altered cytokine profiles, and abnormal morphologies consistent with a neuroinflammatory phenotype. Interestingly, all ALS microglia-like cells showed abnormal phagocytosis consistent with the progression of the disease. In-depth analysis of ALS microglia-like cells from the rapid disease progression cohort revealed significantly altered cell-specific variation in phagocytic function. In addition, DNA damage and NOD-leucine rich repeat and pyrin containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activity were also elevated in ALS patient monocyte-derived microglia-like cells, indicating a potential new pathway involved in driving disease progression.
Conclusions
Taken together, our work demonstrates that the monocyte-derived microglia-like cell model recapitulates disease-specific hallmarks and characteristics that substantiate patient heterogeneity associated with disease subgroups. Thus, monocyte-derived microglia-like cells are highly applicable to monitor disease progression and can be applied as a functional readout in clinical trials for anti-neuroinflammatory agents, providing a basis for personalised treatment for patients with ALS.
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35
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Chen X, Chen S, Song S, Gao Z, Hou L, Zhang X, Lv H, Jiang R. Cell type annotation of single-cell chromatin accessibility data via supervised Bayesian embedding. NAT MACH INTELL 2022. [DOI: 10.1038/s42256-021-00432-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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36
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Bedolla A, Taranov A, Luo F, Wang J, Turcato F, Fugate EM, Greig NH, Lindquist DM, Crone SA, Goto J, Luo Y. Diphtheria toxin induced but not CSF1R inhibitor mediated microglia ablation model leads to the loss of CSF/ventricular spaces in vivo that is independent of cytokine upregulation. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:3. [PMID: 34983562 PMCID: PMC8728932 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02367-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Two recently developed novel rodent models have been reported to ablate microglia, either by genetically targeting microglia (via Cx3cr1-creER: iDTR + Dtx) or through pharmacologically targeting the CSF1R receptor with its inhibitor (PLX5622). Both models have been widely used in recent years to define essential functions of microglia and have led to high impact studies that have moved the field forward. Methods Using either Cx3cr1-iDTR mice in combination with Dtx or via the PLX5622 diet to pharmacologically ablate microglia, we compared the two models via MRI and histology to study the general anatomy of the brain and the CSF/ventricular systems. Additionally, we analyzed the cytokine profile in both microglia ablation models. Results We discovered that the genetic ablation (Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx), but not the pharmacological microglia ablation (PLX5622), displays a surprisingly rapid pathological condition in the brain represented by loss of CSF/ventricles without brain parenchymal swelling. This phenotype was observed both in MRI and histological analysis. To our surprise, we discovered that the iDTR allele alone leads to the loss of CSF/ventricles phenotype following diphtheria toxin (Dtx) treatment independent of cre expression. To examine the underlying mechanism for the loss of CSF in the Cx3cr1-iDTR ablation and iDTR models, we additionally investigated the cytokine profile in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx, iDTR + Dtx and the PLX models. We found increases of multiple cytokines in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx but not in the pharmacological ablation model nor the iDTR + Dtx mouse brains at the time of CSF loss (3 days after the first Dtx injection). This result suggests that the upregulation of cytokines is not the cause of the loss of CSF, which is supported by our data indicating that brain parenchyma swelling, or edema are not observed in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx microglia ablation model. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition of the KC/CXCR2 pathway (the most upregulated cytokine in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx model) did not resolve the CSF/ventricular loss phenotype in the genetic microglia ablation model. Instead, both the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx ablation and iDTR + Dtx models showed increased activated IBA1 + cells in the choroid plexus (CP), suggesting that CP-related pathology might be the contributing factor for the observed CSF/ventricular shrinkage phenotype. Conclusions Our data, for the first time, reveal a robust and global CSF/ventricular space shrinkage pathology in the Cx3cr1-iDTR genetic ablation model caused by iDTR allele, but not in the PLX5622 ablation model, and suggest that this pathology is not due to brain edema formation but to CP related pathology. Given the wide utilization of the iDTR allele and the Cx3cr1-iDTR model, it is crucial to fully characterize this pathology to understand the underlying causal mechanisms. Specifically, caution is needed when utilizing this model to interpret subtle neurologic functional changes that are thought to be mediated by microglia but could, instead, be due to CSF/ventricular loss in the genetic ablation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Bedolla
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Aleksandr Taranov
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Fucheng Luo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jiapeng Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Flavia Turcato
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Fugate
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA
| | - Nigel H Greig
- Drug Design & Development Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute On Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Diana M Lindquist
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, USA
| | - Steven A Crone
- Division of Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - June Goto
- Division of Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.,Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, 231 Albert Sabin Way, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, USA
| | - Yu Luo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Belhocine S, Machado Xavier A, Distéfano-Gagné F, Fiola S, Rivest S, Gosselin D. Context-dependent transcriptional regulation of microglial proliferation. Glia 2021; 70:572-589. [PMID: 34862814 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Microglia proliferate during brain development and brain lesions, but how this is coordinated at the transcriptional level is not well understood. Here, we investigated fundamental aspects of the transcriptional process associated with proliferation of mouse microglia during postnatal development and in adults in a model of induced microglial depletion-repopulation. While each proliferative subset displayed globally a distinct signature of gene expression, they also co-expressed a subgroup of 1370 genes at higher levels than quiescent microglia. Expression of these may be coordinated by one of two mechanisms of regulation with distinct properties. A first mechanism augments expression of genes already expressed in quiescent microglia and is subject to regulation by Klf/Sp, Nfy, and Ets transcription factors. Alternatively, a second mechanism enables de novo transcription of cell cycle genes and requires additional regulatory input from Lin54 and E2f transcription factors. Of note, transcriptional upregulation of E2f1 and E2f2 family members may represent a critical regulatory checkpoint to enable microglia to achieve efficient cell cycling. Furthermore, analysis of the activity profile of the repertoire of promoter-distal genomic regulatory elements suggests a relatively restricted role for these elements in coordinating cell cycle gene expression in microglia. Overall, proliferating microglia integrates regulation of cell cycle gene expression with their broader, context-dependent, transcriptional landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Belhocine
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire de la Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - André Machado Xavier
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire de la Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Félix Distéfano-Gagné
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire de la Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Fiola
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Serge Rivest
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire de la Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - David Gosselin
- Axe Neuroscience, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.,Département de Médecine Moléculaire de la Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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38
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Blank N, Mayer M, Mass E. The development and physiological and pathophysiological functions of resident macrophages and glial cells. Adv Immunol 2021; 151:1-47. [PMID: 34656287 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the past, brain function and the onset and progression of neurological diseases have been studied in a neuron-centric manner. However, in recent years the focus of many neuroscientists has shifted to other cell types that promote neurodevelopment and contribute to the functionality of neuronal networks in health and disease. Particularly microglia and astrocytes have been implicated in actively contributing to and controlling neuronal development, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Here, we summarize the development of brain-resident macrophages and astrocytes and their core functions in the developing brain. We discuss their contribution and intercellular crosstalk during tissue homeostasis and pathophysiology. We argue that in-depth knowledge of non-neuronal cells in the brain could provide novel therapeutic targets to reverse or contain neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelli Blank
- Developmental Biology of the Immune System, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Marina Mayer
- Developmental Biology of the Immune System, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Elvira Mass
- Developmental Biology of the Immune System, Life & Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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39
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Zelco A, Börjesson V, de Kanter JK, Lebrero-Fernandez C, Lauschke VM, Rocha-Ferreira E, Nilsson G, Nair S, Svedin P, Bemark M, Hagberg H, Mallard C, Holstege FCP, Wang X. Single-cell atlas reveals meningeal leukocyte heterogeneity in the developing mouse brain. Genes Dev 2021; 35:1190-1207. [PMID: 34301765 PMCID: PMC8336895 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348190.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Here, Zelco et al. used single-cell RNA sequencing to generate the first comprehensive transcriptional atlas of neonatal mouse meningeal leukocytes under normal conditions and after perinatal brain injury. They found that early after hypoxic–ischemic insult, neutrophil numbers increased and exhibited increased granulopoiesis, suggesting that the meninges are an important site of immune cell expansion with implications for the initiation of inflammatory cascades after neonatal brain injury. The meninges are important for brain development and pathology. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we have generated the first comprehensive transcriptional atlas of neonatal mouse meningeal leukocytes under normal conditions and after perinatal brain injury. We identified almost all known leukocyte subtypes and found differences between neonatal and adult border-associated macrophages, thus highlighting that neonatal border-associated macrophages are functionally immature with regards to immune responses compared with their adult counterparts. We also identified novel meningeal microglia-like cell populations that may participate in white matter development. Early after the hypoxic–ischemic insult, neutrophil numbers increased and they exhibited increased granulopoiesis, suggesting that the meninges are an important site of immune cell expansion with implications for the initiation of inflammatory cascades after neonatal brain injury. Our study provides a single-cell resolution view of the importance of meningeal leukocytes at the early stage of development in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aura Zelco
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Vanja Börjesson
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 413 90, Sweden
| | - Jurrian K de Kanter
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cristina Lebrero-Fernandez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Volker M Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 17177, Sweden.,Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Stuttgart 70 376, Germany
| | - Eridan Rocha-Ferreira
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Gisela Nilsson
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Syam Nair
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Svedin
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Mats Bemark
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Henrik Hagberg
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Carina Mallard
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden
| | - Frank C P Holstege
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden.,Centre of Perinatal Medicine and Health, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg 40530, Sweden.,Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain Injury, Institute of Neuroscience, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
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40
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Neckles VN, Feliciano DM. From seed to flower: blossoming of microglia in development and brain repair. Cell Tissue Res 2021; 387:377-389. [PMID: 34151391 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-021-03486-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Physiological functions require coordination of processes between diverse organs, tissues, and cells. This integrative view of science has reemerged complementary to the reductionist philosophy of studying individual cell types. An integrative approach has proven particularly powerful within the field of neuroscience where, intermingled among the most numerous neural cell types of the brain, are immune cells called microglia. Microglia act as a line of defense in the CNS by phagocytizing harmful pathogens and cellular debris and by releasing a variety of factors that mediate immune responses. However, microglia are also appreciated as critical mediators of neurophysiology making them a desired target to rectify neuropathological states. The goal of this review is to discuss microglia ontogenesis, referred to as microgliogenesis, a term that encompasses the events that drive the production, differentiation, migration, and maturation of microglia and opportunities to target microglia for brain repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria N Neckles
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634-0314, USA
| | - David M Feliciano
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634-0314, USA.
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41
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Chen Y, Hong T, Chen F, Sun Y, Wang Y, Cui L. Interplay Between Microglia and Alzheimer's Disease-Focus on the Most Relevant Risks: APOE Genotype, Sex and Age. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:631827. [PMID: 33897406 PMCID: PMC8060487 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.631827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the main immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), microglia regulates normal development, homeostasis and general brain physiology. These functions put microglia at the forefront of CNS repair and recovery. Uncontrolled activation of microglia is related to the course of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. It is clear that the classic pathologies of amyloid β (Aβ) and Tau are usually accompanied by the activation of microglia, and the activation of microglia also serves as an early event in the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, during the occurrence and development of AD, the key susceptibility factors for AD—apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, sex and age—may further interact with microglia to exacerbate neurodegeneration. In this review, we discuss the role of microglia in the progression of AD related to the three risk factors for AD: APOE genotype, sex and aging. APOE-expressing microglia accumulates around Aβ plaques, and the presence of APOE4 may disrupt the phagocytosis of Aβ aggregates and aggravate neurodegeneration in Tau disease models. In addition, females have a high incidence of AD, and normal female microglia and estrogen have protective effects under normal conditions. However, under the influence of AD, female microglia seem to lose their protective effect and instead accelerate the course of AD. Aging, another major risk factor, may increase the sensitivity of microglia, leading to the exacerbation of microglial dysfunction in elderly AD. Obviously, in the role of microglia in AD, the three main risk factors of APOE, sex, and aging are not independent and have synergistic effects that contribute to the risk of AD. Moreover, new microglia can replace dysfunctional microglia after microglial depletion, which is a new promising strategy for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Tingting Hong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Feng Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuanhong Sun
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, United States
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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42
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Carotenoid Extract Derived from Euglena gracilis Overcomes Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammation in Microglia: Role of NF-κB and Nrf2 Signaling Pathways. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3515-3528. [PMID: 33745115 PMCID: PMC8257518 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02353-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Activation of microglia results in the increased production and release of a series of inflammatory and neurotoxic mediators, which play essential roles in structural and functional neuronal damage and in the development and progression of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. The microalga Euglena gracilis (Euglena), rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, has gained increasing attention due to its antimicrobial, anti-viral, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. In particular, anti-inflammatory properties of Euglena could exert neuroprotective functions in different neurodegenerative diseases related to inflammation. However, the mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of Euglena are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated whether Euglena could attenuate microglia activation and we also studied the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory activity. Our results showed that non-cytotoxic concentrations of a Euglena acetone extract (EAE) downregulated the mRNA expression levels and release of pro-inflammatory mediators, including NO, IL-1β, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated microglia. EAE also significantly blocked the LPS-induced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit and increased the mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Furthermore, the release of pro-inflammatory mediators and NF-κB activation were also blocked by EAE in the presence of ML385, a specific Nrf2 inhibitor. Together, these results show that EAE overcomes LPS-induced microglia pro-inflammatory responses through downregulation of NF-κB and activation of Nrf2 signaling pathways, although the two pathways seem to get involved in an independent manner.
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43
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Delage CI, Cornil CA. Estrogen‐dependent sex difference in microglia in the developing brain of Japanese quail (
Coturnix japonica
). Dev Neurobiol 2020; 80:239-262. [DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte Anne Cornil
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology GIGA Neurosciences University of Liège Liège Belgium
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44
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Fatoba O, Itokazu T, Yamashita T. Microglia as therapeutic target in central nervous system disorders. J Pharmacol Sci 2020; 144:102-118. [PMID: 32921391 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic microglial activation is associated with the pathogenesis of several CNS disorders. Microglia show phenotypic diversity and functional complexity in diseased CNS. Thus, understanding the pathology-specific heterogeneity of microglial behavior is crucial for the future development of microglia-modulating therapy for variety of CNS disorders. This review summarizes up-to-date knowledge on how microglia contribute to CNS homeostasis during development and throughout adulthood. We discuss the heterogeneity of microglial phenotypes in the context of CNS disorders with an emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases, demyelinating diseases, CNS trauma, and epilepsy. We conclude this review with a discussion about the disease-specific heterogeneity of microglial function and how it could be exploited for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Fatoba
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; WPI-Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Takahide Itokazu
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Neuro-Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; WPI-Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; Department of Neuro-Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
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Chen X, Jiang M, Li H, Wang Y, Shen H, Li X, Zhang Y, Wu J, Yu Z, Chen G. CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis attenuates early brain injury via promoting the delivery of exosomal microRNA-124 from neuron to microglia after subarachnoid hemorrhage. J Neuroinflammation 2020; 17:209. [PMID: 32664984 PMCID: PMC7362528 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-01882-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microglial activation-mediated neuroinflammation is a major contributor to early brain injury (EBI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). MicroRNA-124 (miR-124) is the most abundant miRNAs in the central nervous system (CNS) and plays a vital role in microglial activation by targeting protein CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα). It has been reported that the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis is involved in the delivery of miR-124 from neurons to microglia. METHODS An experimental rat SAH model was established by injecting autologous arterial blood into the prechiasmatic cistern, and cultured primary neurons and microglia were exposed to oxyhemoglobin to mimic SAH in vitro. We additionally exploited specific expression plasmids encoding CX3CL1 and CX3CR1. RESULTS We observed significant decreases in CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in the brain tissues of SAH patients. We also observed decreases in the levels of CX3CL1 in neurons and CX3CR1 in microglia after SAH in rats. Moreover, microglia exhibited an activated phenotype with macrophage-like morphology and high levels of CD45 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II after SAH. After overexpression of CX3CL1/CX3CR1, the level of CD45 and MHC class II and the release of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1α and complement 1q were significantly decreased. There was also increased neuronal degeneration and behavior dysfunction after SAH, both of which were inhibited by CX3CL1/CX3CR1 overexpression. Additionally, we found that the delivery of exosomal miR-124 from neurons to microglia was significantly reduced after SAH, accompanied by an increase in C/EBPα expression, and was inhibited by CX3CL1/CX3CR1 overexpression. In conclusion, the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis may play protective roles after SAH by promoting the delivery of exosomal miR-124 to microglia and attenuate microglial activation and neuroinflammation. CONCLUSIONS CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis may be a potential intervention target for the inhibition of SAH-induced EBI by promoting exosome transport of miR-124 to microglia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Haiying Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, 17 Lujiang Road, Hefei, 230001, China
| | - Haitao Shen
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Yunhai Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215163, China
| | - Jiang Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Zhengquan Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China.
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, China.
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Deng XL, Feng L, Wang ZX, Zhao YE, Zhan Q, Wu XM, Xiao B, Shu Y. The Runx1/Notch1 Signaling Pathway Participates in M1/M2 Microglia Polarization in a Mouse Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and in BV-2 Cells. Neurochem Res 2020; 45:2204-2216. [PMID: 32632543 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-020-03082-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microglial activation and phenotypic shift play vital roles in many neurological diseases. Runt-related transcription factor-1 (Runx1), which is localized on microglia, inhibits amoeboid microglial proliferation. Preliminary data have indicated that the interaction of Runx1 with the Notch1 pathway affects the hemogenic endothelial cell shift. However, little is known about the effect of Runx1 and the Notch1 signaling pathway on the phenotypic shift of microglia during neuroinflammation, especially in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). A mouse model of TLE induced by pilocarpine and the murine microglia cell line BV-2 were used in this study. The proportion of microglia was analyzed using flow cytometry. Western blot (WB) analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to analyze protein and gene transcript levels, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was used to show the distribution of Runx1. In the present study, we first found that in a male mouse model of TLE induced by pilocarpine, flow cytometry revealed a time-dependent M2-to-M1 microglial transition after status epilepticus. The dynamic expression patterns of Runx1 and the downstream Notch1/Jagged1/Hes5 signaling pathway molecules in the epileptic hippocampus were determined. Next, Runx1 knockdown by small interfering RNA in BV-2 cells strongly promoted an M2-to-M1 microglial phenotype shift and inhibited Notch1/Jagged1/Hes5 pathway expression. In conclusion, Runx1 may play a critical role in the M2-to-M1 microglial phenotype shift via the Notch1 signaling pathway during epileptogenesis in a TLE mouse model and in BV-2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Lian Deng
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiang Ya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Li Feng
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiang Ya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Zi-Xin Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Yue-E Zhao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Qiong Zhan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao-Mei Wu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China
| | - Bo Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiang Ya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
| | - Yi Shu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
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Riddell A, McBride M, Braun T, Nicklin SA, Cameron E, Loughrey CM, Martin TP. RUNX1: an emerging therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 116:1410-1423. [PMID: 32154891 PMCID: PMC7314639 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Runt-related transcription factor-1 (RUNX1), also known as acute myeloid leukaemia 1 protein (AML1), is a member of the core-binding factor family of transcription factors which modulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival in multiple systems. It is a master-regulator transcription factor, which has been implicated in diverse signalling pathways and cellular mechanisms during normal development and disease. RUNX1 is best characterized for its indispensable role for definitive haematopoiesis and its involvement in haematological malignancies. However, more recently RUNX1 has been identified as a key regulator of adverse cardiac remodelling following myocardial infarction. This review discusses the role RUNX1 plays in the heart and highlights its therapeutic potential as a target to limit the progression of adverse cardiac remodelling and heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Riddell
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Martin McBride
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Thomas Braun
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Ludwigstr. 43, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Stuart A Nicklin
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Ewan Cameron
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Garscube Campus, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Christopher M Loughrey
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
| | - Tamara P Martin
- British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 126 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK
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Coelho‐Santos V, Shih AY. Postnatal development of cerebrovascular structure and the neurogliovascular unit. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2020; 9:e363. [PMID: 31576670 PMCID: PMC7027551 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The unceasing metabolic demands of brain function are supported by an intricate three-dimensional network of arterioles, capillaries, and venules, designed to effectively distribute blood to all neurons and to provide shelter from harmful molecules in the blood. The development and maturation of this microvasculature involves a complex interplay between endothelial cells with nearly all other brain cell types (pericytes, astrocytes, microglia, and neurons), orchestrated throughout embryogenesis and the first few weeks after birth in mice. Both the expansion and regression of vascular networks occur during the postnatal period of cerebrovascular remodeling. Pial vascular networks on the brain surface are dense at birth and are then selectively pruned during the postnatal period, with the most dramatic changes occurring in the pial venular network. This is contrasted to an expansion of subsurface capillary networks through the induction of angiogenesis. Concurrent with changes in vascular structure, the integration and cross talk of neurovascular cells lead to establishment of blood-brain barrier integrity and neurovascular coupling to ensure precise control of macromolecular passage and metabolic supply. While we still possess a limited understanding of the rules that control cerebrovascular development, we can begin to assemble a view of how this complex process evolves, as well as identify gaps in knowledge for the next steps of research. This article is categorized under: Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: Regional Development Vertebrate Organogenesis > Musculoskeletal and Vascular Nervous System Development > Vertebrates: General Principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Coelho‐Santos
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative MedicineSeattle Children's Research InstituteSeattleWashington
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
| | - Andy Y. Shih
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative MedicineSeattle Children's Research InstituteSeattleWashington
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashington
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Tan YL, Yuan Y, Tian L. Microglial regional heterogeneity and its role in the brain. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:351-367. [PMID: 31772305 PMCID: PMC6974435 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0609-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 274] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microglia have been recently shown to manifest a very interesting phenotypical heterogeneity across different regions in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). However, the underlying mechanism and functional meaning of this phenomenon are currently unclear. Baseline diversities of adult microglia in their cell number, cellular and subcellular structures, molecular signature as well as relevant functions have been discovered. But recent transcriptomic studies using bulk RNAseq and single-cell RNAseq have produced conflicting results on region-specific signatures of microglia. It is highly speculative whether such spatial heterogeneity contributes to varying sensitivities of individual microglia to the same physiological and pathological signals in different CNS regions, and hence underlie their functional relevance for CNS disease development. This review aims to thoroughly summarize up-to-date knowledge on this specific topic and provide some insights on the potential underlying mechanisms, starting from microgliogenesis. Understanding regional heterogeneity of microglia in the context of their diverse neighboring neurons and other glia may provide an important clue for future development of innovative therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Long Tan
- Psychiatry Research Centre, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- Children's Hospital of Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China
| | - Li Tian
- Psychiatry Research Centre, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
- Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
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50
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Kelly R, Joers V, Tansey MG, McKernan DP, Dowd E. Microglial Phenotypes and Their Relationship to the Cannabinoid System: Therapeutic Implications for Parkinson's Disease. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25030453. [PMID: 31973235 PMCID: PMC7037317 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, the motor symptoms of which are associated classically with Lewy body formation and nigrostriatal degeneration. Neuroinflammation has been implicated in the progression of this disease, by which microglia become chronically activated in response to α-synuclein pathology and dying neurons, thereby acquiring dishomeostatic phenotypes that are cytotoxic and can cause further neuronal death. Microglia have a functional endocannabinoid signaling system, expressing the cannabinoid receptors in addition to being capable of synthesizing and degrading endocannabinoids. Alterations in the cannabinoid system—particularly an upregulation in the immunomodulatory CB2 receptor—have been demonstrated to be related to the microglial activation state and hence the microglial phenotype. This paper will review studies that examine the relationship between the cannabinoid system and microglial activation, and how this association could be manipulated for therapeutic benefit in Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kelly
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics, National University of Ireland, H91 W5P7 Galway, Ireland; (R.K.); (D.P.M.)
| | - Valerie Joers
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (V.J.); (M.G.T.)
| | - Malú G. Tansey
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (V.J.); (M.G.T.)
- Center for Translation Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Declan P. McKernan
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics, National University of Ireland, H91 W5P7 Galway, Ireland; (R.K.); (D.P.M.)
| | - Eilís Dowd
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics, National University of Ireland, H91 W5P7 Galway, Ireland; (R.K.); (D.P.M.)
- Correspondence:
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