1
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Bansal Y, Codeluppi SA, Banasr M. Astroglial Dysfunctions in Mood Disorders and Rodent Stress Models: Consequences on Behavior and Potential as Treatment Target. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6357. [PMID: 38928062 PMCID: PMC11204179 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte dysfunctions have been consistently observed in patients affected with depression and other psychiatric illnesses. Although over the years our understanding of these changes, their origin, and their consequences on behavior and neuronal function has deepened, many aspects of the role of astroglial dysfunction in major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remain unknown. In this review, we summarize the known astroglial dysfunctions associated with MDD and PTSD, highlight the impact of chronic stress on specific astroglial functions, and how astroglial dysfunctions are implicated in the expression of depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, focusing on behavioral consequences of astroglial manipulation on emotion-related and fear-learning behaviors. We also offer a glance at potential astroglial functions that can be targeted for potential antidepressant treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashika Bansal
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Sierra A. Codeluppi
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M2J 4A6, Canada
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2
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Chen L, Yang W, Yang F, Xu T, Yu Y, Wu Q, Han Y. Astrocyte mitochondria: Potential therapeutic targets for epilepsy. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29950. [PMID: 38756598 PMCID: PMC11096718 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29950] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic, relapsing neurological disorder, and current treatments focus primarily on neurons, yet one-third of patients still develop drug-resistant epilepsy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore new therapeutic targets. Interestingly, astrocytes can transfer their healthy mitochondria into neighboring neurons, thus preventing neuronal damage. Astrocyte mitochondria have been shown to have a therapeutic role in stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. However, their therapeutic effect in epilepsy and its related mechanisms have been less studied. In this review, we mainly summarize the regulatory role of astrocyte mitochondria in glutamate, calcium ion, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) homeostasis and outline the protective role of astrocyte mitochondria in nervous system diseases, revealing a new target for epilepsy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Fei Yang
- First Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Tingwan Xu
- First Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Yanying Yu
- First Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Qian Wu
- First Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
| | - Yanbing Han
- First Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical University, 295 Xi Chang Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, PR China
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3
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Ortiz C, Pearson A, McCartan R, Roche S, Carothers N, Browning M, Perez S, He B, Ginsberg SD, Mullan M, Mufson EJ, Crawford F, Ojo J. Overexpression of pathogenic tau in astrocytes causes a reduction in AQP4 and GLT1, an immunosuppressed phenotype and unique transcriptional responses to repetitive mild TBI without appreciable changes in tauopathy. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:130. [PMID: 38750510 PMCID: PMC11096096 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03117-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have unveiled a robust link between exposure to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (r-mTBI) and elevated susceptibility to develop neurodegenerative disorders, notably chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The pathogenic lesion in CTE cases is characterized by the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons around small cerebral blood vessels which can be accompanied by astrocytes that contain phosphorylated tau, the latter termed tau astrogliopathy. However, the contribution of tau astrogliopathy to the pathobiology and functional consequences of r-mTBI/CTE or whether it is merely a consequence of aging remains unclear. We addressed these pivotal questions by utilizing a mouse model harboring tau-bearing astrocytes, GFAPP301L mice, subjected to our r-mTBI paradigm. Despite the fact that r-mTBI did not exacerbate tau astrogliopathy or general tauopathy, it increased phosphorylated tau in the area underneath the impact site. Additionally, gene ontology analysis of tau-bearing astrocytes following r-mTBI revealed profound alterations in key biological processes including immunological and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Moreover, gene array analysis of microdissected astrocytes accrued from stage IV CTE human brains revealed an immunosuppressed astroglial phenotype similar to tau-bearing astrocytes in the GFAPP301L model. Additionally, hippocampal reduction of proteins involved in water transport (AQP4) and glutamate homeostasis (GLT1) was found in the mouse model of tau astrogliopathy. Collectively, these findings reveal the importance of understanding tau astrogliopathy and its role in astroglial pathobiology under normal circumstances and following r-mTBI. The identified mechanisms using this GFAPP301L model may suggest targets for therapeutic interventions in r-mTBI pathogenesis in the context of CTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Ortiz
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA.
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Andrew Pearson
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bin He
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen D Ginsberg
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neuroscience and Physiology, and NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Fiona Crawford
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Joseph Ojo
- The Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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4
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Xie L, Wu Q, Li K, S Khan MA, Zhang A, Sinha B, Li S, Chang SL, Brody DL, Grinstaff MW, Zhou S, Alterovitz G, Liu P, Wang X. Tryptophan Metabolism in Alzheimer's Disease with the Involvement of Microglia and Astrocyte Crosstalk and Gut-Brain Axis. Aging Dis 2024:AD.2024.0134. [PMID: 38916729 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2024.0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease characterized by extracellular Amyloid Aβ peptide (Aβ) deposition and intracellular Tau protein aggregation. Glia, especially microglia and astrocytes are core participants during the progression of AD and these cells are the mediators of Aβ clearance and degradation. The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) is a complex interactive network between the gut and brain involved in neurodegeneration. MGBA affects the function of glia in the central nervous system (CNS), and microbial metabolites regulate the communication between astrocytes and microglia; however, whether such communication is part of AD pathophysiology remains unknown. One of the potential links in bilateral gut-brain communication is tryptophan (Trp) metabolism. The microbiota-originated Trp and its metabolites enter the CNS to control microglial activation, and the activated microglia subsequently affect astrocyte functions. The present review highlights the role of MGBA in AD pathology, especially the roles of Trp per se and its metabolism as a part of the gut microbiota and brain communications. We (i) discuss the roles of Trp derivatives in microglia-astrocyte crosstalk from a bioinformatics perspective, (ii) describe the role of glia polarization in the microglia-astrocyte crosstalk and AD pathology, and (iii) summarize the potential of Trp metabolism as a therapeutic target. Finally, we review the role of Trp in AD from the perspective of the gut-brain axis and microglia, as well as astrocyte crosstalk, to inspire the discovery of novel AD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lushuang Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Qiaofeng Wu
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Kelin Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mohammed A S Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrew Zhang
- Biomedical Cybernetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bharati Sinha
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sihui Li
- Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, China
| | - Sulie L Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 07079, USA
| | - David L Brody
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Mark W Grinstaff
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Shuanhu Zhou
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gil Alterovitz
- Biomedical Cybernetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Pinghua Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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5
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Cao J, Li C, Cui Z, Deng S, Lei T, Liu W, Yang H, Chen P. Spatial Transcriptomics: A Powerful Tool in Disease Understanding and Drug Discovery. Theranostics 2024; 14:2946-2968. [PMID: 38773973 PMCID: PMC11103497 DOI: 10.7150/thno.95908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in modern science have provided robust tools for drug discovery. The rapid development of transcriptome sequencing technologies has given rise to single-cell transcriptomics and single-nucleus transcriptomics, increasing the accuracy of sequencing and accelerating the drug discovery process. With the evolution of single-cell transcriptomics, spatial transcriptomics (ST) technology has emerged as a derivative approach. Spatial transcriptomics has emerged as a hot topic in the field of omics research in recent years; it not only provides information on gene expression levels but also offers spatial information on gene expression. This technology has shown tremendous potential in research on disease understanding and drug discovery. In this article, we introduce the analytical strategies of spatial transcriptomics and review its applications in novel target discovery and drug mechanism unravelling. Moreover, we discuss the current challenges and issues in this research field that need to be addressed. In conclusion, spatial transcriptomics offers a new perspective for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxian Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Analysis of Complex Effects of Proprietary Chinese Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, China
| | - Caifeng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Zhao Cui
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Shiwen Deng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Analysis of Complex Effects of Proprietary Chinese Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, China
| | - Tong Lei
- Institute of Basic Theory for Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
| | - Hongjun Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Analysis of Complex Effects of Proprietary Chinese Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Basic Research on Prevention and Treatment for Major Diseases, Experimental Research Center, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China
- Analysis of Complex Effects of Proprietary Chinese Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, China
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6
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Holt LM, Nestler EJ. Astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug addiction. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:409-424. [PMID: 37940687 PMCID: PMC11066772 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02716-4] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Addiction is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide and remains a challenge in current neuroscience research. Drug-induced lasting changes in gene expression are mediated by transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in the brain and are thought to underlie behavioral adaptations. Emerging evidence implicates astrocytes in regulating drug-seeking behaviors and demonstrates robust transcriptional response to several substances of abuse. This review focuses on the astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne M Holt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Bormann D, Knoflach M, Poreba E, Riedl CJ, Testa G, Orset C, Levilly A, Cottereau A, Jauk P, Hametner S, Golabi B, Copic D, Klas K, Direder M, Kühtreiber H, Salek M, zur Nedden S, Baier-Bitterlich G, Kiechl S, Haider C, Endmayr V, Höftberger R, Ankersmit HJ, Mildner M. Single nucleus RNA sequencing reveals glial cell type-specific responses to ischemic stroke. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.26.573302. [PMID: 38234821 PMCID: PMC10793395 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.26.573302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Reactive neuroglia critically shape the braińs response to ischemic stroke. However, their phenotypic heterogeneity impedes a holistic understanding of the cellular composition and microenvironment of the early ischemic lesion. Here we generated a single cell resolution transcriptomics dataset of the injured brain during the acute recovery from permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. This approach unveiled infarction and subtype specific molecular signatures in oligodendrocyte lineage cells and astrocytes, which ranged among the most transcriptionally perturbed cell types in our dataset. Specifically, we characterized and compared infarction restricted proliferating oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), mature oligodendrocytes and heterogeneous reactive astrocyte populations. Our analyses unveiled unexpected commonalities in the transcriptional response of oligodendrocyte lineage cells and astrocytes to ischemic injury. Moreover, OPCs and reactive astrocytes were involved in a shared immuno-glial cross talk with stroke specific myeloid cells. In situ, osteopontin positive myeloid cells accumulated in close proximity to proliferating OPCs and reactive astrocytes, which expressed the osteopontin receptor CD44, within the perilesional zone specifically. In vitro, osteopontin increased the migratory capacity of OPCs. Collectively, our study highlights molecular cross talk events which might govern the cellular composition and microenvironment of infarcted brain tissue in the early stages of recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bormann
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Knoflach
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- VASCage, Research Centre on Vascular Ageing and Stroke, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Emilia Poreba
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian J. Riedl
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Giulia Testa
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Cyrille Orset
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, ESR3P, INSERM UMR-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), GIP Cyceron, Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie (BB@C), Caen, France
- Department of Clinical Research, Caen-Normandie University Hospital, Caen, France
| | - Anthony Levilly
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, ESR3P, INSERM UMR-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), GIP Cyceron, Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie (BB@C), Caen, France
- Department of Clinical Research, Caen-Normandie University Hospital, Caen, France
| | - Andreá Cottereau
- Normandie University, UNICAEN, ESR3P, INSERM UMR-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), GIP Cyceron, Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie (BB@C), Caen, France
- Department of Clinical Research, Caen-Normandie University Hospital, Caen, France
| | - Philipp Jauk
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Hametner
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Bahar Golabi
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dragan Copic
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Klas
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Direder
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hannes Kühtreiber
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
| | - Melanie Salek
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stephanie zur Nedden
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gabriele Baier-Bitterlich
- Institute of Neurobiochemistry, CCB-Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stefan Kiechl
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- VASCage, Research Centre on Vascular Ageing and Stroke, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Carmen Haider
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Verena Endmayr
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Romana Höftberger
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hendrik J. Ankersmit
- Applied Immunology Laboratory, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Aposcience AG, 1200 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Mildner
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Qin H, Zhou L, Haque FT, Martin-Jimenez C, Trang A, Benveniste EN, Wang Q. Diverse signaling mechanisms and heterogeneity of astrocyte reactivity in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurochem 2023. [PMID: 37932959 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects various brain cell types, including astrocytes, which are the most abundant cell types in the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes not only provide homeostatic support to neurons but also actively regulate synaptic signaling and functions and become reactive in response to CNS insults through diverse signaling pathways including the JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and GPCR-elicited pathways. The advent of new technology for transcriptomic profiling at the single-cell level has led to increasing recognition of the highly versatile nature of reactive astrocytes and the context-dependent specificity of astrocyte reactivity. In AD, reactive astrocytes have long been observed in senile plaques and have recently been suggested to play a role in AD pathogenesis and progression. However, the precise contributions of reactive astrocytes to AD remain elusive, and targeting this complex cell population for AD treatment poses significant challenges. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of astrocyte reactivity and its role in AD, with a particular focus on the signaling pathways that promote astrocyte reactivity and the heterogeneity of reactive astrocytes. Furthermore, we explore potential implications for the development of therapeutics for AD. Our objective is to shed light on the complex involvement of astrocytes in AD and offer insights into potential therapeutic targets and strategies for treating and managing this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Qin
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Lianna Zhou
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Faris T Haque
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Cynthia Martin-Jimenez
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amy Trang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Etty N Benveniste
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Qin Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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