Activation of neonatal microglia can be influenced by other neural cells. (14th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Turano, Alexandra; Lawrence, Jennifer H.; Schwarz, Jaclyn M.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience letters. Volume 657(2017)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2017-09-14
• Subjects: P postnatal day -- LPS lipopolysaccharide -- IL-1β interleukin-1β -- IL-6 interleukin-6 -- TLR-4 Toll-like receptor 4 -- CD11b/c cluster differentiation factor 11b/c -- E. coli Escherichia coli -- DPBS Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline -- qPCR quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction -- Esr-1 estrogen receptor α -- Esr-2 estrogen receptor β -- AR androgen receptor -- RPLP1 ribosomal protein lateral stalk subunit P1 -- TNF-α tumor necrosis factor-α; Microglia -- Cell culture -- Lipopolysaccharide -- Sex differences -- Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Neuroanatomie -- Périodiques; Neuropharmacologie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 617.48
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.07.052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-3940

Abstract

Highlights: Activation of neonatal microglia is influenced by other developing neural cells. Microglia are the primary source of cytokines in the neonatal hippocampus. Few sex differences were found in the microglial cytokine response to LPS. LPS causes a sex-specific increase in IL-6 from microglia with other neural cells. Abstract: During development, microglial progenitor cells migrate into the brain from the periphery, a process critical to the maturation of the developing brain. Although they perform functions similar to mature, adult microglia, immature microglia are distinct from mature microglia. Activation of immature microglia, via an early-life immune challenge, can lead to persistent changes in microglial function, resulting in long-term neuronal and cognitive dysfunction. Early-life immune activation is associated with multiple neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, and cerebral palsy – disorders with known or suspected immune etiologies, and strong sex biases for males. Activation of immature microglia requires further examination to determine its potential role in these neurodevelopmental disorders. More work is also necessary to better understand the relationship between developing microglia and other developing neural cells during this critical period of development. Thus, we treated freshly isolated, sex-specific microglia from the rat hippocampus with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on P4, in either the presence or absence of other neural cells. Mixed and microglial-specific cultures were analyzed for inflammatory gene expression to determine whether immature microglia exhibited a sex-specific response to immune activation, and if the presence of all other neural cells influenced that response. We found that the microglial response to an LPS-induced immune activation differed depending on the presence of other neural cells in the culture. We found very few sex differences in the cytokine response, except that the microglial expression of IL-6 following immune activation was more robust in male microglia that were in the presence of other neural cells than female microglia in the same condition.