The aim of this study was to investigate the role of microglia in radiation-induced astrocyte gliosis. We found that a single dose of 15 Gy radiation to a whole rat brain increased immunostaining of glial fibrillary acidic protein in astrocytes 6 h later, and even more so 24 h later, indicating the initiation of gliosis. While irradiation of cultured rat astrocytes had little effect, irradiation of microglia-astrocyte mixed-cultures displayed altered astrocyte phenotype into more processed, which is another characteristic of gliosis. Experiments using microglia-conditioned media indicated this astrocyte change was due to factors released from irradiated microglia. Irradiation of cultured mouse microglial cells induced a dose-dependent increase in mRNA levels for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10, which are usually associated with microglia activation. Consistent with these findings, irradiation of microglia activated NF-kappaB, a transcription factor that regulates microglial activation. Addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2: a metabolic product of the COX-2 enzyme) to primary cultured rat astrocytes resulted in phenotypic changes similar to those observed in mixed-culture experiments. Therefore, it appears that PGE(2) released from irradiated microglia is a key mediator of irradiation-induced gliosis or astrocyte phenotype change. These data suggest that radiation-induced microglial activation and resultant production of PGE2 seems to be associated with an underlying cause of inflammatory complications associated with radiation therapy for malignant gliomas.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2005.08.006DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

astrocyte gliosis
8
microglia activation
8
irradiation cultured
8
cultured rat
8
rat astrocytes
8
astrocyte phenotype
8
released irradiated
8
irradiated microglia
8
microglial activation
8
microglia
6

Similar Publications

Biomarkers.

Alzheimers Dement

December 2024

Vaccinex, Inc., Rochester, NY, USA.

Background: The earliest recognized biomarker of AD is deposition of Aβ amyloid that leads to formation of plaques and may, over time, trigger or at least be followed by gliosis/neuroinflammation and neurofibrillary tangles, accompanied by neurodegenerative changes including neuronal and synaptic loss. We have previously reported that semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D), the major ligand of plexin B receptors expressed on astrocytes, is upregulated in diseased neurons during progression of AD and Huntington's disease (HD). Binding of SEMA4D to PLXNB receptors triggers astrocyte reactivity, leading to loss of neuroprotective homeostatic functions, including downregulation of glutamate and glucose transporters (doi:10.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Sexual and Metabolic Differences in Hippocampal Evolution: Alzheimer's Disease Implications.

Life (Basel)

November 2024

Experimental and Clinical Physiopathology Research Group CTS-1039, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaen, Las Lagunillas University Campus, 23009 Jaen, Spain.

Sex differences in brain metabolism and their relationship to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's are an important emerging topic in neuroscience. Intrinsic anatomic and metabolic differences related to male and female physiology have been described, underscoring the importance of considering biological sex in studying brain metabolism and associated pathologies. The hippocampus is a key structure exhibiting sex differences in volume and connectivity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline and specific brain changes, necessitating the development of effective animal models to study it.
  • Current transgenic mouse models have limitations in capturing the full complexity of human AD pathology and their interactions.
  • The novel APP/PS1-TauP301L-Adeno mouse model enhances understanding of AD mechanisms by inducing significant pathological symptoms, revealing the exacerbating effect of severe reactive astrogliosis on amyloid-β plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Functional connectivity within sensorimotor cortical and striatal regions is regulated by sepsis in a sex-dependent manner.

Neuroimage

January 2025

Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Sepsis leads to systemic immune issues and organ failure, often resulting in severe brain disability, with young females showing better recovery than males.
  • Using a mouse model, researchers found that after experiencing sepsis, both male and female mice showed weight regain and reduced gut microbiome diversity, but males displayed more significant immune changes and brain inflammation.
  • fMRI analysis highlighted that while both sexes experienced similar changes in certain brain areas, male mice had altered connectivity patterns suggesting a delayed recovery process compared to females, indicating a complex, sex-dependent response to sepsis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ablation of lipocalin-2 reduces neuroinflammation in a mouse model of Krabbe disease.

Sci Rep

December 2024

Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.

Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is an acute-phase secretory molecule significantly upregulated in various neuroinflammatory and demyelinating conditions. Krabbe disease (KD) is a neurodegenerative lysosomal disorder caused by a galactosylceramidase (GALC) deficiency, accumulating cytotoxic psychosine in nervous systems, and subsequent neuroinflammation. Here, we show that LCN2 is highly overexpressed in GALC-deficient astrocytes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!