Micaela L O'Reilly, Mariah J Wulf, Theresa M Connors, Ying Jin, Frank Bearoff, Julien Bouyer, Sandhya Kortagere, John R Bethea, Veronica J Tom
{"title":"Microglial IKKβ Alters Central and Peripheral Immune Activity at Distinct Time Points After Spinal Cord Injury.","authors":"Micaela L O'Reilly, Mariah J Wulf, Theresa M Connors, Ying Jin, Frank Bearoff, Julien Bouyer, Sandhya Kortagere, John R Bethea, Veronica J Tom","doi":"10.1002/glia.70030","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>After high-level spinal cord injury (SCI), persistently reactive microglia drive widespread plasticity throughout the neuraxis. Plasticity in the thoracolumbar cord, a region corresponding to the spinal sympathetic reflex (SSR) circuit, contributes to the development of sympathetic dysfunction and associated immune disorders. The transcription factor NF-κB is activated after SCI, promoting a pro-inflammatory loop by driving the expression of inflammatory mediators which further activate NF-κB signaling. We hypothesize that microglial NF-κB signaling via IKKβ modulates microglial activity, impacting central and peripheral immune activity related to the SSR circuit post-SCI. We assessed the effect of deleting canonical IKKβ in CNS-resident microglia, its impact on microglial activation, polarization, central transcriptional activity, and peripheral immune activity at 1- and 4-week post-SCI (wpi). Transcriptomic analyses reveal microglial IKKβ influences immune-related pathways in the thoracolumbar cord at 1 wpi. We show that inhibition of microglial NF-κB signaling via deletion of the activator IKKβ mitigates injury-induced increases in \"proinflammatory\" M1 microglia in the thoracolumbar cord at 4 wpi and increases the quantity of splenocytes at 1 wpi. This study advances our understanding of how microglial IKKβ signaling shapes the neuroimmune response and a peripheral immune organ after SCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143954372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ziwan He, Furui Liu, Lin Lin, Zhihui Huang, Yongjie Wang
{"title":"Interplay Between Schwann Cells and Peripheral Cancers: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets in Cancer Progression.","authors":"Ziwan He, Furui Liu, Lin Lin, Zhihui Huang, Yongjie Wang","doi":"10.1002/glia.70032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cancer, a leading global health concern, is characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of cells, high invasion into surrounding tissues, and eventual metastasis to distant organs. The complexity of cancer is further amplified by diverse cellular components within the tumor microenvironment (TME), encompassing both cancerous and non-cancerous cells that fuel tumorigenesis and progression. Schwann cells (SCs), the main glial cells of the peripheral nervous system, have emerged as crucial components within the TME in cancer development. Here, we summarize the multifaceted roles of SCs in tumor growth, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, perineural invasion, and chemotherapy resistance. This review focuses on the effects of SCs on eight distinct peripheral cancer types, particularly pancreatic, lung, and colorectal cancers, along with cancer-related pain, one of the most common symptoms that affect quality of life and prognosis in cancer patients. Furthermore, we emphasize the therapeutic potential of SCs by delving into advanced technologies and clinical strategies related to SCs, which make us advocate for further research to elucidate the events and molecular mechanisms underlying the SC-cancer relationship. Translating these insights into clinical applications may offer new hope for improved cancer management and patient outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143956452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Myelin Formation by Oligodendrocytes Is Enhanced Through Laminin-411 and Its Derived Peptide.","authors":"Binri Sasaki, Momo Oishi, Tomoka Aoki, Mai Hyodo, Chinami Onchi, Nanako Yamada, Hitomi Misawa, Momona Yamada, Chikako Hayashi, Kiyotoshi Sekiguchi, Keisuke Hamada, Yuji Yamada, Yamato Kikkawa, Motoyoshi Nomizu, Nobuharu Suzuki","doi":"10.1002/glia.70027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70027","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the central nervous system, oligodendrocytes (OLs) form myelin sheaths that accomplish the efficient transmission of nerve conduction for optimal motor and cognitive functions. OL development and differentiation are regulated by a variety of molecules, including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. ECM proteins are also useful as substrates for OL culture. However, the functions of ECM proteins in OL development and myelination remain unclear, and only a limited number of ECM proteins have been characterized and used in in vitro experiments. Here, we investigated the expression and function of laminin (LM) isoforms in OL differentiation and myelination. We found that LM α1, α2, and α4 chains were expressed around blood vessels at the stage of myelination in mice. Functional analyses using recombinant proteins of LM isoforms containing α1, α2, and α4 chains revealed that LM411 and LM411E8, the integrin binding domain of LM411, possessed significant activities in myelin membrane formation of OLs. Furthermore, the peptide A4G47 derived from LM411E8 promoted the activity, which provides evidence of the first peptide in OL myelin formation from ECM proteins. Our findings facilitate a better understanding of ECM functions in OL biology and the development of a new material in OL myelination.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143954333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gonçalo Alexandre Martins Ferreira, Luísa Alexandra Meireles Pinto
{"title":"Neural Stem Cell-Derived Astrogliogenesis: The Hidden Player of the Adult Hippocampal Cytogenic Niche.","authors":"Gonçalo Alexandre Martins Ferreira, Luísa Alexandra Meireles Pinto","doi":"10.1002/glia.70031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The adult mammalian brain exhibits remarkable forms of neural plasticity, enabling it to adapt and reorganize in response to internal and external stimuli. These plastic mechanisms include cytogenesis, the capacity of producing new neuronal and glial cells in restricted brain regions through processes known as neuro- and gliogenesis, respectively. Although many advances have been made in understanding adult brain plastic processes associated with cell genesis, as well as its functional and behavioral implications, most of the evidence is focused on neuronal cells. Even though astrocytes play a critical role in maintaining a neurochemical and electrophysiological homeostasis in the brain and provide a pivotal support to neuronal activity, the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation and functional integration of newly formed astroglial cells are poorly understood. However, some studies have provided key insights into the molecular mechanisms driving the generation of adult neural stem cell (NSC)-derived astrocytes, focusing on the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal cytogenic niche. Recent work has demonstrated that intrinsic and extrinsic factors can modulate astrogliogenesis. In the context of neuropathogenesis, this mechanism may be compromised in the hippocampus, contributing to functional and behavioral impairments. Here, we review the mechanisms underlying NSC-derived hippocampal astrogliogenesis, examining current perspectives on how adult-born astrocytes develop in the adult brain, their functional relevance, and the intricate regulation of the astrogliogenic process.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143956667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chan Rim, Soyoung Sung, Hui-Ju Kim, Seung Hyun Kim, Minyeop Nahm, Min-Soo Kwon
{"title":"Nuclear Profilin-1 for DNA Damage Repair Is Involved in Phagocytic Impairment of Senescent Microglia.","authors":"Chan Rim, Soyoung Sung, Hui-Ju Kim, Seung Hyun Kim, Minyeop Nahm, Min-Soo Kwon","doi":"10.1002/glia.70028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accumulation of DNA damage is a hallmark of cellular senescence and plays a critical role in brain aging. Although the DNA damage repair mechanisms are crucial in cellular senescence, they are not well understood in microglia. In this study, we found that profilin-1 (PFN1), an actin-binding protein, relocates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in response to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by doxorubicin. This nuclear PFN1 subsequently translocates back to the cytoplasm during the recovery period. In response to DSBs, we detected enhanced expression of genes associated with nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), but not with homologous recombination (HR), along with increased nuclear F-actin accumulation. However, this repair process is compromised when PFN1 is either knocked down or its nuclear transport is blocked. Notably, in DNA damage-induced senescent microglia, increased nuclear localization of PFN1 and nuclear F-actin formation are associated with phagocytic dysfunction. Both ex vivo aged microglia and publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing data from aged mouse brains recapitulate the in vitro findings described above. Despite cytochalasin D treatment for actin depolymerization, the return of PFN1 to the cytoplasm was not facilitated due to its aggregation. We propose that PFN1 plays an important role in DNA damage repair in microglia. In addition, the dysregulation of the nucleocytoplasmic balance of PFN1 alongside DNA damage accumulation may contribute to the phagocytic impairment of microglia in the aged brain.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143956453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thomas Chaigneau, Sha Sha, Candice M Roux, Saba Aïd, Alice Faucher, Yannick Chantran, Guillaume Dorothée, Slavica Krantic
{"title":"Subtle Alterations in Hippocampal Neuronal Activity Coincide With Early Sex-Specific Differences in Amyloidosis and Microglia in a Pre-Symptomatic Mouse Model of Alzheimer-Like Pathology.","authors":"Thomas Chaigneau, Sha Sha, Candice M Roux, Saba Aïd, Alice Faucher, Yannick Chantran, Guillaume Dorothée, Slavica Krantic","doi":"10.1002/glia.70029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Growing evidence highlights sex-related differences in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet, early impact of sex on neuronal activity and microglia in the hippocampus, a main site of memory formation and one of the most vulnerable brain areas in AD, remains poorly understood. We thus assessed these issues by using APPPS1 mouse model of AD-like amyloid pathology at a pre-symptomatic stage (5-6 months). Our electrophysiological data point to opposite alterations in hippocampal CA1 neurons' basal glutamatergic neurotransmission and response to excitatory inputs between male and female APPPS1 mice. These complex changes in neuronal activity are likely to precede plasticity impairments, which do not yet translate into sexual dimorphism of Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) at the studied age. Alteration in synaptic transmission in males coincides with an increased number and coverage of microglia, together with increased plaque coverage, as compared to the female hippocampus. Such increased microgliosis in males is accompanied by complex sex-related differences in the expression of specific transcriptomic markers Disease-Associated Microglia (DAM)/Microglial neurodegenerative phenotype (MGnD), whereas homeostatic (M0) markers were unaffected. Our data show for the first time that subtle alterations in hippocampal neuronal activity coincide with early sex-related differences in amyloidosis and microglia already at the pre-symptomatic stage of AD-like pathology.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143952003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Courtney E Wilson, Robert S Lasher, Ernesto Salcedo, Ruibiao Yang, Yannick Dzowo, John C Kinnamon, Thomas E Finger
{"title":"Death in the Taste Bud: Engulfment of Dying Taste Receptor Cells by Glial-Like Type I Cells.","authors":"Courtney E Wilson, Robert S Lasher, Ernesto Salcedo, Ruibiao Yang, Yannick Dzowo, John C Kinnamon, Thomas E Finger","doi":"10.1002/glia.70025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Taste buds comprise 50-100 epithelial-derived cells, including glial-like cells (Type I) and two types of receptor cells (Types II and III). All of these taste cells are renewed throughout the life of an organism from a pool of uncommitted basal cells. Immature cells enter the bud at its base, maturing into one of the three differentiated cell types. How taste cells die and/or exit the bud, as well as the role of the glial-like cells in this process, remains unclear. Here we present morphological data obtained through Serial Blockface Scanning Electron Microscopy of murine circumvallate taste buds, revealing taste cells at the end of their life. Cells we identify as dying share morphological features typical of apoptosis: swollen endoplasmic reticulum, large lysosomes, degrading organelles, distended outer nuclear membranes, heterochromatin reorganization, cell shrinkage, and cell and/or nuclear fragmentation. Most early-stage dying cells have Type II cell morphologies, while a few display Type III cell features. Many dying cells maintain contacts with nerve fibers, but those postsynaptic fibers often appear to be nerve fragments, detached from the main trunk of an afferent nerve. Dying cells, like mature Type II and III taste cells, are surrounded by glial-like Type I cells. In many instances, Type I cells appear to be engulfing their dying neighbors, which constitutes a novel, phagocytic role. Surprisingly, virtually no Type I cells display features of apoptosis, although they reportedly have the shortest residence time in taste buds. The ultimate fate of Type I cells therefore remains enigmatic.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143958589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yamuna Mariani, Tommaso Dalla-Tor, Tommaso Garavaldi, Francisca Julio-Kalajzić, Doriane Gisquet, Paula Gomez-Sotres, Astrid Cannich, Giuditta Gambino, Filippo Drago, Roman Serrat, Imane Hurel, Francis Chaouloff, Sandrine Pouvreau, Luigi Bellocchio, Giovanni Marsicano, Ana Covelo
{"title":"Astroglial CB<sub>1</sub> Reveal Sex-Specific Synaptic Effects of Amphetamine.","authors":"Yamuna Mariani, Tommaso Dalla-Tor, Tommaso Garavaldi, Francisca Julio-Kalajzić, Doriane Gisquet, Paula Gomez-Sotres, Astrid Cannich, Giuditta Gambino, Filippo Drago, Roman Serrat, Imane Hurel, Francis Chaouloff, Sandrine Pouvreau, Luigi Bellocchio, Giovanni Marsicano, Ana Covelo","doi":"10.1002/glia.70026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.70026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) is a critical brain region for the effects of psychostimulant drugs. Type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB<sub>1</sub>), the main elements of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the brain, participate in these effects and modulate synaptic functions in the NAc. Besides their neuronal expression, CB<sub>1</sub> receptors are also present in astrocytes, where they contribute to the regulation of synaptic plasticity and behavior. However, the impact of astroglial CB<sub>1</sub> receptors on synaptic plasticity in the NAc and on psychostimulant-induced synaptic and behavioral effects is currently unknown. This study shows that the psychostimulant amphetamine impairs a form of astroglial CB<sub>1</sub> receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity in the NAc of male, but not female mice. Consistently, locomotor effects of amphetamine require astroglial CB<sub>1</sub> receptors in male, but not female mice. These results, by revealing unforeseen mechanisms underlying sex-dependent effects of amphetamine, pave the way to a better understanding of the diverse impact of psychostimulants in women and men.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143953955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joseph Matthew Holden, Andrew M. Boal, Lauren Katie Wareham, David John Calkins
{"title":"Potassium-Dependent Coupling of Retinal Astrocyte Light Response to Müller Glia","authors":"Joseph Matthew Holden, Andrew M. Boal, Lauren Katie Wareham, David John Calkins","doi":"10.1002/glia.70022","DOIUrl":"10.1002/glia.70022","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Astrocytes throughout the central nervous system mediate a variety of functions to support proper tissue physiology, including the regulation of blood flow and providing metabolic support to neurons. There is also growing appreciation for their role in directly modulating neuronal excitability and information transfer. Recently, we reported that astrocytes in the retina exhibit an array of neuronal-associated microstructural motifs whose structure and placement suggest roles in monitoring neuronal electrical activity or direct modulation of excitability. In this study, we record whole-cell patch clamp responses of astrocytes in intact retina to both light and voltage step as a precursor to studying the detailed physiology of individual microstructural motifs. Retinal astrocytes exhibit small amplitude, graded depolarization to both light ON and OFF stimuli with waveforms that closely resemble those of Müller glial endfeet, from which we also recorded. Depolarization is due to potassium influx, with the major source likely being focal release from Müller endfeet onto astrocyte soma. Both macroglia additionally share current–voltage relationships and exhibit stimulus-dependent changes in ionic permeability. The results suggest a pathway of communication from Müller cells to astrocytes that could support broader retinal modulation beyond potassium spatial buffering.</p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":"73 7","pages":"1520-1534"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/glia.70022","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143954374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Helmut Kettenmann, Bilge Ugursu, Bruce R. Ransom, Christian Steinhäuser
{"title":"Cover Image, Volume 73, Issue 6","authors":"Helmut Kettenmann, Bilge Ugursu, Bruce R. Ransom, Christian Steinhäuser","doi":"10.1002/glia.24554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.24554","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cover Illustration: Retzius, Lenhossek, Weigert, Held illuminate glial research circa 1900. They analyze glia during vertebrate evolution, including human, and relate it to development. They compare grey and white matter, glial relationships to vessels, brain surface. (English translations provided.) (See Kettenmann, H., et al, https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.24678)\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure>\u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":174,"journal":{"name":"Glia","volume":"73 6","pages":"C1"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/glia.24554","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143857055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}