Topic: CX3CR1

Microglia seem able to alter the excitatory/inhibitory balance in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs) enable cell-specific modulation. We aim to investigate whether Gi-DREADD-based modulation of microglia reduces the amount of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) in a mouse model of TLE.CX3CR1CreERT2/CreERT2 mice were crossed with R26LSL-Gi-DREADD/LSL-Gi-DREADD mice to obtain CX3CR1CreERT2/+:R26LSL-Gi-DREADD/+ and CX3CR1CreERT2/+:R26+/+ mice, as controls. Tamoxifen was administered to induce Gi-DREADD expression in CX3CR1+ cells. F

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Despite an unknown etiology, its pathophysiology is considered to be heterogeneous. Recent reports have highlighted the presence of disease-associated microglia (DAM) in the lesions of various neurodegenerative diseases, including that in ALS model animals. However, limited information is available regarding DAM in sporadic cases of ALS in humans.Methods: This study analyzed data from 30 patients with ALS. Autopsy samples of cervical and lumbar lesions obtained from each p

Alcohol raises concerns due to the episodic and intense alcohol intake observed in adolescents. Recent studies reveal a correlation between escalated EtOH intake and neuroinflammation, emphasizing the endocannabinoid (eCB) system´s engagement. Our previous data in mice revealed that intermittent EtOH-exposure during adolescence leads to elevated levels of the ω-6 arachidonic acid (AA) in adulthood. AA is intricately linked to the neuroinflammatory response as a precursor of proinflammatory prostaglandins, and its brain levels are intertwined with balance between the synthesis and hydrolysis of

A better understanding how therapeutic intervention affects the molecular and cellular post-traumatic processes may help to improve the functional repair after the spinal cord injury (SCI). It is known that the cellular concentrations of anti-oxidant dipeptide carnosine can be easily increased in dose-dependent manner by food or nutrition supplements. Current study investigated the effect of six-week carnosine treatments on cellular expressions of brain- and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF, GDNF) following contusion SCI. In contrast to naïve control group, the SCI caused the

Acute brain slices represent a “workhorse” model for studying the central nervous system (CNS) from nanoscale events to complex circuits. While slice preparation inherently involves tissue damage, it is unclear how microglia, the main immune cells and damage sensors of the CNS react to this injury and shape neuronal activity ex vivo. To this end, we investigated microglial phenotypes and contribution to network organisation and functioning in acute brain slices. The comprehensive assesment of microglial states in acute brain slices demonstrated time-dependent microglial phenotype changes that

Chronic stress is a major risk factor for depression and anxiety disorders, particularly in women. Stress leads to impaired neuroplasticity and neuroinflammation, but these effects can be ameliorated by physical activity. Mechanistically, neuroplasticity and neuroinflammation are linked through the fractalkine pathway, whose receptor CX3CR1 is exclusively expressed on microglia in the brain. We previously linked CX3CR1 deficiency to impaired neuroplasticity and microglial function in the motor cortex (M1) and showed that, depending on stress vulnerability, stress also leads to impaired motor l