Microglial Phagocytosis Dysfunction in the Dentate Gyrus is Related to Local Neuronal Activity in a Genetic Model of Epilepsy

Objective Microglial phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is an essential component of the brain regenerative response during neurodegeneration. Whereas it is very efficient in physiological conditions, it is impaired in mouse and human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and now we extend our studies to a mo...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sierra Torre, Virginia, Plaza Zabala, Ainhoa, Bonifazi, Paolo, Abiega Etxabe, Oihane, Díaz Aparicio, Irune, Tegelberg, Saara, Lehesjoki, Anna Elina, Valero Gómez-Lobo, Jorge, Sierra Saavedra, Amanda
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universidad del País Vasco
Repositorio:Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación
OAI Identifier:oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/50336
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10810/50336
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:apoptosis
epilepsy
hippocampus
microglia
phagocytosis
seizures
progressive myoclonus epilepsy
cystatin-B
mouse model
apoptotic cells
Cstb(-/-) mouse
activation
mutation
brain
inflammation
expression
Descripción
Sumario:Objective Microglial phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is an essential component of the brain regenerative response during neurodegeneration. Whereas it is very efficient in physiological conditions, it is impaired in mouse and human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and now we extend our studies to a model of progressive myoclonus epilepsy type 1 in mice lacking cystatin B (CSTB). Methods We used confocal imaging and stereology-based quantification of apoptosis and phagocytosis of the hippocampus ofCstbknockout (KO) mice, an in vitro model of phagocytosis and siRNAs to acutely reduceCstbexpression, and a virtual three-dimensional (3D) model to analyze the physical relationship between apoptosis, phagocytosis, and active hippocampal neurons. Results Microglial phagocytosis was impaired in the hippocampus ofCstbKO mice at 1 month of age, when seizures arise and hippocampal atrophy begins. This impairment was not related to the lack of Cstb in microglia alone, as shown by in vitro experiments with microglial Cstb depletion. The phagocytosis impairment was also unrelated to seizures, as it was also present inCstbKO mice at postnatal day 14, before seizures begin. Importantly, phagocytosis impairment was restricted to the granule cell layer and spared the subgranular zone, where there are no active neurons. Furthermore, apoptotic cells (both phagocytosed and not phagocytosed) inCstb-deficient mice were at close proximity to active cFos(+)neurons, and a virtual 3D model demonstrated that the physical relationship between apoptotic cells and cFos(+)neurons was specific forCstbKO mice. Significance These results suggest a complex crosstalk between apoptosis, phagocytosis, and neuronal activity, hinting that local neuronal activity could be related to phagocytosis dysfunction inCstbKO mice. Overall, these data suggest that phagocytosis impairment is an early feature of hippocampal damage in epilepsy and opens novel therapeutic approaches for epileptic patients based on targeting microglial phagocytosis