CX3CR1 upregulation modulates microglial activation and preserves synapses in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of middle-aged mice.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The aging brain shows alterations in microglial function, morphology, and phenotype, reflecting a state of chronic activation. CX3CR1 plays a critical role in regulating microglial chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and activation. However, its exact role in the aging brain is not well understood.

Methods

In this study, we examined the expression of CX3CR1 in the brains of middle-aged mice (10 months old) and explored its functional implications by measuring cytokine and scavenger receptor expression, analyzing microglial and astrocyte morphology, conducting proteomic profiling, and assessing synapse density in CX3CR1-deficient mouse brain.

Results

Our results showed that CX3CR1 was upregulated in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of middle-aged mice, with decrea

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12351399 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature