Fate mapping of peripherally-derived macrophages after traumatic brain injury in mice reveals a long-lasting population with a distinct transcriptomic signature.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an environmental risk factor for dementia and long-term neurological deficits, posing a significant public health challenge. TBI-induced neuroinflammation involves both brain-resident microglia and peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). Previous research has shown that MDMs contribute to the development of long-term memory deficits, yet their long-term behavior following brain infiltration remains unclear. To address this, our study uses two complementary fate-mapping mouse lines, CCR2-creERT2 and Ms4a3-cre, for precise and lasting tracking of MDMs in vivo. Here we show that MDMs persist in the brain for at least 8 months post-TBI in both male and female mice. MDMs retain phagocytic activity for at least 30 days post-TBI, remain transcriptionally di

SUBMITTER: Paladini MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12504527 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature