HiPSC-Derived Astrocytes From Individuals With Schizophrenia Induce a Dystrophic Phenotype in Microglial-Like Cells.

ABSTRACT: Neuroinflammation, particularly astrocyte reactivity, is increasingly linked to schizophrenia (SCZ). Yet, the crosstalk between astrocytes and microglia in SCZ, especially under pro-inflammatory conditions, remains unclear. Here, we employed human induced-pluripotent stem cells to compare how astrocytes from five age-matched individuals with SCZ and five neurotypical controls, upon stimulation with TNF-α, affected microglial biology. TNF-α stimulation of SCZ astrocytes, relative to their control counterparts, triggered increased mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and CX3CL1. Interestingly, transcriptomic and gene set enrichment analyses revealed that reactive SCZ astrocytes promoted the downregulation of biological processes associated with immune cell proliferation and activati

SUBMITTER: Cardozo PL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12666992 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature