Sex- and Development-Dependent Responses of Rat Microglia to Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Stimulation.

ABSTRACT: Addressing potential sex differences in pre-clinical studies is crucial for developing therapeutic interventions. Although sex differences have been reported in epidemiological studies and from clinical experience, most pre-clinical studies of neuroinflammation use male rodents; however, sexual dimorphisms in microglia might affect the CNS inflammatory response. Developmental changes are also important and, in rodents, there is a critical period of sexual brain differentiation in the first 3 weeks after birth. We compared rat microglia from sex-segregated neonates (P1) and at about the time of weaning (P21). To study transitions from a basal homeostatic state (untreated), microglia were subjected to a pro-inflammatory (IFNγ + TNFα) or anti-inflammatory (IL-4) stimulus. Responses were compa

SUBMITTER: Lively S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6262307 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature