Neuron-generated thrombin induces a protective astrocyte response via protease activated receptors.

ABSTRACT: Astrocytes protect neurons during cerebral injury through several postulated mechanisms. Recent therapeutic attention has focused on enhancing or augmenting the neuroprotective actions of astrocytes but in some instances astrocytes can assume a neurotoxic phenotype. The signaling mechanisms that drive astrocytes toward a protective versus toxic phenotype are not fully known but cell-cell signaling via proteases acting on cell-specific receptors underlies critical mechanistic steps in neurodevelopment and disease. The protease activated receptor (PAR), resides in multiple brain cell types, and most PARs are found on astrocytes. We asked whether neuron-generated thrombin constituted an important astrocyte activation signal because our previous studies have shown that neurons contain prothrom

SUBMITTER: Rajput PS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7391964 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature