Microglial debris is cleared by astrocytes via C4b-facilitated phagocytosis and degraded via RUBICON-dependent noncanonical autophagy in mice.

ABSTRACT: Microglia are important immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that undergo turnover throughout the lifespan. If microglial debris is not removed in a timely manner, accumulated debris may influence CNS function. Clearance of microglial debris is crucial for CNS homeostasis. However, underlying mechanisms remain obscure. We here investigate how dead microglia are removed. We find that although microglia can phagocytose microglial debris in vitro, the territory-dependent competition hinders the microglia-to-microglial debris engulfment in vivo. In contrast, microglial debris is mainly phagocytosed by astrocytes in the brain, facilitated by C4b opsonization. The engulfed microglial fragments are then degraded in astrocytes via RUBICON-dependent LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP), a

SUBMITTER: Zhou T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9592609 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature