Myeloid deficiency of the intrinsic clock protein BMAL1 accelerates cognitive aging by disrupting microglial synaptic pruning.

ABSTRACT: Aging is associated with loss of circadian immune responses and circadian gene transcription in peripheral macrophages. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, also show diurnal rhythmicity in regulating local immune responses and synaptic remodeling. To investigate the interaction between aging and microglial circadian rhythmicity, we examined mice deficient in the core clock transcription factor, BMAL1. Aging Cd11b^cre;Bmal^lox/lox mice demonstrated accelerated cognitive decline in association with suppressed hippocampal long-term potentiation and increases in immature dendritic spines. C1q deposition at synapses and synaptic engulfment were significantly decreased in aging Bmal1-deficient microglia, suggesting that BMAL1 plays a role in regulating synaptic

SUBMITTER: Iweka CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9951430 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature