Dataset Information

Astrocyte-targeting therapy rescues cognitive impairment caused by neuroinflammation via the Nrf2 pathway (ChIP-Seq)

ABSTRACT: Neuroinflammation is a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neuroinflammation is induced by dysregulated glial activation, and astrocytes, the most abundant glial cells, become reactive upon neuroinflammatory cytokines released from microglia, and actively contribute to neuronal loss. Therefore, blocking reactive astrocyte functions is a viable strategy to manage neurodegenerative disorders. However, factors or therapeutics directly regulating astrocyte subtype remain unexplored. Here, we identified transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as a therapeutic target in neurotoxic reactive astrocytes upon neuroinflammation. We found that the absence of Nrf2 promoted the activation of reactive astrocytes in the brain tissue samples obtained from AD model 5xFAD mice, whereas enhanced Nrf2 expression blocked the induction of reactive astrocyte gene expression by counteracting NF-kB subunit p65 recruitment. Neuroinflammatory astrocytes robustly upregulated genes associated with type I interferon and the antigen-presenting pathway, which were suppressed by Nrf2 pathway activation. Moreover, impaired cognitive behaviors observed in AD mice were rescued upon ALGERNON2 treatment, which potentiated Nrf2 pathway and reduced the induction of neurotoxic reactive astrocytes. Thus, we highlight the potential of astrocyte-targeting therapy by promoting the Nrf2 pathway signaling for neuroinflammation-triggered neurodegeneration.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE237423 | GEO | 2023/08/07

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:GFAP and vimentin deficiency alters gene expression in astrocytes and microglia in wild-type mice and changes the transcriptional response of reactive glia in mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. Reactive astrocytes with an increased expression of intermediate filament (IF) proteins Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and Vimentin (VIM) surround amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The functional consequences of this upregulation are unclear. To identify molecular pathways coupled to IF regulation in reactive astrocytes, and to study the interaction with microglia, we examined WT and APPswe/PS1dE9 (AD) mice lacking either GFAP, or both VIM and GFAP, and determined the transcriptome of cortical astrocytes and microglia from 15- to 18-month-old mice. Genes involved in lysosomal degradation (including several cathepsins) and in inflammatory response (including Cxcl5, Tlr6, Tnf, Il1b) exhibited a higher AD-induced increase when GFAP, or VIM and GFAP, were absent. The expression of Aqp4 and Gja1 displayed the same pattern. The downregulation of neuronal support genes in astrocytes from AD mice was absent in GFAP/VIM null mice. In contrast, the absence of IFs did not affect the transcriptional alterations induced by AD in microglia, nor was the cortical plaque load altered. Visualizing astrocyte morphology in GFAP-eGFP mice showed no clear structural differences in GFAP/VIM null mice, but did show diminished interaction of astrocyte processes with plaques. Microglial proliferation increased similarly in all AD groups. In conclusion, absence of GFAP, or both GFAP and VIM, alters AD-induced changes in gene expression profile of astrocytes, showing a compensation of the decrease of neuronal support genes and a trend for a slightly higher inflammatory expression profile. However, this has no consequences for the development of plaque load, microglial proliferation, or microglial activation. 2 cell types from 6 conditions: cortical microglia and cortical astrocytes from 15-18 month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice compared to wildtype littermates. Biological replicates: microglia from APPswe/PS1dE9, N=7, microglia from WT, N=7, astrocytes from APPswe/PS1dE9, N=4, microglia from WT, N=4

Dataset Information

Astrocyte-targeting therapy rescues cognitive impairment caused by neuroinflammation via the Nrf2 pathway (ChIP-Seq)

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure