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Complement C1q-dependent synapse elimination by astrocytes in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

ABSTRACT: Synapse loss and glial activation are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In Tau P301S transgenic mice, the complement pathway contributes to neuronal damage through microglial elimination of synapses. Here, we used unbiased proteomic profiling of postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions from Tau P301S mice in C1q-WT versus C1q knockout backgrounds to identify C1q-dependent changes at synapses. Integrative multi-omics analysis revealed that astrocyte- and microglia- specific proteins are increased in Tau P301S synapse fractions with age and in a C1q-dependent manner. The same set of glial proteins (including C1q, C4, Gpnmb, and S100a4) is elevated in human AD synaptic fractions, and C4 levels are raised in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from AD patients. Besides microglia, we show that astrocytes contribute substantially to excitatory and inhibitory synapse engulfment in Tau P301S hippocampus. Based on staining of synapse markers within lysosomes, astrocytes showed preference for excitatory synapses whereas microglia preferred to engulf inhibitory synapse markers. Genetic deletion of C1q reduced astrocytic eating of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in Tau P301S mice, and rescued synapse density. Together, our data indicate that astrocytes contact and phagocytose synapses in a C1q- dependent manner and thereby contribute to synapse loss and neurodegeneration in AD.

INSTRUMENT(S): Orbitrap Fusion Lumos

ORGANISM(S): Mus Musculus (ncbitaxon:10090)

SUBMITTER: Corey Bakalarski

PROVIDER: MSV000088313 | MassIVE | Wed Nov 03 10:23:00 GMT 2021

REPOSITORIES: MassIVE

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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

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Complement C1q-dependent synapse elimination by astrocytes in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

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