Sex modulates microglia in the aging brain
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA758568 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
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Project description:We found that sex influenced critical characteristics linked with aging.
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Project description:Microglia, the brain’s resident macrophages, maintain brain homeostasis and respond to injury and infection. During aging they undergo functional changes, but the underlying mechanisms and their contributions to neuroprotection versus neurodegeneration are unclear. Previous studies suggested that microglia are sex dimorphic, so we compared microglial aging in mice of both sexes. RNA-sequencing of hippocampal microglia revealed more aging-associated changes in female microglia than male microglia, and more sex differences in old microglia than young microglia. Pathway analyses and subsequent validation assays revealed a stronger AKT-mTOR-HIF1α-driven shift to glycolysis among old female microglia and indicated that C3a production and detection was elevated in old microglia, especially in females. Recombinant C3a induced AKT-mTOR-HIF1α signaling and increased the glycolytic and phagocytic activity of young microglia. Single cell analyses attributed the aging-associated sex dimorphism to more abundant disease-associated microglia (DAM) in old female mice than old male mice, and evaluation of an Alzheimer’s Disease mouse model revealed that the metabolic and complement changes are also apparent in the context of neurodegenerative disease and are strongest in the neuroprotective DAM2 subset. Collectively, our data implicate autocrine C3a-C3aR signaling in metabolic reprogramming of microglia to neuroprotective DAM during aging, especially in females, and also in Alzheimer’s Disease.
2024-06-05 | GSE267529 | GEO
Project description:DNA methylation plays crucial roles during fetal development as well as aging. Whether the aging of the brain is programmed at the fetal stage remains untested. To test this hypothesis, mouse epigenetic clock (epiclock) was profiled in fetal (gestation day 15), postnatal (day 5), and aging (week 70) brain of male and female C57BL/6J inbred mice. Data analysis showed that on week 70, the female brain was epigenetically younger than the male brain. Predictive modeling by neural network identified specific methylations in the brain at the developing stages that were predictive of epigenetic state of the brain during aging. Transcriptomic analysis showed coordinated changes in the expression of epiclock genes in the fetal brain relative to the placenta. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing identified sites that were methylated both in the placenta and fetal brain in a sex-specific manner. Epiclock genes and genes associated with specific signaling pathways, primarily the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRHR) pathway, were associated with the sex-bias methylations in the placenta as well as the fetal brain. Transcriptional crosstalk among the epiclock and GnRHR pathway genes was evident in the placenta that was maintained in the brain during development as well as aging. Collectively, these findings suggest that sex differences in the aging of the brain are of fetal origin and epigenetically linked to the placenta.
2022-08-22 | GSE157553 | GEO
Project description:An in-depth understanding of the molecular processes composing aging is crucial to develop therapeutic approaches that decrease aging as a key risk factor for cognitive decline. Herein, we present a spatio-temporal brain atlas (15 different regions) of microRNA expression across the mouse lifespan (7 time points) and two aging interventions. MicroRNAs are promising therapeutic targets, as they silence genes by complementary base-pair binding of messenger RNAs and mediate aging speed. We first established sex- and brain-region-specific microRNA expression patterns in young adult samples. Then we focused on sex-dependent and independent brain-region-specific microRNA expression changes during aging. We identified three sex-independent brain aging microRNAs (miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p and miR-5100). For miR-155-5p, we showed that these expression changes are driven by aging microglia and target mTOR signaling pathway components and other cellular communication pathways. In this work, we identify strong sex-brain-region-specific aging microRNAs and microglial miR-155-5p as a promising therapeutic target.
2025-04-13 | GSE282207 | GEO
Project description:Fetal origin of sex-bias brain aging
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Project description:Microglia undergo sex-dimorphic transcriptional and metabolic rewiring during aging
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Project description:An in-depth understanding of the molecular processes composing aging is crucial to develop therapeutic approaches that decrease aging as a key risk factor for cognitive decline. Herein, we present a spatio-temporal brain atlas (15 different regions) of microRNA expression across the mouse lifespan (7 time points) and two aging interventions. MicroRNAs are promising therapeutic targets, as they silence genes by complementary base-pair binding of messenger RNAs and mediate aging speed. We first established sex- and brain-region-specific microRNA expression patterns in young adult samples. Then we focused on sex-dependent and independent brain-region-specific microRNA expression changes during aging. We identified three sex-independent brain aging microRNAs (miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p and miR-5100). For miR-155-5p, we showed that these expression changes are driven by aging microglia and target mTOR signaling pathway components and other cellular communication pathways. In this work, we identify strong sex-brain-region-specific aging microRNAs and microglial miR-155-5p as a promising therapeutic target.
2025-04-13 | GSE282205 | GEO
Project description:Aging is the predominant risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. One key phenotype as brain ages is the aberrant innate immune response characterized by proinflammation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying aging-associated proinflammation are poorly defined. Whether chronic inflammation plays a causal role in cognitive decline in aging and neurodegeneration has not been established. Here we established a mechanistic link between chronic inflammation and aging microglia, and demonstrated a causal role of aging microglia in neurodegenerative cognitive deficits. Expression of microglial SIRT1 reduces with the aging of microglia. Genetic reduction of microglial SIRT1 elevates IL-1β selectively, and exacerbates cognitive deficits in aging and in transgenic mouse models of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Interestingly, the selective activation of IL-1β transcription by SIRT1 deficiency is likely mediated through hypomethylating the proximal promoter of IL-1β. Consistent with our findings in mice, selective hypomethylation of IL-1β at two CpG sites are found in normal aging humans and demented patients with tauopathy. Our findings reveal a novel epigenetic mechanism in aging microglia that contributes to cognitive deficits in neurodegenerative diseases. Study of changes related to alterations of SIRT1 levels in microglia of young and aged animals and in models of neurodegenerative dementia
2014-10-01 | E-GEOD-56452 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Fetal origin of sex-bias brain aging [RNA-seq]
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Project description:Microglia are important immune cells in the brain. Microglia undergo a series of alterations during aging and increase the susceptibility to brain dysfunctions. However, the characteristics of microglia during the aging process are not fully understood. In this study, we mapped transcriptional and epigenetic profiles of microglia from 3- to 24-month-old mice. We observed unexpected gender divergences and identified age-dependent microglia (ADEM) genes in the aging process. We then compared characteristics between microglial aging and activation. To dissect the function of aged microglia excluding the influence from other aged brain cells, we established an accelerated microglial turnover model without directly affecting other brain cells. By this model, we achieved aged microglia in non-aged brains and confirmed that aged microglia per se contribute to cognitive decline. Collectively, we provide a comprehensive resource to decode the aging process of microglia, shedding light on how microglia maintain brain functions.
2023-07-25 | GSE207948 | GEO