Articles tagged with Microglia
A recent study published in Journal of Experimental Medicine found that immune cells play a major role in the development of spastic paraplegia type 15. The research, led by Professor Elvira Mass and Dr. Marc Beyer, suggests that severe inflammation in the brain precedes neuronal damage and could be relevant to Alzheimer's disease.
A new study from the University of Oklahoma is targeting cell communication in the hunt for therapies to slow macular degeneration. The research team is studying how cells in the retina communicate and whether the messages they send could be programmed to treat or slow AMD.
Researchers at UC Irvine develop a cell-based platform to deliver disease-fighting proteins throughout the brain, reducing inflammation, preserving neurons, and reversing neurodegeneration in mice. The engineered microglia can detect disease-specific changes and release enzymes to break down toxic proteins.
Calmming the brain's immune cells via norepinephrine may prevent or lessen Alzheimer's inflammation and damage. The study highlights a key role of norepinephrine in mitigating early inflammatory changes and neuronal injury.
Researchers have identified Tim-3 as a promising therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease by targeting microglia in the brain. Deleting Tim-3 helps kickstart plaque removal, reduce neuroinflammation, and limit cognitive impairment.
A research team has discovered microglia in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that regulate neuronal soma size throughout evolution. The study challenges long-held beliefs about microglia's absence from the PNS, revealing a common molecular signature and role in regulating neuron size.
Scientists at ISTA create a new brain organoid model that incorporates microglia to study viral infections, such as Rubella, and test the effectiveness of ibuprofen. The results show that microglia play a crucial role in inflammatory reactions and that ibuprofen exerts its protective effects by inhibiting two inflammatory enzymes.
A new study by UCL researchers found that people with visual Alzheimer's disease have a unique distribution of proteins and markers in their brain, leading to symptoms such as reading difficulties. In contrast, those with memory-led Alzheimer's disease have different protein patterns, resulting in symptoms like memory loss.
A research group has uncovered a potential mechanism linking maternal inflammation to delayed neurodevelopment in infants. CD11c-positive microglia, crucial for myelination, play a key role in this process.
A review article reveals CD2AP's crucial role in amyloid metabolism, tau pathology, synaptic function, and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease. CD2AP deficiency accelerates plaque formation, while its loss in neurons leads to reduced spine density and impaired synaptic plasticity.
A new Northwestern University study found that enhancing the brain's immune cells can clear Alzheimer's plaques and restore a healthier brain environment in immunized patient brains. The findings could reshape the future of Alzheimer's treatments by shifting the focus from removing plaques to harnessing the brain's natural defenses.
Researchers at Kyoto University investigated the effects of two-hit stress on mouse behavior, revealing significant changes in the cerebellum. The study found increased microglia turnover, neuronal loss, and decreased brain connectivity, correlating with anxiety-like behaviors and mental disorders.
Researchers at Kyoto University investigated the effects of two-hit stress on mice, finding that it leads to increased microglia activity, neuronal loss, and decreased brain connectivity. Microglia replacement therapy showed promise in rescuing affected mice, with female mice exhibiting higher stress resilience.
A new study reveals that microglia can be reprogrammed from a tumor-promoting state to one that strengthens antitumor responses, reducing brain metastases growth and enhancing immunotherapy responses. Researchers identified a key signaling pathway that, when blocked, reverses the protumoral function of microglia.
Research reveals that micronuclei uptake regulates microglial morphology and gene expression, influencing neurogenesis, neural networks, and cerebrovascular function. This mechanism is crucial for the postnatal brain's development and function.
Scientists from DZNE found that preventing brain inflammation may help treat Alzheimer's disease. The study, published in Immunity, suggests that inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome can reduce neuroinflammation and help microglia clear harmful amyloid-beta deposits.
Dr. Mikael Simons is being recognized for his pioneering research on myelin biology, glial cell biology, and neuroinflammation that continues to inform MS research. His work has helped identify a promising therapeutic target with potential to benefit people with MS.
Researchers have found that microglia function differently in adult male versus female mice when given an enzyme inhibitor, with potential broad implications for how neurological diseases are studied. This discovery highlights the necessity of gender-specific research and may lead to new disease-modifying therapies targeting microglia.
The study provides insights into the roles of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, revealing nine transcriptionally distinct subpopulations. The GPNMB-high Lipo.DAM signature is associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, and may hold relevance for immune-based therapies.
Researchers explore the role of efferocytosis in reducing inflammation and containing injury spread after an ischemic stroke. Efferocytosis may offer a promising therapeutic strategy to promote neural regeneration and minimize brain damage.
Researchers have unveiled a critical mechanism linking cellular stress in the brain to Alzheimer's disease progression, highlighting microglia as central players in both protective and harmful responses. The study reveals that blocking a specific stress pathway reverses symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in preclinical models.
Ocular immune-related diseases, including uveitis, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and Graves' ophthalmopathy, are caused by abnormal immune inflammatory responses. The review highlights the role of microglia and other macrophages in these conditions, providing new target cells for prevention and treatment.
Researchers found that microglia clear amyloid-β plaques from the brain before plaque formation and may cause more plaques when homeostatic. In contrast, activated microglia help compact plaques in neurons, offering a protective role.
Researchers have developed a network-based approach to understand how immune cells called microglia transform and drive harmful processes like neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease. The study identified three unique subtypes of harmful microglia that promote disease progression, with genetic signatures driving their behaviors.
Researchers uncover the significance of neuroinflammation in Niemann-Pick type C disease, a rare form of childhood dementia. They identify translocator protein (TSPO) as a potential biomarker for disease monitoring and response to therapy.
Researchers at Texas A&M University College of Medicine have developed a nasal spray treatment using stem cell-derived vesicles that reduces inflammation and plaque buildup in the brain, delaying Alzheimer's disease progression. The treatment targets microglia cells, which become harmful over time, leading to progressive neuron loss.
Chronic neuroinflammation, driven by activated microglia and astrocytes, is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Targeted therapies that modulate microglial and astrocytic activity show promise in mitigating neuroinflammation.
Researchers at Gladstone Institutes created a new mouse model to study Alzheimer's disease, transplanting human neurons into mouse brains. The study found that immune cells called microglia cause harmful inflammation and clumps of misfolded proteins when interacting with the APOE4 protein.
Researchers at HKUST have discovered a neuroprotective mechanism involving microglia that prevents acute axonal degeneration after spinal cord injury. Microglia establish direct contact with myelinated axons, exhibiting a protective wrapping behavior that delays degeneration.
Researchers found that low extracellular sodium concentrations decrease specific mRNA expression and nitric oxide production in microglia, potentially contributing to hyponatremia-induced neuronal dysfunctions. Microglial activation can lead to inflammation and regulate neurotransmission.
A Trinity scientist has won an ERC Starting Grant to investigate the role of microglia in brain disorders. The project aims to create a detailed map of how these immune cells change during brain damage, disease, or repair, with the goal of developing methods to control and rejuvenate neuropathology.
Researchers investigate how hypernatremia affects microglial responses and evaluate potential therapies. Microglia's response to hyperosmotic stress is found to be associated with NFAT5 expression and NO production.
A University of Oklahoma researcher is investigating how prenatal inflammation increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD and autism. She hopes to find a way to promote fetal resilience to inflammation using antioxidants like PQQ.
Microglia establish contact with neurons through tunnelling nanotubes to clear toxic protein aggregates, reducing oxidative stress and restoring vital functions. Healthy mitochondria are also transferred from microglia to affected neurons, preserving energy production and neuronal survival.
Researchers found that a cancer drug can restore phagocytosis, a process crucial for brain health, in individuals with Rett syndrome by targeting microglia. The study highlights the potential therapeutic target of microglia in neurological conditions and may lead to new treatments.
A breakthrough near-infrared photobiomodulation technique has shown potential in suppressing neuroinflammation and promoting microglia cell proliferation. The study's findings suggest that LEDs with broadband NIR emission could offer a cost-effective, side-effect-free treatment option for millions suffering from neurodegenerative disea...
A new University of Cincinnati study reveals that a signaling pathway in the brain helps maintain health and prevent inflammation and cognitive deficits. Microglia cells produce their own TGF-β ligand to regulate local states of inflammation.
Researchers at Harvard University have identified a specific cell type in the mouse embryonic brain that responds to an immune response in the mother, altering gene regulation and persisting in juvenile mice. This study provides new insights into how maternal immune responses might influence brain development in embryos, potentially sh...
New research reveals exercise reverts aged microglia gene expression patterns to those of young microglia, supporting the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus. Exercise also reduces T cell accumulation in the brain, a common feature of aging.
Researchers at the University of Seville discovered Galectin-3's crucial role in brain tumour progression, finding its inhibition significantly reduces glioblastoma size and brain metastases. Inhibition promotes pro-inflammatory markers and reverses immunosuppressive biomarkers, leading to improved outcomes.
A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital suggests that PET brain scans can detect hidden inflammation in MS patients who are being treated with highly-effective treatments. The findings indicate that smoldering inflammation may linger in patients, driving disease progression and symptoms.
A study using a xenotransplantation model has revealed that human microglia respond to amyloid-β plaques with a complex immune response, influencing the disease course. The research highlights the importance of considering genetic factors in microglia-targeted therapies for Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified macrophages as crucial in clearing lipid-rich waste from the brain. By studying genes controlling these immune cells, they discovered that two specific genes BHLHE40 and BHLHE41 regulate their activity.
Researchers at University of Pittsburgh are developing a platform to genetically modify glia cells using bioengineering modified RNAs. The goal is to increase or decrease disease-relevant genes in astrocytes or microglia to potentially treat Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
A Mayo Clinic study found that microglia shield neurons from the aftereffects of anesthesia, enhancing and boosting neuronal activity to awaken the brain. This discovery could lead to new treatments for post-anesthesia delirium and hyperactivity.
Researchers have identified a genetic variant in SIRPβ1 gene that affects the immune system's response to beta-amyloid deposits, leading to altered Alzheimer's disease progression. The mutation has been shown to increase cognitive decline in early stages but slow it down in advanced stages.
Researchers develop nanovector nanogels that selectively target glial cells involved in spinal cord injury inflammation, reducing damage and improving recovery. The treatment demonstrates potential for modulating glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Researchers found that low-dose X-ray irradiation reduced lesion size and reversed motor deficits in TBI and ischemic stroke mice, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic strategy. The treatment also accelerated substantial motor function recovery and promoted brain rewiring after stroke.
A novel cell-penetrating peptide, Tat-SIRT5-CTM, has been shown to reduce brain infarct area and neuronal loss in a mouse model of ischemic stroke. The peptide inhibits microglia-induced neuroinflammation by promoting ANXA1 nuclear translocation.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center find that microglia can trigger cognitive deficits after radiation exposure, potentially targeting them for therapy development. Mice studies showed that blocking a specific pathway in microglia prevented cognitive decline, offering hope for improving patients' quality of life.
Researchers discovered that microglia regulate neuronal activity in a brain region-specific manner, playing a key role in how anesthesia works. Microglia depletion delayed induction and led to early emergence of anesthesia.
Researchers found that a rare genetic mutation in the APOE gene, known as the Christchurch mutation, may prevent Alzheimer's dementia by severing the link between amyloid and tau accumulation. This discovery offers new hope for preventing the disease.
Researchers developed novel nanoparticles that deliver RNA to microglia immune cells, reducing inflammation linked to Alzheimer's disease. The study showed a 42% reduction of PU-1 expression and multiple inflammatory markers in human cell cultures and mice models.
Researchers found an inverse relationship between axon loss and demyelination, suggesting that 'bad' myelin can be more damaging than its absence. This study identifies potential therapeutic targets for diseases associated with myelin defects and inflammation in the nervous system.
A study by Brigham investigators found that genetic changes in microglia contribute to neuroinflammation, a key factor in Alzheimer's disease progression. Lower levels of INPP5D gene led to increased inflammation and risk for AD.
A new study reveals that a genetic mutation in microglia can elevate Alzheimer's risk by reducing brain circuit connections, promoting inflammation, and impairing debris clearance. The mutation affects the TREM2 protein, leading to increased expression of inflammatory genes and impaired response to neuron injury.
Scientists have found that microglia play a crucial role in regulating the number of cells that become neurons in the brain, enhancing our understanding of brain development and disorders. The discovery also reveals a unique pathway through which microglia interact with other brain cells, involving cholesterol transfer.
A new study suggests that hormonal birth control used by adolescents may influence the development of their brain, leading to altered risk assessment. The researchers found increased myelination and decreased immune cells in the brains of treated rats, while also exhibiting signs of impulsivity in behavior tests.
Researchers at Ohio State University will investigate the role of microglia cells in chronic inflammation and neuronal dysfunction after TBI, with a focus on preventing long-term consequences. The $7.7 million award aims to develop innovative healthcare solutions for traumatic brain injury survivors.
Researchers found changes in microglial cells, a specialized subset of immune cells, that may worsen schizophrenia risk in adolescents. The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that THC exposure during adolescence can lead to long-lasting negative effects on brain development and function.