Sex-Specific Features of Microglia from Adult Mice
Creators
- 1. Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases of the University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy and Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
- 2. Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, Italy
- 3. Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
- 4. Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino 61029, Italy
- 5. Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy and Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Milan 20138, Italy
Description
Abstract
Sex has a role in the incidence and outcome of neuro- logical illnesses, also influencing the response to treatments. Neuroinflammation is involved in the onset and progression of several neurological dis- eases, and the fact that estrogens have anti-inflam- matory activity suggests that these hormones may be a determinant in the sex-dependent manifestation of brain pathologies. We describe significant differ- ences in the transcriptome of adult male and female microglia, possibly originating from perinatal expo- sure to sex steroids. Microglia isolated from adult brains maintain the sex-specific features when put in culture or transplanted in the brain of the opposite sex. Female microglia are neuroprotective because they restrict the damage caused by acute focal cere- bral ischemia. This study therefore provides insight into a distinct perspective on the mechanisms under- scoring a sexual bias in the susceptibility to brain diseases.
Files
Villa_CellRep_2018-P2.pdf
Files
(3.5 MB)
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