Diagenode

Epigenetic regulation of brain region-specific microglia clearance activity.


Ayata P, Badimon A, Strasburger HJ, Duff MK, Montgomery SE, Loh YE, Ebert A, Pimenova AA, Ramirez BR, Chan AT, Sullivan JM, Purushothaman I, Scarpa JR, Goate AM, Busslinger M, Shen L, Losic B, Schaefer A

The rapid elimination of dying neurons and nonfunctional synapses in the brain is carried out by microglia, the resident myeloid cells of the brain. Here we show that microglia clearance activity in the adult brain is regionally regulated and depends on the rate of neuronal attrition. Cerebellar, but not striatal or cortical, microglia exhibited high levels of basal clearance activity, which correlated with an elevated degree of cerebellar neuronal attrition. Exposing forebrain microglia to apoptotic cells activated gene-expression programs supporting clearance activity. We provide evidence that the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) epigenetically restricts the expression of genes that support clearance activity in striatal and cortical microglia. Loss of PRC2 leads to aberrant activation of a microglia clearance phenotype, which triggers changes in neuronal morphology and behavior. Our data highlight a key role of epigenetic mechanisms in preventing microglia-induced neuronal alterations that are frequently associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.

Tags
IPure kit

Share this article

Published
August, 2018

Source

Products used in this publication

  • default alt
    C03010015
    IPure kit v2
  • default alt
    C03010021-220
    DiaMag protein G-coated magnetic beads (ChIP-se...

Events

  • AACR 2024
    San Diego, California, USA
    Apr 5-Apr 10, 2024
 See all events

News

 See all news


The European Regional Development Fund and Wallonia are investing in your future.

Extension of industrial buildings and new laboratories.


       Site map   |   Contact us   |   Conditions of sales   |   Conditions of purchase   |   Privacy policy   |   Diagenode Diagnostics