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Signaling pathway in brain helps maintain balance in microglia, prevent cognitive deficit
A new study led by University of Cincinnati researchers sheds new light on the role of a signaling pathway in the brain to maintain health and prevent inflammation and cognitive deficits.
UC's Agnes (Yu) Luo, Ph.D., is corresponding author on the research, published in the journal Nature Communications, and focused on a signaling pathway called TGF-
Luo explained that signaling pathways in the body control different cell functions and require two components: a type of molecule called a ligand and a receptor that the ligand binds to and activates to start the signaling.
Prior to this study, it was known that the TGF-
Luo said the researchers used state-of-the-art tools and found for the first time that microglia make the TGF-
"Microglia cells are the innate immune cells of the brain, and what surprised us most is that they each make their own TGF-
While it was previously known that TGF-
"You can think of these microglia cells as being, in a way, 'selfish,' as they only make the ligand to keep themselves in balance and not inflamed," said graduate student and study co-author Elliot Wegman. "This, thereby, provides a very precise mechanism to regulate local states of inflammation in the microenvironment of the brain."
Using animal models, the team additionally found that when the TGF-
"This suggests that the neuroinflammation in microglia is sufficient by itself without other causes to drive cognitive deficit," Luo said. "We show the direct cause and link between these events."
Moving forward, the team will investigate whether cognitive deficits can be slowed, stopped or potentially reversed by boosting the TGF-
"We're investigating whether restoring the TGF-
More information:
Alicia Bedolla et al, Adult microglial TGF