TY - JOUR
T1 - Ca2+-activated K+ channels modulate microglia affecting motor neuron survival in hSOD1G93A mice
AU - Cocozza, Germana
AU - di Castro, Maria Amalia
AU - Carbonari, Laura
AU - Grimaldi, Alfonso
AU - Antonangeli, Fabrizio
AU - Garofalo, Stefano
AU - Porzia, Alessandra
AU - Madonna, Michele
AU - Mainiero, Fabrizio
AU - Santoni, Angela
AU - Grassi, Francesca
AU - Wulff, Heike
AU - D'Alessandro, Giuseppina
AU - Limatola, Cristina
N1 - Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Recent studies described a critical role for microglia in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where these CNS-resident immune cells participate in the establishment of an inflammatory microenvironment that contributes to motor neuron degeneration. Understanding the mechanisms leading to microglia activation in ALS could help to identify specific molecular pathways which could be targeted to reduce or delay motor neuron degeneration and muscle paralysis in patients. The intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 has been reported to modulate the "pro-inflammatory" phenotype of microglia in different pathological conditions. We here investigated the effects of blocking KCa3.1 activity in the hSOD1G93AALS mouse model, which recapitulates many features of the human disease. We report that treatment of hSOD1G93A mice with a selective KCa3.1 inhibitor, 1-[(2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethyl]-1H-pyrazole (TRAM-34), attenuates the "pro-inflammatory" phenotype of microglia in the spinal cord, reduces motor neuron death, delays onset of muscle weakness, and increases survival. Specifically, inhibition of KCa3.1 channels slowed muscle denervation, decreased the expression of the fetal acetylcholine receptor γ subunit and reduced neuromuscular junction damage. Taken together, these results demonstrate a key role for KCa3.1 in driving a pro-inflammatory microglia phenotype in ALS.
AB - Recent studies described a critical role for microglia in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where these CNS-resident immune cells participate in the establishment of an inflammatory microenvironment that contributes to motor neuron degeneration. Understanding the mechanisms leading to microglia activation in ALS could help to identify specific molecular pathways which could be targeted to reduce or delay motor neuron degeneration and muscle paralysis in patients. The intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 has been reported to modulate the "pro-inflammatory" phenotype of microglia in different pathological conditions. We here investigated the effects of blocking KCa3.1 activity in the hSOD1G93AALS mouse model, which recapitulates many features of the human disease. We report that treatment of hSOD1G93A mice with a selective KCa3.1 inhibitor, 1-[(2-chlorophenyl)diphenylmethyl]-1H-pyrazole (TRAM-34), attenuates the "pro-inflammatory" phenotype of microglia in the spinal cord, reduces motor neuron death, delays onset of muscle weakness, and increases survival. Specifically, inhibition of KCa3.1 channels slowed muscle denervation, decreased the expression of the fetal acetylcholine receptor γ subunit and reduced neuromuscular junction damage. Taken together, these results demonstrate a key role for KCa3.1 in driving a pro-inflammatory microglia phenotype in ALS.
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.07.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 29981425
VL - 73
SP - 584
EP - 595
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
SN - 0889-1591
ER -