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The association between laminin and microglial morphology in vitro
Wing Yip Tam1, Ngan Pan Bennett Au1, Chi Him Eddie Ma1,2,3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong.
Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia, crucial for central nervous system (CNS) repair, rely on laminin for their unique alignment. Their transformation involves laminin digestion, impacting CNS repair mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Microglia are central nervous system (CNS) immune cells involved in innate immunity.
- Microglial morphology correlates with function, with bipolar/rod-shaped forms gaining attention for CNS repair.
- Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia form aligned trains, proposed as key to CNS repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of laminin in the morphological transformation of microglia.
- To understand the association between laminin and the formation/maintenance of bipolar/rod-shaped microglia trains.
- To elucidate the mechanisms underlying microglial morphological changes in the context of CNS injury and repair.
Main Methods:
- Established a cell culture model using scratched poly-D-lysine (PDL)/laminin-coated surfaces to enrich bipolar/rod-shaped microglia.
- Cultured microglia on surfaces with and without PDL/laminin coating.
- Analyzed microglial morphology and gene/protein expression, including laminin-cleaving enzymes Adam9 and Ctss.
- Induced microglial transformation using lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
Main Results:
- Bipolar/rod-shaped microglia transiently formed on scratched surfaces without PDL/laminin, but alignment was lost within 3 days.
- Amoeboid microglia were observed to digest surrounding laminin.
- Gene and protein expression of laminin-cleaving enzymes Adam9 and Ctss was upregulated in amoeboid microglia.
- LPS-induced transformation to amoeboid morphology increased Adam9 and Ctss expression.
Conclusions:
- Laminin plays a critical role in maintaining the morphology and alignment of bipolar/rod-shaped microglia.
- Microglial digestion of laminin, mediated by enzymes like Adam9 and Ctss, is linked to their morphological transformation.
- These findings highlight a significant association between laminin and microglial morphological changes, offering insights into CNS repair processes.
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