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Updated: Dec 13, 2025
Isolation of Cortical Microglia with Preserved Immunophenotype and Functionality From Murine Neonates
Published on: January 30, 2014
A complement-microglial axis driving inhibitory synapse related protein loss might contribute to systemic
Shu-Ming Li1, Bin Li1, Ling Zhang1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
Systemic inflammation induces cognitive impairments via unclear mechanisms. Increasing evidence has suggested complement C3/C3a receptor signaling, a key component of innate immune pathogen defense, plays an important role in cognition and neurodegeneration, whereas its dysfunction is implicated in many neurological disorders. However, it remains unclear whether complement C3/C3a receptor signaling was involved in systemic inflammation-induced cognitive impairments. In the present study, we showed that hippocampal complement C3 levels in astrocytes and C3a receptor expressions in microglia were specifically up-regulated after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. Interestingly, LPS selectively induced inhibitory but not excitatory synapse related protein loss. Notably, C3a receptor antagonist SB290157 trifluoroacetate attenuated LPS-induced hippocampal neuroinflammation and inhibitory synapse related protein loss, contributing to improved cognitive function. In conclusion, our study suggests that complement C3/C3a receptor signaling plays a key role in LPS-induced cognitive impairments, which may serve a therapeutic target for systemic inflammation related cognitive disorders.
