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Morphofunctional programming of microglia requires distinct roles of type II myosins

Pedro Neves Melo1,2, Mariana Souza da Silveira1,3, Inês Mendes Pinto1,4

  • 1Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.

Glia
|July 30, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Microglia shape and function rely on the actomyosin cytoskeleton. This study identifies type-II myosins (Myh9, Myh10) as key regulators of microglia morphology and inflammatory responses.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system, possess a ramified morphology crucial for their functions.
  • The actin and actomyosin cytoskeleton regulate microglia shape and membrane protrusion dynamics.
  • Regulatory mechanisms controlling microglia cytoskeleton remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically analyze the actomyosin cytoskeleton and RhoA signaling pathways in controlling microglia shape and function.
  • To identify specific molecular regulators of microglia morphology and inflammatory activation.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic analysis of the actomyosin cytoskeleton in microglia.
  • Investigation of RhoA signaling pathway effectors.
  • Assessment of myosin heavy chain 9 (Myh9) and myosin heavy chain 10 (Myh10) roles.

Main Results:

  • Myh9 controls cortical tension and microglia protrusion formation.
  • Cofilin-mediated actin turnover is essential for microglia protrusion extension.
  • Myh10 influences microglia inflammatory activation.
  • Type-II myosins exhibit differential roles in regulating microglia cell shape and function.

Conclusions:

  • Uncovered molecular pathways regulating microglia morphology.
  • Identified type-II myosins as critical regulators of microglia biology.
  • Demonstrated distinct roles for Myh9 in cell shape and Myh10 in inflammatory function.
Keywords:
actomyosincell morphologycortical tensioninflammatory activationmicroglia

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