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Intracellular C1q - an unexpected player in neuronal proteostasis.
1Complement and Inflammation Research Section, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Microglia release complement component C1q, which binds to neuronal ribosomes in aging brains. This unexpected interaction impairs protein translation and hinders the extinction of fear responses in mice.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Complement components are increasingly recognized for their roles in cellular physiology.
- The specific functions of complement within the central nervous system, particularly in aging, are still being elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the localization and function of complement component C1q in the aging brain.
- To determine the impact of microglia-derived C1q on neuronal function and behavior.
Main Methods:
- Utilized murine models of aging.
- Investigated the association of C1q with neuronal ribosomes.
- Assessed the effects on protein translation and fear memory extinction.
Main Results:
- Microglia-derived C1q was found to associate with neuronal ribosomes in the aging brain.
- This association led to impaired protein translation in neurons.
- The extinction of conditioned fear responses was significantly impaired.
Conclusions:
- Microglia-derived C1q plays a novel, cell-autonomous role in regulating neuronal protein translation.
- This mechanism contributes to cognitive deficits, specifically impaired fear memory extinction, in the aging brain.
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