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Published on: February 5, 2018
Breaking the glial loop: astrocytic PAD2 and citrullinated vimentin drive microglial dysfunction in Alzheimer's
1Division of Life Science and State Key Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
Abstract:
Zhang et al. reveal that astrocytic PAD2-mediated citrullination of vimentin drives a TLR4-dependent pro-inflammatory loop in microglia, linking glial crosstalk to impaired amyloid clearance and identifying a potential therapeutic and biomarker pathway in Alzheimer's disease.
Insights
Astrocytes influence Alzheimer's disease by activating microglia through PAD2-mediated vimentin citrullination. This inflammatory pathway impairs amyloid clearance, offering new therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid plaques and neuroinflammation.
- Glial cells, including astrocytes and microglia, play critical roles in AD pathogenesis.
- Dysfunctional glial crosstalk contributes to disease progression.
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