Microglial activation elicits a negative affective state through prostaglandin-mediated modulation of striatal neurons

Anna M. Klawonn, Michael Fritz, Silvia Castany, Marco Pignatelli, Carla Canal, Fredrik Similä, Hugo A. Tejeda, Julia Levinsson, Maarit Jaarola, Johan Jakobsson, Juan Hidalgo, Markus Heilig, Antonello Bonci, David Engblom

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

109 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microglia are activated in many neurological diseases and have been suggested to play an important role in the development of affective disorders including major depression. To investigate how microglial signaling regulates mood, we used bidirectional chemogenetic manipulations of microglial activity in mice. Activation of microglia in the dorsal striatum induced local cytokine expression and a negative affective state characterized by anhedonia and aversion, whereas inactivation of microglia blocked aversion induced by systemic inflammation. Interleukin-6 signaling and cyclooxygenase-1 mediated prostaglandin synthesis in the microglia were critical for the inflammation-induced aversion. Correspondingly, microglial activation led to a prostaglandin-dependent reduction of the excitability of striatal neurons. These findings demonstrate a mechanism by which microglial activation causes negative affect through prostaglandin-dependent modulation of striatal neurons and indicate that interference with this mechanism could milden the depressive symptoms in somatic and psychiatric diseases involving microglial activation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)225-234.e6
JournalImmunity
Volume54
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 9 2021

Keywords

  • DREADDs
  • Microglia
  • anhedonia
  • aversion
  • depression
  • interleukin-6
  • neuroinflammation
  • prostaglandin
  • striatum

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