Epistemology

Inflammation

Gliosis

Microglia

Philosophy

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Central nervous system

Neuroinflammation

Neuroscience

Knockout mouse

Disease

Pathogenesis

Biology

Gene

SOD1

Astrocyte

Mechanism (biology)

Pathology

Immunology

Genetics

Medicine

Nature Communications

Reactive astrocytes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including a non-cell autonomous effect on motor neuron survival in ALS. We previously defined a mechanism by which microglia release three factors, IL-1α, TNFα, and C1q, to induce neurotoxic astrocytes. Here we report that knocking out these three factors markedly extends survival in the SOD1 G93A ALS mouse model, providing evidence for gliosis as a potential ALS therapeutic target.

Knockout of reactive astrocyte activating factors slows disease progression in an ALS mouse model