Cajal Institute, CSIC, 28002, Madrid, Spain.
PhD Program in Neuroscience, Autonoma de Madrid University-Cajal Institute, Madrid, 28029, Spain.
Mol Psychiatry. 2023 Sep;28(9):3856-3873. doi: 10.1038/s41380-023-02269-8. Epub 2023 Sep 29.
Astrocytes play crucial roles in brain homeostasis and are regulatory elements of neuronal and synaptic physiology. Astrocytic alterations have been found in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients; however, the consequences of astrocyte Ca signaling in MDD are poorly understood. Here, we found that corticosterone-treated juvenile mice (Cort-mice) showed altered astrocytic Ca dynamics in mPFC both in resting conditions and during social interactions, in line with altered mice behavior. Additionally, Cort-mice displayed reduced serotonin (5-HT)-mediated Ca signaling in mPFC astrocytes, and aberrant 5-HT-driven synaptic plasticity in layer 2/3 mPFC neurons. Downregulation of astrocyte Ca signaling in naïve animals mimicked the synaptic deficits found in Cort-mice. Remarkably, boosting astrocyte Ca signaling with Gq-DREADDS restored to the control levels mood and cognitive abilities in Cort-mice. This study highlights the important role of astrocyte Ca signaling for homeostatic control of brain circuits and behavior, but also reveals its potential therapeutic value for depressive-like states.
星形胶质细胞在大脑稳态中发挥着至关重要的作用,是神经元和突触生理学的调节因子。在重度抑郁症(MDD)患者中发现了星形胶质细胞的改变;然而,MDD 中星形胶质细胞 Ca 信号的后果还知之甚少。在这里,我们发现皮质酮处理的幼年小鼠(Cort 小鼠)在静息状态和社交互动期间,其 mPFC 中的星形胶质细胞 Ca 动力学发生改变,与行为改变一致。此外,Cort 小鼠显示 mPFC 星形胶质细胞中 5-羟色胺(5-HT)介导的 Ca 信号减少,以及 mPFC 神经元中第 2/3 层异常的 5-HT 驱动的突触可塑性。在未处理的动物中下调星形胶质细胞 Ca 信号,模拟了在 Cort 小鼠中发现的突触缺陷。值得注意的是,使用 Gq-DREADDS 增强星形胶质细胞 Ca 信号可将 Cort 小鼠的情绪和认知能力恢复到对照水平。这项研究强调了星形胶质细胞 Ca 信号在大脑回路和行为的稳态控制中的重要作用,但也揭示了其在抑郁样状态下的潜在治疗价值。