Cited by 167Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsSingle-cell and spatial transcriptomicsMultiple Sclerosis Research Studies

Next generation transcriptomics and genomics elucidate biological complexity of microglia in health and disease

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Wes, Paul D., Holtman, Inge R., Boddeke, Erik W.G.M., Möller, Thomas, Eggen, Bart J.L.·2016·Glia

Abstract

Genome‐wide expression profiling technology has resulted in detailed transcriptome data for a wide range of tissues, conditions and diseases. In neuroscience, expression datasets were mostly generated using whole brain tissue samples, resulting in data from a mixture of cell types, including glial cells and neurons. Over the past few years, a rapidly increasing number of expression profiling studies using isolated microglial cell populations have been reported. In these studies, the microglia transcriptome was compared to other cell types, such as other brain cells and peripheral tissue macrophages, and related to aging and neurodegenerative conditions. A commonality found in many of these studies was that microglia possess distinct gene expression signatures. This repertoire of selectively‐expressed microglial genes highlight functions beyond immune responses, such as synaptic modulation and neurotrophic support, and open up avenues to explore as‐yet‐unexpected roles. These data provide improved understanding of disease pathology, and complement not only the aforementioned whole brain tissue transcriptome studies, but also genome‐ and epigenome‐wide association studies. In this review, insights obtained from isolated microglia transcriptome studies are presented, and compared to studies using other genome‐wide approaches. The relation of microglia to other tissue macrophages and glial cell populations, as well as the role of microglia in the aging brain and in neurodegenerative conditions, will be discussed. Many more of these types of studies are expected in the near future, hopefully leading to the identification of novel genes and targets for neurodegenerative conditions. GLIA 2016;64:197–213

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  • During normal CNS function, microglia have a resting or homeostatic transcriptome profile that reflects a surveilling activity.

    “During normal CNS function, microglia have a “resting,” or homeostatic, transcriptome profile that reflects a surveilling activity (36–41) (Figure 1).”
  • In models of neurodegeneration, microglia express both neurotoxic and neuroprotective factors, as well as genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and lysosome, ribosome, and spliceosome factors involved in responses to misfolded proteins, stress, and neuronal death or injury.

    “In models of neurodegeneration, microglia express both neurotoxic and neuroprotective factors; genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation; and lysosome, ribosome, and spliceosome factors involved in responses to misfolded proteins, stress, and neuronal death or injury (36, 42) (Figure 1).”
  • This expression profile concurs with other studies of DAM.

    “This expression profile concurs with other studies of DAM [10,37,78,124,194].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Butovsky O, Jedrychowski MP, Cialic R, Krasemann S, Murugaiyan G, Fanek Z, Greco DJ, Wu PM, Doykan CE, Kiner O, Lawson RJ, Frosch MP, Pochet N, Fatimy RE, Krichevsky AM, Gygi SP, Lassmann H, Berry J, Cudkowicz ME, Weiner HL. 2015. Targeting miR-155 restores abnormal microglia and attenuates disease in SOD1 mice. Annals of Neurology 77:75-99.

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Authors
Wes, P. D., Holtman, I. R., Boddeke, E. W. G. M., Möller, T., & Eggen, B. J. L.
Affiliations
  • Lundbeck (United States) (US)
  • University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
Corresponding author
Wes, Paul D.
Venue
Glia
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-06-04
Volume
64
Issue
2
Pages
197-213
ISSN
  • 0894-1491 (ISSN-L)
  • 1098-1136
OpenAlex
W1535668109
Cited by
167
References
132
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 3
FWCI
1.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Glia (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
Keywords
microglia, microglial transcriptome, gene expression signatures, tissue macrophages, glial cells, brain aging, neurodegenerative diseases, synaptic modulation, neurotrophic support, microglial heterogeneity
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Macrophages, Microglia, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Gene Expression Profiling, Genomics, Epigenesis, Genetic

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