Cited by 399Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsMesenchymal stem cell researchHematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Quiescence Modulates Stem Cell Maintenance and Regenerative Capacity in the Aging Brain

Open access
Kalamakis, Georgios, Brüne, Daniel, Ravichandran, Srikanth, Bolz, Jan, Fan, Wenqiang, Ziebell, Frederik, Stiehl, Thomas, Catalá-Martinez, Francisco +14 more·2019·Cell

Abstract

The function of somatic stem cells declines with age. Understanding the molecular underpinnings of this decline is key to counteract age-related disease. Here, we report a dramatic drop in the neural stem cells (NSCs) number in the aging murine brain. We find that this smaller stem cell reservoir is protected from full depletion by an increase in quiescence that makes old NSCs more resistant to regenerate the injured brain. Once activated, however, young and old NSCs show similar proliferation and differentiation capacity. Single-cell transcriptomics of NSCs indicate that aging changes NSCs minimally. In the aging brain, niche-derived inflammatory signals and the Wnt antagonist sFRP5 induce quiescence. Indeed, intervention to neutralize them increases activation of old NSCs during homeostasis and following injury. Our study identifies quiescence as a key feature of old NSCs imposed by the niche and uncovers ways to activate NSCs to repair the aging brain.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.040

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  • In the brain, old age is accompanied by an increase in the number of quiescent NSCs and a decrease in their ability to activate.

    “In the brain, old age is accompanied by an increase in the number of quiescent NSCs and a decrease in their ability to activate6–8.”
  • A small pool of quiescent NSCs appears to be protected from ageing defects.

    “Interestingly, a small pool of quiescent NSCs (maybe overlapping with those in deep quiescence) appears to be protected from ageing defects8.”
  • In the mouse brain, single-cell RNA-seq analyses indicate that the number of activated neural stem cells (NSCs) and neuroblasts decreases with ageing in both the subventricular zone (SVZ) NSC niche and the hippocampal NSC niche.

    “For example, in the mouse brain, single-cell RNA-seq analyses indicate that the number of activated neural stem cells (NSCs) and neuroblasts (progeny) decreases with ageing in both the subventricular zone (SVZ) NSC niche and the hippocampal NSC niche6–9 — the main locations of NSCs.”
  • Activated NSCs exhibit fewer overall transcriptomic changes with ageing than quiescent NSCs.

    “Interestingly, activated NSCs exhibit fewer overall transcriptomic changes with ageing than quiescent NSCs6–9,63,64, perhaps because activated NSCs are recently generated and do not have the time to accumulate damage, or because they ‘dilute’ the damage as they proliferate.”
  • Owing to the infiltration of immune cells, the activation of macrophages and microglia, and the presence of senescent cells, the NSC niche milieu likely becomes extremely inflammatory during ageing.

    “For example, owing to the infiltration of immune cells, the activation of macrophages and microglia, and the presence of senescent cells, the NSC niche milieu likely becomes extremely inflammatory during ageing6–8.”

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Authors
Kalamakis, G., Brüne, D., Ravichandran, S., Bolz, J., Fan, W., Ziebell, F., Stiehl, T., Catalá-Martinez, F., Kupke, J., Zhao, S., Llorens-Bobadilla, E., Bauer, K., Limpert, S., Berger, B., Christen, U., Schmezer, P., Mallm, J. P., Berninger, B., Anders, S., del Sol, A., Marciniak-Czochra, A., & Martin-Villalba, A.
Affiliations
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • University of Luxembourg (LU)
  • Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • University Hospital Frankfurt (DE)
  • King's College London (GB)
Venue
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-03
Volume
176
Issue
6
Pages
1407-1419.e14
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2915988618
Cited by
399
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 66 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 64 · 2022: 64 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 23
FWCI
17.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • DFG (SFB873, SFB1324, SFB1036, INST 161/875-2)
  • Helmholtz Alliance for Aging and Metabolic Programming
  • DKFZ
  • China Scholarship Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Genetics › Mesenchymal stem cell research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Keywords
neural stem cells, stem cell quiescence, brain aging, stem cell maintenance, regenerative capacity, SFRP5, Wnt signaling, neuroinflammation, stem cell niche, stem cell activation, brain injury repair, single-cell transcriptomics
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Animals, Brain, Cell Differentiation, Cell Division, Homeostasis, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Nerve Regeneration, Cellular Senescence, Cell Proliferation, Mice, Stem Cell Niche, Neurogenesis, Neural Stem Cells

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