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Selective Activation of Microglia Facilitates Synaptic Strength
Open accessAbstract
Synaptic plasticity is thought to be initiated by neurons only, with the prevailing view assigning glial cells mere specify supportive functions for synaptic transmission and plasticity. We now demonstrate that glial cells can control synaptic strength independent of neuronal activity. Here we show that selective activation of microglia in the rat is sufficient to rapidly facilitate synaptic strength between primary afferent C-fibers and lamina I neurons, the first synaptic relay in the nociceptive pathway. Specifically, the activation of the CX3CR1 receptor by fractalkine induces the release of interleukin-1β from microglia, which modulates NMDA signaling in postsynaptic neurons, leading to the release of an eicosanoid messenger, which ultimately enhances presynaptic neurotransmitter release. In contrast to the conventional view, this form of plasticity does not require enhanced neuronal activity to trigger the events leading to synaptic facilitation. Augmentation of synaptic strength in nociceptive pathways represents a cellular model of pain amplification. The present data thus suggest that, under chronic pain states, CX3CR1-mediated activation of microglia drives the facilitation of excitatory synaptic transmission in the dorsal horn, which contributes to pain hypersensitivity in chronic pain states.
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![Figure 1 FKN induces rapid enhancement of synaptic transmission. A , B , Iba-1 (red) and p-p38 MAPK (green; colocalization with Iba-1, yellow) immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn of control ( A ) and FKN ( B ) spinal cord slices. Scale bar, 50 𝛍 m. C , In seven neurons tested, C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude stays constant over a recording period of 40 min ( p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). D , FKN (200 ng/ml for 30 min, black bar) induced a significant facilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude in 18 of 31 neurons tested [134 ± 6%at 30 min, p < 0.001, one-way RM ANOVA; p < 0.01 compared with control neurons ( C ), Fisher's exact test]. Filled circles represent neurons showing statistically significant facilitation ( p < 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA; FKN Responders); open cycles, neurons showing no change after FKN application ( p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA; FKN Nonresponders). Insets show](/paper-figures/a853723dc8d64493a72e4aa8689d8046/selective-activation-of-microglia-facilitates-synaptic-strength-figure-1.png)





![Figure 7 Release of IL-1 𝛃 is critical for FKN-induced facilitation. A , Superfusion of FKN (200 ng/ml for 16 min) resulted in a significant release of IL-1 𝛃 from the dorsal horn ( n = 13 slices; black columns; *** p < 0.001 compared with basal values, one-way ANOVA). Minocycline (MIN) incubated before and during FKN superfusion (100 𝛍 M; 24 min in total) inhibits FKN-evoked IL-1 𝛃 release ( n = 12 slices; gray columns; p > 0.05 compared with basal values, one-way ANOVA). Basal release: FKN = 21.48 ± 1.69 pg/8 ml fraction. FKN + MIN = 23.06 ± 0.79 pg/8 ml fraction. B-E , In the presence of IL-1ra (40 ng/ml for 20 min preincubation and the duration of the recording, open bar), FKN-induced facilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSCs ( B ) and changes in PPR ( C ; black circles, left hand axis) and CV -2 ( C ; white squares, right hand axis) were prevented in all neurons tested ( B , C ; p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA), while a decrease in the number of sEPSCs occurred ( E ; 81 ± 7% at 20 min after FKN [ n = 8]; * p < 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude stays constant in the presence of IL-1ra alone ( D ; open bar, p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA).](/paper-figures/80de412c9d9443cf8122599ccf8f6d0b/selective-activation-of-microglia-facilitates-synaptic-strength-figure-7.png)
![Figure8 FKN-inducedfacilitation is independent of TNF signaling. A , In the presence of sTNF R1 (0.5 𝛍 g/mlfor20minpreincubationandthedurationoftherecording,openbar),FKN(blackbar) inducedasignificantfacilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude in 6 of 11 neurons tested (126 ± 7%at30min, p < 0.01, one-wayANOVA; p < 0.05comparedwithcontrolcells[ B ], Fisher's exact test). Filled circles represent neurons showing facilitation; open circles represent neurons showing no change after FKN application. B , In six neurons tested, the C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude stays constant in the presence of sTNF R1 alone (open bar, p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). C , D , Following sTNF R1, facilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSCs by FKN is associated with a decrease in the PPR ( C ) and an increase in the CV -2 value ( D ) compared with pretreatment values (* p < 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). E , FKN application following sTNF R1 preincubation is associated with an increase in the number of sEPSCs [121 ± 3%at 10 min, 131 ± 7%at 20 min after FKN ( n = 10)] compared with pretreatment values (*** p < 0.001, one-way RM ANOVA).](/paper-figures/9153f56a0cc447b282f5828208135d26/selective-activation-of-microglia-facilitates-synaptic-strength-figure-8.png)
![Figure 9 FKN-induced facilitation requires postsynaptic Ca 2 + signaling and NMDA receptors. A-C , Inclusion of BAPTA (20 mM, open bar) in the pipette solution to block Ca 2 + signaling in the postsynaptic neuron completely prevented FKN-induced changes to C-fiber-evoked EPSC ( A ), PPR ( B ; black circles, left hand axis) and CV -2 ( B ; white squares, right hand axis), in all neurons tested ( A , B ; p > 0.05, one-way RMANOVA).However,asignificantincreaseinthenumberofsEPSCsstilloccurred[ C ; 136 ± 14%at10minafterFKNapplication( n = 8); * p > 0.05, one-way RMANOVA]. D-F , The addition of MK801 (1 mM, open bar) to the pipette solution in order to specifically inhibit postsynaptic NMDA receptors prevents the effects of FKN on C-fiber-evoked EPSCs ( D ), PPR ( E ; black circles, left hand axis), and CV -2 ( E ; white squares, right hand axis) in all neurons tested ( D , E ; p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). However, a significant increase in the number of sEPSCs still occurred [ F ; 132 ± 12% at 10 min after FKN ( n = 8); * p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA].](/paper-figures/07ba5377fd5a4ca3be4f91d1c4e76066/selective-activation-of-microglia-facilitates-synaptic-strength-figure-9.png)
![Figure 10 D-Serine is not required for FKN-induced facilitation. A , In the presence of D-AAO (0.2 U/ml for 1 h preincubation and the duration of the recording, open bar) to degrade D-serine, FKN (black bar) induced a significant facilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude in five of nine neurons tested [138 ± 5%at30min, p < 0.001, one-way ANOVA; p < 0.05 compared with control cells ( B ), Fisher's exact test]. Filled circles represent neurons showing facilitation; open circles represent neurons showing no change after FKN application. B , In six neurons tested, C-fiber-evoked EPSC amplitude stays constant in the presence of D-AAO alone (open bar, p > 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA). C , D , Following D-AAO application, facilitation of C-fiber-evoked EPSCs by FKN is associated with a decrease in the PPR ( C ) and an increase in the CV -2 value ( D ) compared with pretreatment values (*** p < 0.001, ** p < 0.01, one-way RM ANOVA). E , Application of FKN following D-AAO is associated with an increase in the number of sEPSCs [153 ± 11% at 10 min, 188 ± 27% at 20 min after FKN application ( n = 9)] compared with pretreatment values (** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05, one-way RM ANOVA).](/paper-figures/d8f212145f5342fca67963d294b3af95/selective-activation-of-microglia-facilitates-synaptic-strength-figure-10.png)



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“The activation of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) in microglial cells, increases synaptic strength. However, deficiency in this receptor results in a reduced hippocampal synaptic plasticity (Rogers et al., 2011; Clark et al., 2015).”
From The role of microglia in retinal neurodegeneration: Alzheimer’s disease, parkinson, and glaucoma. (2017) · cites this paper as Clark et al., 2015
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Metadata
- Authors
- Clark, A. K., Gruber-Schoffnegger, D., Drdla-Schutting, R., Gerhold, K. J., Malcangio, M., & Sandkühler, J.
- Affiliations
- King's College London (GB)
- Medical University of Vienna (AT)
- ORCID
- Venue
- The Journal of Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Published
- 2015-03-18
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 4552-4570
- ISSN
- 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-2401
- PMC
- PMC4363384
- OpenAlex
- W2063244116
- Cited by
- 171
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 9
- FWCI
- 14.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (093173/Z/10/Z)
- Austrian Science Fund
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- microglia, synaptic plasticity, synaptic facilitation, CX3CR1, fractalkine, IL-1β, eicosanoids, presynaptic neurotransmitter release, nociceptive pathways, dorsal horn, C-fibers, pain amplification, chronic pain, glial cells
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Male, Synaptic Transmission, Neuronal Plasticity, Organ Culture Techniques, Spinal Cord, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Microglia, Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials, Rats
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