Cited by 64Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsTryptophan and brain disordersNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Sex Differences of Microglia and Synapses in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus of Adult Mouse Offspring Exposed to Maternal Immune Activation

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Hui, Chin Wai, Vecchiarelli, Haley A., Gervais, Étienne, Luo, Xiao, Michaud, Félix, Scheefhals, Lisa, Bisht, Kanchan, Sharma, Kaushik +2 more·2020·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder affecting ∼1% of humans worldwide. It is earlier and more frequently diagnosed in men than woman, and men display more pronounced negative symptoms together with greater gray matter reductions. Our previous findings utilizing a maternal immune activation (mIA) mouse model of schizophrenia revealed exacerbated anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating deficits in adult male offspring that were associated with increased microglial reactivity and inflammation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). However, both male and female adult offspring displayed stereotypy and impairment of sociability. We hypothesized that mIA may lead to sex-specific alterations in microglial pruning activity, resulting in abnormal synaptic connectivity in the DG. Using the same mIA model, we show in the current study sex-specific differences in microglia and synapses within the DG of adult offspring. Specifically, microglial levels of cluster of differentiation (CD)68 and CD11b were increased in mIA-exposed females. Sex-specific differences in excitatory and inhibitory synapse densities were also observed following mIA. Additionally, inhibitory synaptic tone was increased in DG granule cells of both males and females, while changes in excitatory synaptic transmission occurred only in females with mIA. These findings suggest that phagocytic and complement pathways may together contribute to a sexual dimorphism in synaptic pruning and neuronal dysfunction in mIA, and may propose sex-specific therapeutic targets to prevent schizophrenia-like behaviors.

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Authors
Hui, C. W., Vecchiarelli, H. A., Gervais, É., Luo, X., Michaud, F., Scheefhals, L., Bisht, K., Sharma, K., Topolnik, L., & Tremblay, M.-È.
Affiliations
  • Centre hospitalier de l'Université Laval (CA)
  • University of Victoria (CA)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
Corresponding author
  • Topolnik, Lisa
  • Tremblay, Marie-Ève
Venue
Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
Published
2020-10-15
Volume
14
Pages
558181-558181
ISSN
1662-5102 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3093181376
Cited by
64
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 4
FWCI
2.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
  • Université Laval
  • University of Victoria
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Tier 2, 137072_1, FDN341846, 142447_1, 13707_2)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (342292, 342292-2012)
  • Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
maternal immune activation, schizophrenia, sex differences, microglia, synaptic pruning, dentate gyrus, excitatory synapses, inhibitory synapses, CD68, CD11b, phagocytosis, complement system, anxiety-like behavior, sensorimotor gating, sociability, stereotypy, granule cells, mouse model

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