Astrocytic interleukin-3 programs microglia and limits Alzheimer’s disease

Cameron S. McAlpine, Joseph Park, Ana Griciuc, Eunhee Kim, Se Hoon Choi, Yoshiko Iwamoto, Máté G. Kiss, Kathleen A. Christie, Claudio Vinegoni, Wolfram C. Poller, John E. Mindur, Christopher T. Chan, Shun He, Henrike Janssen, Lai Ping Wong, Jeffrey Downey, Sumnima Singh, Atsushi Anzai, Florian Kahles, Mehdi JorfiPaolo Fumene Feruglio, Ruslan I. Sadreyev, Ralph Weissleder, Benjamin P. Kleinstiver, Matthias Nahrendorf, Rudolph E. Tanzi, Filip K. Swirski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

86 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Communication within the glial cell ecosystem is essential for neuronal and brain health1–3. The influence of glial cells on the accumulation and clearance of β-amyloid (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tau in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is poorly understood, despite growing awareness that these are therapeutically important interactions4,5. Here we show, in humans and mice, that astrocyte-sourced interleukin-3 (IL-3) programs microglia to ameliorate the pathology of AD. Upon recognition of Aβ deposits, microglia increase their expression of IL-3Rα—the specific receptor for IL-3 (also known as CD123)—making them responsive to IL-3. Astrocytes constitutively produce IL-3, which elicits transcriptional, morphological, and functional programming of microglia to endow them with an acute immune response program, enhanced motility, and the capacity to cluster and clear aggregates of Aβ and tau. These changes restrict AD pathology and cognitive decline. Our findings identify IL-3 as a key mediator of astrocyte–microglia cross-talk and a node for therapeutic intervention in AD.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)701-706
Number of pages6
JournalNature
Volume595
Issue number7869
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021 Jul 29

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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