Toll-like receptor 2 ligands promote microglial cell death by inducing autophagy.

ARROYO DANIELA; SORIA JA; EMILIA A. GAVIGLIO; GARCÍA-KELLER CONSTANZA; CANCELA LILIANA; RODRIGUEZ GALÁN MARIA CECILIA; WANG JI MING; IRIBARREN PABLO

FASEB JOURNAL

FEDERATION AMER SOC EXP BIOL

Año: 2013 vol. 27 p. 299 - 312

0892-6638

Microglial cells are phagocytes in thecentral nervous system (CNS) and become activated inpathological conditions, resulting in microgliosis, manifestedby increased cell numbers and inflammation inthe affected regions. Thus, controlling microgliosis isimportant to prevent pathological damage to the brain.Here, we evaluated the contribution of Toll-like receptor2 (TLR2) to microglial survival. We observed thatactivation of microglial cells with peptidoglycan (PGN)from Staphylococcus aureus and other TLR2 ligandsresults in cell activation followed by the induction ofautophagy and autophagy-dependent cell death. InC57BL/6J mice, intracerebral injection of PGN increasedthe autophagy of microglial cells and reducedthe microglial/macrophage cell number in brain parenchyma.Our results demonstrate a novel role of TLRs inthe regulation of microglial cell activation and survival,which are important for the control of microgliosis andassociated inflammatory responses in the CNS