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Strohm AO, O'Connor TN, Oldfield S, Young S, Hammond C, McCall M, Dirksen RT, Majewska AK. Cortical microglia dynamics are conserved during voluntary wheel running. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2024; 136:89-108. [PMID: 37969082 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00311.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We present the first demonstration of chronic in vivo imaging of microglia in mice undergoing voluntary wheel running. We find that healthy mice undergoing voluntary wheel running have similar microglia dynamics, morphologies, and responses to injury when compared to sedentary mice. This suggests that exercise over a period of 1 mo does not grossly alter cortical microglial phenotypes and that exercise may exert its beneficial effects on the brain through other mechanisms. Future work examining how microglia dynamics may be altered during exercise in disease or injury models could provide further insights into the therapeutic benefit of exercise.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We demonstrate the first use of chronic in vivo imaging of microglia over time during physical exercise. We found that microglia movement, morphology, and process motility were remarkably stable during voluntary wheel running (VWR). Additionally, microglia in running mice respond similarly to laser ablation injury compared to sedentary mice. These findings indicate that VWR does not induce changes in microglia dynamics in healthy adults. Exercise may elicit positive effects on the brain through other mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra O Strohm
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Thomas N O'Connor
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Sadie Oldfield
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Sala Young
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Christian Hammond
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Matthew McCall
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Robert T Dirksen
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
| | - Ania K Majewska
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
- Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States
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