Suman PR, Souza LS, Kincheski GC, Melo HM, Machado MN, Carvalho GMC, De Felice FG, Zin WA, Ferreira ST. Lung inflammation induced by silica particles triggers hippocampal inflammation, synapse damage and memory impairment in mice.
J Neuroinflammation 2022;
19:303. [PMID:
36527099 PMCID:
PMC9756632 DOI:
10.1186/s12974-022-02662-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Considerable evidence indicates that a signaling crosstalk between the brain and periphery plays important roles in neurological disorders, and that both acute and chronic peripheral inflammation can produce brain changes leading to cognitive impairments. Recent clinical and epidemiological studies have revealed an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in individuals with impaired pulmonary function. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this association remain unknown. Exposure to SiO2 (silica) particles triggers lung inflammation, including infiltration by peripheral immune cells and upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We here utilized a mouse model of lung silicosis to investigate the crosstalk between lung inflammation and memory.
METHODS
Silicosis was induced by intratracheal administration of a single dose of 2.5 mg SiO2/kg in mice. Molecular and behavioral measurements were conducted 24 h and 15 days after silica administration. Lung and hippocampal inflammation were investigated by histological analysis and by determination of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Hippocampal synapse damage, amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide content and phosphorylation of Akt, a proxy of hippocampal insulin signaling, were investigated by Western blotting and ELISA. Memory was assessed using the open field and novel object recognition tests.
RESULTS
Administration of silica induced alveolar collapse, lung infiltration by polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells, and increased lung pro-inflammatory cytokines. Lung inflammation was followed by upregulation of hippocampal pro-inflammatory cytokines, synapse damage, accumulation of the Aβ peptide, and memory impairment in mice.
CONCLUSION
The current study identified a crosstalk between lung and brain inflammatory responses leading to hippocampal synapse damage and memory impairment after exposure to a single low dose of silica in mice.
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