Mer regulates microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization and alleviates neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury

Haijian Wu^{1 2 3}, Jingwei Zheng¹, Shenbin Xu¹, Yuanjian Fang¹, Yingxi Wu³, Jianxiong Zeng³, Anwen Shao¹, Ligen Shi¹, Jianan Lu¹, Shuhao Mei¹, Xiaoyu Wang¹, Xinying Guo³, Yirong Wang², Zhen Zhao⁴, Jianmin Zhang^{5 6 7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
³ Center for Neurodegeneration and Regeneration, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1501 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
⁴ Center for Neurodegeneration and Regeneration, Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1501 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA. zzhao@usc.edu.
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 88 Jiefang Road, Hangzhou, 310009, Zhejiang, China. zjm135@zju.edu.cn.
⁶ Brain Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. zjm135@zju.edu.cn.
⁷ Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. zjm135@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 33402181
PMCID: PMC7787000
DOI: 10.1186/s12974-020-02041-7

Free PMC article

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Microglial/macrophage activation and neuroinflammation are key cellular events following TBI, but the regulatory and functional mechanisms are still not well understood. Myeloid-epithelial-reproductive tyrosine kinase (Mer), a member of the Tyro-Axl-Mer (TAM) family of receptor tyrosine kinases, regulates multiple features of microglial/macrophage physiology. However, its function in regulating the innate immune response and microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization in TBI has not been addressed. The present study aimed to evaluate the role of Mer in regulating microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization and neuroinflammation following TBI.

Methods: The controlled cortical impact (CCI) mouse model was employed. Mer siRNA was intracerebroventricularly administered, and recombinant protein S (PS) was intravenously applied for intervention. The neurobehavioral assessments, RT-PCR, Western blot, magnetic-activated cell sorting, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy analysis, Nissl and Fluoro-Jade B staining, brain water content measurement, and contusion volume assessment were performed.

Results: Mer is upregulated and regulates microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization and neuroinflammation in the acute stage of TBI. Mechanistically, Mer activates the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)/suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/3 (SOCS1/3) pathway. Inhibition of Mer markedly decreases microglial/macrophage M2-like polarization while increases M1-like polarization, which exacerbates the secondary brain damage and sensorimotor deficits after TBI. Recombinant PS exerts beneficial effects in TBI mice through Mer activation.

Conclusions: Mer is an important regulator of microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization and neuroinflammation, and may be considered as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in TBI.

Keywords: M1/M2 polarization; Mer; Microglia/macrophage; Neuroinflammation; TBI.

J Neuroinflammation. 2021 Jan 5;18(1):2.doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-02041-7.

Mer regulates microglial/macrophage M1/M2 polarization and alleviates neuroinflammation following traumatic brain injury

Abstract

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