Gene expression profile of activated microglia under conditions associated with dopamine neuronal damage

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Abstract
SPECIFIC AIMSMicroglia are the primary resident antigen-presenting cells within the central nervous system (CNS) and are thought to serve immune-like functions in protecting the brain against injury and invading pathogens. By mechanisms not yet fully understood, microglia can become activated in the early phases of neurodegenerative conditions and in response to certain neurotoxic drugs of abuse. Once activated, microglia produce and secrete reactive species, cytokines, and chemokines known to cause or enhance damage to neurons. A better understanding of the gene expression response of microglia to activation would provide important mechanistic information on how these cells participate in the process of neuronal damage. The specific aims of this study were to 1) elaborate the transcriptome of resting microglia; 2) activate cultured microglial cells with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the neurotoxic HIV protein TAT, or dopamine (DA) quinone (DAQ), each of which has been linked causally to damage of the DA neur...