Inflammation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Roles for Toxic A1 Astrocytes and Microglial–Astrocytic Crosstalk

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury triggers neuroinflammation that may contribute to progressive neurodegeneration. We investigated patterns of recruitment of astrocytes and microglia to inflammation after brain trauma by firstly characterising expression profiles over time of marker genes following TBI, and secondly by monitoring glial morphologies reflecting inflammatory responses in a rat model of traumatic brain injury (i.e. the lateral fluid percussion injury). Gene expression profiles revealed early elevation of expression of astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein relative to microglial marker allograft inflammatory factor 1 (also known as ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1). Ad..