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Decoding Mast Cell-Microglia Communication in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Jagdeep K Sandhu, Marianna Kulka. International journal of molecular sciences, 2021-01-22
Topic: Inflammation, microglia and astrocytes
Microglia, resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), play a pivotal role in immune surveillance and maintenance of neuronal health. Mast cells are also important resident immune cells of the CNS but they are underappreciated and understudied. Both microglia and mast cells are endowed with an array of signaling receptors that recognize microbes and cellular damage. As cellular sensors and effectors in the CNS, they respond to many CNS perturbations and have been implicated in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Mast cells contain numerous secretory granules packaged with a plethora of readily available and newly synthesized compounds known as 'mast cell mediators'. Mast cells act as 'first responders' to a pathogenic stimuli and respond by degranulation and releasing these mediators into the extracellular milieu. They alert other glial cells, including microglia to initiate neuroinflammatory processes that culminate in the resolution of injury. However, failure to resolve the pathogenic process can lead to persistent activation, release of pro-inflammatory mediators and amplification of neuroinflammatory responses, in turn, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and demise. This review discusses the current understanding of the molecular conversation between mast cells and microglia in orchestrating immune responses during two of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, namely Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Here we also survey the potential emerging therapeutic approaches targeting common pathways in mast cells and microglia to extinguish the fire of inflammation.
Key findings
- Mast cells act as 'first responders' to a pathogenic stimuli and respond by degranulation and releasing these mediators into the extracellular milieu.
- They alert other glial cells, including microglia to initiate neuroinflammatory processes that culminate in the resolution of injury.
- However, failure to resolve the pathogenic process can lead to persistent activation, release of pro-inflammatory mediators and amplification of neuroinflammatory responses, in turn, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and demise.
- This review discusses the current understanding of the molecular conversation between mast cells and microglia in orchestrating immune responses during two of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, namely Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
- Here we also survey the potential emerging therapeutic approaches targeting common pathways in mast cells and microglia to extinguish the fire of inflammation.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 23 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 41 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International journal of molecular sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33499208) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 23 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 23 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 41 out of 100. |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Sandhu, J. K., & Kulka, M. (2021). Decoding Mast Cell-Microglia Communication in Neurodegenerative Diseases. International journal of molecular sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031093
Vancouver
Sandhu JK, Kulka M. Decoding Mast Cell-Microglia Communication in Neurodegenerative Diseases. International journal of molecular sciences. 2021. doi:10.3390/ijms22031093. PMID: 33499208.
BibTeX
@article{sandhu2021-33499208,
author = {Sandhu, Jagdeep K and Kulka, Marianna},
title = {{Decoding Mast Cell-Microglia Communication in Neurodegenerative Diseases}},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.3390/ijms22031093},
pmid = {33499208},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22031093}
}
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