Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Ozone (O3) is an air pollutant associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk. The lung–brain axis is implicated in O3-associated glial and amyloid pathobiology; however, the role of disease-associated astrocytes (DAAs) in this process remains unknown.
METHODS
The O3-induced astrocyte phenotype was characterized in 5xFAD mice by spatial transcriptomics and proteomics. Hmgb1
fl/fl
LysM-Cre+ mice were used to assess the role of peripheral myeloid cell high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1).
RESULTS
O3 increased astrocyte and plaque numbers, impeded the astrocyte proteomic response to plaque deposition, augmented the DAA transcriptional fingerprint, increased astrocyte–microglia contact, and reduced bronchoalveolar lavage immune cell HMGB1 expression in 5xFAD mice. O3-exposed Hmgb1
fl/fl
LysM-Cre+ mice exhibited dysregulated DAA mRNA markers.
DISCUSSION
Astrocytes and peripheral myeloid cells are critical lung–brain axis interactors. HMGB1 loss in peripheral myeloid cells regulates the O3-induced DAA phenotype. These findings demonstrate a mechanism and potential intervention target for air pollution–induced AD pathobiology.
Highlights

Astrocytes are part of the lung–brain axis, regulating how air pollution affects plaque pathology.
Ozone (O3) astrocyte effects are associated with increased plaques and modified by plaque localization.
O3 uniquely disrupts the astrocyte transcriptomic and proteomic disease-associated astrocyte (DAA) phenotype in plaque associated astrocytes (PAA).
O3 changes the PAA cell contact with microglia and cell–cell communication gene expression.
Peripheral myeloid cell high mobility group box 1 regulates O3-induced transcriptomic changes in the DAA phenotype.


If you do not see content above, kindly GO TO SOURCE.
Not all publishers encode content in a way that enables republishing at Neuro.vip.

This post is Copyright: Chandrama Ahmed,
Hendrik J. Greve,
Carla Garza‐Lombo,
Jamie A. Malley,
James A. Johnson Jr.,
Adrian L. Oblak,
Michelle L. Block | April 16, 2024

Wiley: Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Table of Contents