The Anaesthetics Isoflurane and Xenon Reverse the Synaptotoxic Effects of Aβ<sub>1–42</sub> on Megf10-Dependent Astrocytic Synapse Elimination and Spine Density in Ex Vivo Hippocampal Brain Slices

oleh: Dai Shi, Jaime K. Y. Wong, Kaichuan Zhu, Peter G. Noakes, Gerhard Rammes

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2023-01-01

Deskripsi

It has been hypothesised that inhalational anaesthetics such as isoflurane (Iso) may trigger the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), while the gaseous anaesthetic xenon (Xe) exhibits many features of a putative neuroprotective agent. Loss of synapses is regarded as one key cause of dementia in AD. Multiple EGF-like domains 10 (MEGF10) is one of the phagocytic receptors which assists the elimination of synapses by astrocytes. Here, we investigated how β-amyloid peptide 1–42 (Aβ<sub>1–42</sub>), Iso and Xe interact with MEGF10-dependent synapse elimination. Murine cultured astrocytes as well as cortical and hippocampal ex vivo brain slices were treated with either Aβ<sub>1–42</sub>, Iso or Xe and the combination of Aβ<sub>1–42</sub> with either Iso or Xe. We quantified MEGF10 expression in astrocytes and dendritic spine density (DSD) in slices. In brain slices of wild type and AAV-induced MEGF10 knock-down mice, antibodies against astrocytes (GFAP), pre- (synaptophysin) and postsynaptic (PSD95) components were used for co-localization analyses by means of immunofluorescence-imaging and 3D rendering techniques. Aβ<sub>1–42</sub> elevated pre- and postsynaptic components inside astrocytes and decreased DSD. The combined application with either Iso or Xe reversed these effects. In the presence of Aβ<sub>1–42</sub> both anaesthetics decreased MEGF10 expression. AAV-induced knock-down of MEGF10 reduced the pre- and postsynaptic marker inside astrocytes. The presented data suggest Iso and Xe are able to reverse the Aβ<sub>1–42</sub>-induced enhancement of synaptic elimination in ex vivo hippocampal brain slices, presumably through MEGF10 downregulation.