Project Details
Projekt
Chronic exposure to environmental pollutants and microglial molecular reprogramming in ischemic stroke
Applicant
Dr. Corinne Benakis
Subject Area
Molecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology
Immunology
Immunology
Term
since 2025
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 559420345
Microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, exhibit a complex response during neurodegenerative diseases and stroke, showing roles that range from neurotoxicity to tissue repair. New evidence indicates that environmental pollutants can activate microglia, leading to damage in neuronal populations. Indeed, microglial function is highly influenced by external factors. Previous findings indicate that even minor early-life exposures to environmental toxins can result in long-term epigenetic alterations that affect their responses to later challenges. However, the underlying mechanisms linking environmental pollutants and microglial changes in the context of stroke are not yet fully understood. The primary research questions the project aims to address include: How does chronic exposure to environmental pollutants contribute to molecular changes of microglia? What are the mechanisms through which these pollutants affect microglial function in the context of stroke? Specifically, the project hypothesizes three potential pathways: the direct action of environmental toxins on microglia, the systemic activation of peripheral immune cells that impact microglia, and the disruption of microbiome homeostasis at the gut barrier site, leading to altered microglial function. The project aims to critically investigate these questions through a combination of advanced methodologies, including microglial transcriptomic analysis, epigenetic modifications, in vivo immune cell tracking, and microbiome manipulation. Collaborations with group leaders within the SPP will allow to address in depth how local and peripheral modifiers affect microglial function in the context of brain diseases. Advancing our understanding of how external factors, such as environmental pollutants, drive changes in microglial function could have significant implications for addressing stroke risk and other neurodegenerative diseases.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
