ArticleThe Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology2008
Brain microglia express steroid-converting enzymes in the mouse.
Article in The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 86 citations in OpenAlex.
- The neuroimmune-glutamate hypothesis of addiction.Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2026Review
- Microglia as candidate links between hormonal signals and neuronal circuits in polycystic ovary syndrome: evidence gaps and a research agenda.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- Disease phenotypic screening in neuron-glia cocultures identifies blockers of inflammatory neurodegeneration.iScience · 2024Article
- Immunomodulatory Effects of Clozapine: More Than Just a Side Effect in Schizophrenia.Current neuropharmacology · 2024Review
- The Effects of Neuroactive Steroids on Myelin in Health and Disease.Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre · 2024Review
- Alzheimer's genes in microglia: a risk worth investigating.Molecular neurodegeneration · 2023Review
- Translocator protein is a marker of activated microglia in rodent models but not human neurodegenerative diseases.Nature communications · 2023Article
- Human Microglia Synthesize Neurosteroids to Cope with Rotenone-Induced Oxidative Stress.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Osteopontin/secreted phosphoprotein-1 harnesses glial-, immune-, and neuronal cell ligand-receptor interactions to sense and regulate acute and chronic neuroinflammation.Immunological reviews · 2022Review
- Sex steroid hormone function in the brain niche: Implications for brain metastatic colonization and progression.Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2022Review
- Allopregnanolone: An overview on its synthesis and effects.Journal of neuroendocrinology · 2022Review
- Article
- Sex-specific responses of the pubertal neuroimmune axis in CD-1 mice.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2021Article
- Article
- De novo Neurosteroidogenesis in Human Microglia: Involvement of the 18 kDa Translocator Protein.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Article
- Article
- The Role of Sex and Sex Hormones in Neurodegenerative Diseases.Endocrine reviews · 2020Review
- Central aromatization: A dramatic and responsive defense against threat and trauma to the vertebrate brain.Frontiers in neuroendocrinology · 2020Review
- DHEA Attenuates Microglial Activation via Induction of JMJD3 in Experimental Subarachnoid Haemorrhage.Journal of neuroinflammation · 2019Article
- CRISPR-Cas9 Mediated TSPO Gene Knockout alters Respiration and Cellular Metabolism in Human Primary Microglia Cells.International journal of molecular sciences · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
In the CNS, steroid hormones play a major role in the maintenance of brain homeostasis and it's response to injury. Since activated microglia are the pivotal immune cell involved in neurodegeneration, we investigated the possibility that microglia provide a discrete source for the metabolism of active steroid hormones. Using RT-PCR, our results showed that mouse microglia expressed mRNA for 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and steroid 5alpha-reductase type 1, which are involved in the metabolism of androgens and estrogens. Microglia also expressed the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor and steroid acute regulatory protein; however, the enzymes required for de novo formation of progesterone and DHEA from cholesterol were not expressed. To test the function of these enzymes, primary microglia cultures were incubated with steroid precursors, DHEA and AD. Microglia preferentially produced delta-5 androgens (Adiol) from DHEA and 5alpha-reduced androgens from AD. Adiol behaved as an effective estrogen receptor agonist in neuronal cells. Activation of microglia with pro-inflammatory factors, LPS and INFgamma did not affect the enzymatic properties of these proteins. However, PBR ligands reduced TNFalpha production signifying an immunomodulatory role for PBR. Collectively, our results suggest that microglia utilize steroid-converting enzymes and related proteins to influence inflammation and neurodegeneration within microenvironments of the brain.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.