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When it comes to stroke recovery, understanding the cellular mechanisms at play is a critical step towards developing effective therapies. A recent groundbreaking study, utilizing mice from the Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Centers (MMRRC), has provided deeper insights into these mechanisms, shedding light on the role of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transduction 1 (STAT1) in ischemic stroke recovery.

STAT1 and Stroke: An Evolving Understanding

The connection between STAT1 and ischemic stroke has been established, with STAT1 known to contribute to acute neuronal death within the first 24 hours. However, the impact of STAT1 on brain microglia and macrophages (Mi/MΦ) - cells that can shift to a harmful or advantageous phenotype following a stroke - and its influence on long-term recovery were previously unknown.

To unravel this mystery, researchers turned to MMRRC mice. They generated a model featuring a tamoxifen-induced, Mi/MΦ-specific knockout (mKO) of STAT1, and then induced ischemic stroke via a procedure known as transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO).

Inflammation and Recovery: The Key Role of STAT1

The study showed that STAT1 was activated in Mi/MΦ three days after MCAO - the subacute stage of stroke. Intriguingly, selective deletion of STAT1 in these cells did not alter neuronal cell death or infarct size within the first 24 hours post-MCAO. Instead, it bolstered the release of high mobility group box 1 and increased the production of arginase 1-producing Mi/MΦ three days after MCAO, suggesting an amplified inflammation-resolving response.

The implications of this for long-term post-stroke recovery were substantial. MMRRC mice with STAT1 mKO exhibited less brain inflammation in the subacute stage post-MCAO and reduced long-term white matter injury. This improved functional recovery for at least five weeks post-MCAO, a benefit seen in both male and female mice.

STAT1: A Promising Target for Therapeutic Intervention

The findings suggest that while Mi/MΦ-targeted STAT1 KO does not offer immediate neuroprotection, it does augment the inflammation-resolving actions of Mi/MΦ, facilitating long-term functional recovery after stroke. This points to STAT1 as a promising therapeutic target for harnessing beneficial Mi/MΦ responses and improving long-term outcomes for ischemic stroke patients.

The use of MMRRC mice in this groundbreaking research provides invaluable insights into post-stroke recovery mechanisms. The results could lead to innovative therapeutic approaches for treating ischemic stroke, making the study a beacon of hope for medical professionals and patients alike.

Source: https://jneuroinflammation.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12974-023-02860-4

In a groundbreaking study, neuroscientists have made significant strides in understanding the relationship between two key areas of the brain, the striatum and the subthalamic nucleus (STN), both integral parts of the basal ganglia system. The study, which was performed on adult male and female mice from the Mutant Mouse Resource & Research Centers (MMRRC), delves into the detailed interaction and organization of the subthalamostriatal projections - direct axonal connections from the STN to the striatum.

To comprehend this complex interplay, the researchers implemented monosynaptic retrograde tracing from specific populations of dorsal striatal neurons. They aimed to quantify the connectivity from STN neurons to various striatal cell types, including spiny projection neurons, GABAergic interneurons, and cholinergic interneurons.

In the study, the team combined ex vivo electrophysiology and optogenetics to decipher the responses of diverse dorsal striatal neuron types to the activation of STN axons. Remarkably, their findings revealed that the connectivity from STN neurons to striatal parvalbumin-expressing interneurons was significantly higher (approximately 4 to 8 times) than that from STN to any of the other striatal cell types examined.

Further, only parvalbumin-expressing interneurons exhibited robust monosynaptic excitatory responses to subthalamostriatal inputs, corroborating the tracing studies' results. The data collectively demonstrate the selectivity of the subthalamostriatal projection for the target cell type, an important finding in neurobiology.

In summary, the study underscores the unique position of glutamatergic STN neurons, highlighting their potential to directly and powerfully influence striatal activity dynamics due to their enriched innervation of GABAergic parvalbumin-expressing interneurons. These findings, generated using mice from the MMRRC, contribute substantially to our understanding of brain dynamics and open new avenues for exploring neurological disorders and potential treatments.

Source: https://www.eneuro.org/content/10/7/ENEURO.0417-21.2023


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Welcome to the Mutant Mouse Resource & Research Centers (MMRRC) Website

The MMRRC is the nation’s premier national public repository system for mutant mice. Funded by the NIH continuously since 1999, the MMRRC archives and distributes scientifically valuable spontaneous and induced mutant mouse strains and ES cell lines for use by the biomedical research community. The MMRRC consists of a national network of breeding and distribution repositories and an Informatics Coordination and Service Center located at 4 major academic centers across the nation. The MMRRC is committed to upholding the highest standards of experimental design and quality control to optimize the reproducibility of research studies using mutant mice. The MMRRC is supported by the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) in the Office of the Director at NIH. More than 50,000 mutant alleles are maintained as live mice, cryopreserved germplasm, and/or mutant ES cells. Live mice are supplied from a production colony, from a colony recovered from cryopreservation, or via micro-injection of ES cells. An MMRRC facility may offer cryopreserved material for resuscitation at the recipient scientist's institution.