Disruption of the Na+/K+-ATPase-purinergic P2X7 receptor complex in microglia promotes stress-induced anxiety

Immunity. 2024 Mar 12;57(3):495-512.e11. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2024.01.018. Epub 2024 Feb 22.

Abstract

Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) plays an important role in the central nervous system. However, little is known about its function in the microglia. Here, we found that NKAα1 forms a complex with the purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), an adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-gated ion channel, under physiological conditions. Chronic stress or treatment with lipopolysaccharide plus ATP decreased the membrane expression of NKAα1 in microglia, facilitated P2X7R function, and promoted microglia inflammatory activation via activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Accordingly, global deletion or conditional deletion of NKAα1 in microglia under chronic stress-induced aggravated anxiety-like behavior and neuronal hyperexcitability. DR5-12D, a monoclonal antibody that stabilizes membrane NKAα1, improved stress-induced anxiety-like behavior and ameliorated neuronal hyperexcitability and neurogenesis deficits in the ventral hippocampus of mice. Our results reveal that NKAα1 limits microglia inflammation and may provide a target for the treatment of stress-related neuroinflammation and diseases.

Keywords: ATP; DR5-12D antibody; NKAα1; P2X7R; anxiety-like behavior; chronic stress; inflammation; microglia activation; ventral hippocampus.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Anxiety
  • Mice
  • Microglia* / metabolism
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X7* / genetics
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X7* / metabolism

Substances

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X7
  • P2rx7 protein, mouse