Age-associated neuronal micronuclei formation and transfer to microglia.
Overview
14 affiliations
- Doctoral Program in Biology, Degree Programs in Life and Earth Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Aging Biology, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Molecular Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Division of Multicellular Circuit Dynamics, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Genome Biology, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Japan
- Center of Optical Scattering Image Science, Department of Systems Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
- Master’s and Doctoral Program in Biology, Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Ph.D. Program in Human Biology, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Ph.D. Program in Humanics, School of Integrative and Global Majors, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Master’s and Doctoral Program in Neuroscience, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Center for Quantum and Information Life Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Abstract
Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, dynamically respond to signals from their microenvironment, including adjacent neurons. Among these signals, nuclear contents released from damaged neurons have been implicated in triggering inflammatory microglial responses. Recently, we found that micronuclei (MNs) derived from neurons during the early postnatal stage act as intercellular mediators that alter the microglial characteristics. However, it remains unclear whether a similar mechanism occurs in the aging brain. In this study, we report that neuronal MNs are formed and transferred to microglia during aging. The neuronal nuclear envelope became fragile with aging and forms MNs in association with nuclear envelope invagination. Subsequently, neuronal MNs were taken up by adjacent microglia. In contrast to the developmental stage, microglia incorporating MNs exhibited extended processes during the aged stage. We also identified several candidate genes whose expression patterns were altered in microglia following MN incorporation. These findings suggest that MN incorporation alters the characteristics and functions of microglia in the aging brain. Our data propose an unrecognized neuron-to-microglia communication in the aged brain mediated by MN propagation.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
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Data
Datasets cited
- ddbj.nig.ac.jp/
search/ , at ddbj.nig.ac.jp; found in “Data availability statement”entry
Data availability statement
Sequence data have been deposited in the DNA Data Bank of Japan (DDBJ) Sequence Read Archive under the accession code DRA026188, https://
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Versions
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Version 2, 28 September 2026
- Funding: added Japan Society for the Promotion of Science: 22H04926
Version 1, 27 September 2026: the first record
Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, pages, dates, 6 authors, 5 keywords, 39 references.
Cite
This paper
Maeda, C., Kishi, Y., Takeda, I., Muratani, M., Wake, H., & Tsuruta, F. (2026). Age-associated neuronal micronuclei formation and transfer to microglia. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 18, 1787252. https://
BibTeX
@article{maeda2026age,
author = {Maeda, Chihiro and Kishi, Yusuke and Takeda, Ikuko and Muratani, Masafumi and Wake, Hiroaki and Tsuruta, Fuminori},
title = {{Age-associated neuronal micronuclei formation and transfer to microglia}},
journal = {Frontiers in aging neuroscience},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
volume = {18},
pages = {1787252},
publisher = {Frontiers Media SA},
issn = {1663-4365},
doi = {10.3389/
url = {https://
pmid = {42404239},
pmcid = {PMC13328424}
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
AU - Maeda, Chihiro
AU - Kishi, Yusuke
AU - Takeda, Ikuko
AU - Muratani, Masafumi
AU - Wake, Hiroaki
AU - Tsuruta, Fuminori
TI - Age-associated neuronal micronuclei formation and transfer to microglia
T2 - Frontiers in aging neuroscience
J2 - Front Aging Neurosci
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/
VL - 18
SP - 1787252
SN - 1663-4365
PB - Frontiers Media SA
DO - 10.3389/
UR - https://
LA - en
ER -
CSL-JSON
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