| Abstract No.: | B-C2094 |
| Country: | Canada |
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| Title: | ABLATION OF PROLIFERATING MICROGLIA DOES NOT AFFECT MOTOR NEURON DEGENERATION IN ALS CAUSED BY SOD1 MUTATIONS |
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| Authors/Affiliations: | 1 Genevieve Gowing*; 2 Thomas Philips; 2 Wim Robberecht; 1 Jean-Pierre Julien;
1 Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; 2 University of Leuven, Belgium
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| Content: | Microglial activation is a hallmark of all neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, a detailed characterisation of the microglial cell population within the spinal cord of a mouse model of familial ALS was performed. Using flow cytometry we observed the presence of three distinct microglial populations within the spinal cord of mice overexpressing mutant superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Characterisation of cell proliferation within the CNS of SOD1G93A transgenic mice determined that the expansion in microglial cell population is mainly due to the local proliferation of early myeloid (CD11b+, CD45int) cells. To assess the contribution of proliferating microglia in motor neuron degeneration, we generated CD11b-TKmut-30; SOD1G93A doubly transgenic mice that allow the elimination of proliferating microglia upon administration of the nucleoside analogue ganciclovir (GCV). Surprisingly, a 50% reduction in reactive microglia specifically in the lumbar spinal cord of CD11b-TKmut-30; SOD1G93A doubly transgenic mice had no effect on motor neuron degeneration. |
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