Distinct effects of interleukin-6 and interferon-γ on differentiating human cortical neurons
The Karmacharya lab interrogated neurodevelopmental effects of exposure to interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in differentiating human cortical neurons. Transcriptomic analyses showed IL-6 exposure affected genes regulating extracellular matrix, actin cytoskeleton and TGF-β signaling while IFN-γ exposure impacted genes regulating antigen processing, major histocompatibility complex and endoplasmic reticulum biology. IL-6 altered mitochondrial respiration in the differentiated neurons while IFN-γ induced reduction in dendritic spine density. Pretreatment with folic acid ameliorated IL-6 effects on mitochondrial respiration and IFN-γ effects on dendritic spine density. These findings suggest cellular processes that mediate maternal immune activation in developing brains and how folic acid mitigates such risk.
Read more in Brain Behavior and Immunity
December 7, 2022
Publication
CGM Primary Investigator
The Center for Genomic Medicine (CGM) comprises one of the largest and most vibrant hubs of genomic medicine research in the world. The CGM includes 46 faculty collaborating to define the ‘genomic medicine cycle’ – which envisages a genomics community seeking to advance research from basic genomics research to ultimately using genome information for diagnostics and targeted therapeutics. All of our investigators are faculty at Harvard Medical School, and many members of our community are also investigators at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.
