Natural killer cells and innate lymphoid cells 1 tune anxiety-like behavior and memory in mice via interferon-γ and acetylcholine
Date
2023
Authors
Garofalo, Stefano
Cocozza, Germana
Mormino, Alessandro
Bernardini, Giovanni
Russo, Eleonora
Ielpo, Donald
Andolina, Diego
Ventura, Rossella
Martinello, Katiuscia
Renzi, Massimiliano
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nature Communications
Abstract
The mechanisms of communication between the brain and the immune cells are still largely unclear. Here, we characterize the populations of resident natural killer (NK) cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILC) 1 in themeningeal dura layer of adult mice. We describe that ILC1/NK cell-derived interferon-γ and acetylcholine can contribute to the modulation of brain homeostatic functions, shaping synaptic neuronal transmission and neurotransmitter levels with effects on mice behavior. In detail, the interferon-γ plays a role in the formation of non-spatial memory, tuning the frequency of GABAergic neurotransmission on cortical pyramidal neurons, while the acetylcholine is a mediator involved in the modulation of brain circuitries that regulate anxiety-like behavior. These findings disclose mechanisms of immune-to-brain communication that modulate brain functions under physiological conditions.
Description
The authors thank G. Peruzzi, Flow Cytometry Facility - Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), for sorting experiment. We thank P. Ratano and R. Molfetta for excellent technical assistance, S. Di Angelantonio, M.K. St-Pierre and F.G. Ibáñez for revising the manuscript.
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Citation
Garofalo, S., Cocozza, G., Mormino, A., Bernardini, G., Russo, E., Ielpo, D., ... Limatola, C. (2023). Natural killer cells and innate lymphoid cells 1 tune anxiety-like behavior and memory in mice via interferon-γ and acetylcholine. Nature Communications, 14, 3103. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38899-3