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Assessing Neurotoxicant-Induced Inflammation in the Central Nervous System: Cytokine mRNA with Immunostaining of Microglia Morphology

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Experimental Neurotoxicology Methods

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 172))

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Abstract

Inflammation occurs as a normal response of the organism to harmful stimuli such as microbial pathogens, irritants, or toxic cellular components that result from injury and trauma. It serves as a balanced process of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses to maintain normal tissue. The increased role of inflammation in the manifestation of neurotoxicity, whether directly induced or the result of pathological changes, has led to assessments of inflammatory factors within models of environmental exposures. Within the brain, an inflammatory response can be elicited from the resident central nervous system (CNS) glia (microglia and astrocytes) but can also be influenced by endothelial cells and peripherally derived immune cells depending on the nature of the insult, chemical-induced insults. There is a complex and dynamic response in the brain to regulate the inflammatory process. This chapter outlines methods to assess occurrence of a neuroinflammatory response with examination of mRNA levels for pro-inflammatory cytokines and receptors by qRT-PCR, combined with immunocytochemical staining for resident microglia immune cells and their morphological assessment. Analysis of the endpoints described in this chapter provides a framework to assess chemical-induced inflammation in the CNS.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurotoxicology Group, National Toxicology Program Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Christopher A. McPherson & G. Jean Harry

Authors
  1. Christopher A. McPherson
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  2. G. Jean Harry
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Jean Harry .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques, Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalunya, Spain

    Jordi Llorens

  2. Departament de Farmacologia, Toxicologia i Química Terapèutica, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

    Marta Barenys

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McPherson, C.A., Harry, G.J. (2021). Assessing Neurotoxicant-Induced Inflammation in the Central Nervous System: Cytokine mRNA with Immunostaining of Microglia Morphology. In: Llorens, J., Barenys, M. (eds) Experimental Neurotoxicology Methods. Neuromethods, vol 172. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1637-6_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1637-6_13

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-1636-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-1637-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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