Astrocytic corticosteroids and immunity

Reactive astrocytes are important pathophysiologically and synthesise neurosteroids. We observed that LPS increased immunoreactive TLR4 and key steroidogenic enzymes in cortical astrocytes of rats and investigated whether corticosteroids are produced and mediate astrocytic TLR4-dependent innate immune responses.

反应性星形胶质细胞（Reactive astrocytes）在病理生理过程中具有重要意义，且能够合成神经甾体。本研究观察到，脂多糖（LPS）可上调大鼠皮层星形胶质细胞中免疫反应性Toll样受体4（TLR4）与关键类固醇生成酶的水平，并探究了皮质类固醇是否可由星形胶质细胞合成，且是否介导依赖TLR4的星形胶质细胞固有免疫应答。