🧠 New book chapter out!

We review the developmental origin and functional diversity of #microglia - key players at the crossroads of #immunity and #neurodevelopment.

🔹 Ontogeny & specialization
🔹 Transcriptional & metabolic shifts
🔹 Roles in disease & repair
👉 authors.elsevier.com/a/1lKxcErwXf...

8/
Live-imaging of hepatocytes exposed to ApoE confirmed:
→ ApoE and ApoA1 alone was sufficient to cause lipid droplet accumulation

7/
Multi-omics profiling (bulk & single-nucleus RNA-seq + ATAC-seq + proteomics) revealed:
✅ Apolipoproteins ApoE and ApoA1 are upregulated in reprogrammed KCs
✅ They act via paracrine signaling to induce steatosis in hepatocytes

6/
Using a double fate-mapping model, we confirm that these disease-driving KCs remain yolk sac–derived — not replaced by monocyte-derived macrophages, as seen in diet-induced FLD.

3/
Using a mouse model, we show that maternal obesity causes long-term transcriptional, metabolic & epigenetic changes in KCs.
These reprogrammed KCs persist into adulthood and promote lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, leading to fatty liver disease (FLD).

Just presented our story on #KupfferCells #liver & #microplastics togehter with @mariafviola.bsky.social in the basic science session @ #EASL2025 in #Amsterdam. Great format to promote ECRs and for fantastic discussions with scientists and clinicians!

Read our newest publication @jem.org about #microglia and #CD8Tcell interactions in spastic paraplegia! 💡Immune activation happens before #neuronal loss! 💡
Team effort with the labs of Marc Beyer and Ralf Stumm 👇
doi.org/10.1084/jem....
@limes-bonn.bsky.social @immunosens.bsky.social #immunosky

7/ ❗ The long-term problem:
Even after a 6-month washout period, MNPs were still present in liver macrophages, although metabolism recovered. This raises concerns about cumulative effects over a lifetime.

6/ 🧠 Surprisingly, even though some NPs reached the brain, we found no major changes in behaviour or inflammation. The blood-brain barrier seems to limit MP entry, keeping the brain mostly protected - at least under healthy conditions.

5/ 🍔 When combined with a high-fat diet, MPs worsened liver fat storage, while NPs led to glucose intolerance. This suggests that chronic MNP exposure can amplify metabolic disorders.

4/ 🆚 Size matters!
#Microplastics (MPs, 500 nm): Impair KC-dependent phagocytosis (platelet-depletion assay), increasing liver lipid accumulation (Oil-red-O, ORO staining).
#Nanoplastics (NPs, 50 nm): Affect glucose metabolism and reach the brain, but don’t trigger neuroinflammation.

3/ 🔬 Using a chronic exposure model in mice, we found that liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells, KCs) are the primary site of MNP accumulation. Over time, this disrupts their function, leading to metabolic imbalances in the liver and beyond.

"Bacterial translocation promotes #trained #immunity" !!! 🤩
Check out our preview highlighting the beautiful peace @cp-immunity.bsky.social by the Sanches lab. With @mariafviola.bsky.social
#macrophages #Mincle authors.elsevier.com/a/1kbBf3qNrU...

Only few more days left to apply! We have several #PhD #positions in the field of #immunology #development #cellbiology #macrophages! #FOR5775 is hiring!! Find details here: macrophagenetwork.com/news-2/
Pls repost👇 #immunosky

2 #poster #prizes for the incredible @mariafviola.bsky.social and @haohuang0086.bsky.social at #EMDS 🫶 #macrophages rock! #immunosky

@haohuang0086.bsky.social presenting our maternal obesity @ #EMDS !! Check out also our poster about the role of microplastics in #Kupffer cells by @mariafviola.bsky.social