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Is there a sex-sepcific acitavtion pathway in microglia?

Sexual dimorphism

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

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Sex-specific activation pathways in microglia have been identified in various contexts. Studies have shown that in the aging mouse hippocampus, female microglia exhibit a greater adoption of disease-associated and senescent phenotypes compared to males, even in the absence of disease pathology . Additionally, in the context of autoimmune demyelinating disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a sex-specific molecular pathway involving p38α in microglia has been highlighted. This pathway plays a protective role in CNS autoimmunity in males, while exhibiting divergent effects in females, suggesting distinct cellular and molecular pathways driving autoimmunity in males and females . These findings underscore the importance of considering sex-specific differences in microglial activation pathways for the development of targeted therapies in various neurological conditions.

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Open access•Journal Article•DOI Brain region- and sex-specific transcriptional profiles of microglia Kelly Barko, Micah A. Shelton, Xiangning Xue, Yvette Afriyie-Agyemang, Stephanie Puig, Zachary Freyberg, George C. Tseng, Ryan W. Logan, Marianne L. Seney - Show less +8 more 24 Aug 2022-Frontiers in Psychiatry 6 Citations	Yes, the study found sex differences in expression of microglia-specific transcripts in various brain regions, with selenium-related transcripts more highly expressed in females across all regions.
Open access•Journal Article•DOI The Pathological Activation of Microglia Is Modulated by Sexually Dimorphic Pathways Jennifer L. O'Connor, Jillian C. Nissen - Show less +1 more 01 Mar 2023-International Journal of Molecular Sciences 1 Citations	Yes, sexually dimorphic pathways modulate microglial activation, influencing responses from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory, potentially contributing to sex-specific outcomes in CNS disorders.
Open access•Journal Article•DOI p38 MAP Kinase Signaling in Microglia Plays a Sex-Specific Protective Role in CNS Autoimmunity and Regulates Microglial Transcriptional States. Mahalia M. McGill, Alyssa R. Richman, Joseph R. Boyd, Bristy Sabikunnahar, Karolyn G. Lahue, Theresa L. Montgomery, Sydney Caldwell, Stella Varnum, Seth Frietze, Dimitry N. Krementsov - Show less +9 more 11 Oct 2021-Frontiers in Immunology 4 Citations	Yes, the p38α MAP kinase signaling pathway in microglia exhibits a sex-specific protective role in CNS autoimmunity, with distinct transcriptional states in males and females.
Open access•Journal Article•DOI Uncovering microglial pathways driving sex-specific neurobiological effects in stress and depression Justin L. Bollinger 09 Aug 2021 9 Citations	Yes, the paper suggests sex-specific microglial pathways in stress and depression, indicating divergent roles in males and females, influencing neurobiological effects differently.

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