Beyond Exosomes: Neurons May Communicate with Microglia Using DNA Fragments
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, have discovered an unexpected mechanism of communication in the developing brain.
In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, Dr. Sarasa Yano and colleagues showed that neurons release small DNA-containing structures known as micronuclei into the extracellular environment. These micronuclei are subsequently engulfed by microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells.
Once inside microglia, the micronuclei activate the cGAS-STING DNA sensing pathway, leading to changes in microglial morphology and gene expression.
The work, supervised by senior author Prof. Fuminori Tsuruta, suggests that extracellular communication in the brain extends far beyond neurotransmitters and classical extracellular vesicles.
The findings open new perspectives for understanding brain development, neuroinflammation, and potentially neurodegenerative disorders where DNA sensing pathways play important roles.
For the extracellular vesicle community, the message is clear:
The extracellular world may contain many more biological messengers than exosomes alone.
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