An in vitro model for Reactive Astrogliosis: Differentiated U-87 MG cells as biochemical analogues of reactive astrocytes

Abstract Reactive astrogliosis (RA) is a complex pathological condition where astrocytes undergo specific biochemical changes to attain hypertrophy and hyperplasia. RA is a mechanism being observed in various neurodegenerative disorders (ND) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and traumatic brain Injury (TBI). Various models have been designed to understand the mechanism of activation as well as to determine therapeutics to reverse or attenuate the condition for major neurological disorders but the study is hampered due to the lack of a suitable in vitro model. In this study, we propose a new in vitro model by using U-87 MG (human glioblastoma cells) cells which are differentiated by using retinoic acid and transformed by using proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines to generate the A1/A2 phenotype. The model was further validated by using comparative expression analysis of marker proteins and profiling of a panel of miRNA. The purpose of this study was to understand the molecular switch mechanism for the interconversion of these cells that can be used in the development of new therapeutic interventions for multiple neurological conditions. Since multi targeted drugs are on the rise, it will be beneficial to design therapies that could direct both neuronal and astrocytic milieu towards neuroprotection.