---
_id: '11945'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) respond to specific ligands and regulate
    multiple processes ranging from cell growth and immune responses to neuronal signal
    transmission. However, ligands for many GPCRs remain unknown, suffer from off-target
    effects or have poor bioavailability. Additional challenges exist to dissect cell-type
    specific responses when the same GPCR is expressed on several cell types within
    the body. Here, we overcome these limitations by engineering DREADD-based GPCR
    chimeras that selectively bind their agonist clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) and mimic
    a GPCR-of-interest in a desired cell type.\r\nWe validated our approach with β2-adrenergic
    receptor (β2AR/ADRB2) and show that our chimeric DREADD-β2AR triggers comparable
    responses on second messenger and kinase activity, post-translational modifications,
    and protein-protein interactions. Since β2AR is also enriched in microglia, which
    can drive inflammation in the central nervous system, we expressed chimeric DREADD-β2AR
    in primary microglia and successfully recapitulate β2AR-mediated filopodia formation
    through CNO stimulation. To dissect the role of selected GPCRs during microglial
    inflammation, we additionally generated DREADD-based chimeras for microglia-enriched
    GPR65 and GPR109A/HCAR2. In a microglia cell line, DREADD-β2AR and DREADD-GPR65
    both modulated the inflammatory response with a similar profile as endogenously
    expressed β2AR, while DREADD-GPR109A showed no impact.\r\nOur DREADD-based approach
    provides the means to obtain mechanistic and functional insights into GPCR signaling
    on a cell-type specific level."
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: Bio
- _id: PreCl
- _id: LifeSc
alternative_title:
- ISTA Thesis
article_processing_charge: No
author:
- first_name: Rouven
  full_name: Schulz, Rouven
  id: 4C5E7B96-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Schulz
  orcid: 0000-0001-5297-733X
citation:
  ama: Schulz R. Chimeric G protein-coupled receptors mimic distinct signaling pathways
    and modulate microglia function. 2022. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945">10.15479/at:ista:11945</a>
  apa: Schulz, R. (2022). <i>Chimeric G protein-coupled receptors mimic distinct signaling
    pathways and modulate microglia function</i>. Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945">https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945</a>
  chicago: Schulz, Rouven. “Chimeric G Protein-Coupled Receptors Mimic Distinct Signaling
    Pathways and Modulate Microglia Function.” Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945">https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945</a>.
  ieee: R. Schulz, “Chimeric G protein-coupled receptors mimic distinct signaling
    pathways and modulate microglia function,” Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022.
  ista: Schulz R. 2022. Chimeric G protein-coupled receptors mimic distinct signaling
    pathways and modulate microglia function. Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria.
  mla: Schulz, Rouven. <i>Chimeric G Protein-Coupled Receptors Mimic Distinct Signaling
    Pathways and Modulate Microglia Function</i>. Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:11945">10.15479/at:ista:11945</a>.
  short: R. Schulz, Chimeric G Protein-Coupled Receptors Mimic Distinct Signaling
    Pathways and Modulate Microglia Function, Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022.
date_created: 2022-08-23T11:33:11Z
date_published: 2022-08-23T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-08-03T13:02:26Z
day: '23'
ddc:
- '570'
degree_awarded: PhD
department:
- _id: GradSch
- _id: SaSi
doi: 10.15479/at:ista:11945
file:
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 61b1b666a210ff7cdd0e95ea75207a13
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: rschulz
  date_created: 2022-08-25T08:59:57Z
  date_updated: 2022-08-25T08:59:57Z
  file_id: '11970'
  file_name: Thesis_Rouven_Schulz_2022_final.pdf
  file_size: 28079331
  relation: main_file
  success: 1
- access_level: closed
  checksum: 2b8f95ea1c134dbdb927b41b1dbeeeb5
  content_type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
  creator: rschulz
  date_created: 2022-08-25T09:00:11Z
  date_updated: 2022-08-25T09:33:31Z
  file_id: '11971'
  file_name: Thesis_Rouven_Schulz_2022_final.docx
  file_size: 27226963
  relation: source_file
file_date_updated: 2022-08-25T09:33:31Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '08'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: '133'
project:
- _id: 267F75D8-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  name: Modulating microglia through G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 2663-337X
publication_status: published
publisher: Institute of Science and Technology Austria
related_material:
  record:
  - id: '11995'
    relation: dissertation_contains
    status: public
status: public
supervisor:
- first_name: Sandra
  full_name: Siegert, Sandra
  id: 36ACD32E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Siegert
  orcid: 0000-0001-8635-0877
title: Chimeric G protein-coupled receptors mimic distinct signaling pathways and
  modulate microglia function
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: dissertation
user_id: 8b945eb4-e2f2-11eb-945a-df72226e66a9
year: '2022'
...
---
_id: '12378'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: "Environmental cues influence the highly dynamic morphology of microglia.
    Strategies to \r\ncharacterize these changes usually involve user-selected morphometric
    features, which \r\npreclude the identification of a spectrum of context-dependent
    morphological phenotypes. \r\nHere, we develop MorphOMICs, a topological data
    analysis approach, which enables semi\x02automatic mapping of microglial morphology
    into an atlas of cue-dependent phenotypes,\r\novercomes feature-selection bias
    and minimizes biological variability. \r\nFirst, with MorphOMICs we derive the
    morphological spectrum of microglia across seven \r\nbrain regions during postnatal
    development and in two distinct Alzheimer’s disease \r\ndegeneration mouse models.
    We uncover region-specific and sexually dimorphic\r\nmorphological trajectories,
    with females showing an earlier morphological shift than males in \r\nthe degenerating
    brain. Overall, we demonstrate that both long primary- and short terminal \r\nprocesses
    provide distinct insights to morphological phenotypes. Moreover, using machine
    \r\nlearning to map novel condition on the spectrum, we observe that microglia
    morphologies \r\nreflect a dose-dependent adaptation upon ketamine anesthesia
    and do not recover to control \r\nmorphologies.\r\nNext, we took advantage of
    MorphOMICs to build a high-resolution and layer-specific map of \r\nmicroglial
    morphological spectrum in the retina, covering postnatal development and rd10
    \r\ndegeneration. Here, following photoreceptor death, microglia assume an early
    development\x02like morphology. Finally, we map microglial morphology following
    optic nerve crush on the \r\nretinal spectrum and observe a layer- and sex-dependent
    response. \r\nOverall, MorphOMICs opens a new perspective to analyze microglial
    morphology across \r\nmultiple conditions, and provides a novel tool to characterize
    microglial morphology beyond \r\nthe traditionally dichotomized view of microglia."
acknowledged_ssus:
- _id: PreCl
- _id: Bio
- _id: ScienComp
alternative_title:
- ISTA Thesis
article_processing_charge: No
author:
- first_name: Gloria
  full_name: Colombo, Gloria
  id: 3483CF6C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Colombo
  orcid: 0000-0001-9434-8902
citation:
  ama: Colombo G. MorphOMICs, a tool for mapping microglial morphology, reveals brain
    region- and sex-dependent phenotypes. 2022. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378">10.15479/at:ista:12378</a>
  apa: Colombo, G. (2022). <i>MorphOMICs, a tool for mapping microglial morphology,
    reveals brain region- and sex-dependent phenotypes</i>. Institute of Science and
    Technology Austria. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378">https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378</a>
  chicago: Colombo, Gloria. “MorphOMICs, a Tool for Mapping Microglial Morphology,
    Reveals Brain Region- and Sex-Dependent Phenotypes.” Institute of Science and
    Technology Austria, 2022. <a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378">https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378</a>.
  ieee: G. Colombo, “MorphOMICs, a tool for mapping microglial morphology, reveals
    brain region- and sex-dependent phenotypes,” Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022.
  ista: Colombo G. 2022. MorphOMICs, a tool for mapping microglial morphology, reveals
    brain region- and sex-dependent phenotypes. Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria.
  mla: Colombo, Gloria. <i>MorphOMICs, a Tool for Mapping Microglial Morphology, Reveals
    Brain Region- and Sex-Dependent Phenotypes</i>. Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.15479/at:ista:12378">10.15479/at:ista:12378</a>.
  short: G. Colombo, MorphOMICs, a Tool for Mapping Microglial Morphology, Reveals
    Brain Region- and Sex-Dependent Phenotypes, Institute of Science and Technology
    Austria, 2022.
date_created: 2023-01-25T14:27:43Z
date_published: 2022-11-11T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2023-08-04T09:40:37Z
day: '11'
ddc:
- '570'
degree_awarded: PhD
department:
- _id: GradSch
- _id: SaSi
doi: 10.15479/at:ista:12378
ec_funded: 1
file:
- access_level: closed
  checksum: 8cd3ddfe9b53381dcf086023d8d8893a
  content_type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document
  creator: cchlebak
  date_created: 2023-01-25T14:31:32Z
  date_updated: 2023-04-12T22:30:03Z
  embargo_to: open_access
  file_id: '12379'
  file_name: Gloria_Colombo_Thesis.docx
  file_size: 23890382
  relation: source_file
- access_level: open_access
  checksum: 8af4319c18b516e8758e9a6cb02b103b
  content_type: application/pdf
  creator: cchlebak
  date_created: 2023-01-25T14:31:36Z
  date_updated: 2023-04-12T22:30:03Z
  embargo: 2023-04-11
  file_id: '12380'
  file_name: Gloria_Colombo_Thesis.pdf
  file_size: 13802421
  relation: main_file
file_date_updated: 2023-04-12T22:30:03Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '11'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
page: '142'
project:
- _id: 2564DBCA-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
  call_identifier: H2020
  grant_number: '665385'
  name: International IST Doctoral Program
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 2663-337X
publication_status: published
publisher: Institute of Science and Technology Austria
related_material:
  record:
  - id: '12244'
    relation: part_of_dissertation
    status: public
status: public
supervisor:
- first_name: Sandra
  full_name: Siegert, Sandra
  id: 36ACD32E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
  last_name: Siegert
  orcid: 0000-0001-8635-0877
title: MorphOMICs, a tool for mapping microglial morphology, reveals brain region-
  and sex-dependent phenotypes
tmp:
  image: /images/cc_by.png
  legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
  name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
  short: CC BY (4.0)
type: dissertation
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
year: '2022'
...
