Removal of microglial-specific MyD88 signaling alters dentate gyrus doublecortin and enhances opioid addiction-like behaviors

Drugs of abuse promote a potent immune response in central nervous system (CNS) via the activation of microglia and astrocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying microglial activation during addiction are not well known. We developed and functionally characterized a novel transgenic mouse (Cx3cr1-CreBT(tg/0):MyD88(f/f) (Cre(tg/0)]) wherein the immune signaling adaptor gene, MyD88, was specifically deleted in microglia. To test the downstream effects of loss of microglia-specific MyD88 signaling in morphine addiction, Cre(tg/0) and Cre(0/0) mice were tested for reward learning, extinction, and reinstatement using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. There were no differences in drug acquisition, but Cre(tg/0) mice had prolonged extinction and enhanced reinstatement compared to Cre(0/0) controls. Furthermore, morphine-treated Cre(tg/0) mice showed increased doublecortin (DCX) signal relative to Cre(0/0) control mice in the hippocampus, indicative of increasednumber of immature neurons. Additionally, there was an increase in colocalization of microglial lysosomal marker CD68 with DCX+ cells in morphine-treated Cre(tg/0) mice but not in Cre(0/0) or drug-naive mice, suggesting a specific role for microglial MyD88 signaling in neuronal phagocytosis in the hippocampus. Our results show that MyD88 deletion in microglia may negatively impact maturing neurons within the adult hippocampus and thus reward memories, suggesting a novel protective role for microglia in opioid addiction.