Microglial TonEBP mediates LPS-induced inflammation and memory loss as transcriptional cofactor for NF-κB and AP-1

Background Microglia are brain-resident myeloid cells involved in the innate immune response and a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. In macrophages, TonEBP is a transcriptional cofactor of NF-kappa B which stimulates the transcription of pro-inflammatory genes in response to LPS. Here, we examined the role of microglial TonEBP. Methods We used microglial cell line, BV2 cells. TonEBP was knocked down using lentiviral transduction of shRNA. In animals, TonEBP was deleted from myeloid cells using a line of mouse with floxed TonEBP. Cerulenin was used to block the NF-kappa B cofactor function of TonEBP. Results TonEBP deficiency blocked the LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes in association with decreased activity of NF-kappa B in BV2 cells. We found that there was also a decreased activity of AP-1 and that TonEBP was a transcriptional cofactor of AP-1 as well as NF-kappa B. Interestingly, we found that myeloid-specific TonEBP deletion blocked the LPS-induced microglia activation and subsequent neuronal cell death and memory loss. Cerulenin disrupted the assembly of the TonEBP/NF-kappa B/AP-1/p300 complex and suppressed the LPS-induced microglial activation and the neuronal damages in animals. Conclusions TonEBP is a key mediator of microglial activation and neuroinflammation relevant to neuronal damage. Cerulenin is an effective blocker of the TonEBP actions.