Senescent Phenotype of Astrocytes Leads to Activation of BV2 Microglia and N2a Neuronal Cells Death

Abstract

(1) Background: Astrocytes, the most abundant cell type in the central nervous system, are essential to tune individual-to-network neuronal activity. Senescence in astrocytes has been discovered as a crucial contributor to several age-related neurological diseases. Here, we aim to observe if astrocytes demonstrate senescence in the process of brain aging, and whether they bring adverse factors, especially harm to neuronal cells. (2) Methods: In vivo, mice were housed for four, 18, and 26 months. An in vitro cell model of aged astrocytes was constructed by serial passaging until passage 20–25, and those within 1–5 were invoked as young astrocytes. Meanwhile, an oxidative induced astrocyte senescence model was constructed by H2O2 induction. (3) Results: In vitro aged astrocytes all showed manifest changes in several established markers of cellular senescence, e.g., P53, P21, and the release of inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and SA-β-gal positive cells. Results also showed mitochondrial dysfunction in the oxidative stress-induced astrocyte senescence model and treatment of berberine could ameliorate these alterations. Two types of senescent astrocytes’ conditioned medium could impact on neuron apoptosis in direct or indirect ways. (4) Conclusions: Senescent astrocyte might affect neurons directly or indirectly acting on the regulation of normal and pathological brain aging.