GSE131869
Cx3cr1-deficient microglia exhibit a premature aging transcriptome
CX3CR1, one of the highest expressed genes in microglia in mice and humans, is implicated in numerous microglial functions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Cx3cr1 signaling are not well understood. Here, we analyzed transcriptomes of Cx3cr1-deficient microglia under varying conditions by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). In 2 mos mice, Cx3cr1 deletion resulted in the downregulation of a subset of immune-related genes, without substantial epigenetic changes in markers of active chromatin. Surprisingly, Cx3cr1-deficient microglia from young mice exhibited a transcriptome consistent with that of aged Cx3cr1-sufficient animals, suggesting a premature aging transcriptomic signature. Overall design: RNAseq analysis of sorted microglia