Signaling cascades shape functional subpopulations of cortical astrocytes in male wild-type mice and APP/PS1dE9 Alzheimer’s disease model

Recent single cell/nucleus genomics analyses evidence astrocyte subpopulations coexisting in normal and AD brains. However, the signaling cascades controlling them, their functional characteristics and roles in AD are still unknown.

Here, thanks to astrocyte-specific reporters for STAT3 and NF-kB signaling pathways, two regulators of astrocyte reactivity, we report the presence of three astrocyte subpopulations defined by their signaling activity, in the prefrontal cortex of male APP/PS1dE9 mice. These subpopulations are not triggered by amyloid deposition and are also observed in wild-type mice. They show distinct morphologies, molecular signatures and functional profiles.