Transcriptomic Analysis of Argon Effects on LPS-stimulated Primary Microglia

Argon has been reported to alleviate the symptoms of psychiatric disorders; however, its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found that argon significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced anxiety-like behaviors and attenuated hippocampal neuronal hyperexcitability in mice.

By analyzing neuronal excitability following microglial depletion and subsequent repopulation, as well as assessing microglial morphology, we confirmed that microglia are key targets of inflammation and validated the inhibitory effects of argon. Electrophysiological studies and transcriptome sequencing revealed that argon inhibited the microglia-released inflammatory cytokines via the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, thereby improving the excitability of hippocampal neurons.