Microglia enhance neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in the early postnatal subventricular zone

Although microglia have long been considered as brain resident immune cells, increasing evidence suggests that they also have physiological roles in the development of the normal CNS. In this study, we found large numbers of activated microglia in the forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ) of the rat from P1 to P10. Pharmacological suppression of the activation, which produces a decrease in levels of a number of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) significantly inhibited neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis in the SVZ. In vitro neurosphere assays reproduced the enhancement of neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis by activated microglia and showed that the cytokines revealed the effects complementarily. These results suggest that activated microglia accumulate in the early postnatal SVZ and that they enhance neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis via released cytokines.