4. The role of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 Signaling in CNS Pathology
The CX3CL1-CX3CR1-dependent signaling pathway plays a vital role in autoimmune and inflammatory CNS diseases. Multiple sclerosis is a typical autoimmune CNS disease characterized by inflammation and focal demyelination within the spinal cord and brain [
84]. An animal model of experimentally induced autoimmune encephalomyelitis represents a disease closely related to multiple sclerosis [
85], in which the expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 changes within the sites of demyelination. Indeed, the accumulation of microglia expressing CX3CR1 receptors has been found in brain damage and inflammation in rats with experimentally induced autoimmune encephalomyelitis without any alterations in the neuronal expression of CX3CL1 [
86]. However, an increase in CX3CL1 expression has been found in astrocytes located near regions affected by inflammation, which may indicate that astrocytes are the source of excessive CX3CL1 release and attract microglia to these regions [
86]. Another aspect refers to the increased expression of CX3CL1 in microglia of rats with experimentally induced encephalomyelitis [
57]. In this context, the increase in CX3CL1 expression may be a process by which microglia attempt to return to a quiescent phenotype and inhibit their excessive activation.
Moreover, the disease course of CX3CR1
-/- mice with experimentally induced encephalomyelitis is more severe than that of WT mice. These mice also show more significant expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-17, than do WT mice [
87]. Conversely, concentrations of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 are significantly greater in WT mice affected by experimentally induced encephalomyelitis than in CX3CR1
-/- mice affected by this disease [
87]. These results indicate a close correlation between CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in the regulation of the autoimmune response. An autoimmune response within the CNS may result in excessive activation of microglia. However, while there is considerable evidence that microglial activation contributes to neuronal damage in multiple sclerosis, there is also evidence that microglia also have essential reparative functions. Microglia can increase the expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1, which may constitute a mechanism by which they attempt to prevent hyperactivation and restore the quiescent phenotype in adjacent microglia. Depending on the effectiveness of this autoregulation, microglia may generally acquire a neurotoxic or neuroprotective phenotype. Consistent with this, in the course of multiple sclerosis, one of the polymorphic variants of CX3CR1, namely, CX3CR1
I249/T280 [
88], affects the affinity of CX3CL1 for its receptor and the expression of the receptor itself.
Spinal cord injury significantly damages neurons and completely disrupts axonal continuity, leading to inflammation and neurodegeneration at and around the site of injury [
89], which then results in the recruitment of microglia and monocyte-derived macrophages [
90]. Microglia and macrophages promote the formation of the glial scar, which reduces the chance of recovering the function of damaged neurons and, thus, the chance of survival of the organism as a whole [
91]. CX3CR1
-/- mice have a specific subpopulation of macrophages that are not present in WT mice. These macrophages infiltrate the damaged spinal cord and possess unique properties compared to those of macrophages found in WT mice. Microglia in CX3CR1
-/- mice produce lower amounts of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and IL-6 mRNA after spinal cord injury.
Moreover, in CX3CR1
-/- mice, functional recovery after spinal cord injury occurs faster and to a greater extent, suggesting that the relationship between neurons and microglia is in dynamic equilibrium during neuronal regeneration. Therefore, after spinal cord injury, microglia in CX3CR1
+/+ (WT) mice may release factors that activate astrocytes and promote glial scar formation, inhibiting functional axonal regeneration. Pharmacological blockade of CX3CR1 in an appropriate time window after spinal cord injury may serve as a novel method to inhibit microglial activation and promote neural regeneration. Despite the undoubtedly neuroprotective functions of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling pathway in the CNS, CX3CL1 may do more harm than good under certain circumstances. Studies conducted in CX3CL1
-/- mice to investigate the role of CX3CL1 immediately after ischemic injury suggest that CX3CL1 expression inhibits recovery from ischemic CNS injury [
92]. Similar studies in CX3CL1
-/- and CX3CR1
-/- mice have shown that in both strains of mice, the volume of infarcted tissue after ischemia is lower, and the administration of exogenous CX3CL1 to WT mice reduces the total volume of tissue affected by ischemic infarction. CX3CL1 administration has no effect on CX3CR1
-/- mice.
Furthermore, in an in vitro glucose and oxygen deprivation model that reflects in vivo ischemic conditions, CX3CL1 reduced TNF-α release from CX3CR1
-/- microglia. These results may explain why administering exogenous CX3CL1 to CX3CR1
-/- mice increases the total volume of infarcted tissues, considering the neuroprotective effects of TNF-α [
93]. CX3CL1 did not affect TNF-α release in microglia collected from WT mice. Moreover, in CX3CR1
-/- mice, the infarct area after ischemia was smaller than that in the WT and heterozygous mice. Greater IL-1β expression has been observed in the astrocytes of CX3CR1
+/- mice than in those of CX3CR1
-/- mice. This finding suggests that, under stressful conditions, such as during an ischemic episode, CX3CR1
-/- microglia acquire an astrocyte function-altering phenotype by default [
94].
Studies on the sex-specific effects of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling have shown that, within 12 weeks of an ischemic event in WT and CX3CR1
-/- mice, female WT mice recover more functions than female CX3CR1
-/- mice [
95], while no difference has been found in males. This finding suggests that, for unknown reasons, signaling dependent on the activation of the CX3CR1 receptor has a more significant neuroprotective effect in the event of ischemic episodes in females than in males.
4.1. CX3CL1-CX3CR1 Pathway in Aging Microglia
Increasing amounts of data are emerging regarding the role of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling in the aged brain. A significant amount of data suggest that the expression of CX3CL1 in the brain of young rodents is high and decreases with age, which reduces the number of ramified microglia and promotes the release of neuroinflammation markers [
96]. Moreover, in old mice exposed to peripheral LPS, the microglial response is enhanced [
64,
96,
97], which may confirm the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of CX3CL1 in young mice. Interestingly, LPS exposure also reduces CX3CR1 expression in old brains more than in young brains, resulting in a long-term decrease in the expression of these receptors on microglia [
98]. Recent studies have confirmed these results and have shown that, while the expression of CX3CR1 on microglia returns to normal within 24 hours of exposure to LPS in young mice, this does not occur in old mice [
97]. This failure to return regular CX3CR1 expression is accompanied by increased IL-1β release, often exacerbating existing CNS diseases. Taken together, reduced expression of CX3CL1, CX3CR1, or both proteins in aged brains significantly alters the effectiveness of the signaling axis dependent on these proteins, resulting in both morphological and functional alterations in microglial cell phenotypes, as well as impairment of microglial function. It is known that neurogenesis in the hippocampus decreases during aging. Pharmacological blockade or genetic ablation of CX3CR1 [
70,
96] has a similar effect on the dentate gyrus of the mouse hippocampus, with a subsequent IL-1β-dependent decrease in the survival and proliferation rate of neuronal stem cells [
96]. In this context, attenuation of CX3CL1-dependent signaling may contribute to excessive activation of microglia [
96]. It remains to be determined whether the same phenomenon occurs in humans. Considering the reduced neurogenesis in the hippocampus during cognitive impairment and aging, further studies are recommended to determine the involvement of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling pathway in the pathologies mentioned above in humans. Activation of the CX3CR1 receptor in microglia regulates PI3K activity, reducing IL-1β production [
99]. Since aging is characterized by a chronic increase in IL-1β levels in the hippocampus [
100] and IL-1β inhibits the cell cycle in neuronal progenitor cells [
101], impaired activation of CX3CR1 receptor-dependent signaling may contribute to the reduced rate of neurogenesis in aged brains, especially because blockade of IL-1β abrogates these effects [
96].
Recent studies have also clarified the role of IL-1β. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD
+)-dependent protein deacetylase, has been associated with neuroprotective effects, which are partially dependent on the inactivation of the p65 subunit of NF-κB by SIRT1 and, therefore, on the inhibition of the expression of IL-1β, a protein upregulated by NF-κB [
102]. However, the activated CX3CR1 receptor can inhibit the activity of protein kinase A (PKA); thus, deletion of this receptor may facilitate the activation of PKA and, therefore, the activation of NF-κB, which is also dependent on this kinase [
103]. In CX3CR1
-/- microglia, SIRT1 activity increases, which likely helps to prevent excessive activation of NF-κB, but in old brains, it is insufficient to prevent excessive expression of genes promoted by NF-κB, including the IL-1β-encoding gene [
104,
105].
Previous studies on various animal models of neurodegeneration have shown that the loss of neuronal interactions with microglia caused by damage to the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling pathway results in more significant neurotoxic activity of microglia and, therefore, in a more severe course of neurodegenerative diseases [
81]. However, it is unknown whether impaired functioning of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling pathway occurs as a result or as a cause of increased activation of microglia, while both scenarios may occur during brain aging or diabetic encephalopathy. No differences in CX3CL1 mRNA expression were detected in hippocampal neurons collected from old rats compared with those collected from young rats, which indicates that posttranslational mechanisms are responsible for the decreased CX3CL1 activity [
96]. Administration of exogenous CX3CL1 restores physiological levels of neurogenesis. Moreover, a slight decrease in CX3CL1 expression was observed in middle-aged rats. However, they do not have such an inhibitory effect on the function of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1-dependent signaling axis, as observed in old rats, proving the direct role of aging in the significant inhibition of CX3CL1 expression. In other words, the apparent physiological decline in CX3CL1 expression that occurs during aging may be compensated for during the early but not late stage of this process.
When looking at the interindividual genetic variation in the CX3CR1 coding regions, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can be detected. Interestingly, these polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) [
106,
107] and a reduced risk of atherosclerosis [
108]. Moreover, plasma soluble CX3CR1 levels are significantly greater in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease than in people with severe disease. If we assume that the severity of Alzheimer's disease progresses with age, such observations are consistent with the hypothesis that CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling plays a neuroprotective role [
109]. Notably, in old mice, voluntary physical exercise increases the CX3CL1 concentration in the brain and, therefore, neurogenesis in the hippocampus [
110], which leads to improved hippocampal function [
111,
112]. Combined, this suggests that decreased physical activity with age may contribute to a decrease in CX3CL1 levels in the brain.
4.2. Common Denominators of Brain Aging, Alzheimer's Disease and Diabetic Encephalopathy
In the course of both Alzheimer's disease and untreated diabetes, microglia may be excessively activated by factors such as oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. In Alzheimer's disease, microglia may be directly activated by extracellular deposits of Aβ aggregates, while in diabetic encephalopathy, they can be activated by AGEs. Furthermore, damage to the blood–brain barrier occurring in the course of diabetes makes it permeable to substances not generally found in the brain, which may promote neuroinflammation. The pattern of microglial cell activation depends on microglial interactions with neurons, while CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling plays a significant role in these interactions. Many studies have indicated that CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling may exert a neuroprotective effect by preventing the hyperactivation of microglia and thus the neuroinflammatory response [
64,
73,
74,
75]. However, other studies have suggested that CX3CL1-CX3CR1 activation can be harmful in slightly different contexts [
92,
93,
113]. Therefore, the modulation of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling may have different effects depending on the metabolic context [
114]. However, much evidence indicates that, in the course of diabetic encephalopathy, activation of this pathway can exert a neuroprotective effect since it takes part in the inhibition of microglial hyperactivation by neurons, which can prevent neuroinflammation, thus lowering the risk of dementia as a long-term complication of diabetes.
4.3. Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration in Diabetic Encephalopathy
The symptoms of DE consist mainly of cognitive deficits resulting from neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. One of the possible mechanisms underlying these complications of diabetes is persistent inflammation resulting from the pronounced secretion of proinflammatory mediators and pro-oxidant substances [
115]. Proinflammatory mediators are predominantly released from glia, including microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendroglia, in the brain [
116,
117]. The most common microglia-related function is immune surveillance—both in the healthy brain and in the brain affected by various diseases. Microglia constantly explore their microenvironment by extending and retracting their highly motile processes [
118,
119]. This property is essential for achieving a rapid response to infections or injuries that lead to the activation of microglia, changing their phenotype from quiescent to activated. At the same time, however, chronic excessive activation of microglia in the course of diabetes, e.g., due to hyperglycemia, may adversely affect the brain, leading to chronic neuroinflammation. Activation of microglia may occur in response to disruption of neuronal function, e.g., by excess glycation end products or reactive oxygen species (ROS), and is associated with immunoreactive, morphological, proliferative and migratory changes in microglial phenotypes [
118,
120]. The activation of microglia allows the elimination of pathogens and debris from other cells during acute inflammatory reactions, which is a beneficial phenomenon. However, the same activation may have an unfavorable effect on chronic inflammatory reactions, contributing to neurodegeneration [
121]. Chronic inflammation within the CNS may result in excessive activation of microglia, which, under such conditions, may excessively release proinflammatory cytokines and undergo oxidative and nitrosative stress [
122]. Activated microglia can proliferate and migrate to sites of brain tissue damage, where they undergo morphological changes and alterations in gene expression resulting from interactions among various signaling pathways [
123].
Diabetic Encephalopathy – Focus on Microglia
Much evidence indicates that microglia-dependent inflammation within the CNS plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DE. For example, extracellular nucleotides, particularly adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which act through purinergic metabotropic (e.g., P2Y) and purinergic ionotropic (e.g., P2X) receptors, are critical modulators of microglia–neuron communication [
124]. Therefore, microglia may affect the course of DE, among other processes, through interactions with neurons. First, neurons become hyperactive in response to neurotoxic factors, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia, after which they release slow-acting microglial activators, such as matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), ATP and chemokines, mainly monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, also known as chemokine CCL2), and CX3CL1 (fractalkine). Second, activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, a class of MAPKs in microglia, produces mediators such as neurotrophins and substances that regulate synaptic transmission and the intensity of inflammation. Microglial inflammation may also result from blocking the interaction between the immunomodulatory molecule CD200 and its receptor CD200R. The CD200/CD200R signaling pathway is responsible for immunosuppressive mechanisms involving the inhibition of macrophages, induction of regulatory T cells, switching of cytokine profiles from Th1 to Th2, inhibition of tumor-specific T-cell immunity and induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) [
125]. The inflammatory response in microglia also occurs due to the activation of signaling pathways related to pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a microglial receptor-adaptor complex known as triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) and DNAX-activating protein of 12 kDa (DAP12), as well as AGE-RAGE signaling [
126,
127,
128,
129,
130]. Despite having transporters for the three main energy substrates (glucose, fatty acids, and glutamine), during an acute inflammatory response, microglia may experience an energy deficit because microglial energy consumption is dependent on their degree of activity [
130]. Because neuronal hyperactivity caused by neurotoxic factors has a feedback-activating effect on microglia, including through the production of CX3CL1, the microglia-neuron interaction in the DE is a vicious cycle (
Figure 3).
Microglia activation in diabetic encephalopathy occurs as a result of the action of signaling pathways related to: ❶ pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), including toll-like receptors (TLRs), triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2/DNAX-activating protein of 12 kDa (TRM2/DAP12) and advanced glycation end products/receptor for advanced glycation end-products (AGE-RAGE), ❷ activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, a class of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) p38 MAPK and ❸ purinergic signaling. Microglial inflammation may also develop as a consequence of blocking the interaction of the immunomodulatory protein CD200 with its receptor CD200R (marked with crossed out red lines) ❹, because the CD200/CD200R signaling provides immunosuppression due to the inhibition of macrophages, induction of regulatory T cells, switching of cytokine profiles from T helper-1 (Th1) to T helper-2 (Th2), inhibition of tumor-specific T cell immunity and induction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) [
125]. Neuronal hyperactivity in diabetic encephalopathy may be caused by both neurotoxic factors outside microglia and an inflammatory response within microglia. Neurotoxic agents increase the risk of cognitive deficits due to impaired synaptic plasticity. Whatever the cause, neuronal hyperactivity has a feedback activating effect on microglia by releasing slow-acting microglial activators, such as matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and fractalkine (CX3CL1) ❺. The soluble form of CX3CL1 (sCX3CL1) has a pro-inflammatory effect by stimulating metabotropic CX3CR1 receptors expressed in microglial cells ❻.
Therefore, regulating the activity of some signaling pathways within microglia by inhibiting the activation of receptors for ATP (e.g., the purinergic ionotropic receptors P2X4 and P2X7), MMP-9, chemokines (CX3CL1 and CCL2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases—a class of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) may contribute to the development of novel treatments for DE [
130,
131].
5. Concluding Remarks
DE is a common long-term and chronic complication of DM. Therefore, with the high and constantly increasing incidence of diabetes, DE contributes significantly to cognitive impairment and motor dysfunctions. A constant component of the DE pathomechanism is neuroinflammation, which is caused by a complete lack of insulin (e.g., in type 1 diabetes [T1D]) or ineffective action of insulin due to insulin resistance (e.g., in type 2 diabetes [T2D], which most often co-occurs with obesity). In addition to the lack of homeostatic glucose and the anti-inflammatory effects of insulin, which limit NF-κB activation and subsequent proinflammatory cytokine expression, chronic hyperglycemia also contributes to neurodegenerative processes mainly through its pro-oxidative effects, which damage blood‒brain barrier integrity and increase neuronal loss. The observed clinical diversity of DE forms can be explained by the fact that aging is the primary factor for most neurodegenerative diseases and that in many cases, the pathomechanisms of several neurodegenerative diseases overlap (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson’s disease).
Fractalkine is an intriguing chemokine with the unique properties of an adhesion molecule (mCX3CL1) and chemoattractant (sCX3CL1) that plays a central role in the nervous system. While neurons constitutively express CX3CL1 in the CNS and, it can be induced by TNF-α and IFN-γ in astrocytes, CX3CR1 expression in the brain is limited to microglia. This finding highlights the direction of action of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 signaling axis, which regulates the level of microglial activity in response to brain injury or inflammation. However, knowledge about the role of CX3CL1 in DE, as well as in other neurodegenerative diseases, remains surprisingly incomplete and controversial. Depending on the clinical context, CX3CL1 may have neuroprotective effects by inhibiting the inflammatory process in microglia or, conversely, maintaining/intensifying inflammation and neurotoxicity. The impact of comorbidities, including CNS aging, should be considered because, as mentioned above, DE does not occur in an isolated form. Therapeutic actions in DE aimed at limiting neuronal hyperactivity, causing impaired synaptic plasticity, should focus on interrupting the vicious cycle within the microglia–neuron interaction involving the CX3CL1–CX3CR1 signaling pathway. This can be achieved both by restoring neural homeostasis and by limiting the inflammatory response of microglia.
Abbreviations
A2AR – adenosine A2A receptor, a G protein-coupled receptor that binds adenosine
ADAM10 – a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10
AGEs – advanced glycation end products
Akt – protein kinase B
AMD – age-related macular degeneration
AMPA receptor – α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor
ATP – adenosine triphosphate
BV-2 – immortalized murine microglial cell line
CCL2 – chemokine, also known as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)
CD40 – cluster of differentiation 40 also known as—tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 5 (TNFRSF5)
CNS – central nervous system
CREB – cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP)/Ca2+ response element binding protein
CTS – cathepsins
CX3CL1 – C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1, also known as fractalkine or neurotactin
CX3CR1 – high-affinity fractalkine (FKN) receptor or chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1) receptor, also known as G protein-coupled receptor 13 (GPR13), previously known as V28
DAP12 – DNAX-activating protein of 12 kDa
DE – diabetic encephalopathy
DM – diabetes mellitus
ERK1/2 – extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2
FOXO – member of the class O of forkhead box transcription factors
Gα, Gβ, Gγ – subunits of the heterotrimeric G proteins (G protein complex)
Gαi – activated Gα subunit of the G protein complex
GABA – γ-aminobutyric acid
GDP – guanosine-5'-diphosphate
GFP – green fluorescent protein
GPR domain – G protein regulatory domain-containing specific protein
GTP – guanosine-5'-triphosphate
IFN-γ – interferon gamma
IKK – IkappaBeta (Iκβ) kinase
IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 – interleukin-1 beta, -6, -10 and -17, respectively
iNOS – inducible nitric oxide synthase
JNK – cJun NH(2)-terminal kinase
LPS – lipopolysaccharide
LTP – long-term potentiation
MAPK – mitogen-activated protein kinase
MCP-1 – monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, also known as chemokine CCL2
mCX3CL1 – membrane form of fractalkine (acts as an adhesion molecule)
MDSC – myeloid-derived suppressor cells
MEK – mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase
MEKK – mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) kinase
MHC2 – major histocompatibility complex class II
MMP-2, MMP-9 – matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9, respectively
NAD+ – a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent protein deacetylase (an oxidized form)
NF-κB – nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells
NMDA receptor – N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
NO – nitric oxide
P2X, P2X4, P2X7 – purinergic ionotropic receptors
P2Y – purinergic metabotropic receptor
P38 – mitogen-activated protein kinases, also known as P38 MAPK
PI3K – phosphoinositide 3-kinase
PKA – protein kinase A
PKC – protein kinase C
PLC – phospholipase C
PRRs – pattern recognition receptors
Raf – Raf kinases
RAGE – receptors for advanced glycation end-products
Ras – Ras kinases
RIC8 – a non-receptor guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for Gα subunits, also known as synembryn
ROS – reactive oxygen species
sCX3CL1 – soluble form of fractalkine (acts as a chemoattractant)
SIRT1 – sirtuin 1, a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent protein deacetylase
SNPs – single nucleotide polymorphisms
STAT – signal transducer and activator of transcription protein
T1D, T2D – diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2, respectively
TACE – tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) converting enzyme, also called ADAM17
Th1, Th2 – CD4+ T helper-1 and T helper-2 cells, respectively
TLR4 – toll-like receptor 4
TLRs – toll-like receptors
TNF-α – tumor necrosis factor alpha
TREM2 – triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2
WT mice – wild-type mice