Astrocytes play critical roles in neuroinflammation and Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multifactorial disorder characterized mainly by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. The pathogenesis of a spontaneous PD is suggested to be multifactorial, an aberrant immune function being one of the factors influencing PD-associated neurodegeneration. It was found that negrostriatal astrocytes get involved in this process. Astrocytes play vital roles in brain homeostasis as well as participate in the local innate immune response triggered by a variety of insults. Astrocytes are not immune cells, but when sensing injury-associated molecular patterns they transform through a process called “reactivity” and become important regulators of the immune response. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of astrocytes’ contribution to the PD-associated neurodegeneration are not fully understood. A better understanding of astrocyte functions in PD may provide insights into PD pathogenesis and novel therapeutic approaches for the disease. This paper reviews the role of astrocytes in innate immunity and PD.