Removal of microglial-specific MyD88 signaling alters dentate gyrus doublecortin and enhances opioid addiction-like behaviors

Abstract Drugs of abuse promote a potent immune response in central nervous system (CNS) via the activation of microglia and astrocytes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying microglial activation during addiction are not well known. We developed and functionally characterized a novel transgenic mouse ( Cx3cr1-CreBT tg/0 : MyD88 f/f [Cre tg/0 ]) wherein the immune signaling adaptor gene, MyD88 , was specifically deleted in microglia. To test the downstream effects of loss of microglia-specific MyD88 signaling in morphine addiction, Cre tg/0 and Cre 0/0 mice were tested for reward learning, extinction, and reinstatement using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. There were no differences in drug acquisition, but Cre tg/0 mice had prolonged extinction and enhanced reinstatement compared to Cre 0/0 controls. Furthermore, morphine-treated Cre tg/0 mice showed increased doublecortin (DCX) signal relative to Cre 0/0 control mice in the hippocampus, indicative of increased number of immature neurons. Additionally, there was an increase in colocalization of microglial lysosomal marker CD68 with DCX + cells in morphine-treated Cre tg/0 mice but not in Cre 0/0 or drug-naїve mice, suggesting a specific role for microglial MyD88 signaling in neuronal phagocytosis in the hippocampus. Our results show that MyD88 deletion in microglia may negatively impact maturing neurons within the adult hippocampus and thus reward memories, suggesting a novel protective role for microglia in opioid addiction.