Characterization of the Proteomic Response in SIM-A9 Murine Microglia Following Canonical NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

TL;DR

This study provides the first comprehensive proteomic analysis of SIM-A9 microglia after NLRP3 inflammasome activation, revealing immune-related protein changes.

Contribution

The first systematic characterization of the SIM-A9 microglial proteome following NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Findings

4903 proteins were quantified, showing enrichment in immune and nervous system processes.

Differentially expressed proteins aligned with an activated microglial phenotype and NLRP3 signaling.

The study offers a foundational resource for future neuroinflammation research using SIM-A9 cells.

Abstract

Neuroinflammation is a hallmark of both acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases and is driven, in part, by activated glial cells, including microglia. A key regulator of this inflammatory response is the NLRP3 inflammasome, an immune sensor that can be triggered by diverse, unrelated stimuli such as pathogen-associated molecular patterns, cellular stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Despite progress in targeting NLRP3-mediated immune activation, many drug candidates fail, potentially due to the limited availability of physiologically relevant disease models. The SIM-A9 murine microglial cell line, established in 2014, has emerged as a widely used model for studying neuroinflammation; however, its proteome has not yet been systematically characterized. In this study, we investigated the proteomic landscape of SIM-A9 microglia treated with classical pro-inflammatory stimuli, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and extracellular ATP and nigericin (NG), to induce NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Using complementary proteomic approaches, we quantified 4903 proteins and observed significant enrichment of proteins associated with immune and nervous system processes. Differentially expressed proteins were consistent with an activated microglial phenotype, including the upregulation of proteins involved in NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive proteomic analysis of SIM-A9 microglia. These findings provide a foundational resource that may enhance the interpretation and design of future studies using SIM-A9 cells as a model of neuroinflammation.

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