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ResearchIn-Press PreviewInflammationNeuroscience
Open Access |
10.1172/JCI199818
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Li, T. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Castro-Gomez, S. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Botella Lucena, P. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Vieira-Saecker, A. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Schwartz, S. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Ding, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Deng, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Guo, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Stein, V. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Golenbock, D. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Latz, E. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
1Clinic of Parkinson, Sleep and Movement Disorders, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
2Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
3Institute of Physiology II, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
4Translational Biogerontology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
5Department of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
6Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, United States of America
7Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Find articles by Heneka, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar
Published February 24, 2026 - More info
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from closed-head injuries (CHI) can lead to prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders, including mood disorders and an increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases and dementia. Inflammasomes are molecular complexes crucial for neuroinflammation and secondary damage after trauma, however their role in mild CHI is poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the cellular expression of inflammasome-related genes and their functional significance in CHI models. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of cortical tissue after trauma revealed selective expression of Asc (also known as Pycard), which encodes the inflammasome adaptor Apoptosis-associated Speck-like protein containing a Caspase recruitment domain (ASC), predominantly in microglial clusters. Sustained upregulation of inflammasome-related proteins, microglia activation and astrocyte reactivity persisted up to 21 days in a model for mTBI, with this pattern significantly reduced in Asc-/- mice. Importantly, mild cognitive impairment induced after mild CHI was largely abrogated in Asc-/- mice. These findings suggest that ASC, as the primary inflammasome adaptor, plays a critical role in sustaining neuroinflammation and contributes to cognitive deficits after mild CHI. This study provides insights into the molecular neuroinflammatory mechanisms underlying CHI, potentially informing future therapeutic strategies.