# Microglial-Neurovascular Dynamics and Regulation of Neurovascular Structure and Function

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2021 · $401,361

## Abstract

Project Summary
The brain makes up 2% of the body’s weight but uses 20% of the body’s energy that is observed from the
delivery of blood through the dense network of the neurovasculature. Neurovascular function is critical for
optimal brain function and altered neurovascular function contributes or brain pathology. Microglia ate brain-
resident immune cells that respond to brain injuries and disease but their interactions with the vasculature has
been poorly explored. In my preliminary data, I extensively characterized microglial interactions with the
neurovasculature in the healthy brain. Specifically, I have found that about a third of the microglia population
physically interact with the neurovasculature through their cell bodies which are more stationary than their
processes. Interestingly, a deficiency of Trem2, a microglial-specific risk gene for AD, results in a significant
increase in microglial-vascular interactions. Finally, pharmacological elimination of CSF1R-expressing cells
such as microglia resulted in increased vascular size and cerebral blood flow suggesting modulatory roles for
microglia on the vasculature. In this project, I will further investigate this by (i) determining specific roles for
microglia in regulating vascular structure and function; (ii) determining the requirement for astrocytic endfeet
calcium signaling in mediating microglial-dependent vascular structure and functional regulation, and (iii)
determine TREM2 roles in microglial-vascular interactions including vascular amyloid deposition in AD. These
studies will provide insights into the cellular, molecular and mechanistic basis of microglial regulation of
neurovascular structure and function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10274632
- **Project number:** 1R01NS122782-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Ukpong Bassey Eyo
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $401,361
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10274632

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10274632, Microglial-Neurovascular Dynamics and Regulation of Neurovascular Structure and Function (1R01NS122782-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10274632. Licensed CC0.

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