Dr. Daniel Bormann, BSc, PhD
MedUni Wien RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH November 2025
Neuroglia critically shape the brain´s response to ischemic stroke. However, their phenotypic heterogeneity impedes a holistic understanding of the cellular composition of the early ischemic lesion. Here we present a single cell resolution transcriptomics dataset of the brain´s acute response to infarction. Oligodendrocyte lineage cells and astrocytes range among the most transcriptionally perturbed populations and exhibit infarction- and subtype-specific molecular signatures. Specifically, we find infarction restricted proliferating oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), mature oligodendrocytes and reactive astrocytes, exhibiting transcriptional commonalities in response to ischemic injury. OPCs and reactive astrocytes are involved in a shared immuno-glial cross talk with stroke-specific myeloid cells. Within the perilesional zone, osteopontin positive myeloid cells accumulate in close proximity to CD44+ proliferating OPCs and reactive astrocytes. In vitro, osteopontin increases the migratory capacity of OPCs. Collectively, our study highlights molecular cross talk events which might govern the cellular composition of acutely infarcted brain tissue.
Selected Literature
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RNA sequencing reveals glial cell type-specific responses to ischemic stroke in male rodents. Nature Communications. 2024;15(1):6232.
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Bormann D, Greitemeyer T. Immersed in Virtual Worlds and Minds:Effects of In-Game Storytelling on Immersion, Need Satisfaction, and Affective Theory of Mind. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2015;6(6):646-52.
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Cicvaric A, Bulat T, Bormann D, Yang J, Auer B, Milenkovic I, et al. Sustained consumption of cocoa-based dark chocolate enhances seizure-like events in the mouse hippocampus. Food Funct. 2018;9(3):1532-44.
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Bormann D, Stojanovic T, Cicvaric A, Schuld GJ, Cabatic M, Ankersmit HJ, et al. miRNA-132/212 Gene-Deletion Aggravates the Effect of Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation on Synaptic Functions in the Female Mouse Hippocampus. Cells. 2021;10(7).
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Bormann D, Copic D, Klas K, Direder M, Riedl CJ, Testa G, et al. Exploring the heterogeneous transcriptional response of the CNS to systemic LPS and Poly(I:C). Neurobiol Dis. 2023;188:106339.