Linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6) is an essential nutrient for optimal infant growth and brain development. The effects of LA in the brain are thought to be mediated by oxygenated metabolites of LA known as oxidized LA metabolites (OXLAMs), but evidence is lacking to directly support this hypothesis. This study investigated whether OXLAMs modulate key neurodevelopmental processes including axon outgrowth, dendritic arborization, cell viability and synaptic connectivity. Primary cortical neuron-glia co-cultures from postnatal day 0-1 male and female rats were exposed for 48h to the following OXLAMs: 1) 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HODE); 2) 9-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (9-HODE); 3) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10-DiHOME); 4) 12(13)-epoxyoctadecenoic acid (12(13)-EpOME); 5) 9,10,13-trihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (9,10,13-TriHOME); 6) 9-oxo-octadecadienoic acid (9-OxoODE); and 7) 12,13-dihydroxyoctadecenoic acid (12,13-DiHOME). Axonal outgrowth, evaluated by Tau-1 immunostaining, was increased by 9-HODE, but decreased by 12,13-DiHOME in male but not female neurons. Dendrite arborization, evaluated by MAP2B-eGFP expression, was affected by 9-HODE, 9-OxoODE, and 12(13)-EpOME in male neurons and, by 12(13)-EpOME in female neurons. Neither cell viability nor synaptic connectivity were significantly altered by OXLAMs. Overall, this study shows select OXLAMs modulate neuron morphology in a sex-dependent manner, with male neurons being more susceptible.

Interactions between neurons, astrocytes and microglia critically influence neuroinflammatory responses to insult in the central nervous system. Studying neuroinflammation in vitro has been difficult because most primary culture models do not include all three critical cell types. We describe an in vitro model of neuroinflammation comprised of neurons, astrocytes and microglia. Primary rat cortical cells were cultured in a serum-free medium used to co-culture neurons and astrocytes that is supplemented with three factors (IL-34, TGF-β and cholesterol) used to support isolated microglia. This “tri-culture” can be maintained for at least 14 days in vitro while retaining a physiologically-relevant representation of all three cell types. Additionally, we demonstrate that the tri-culture system responds to lipopolysaccharide, mechanical trauma and excitotoxicity with both neurotoxic and neuroprotective aspects of the neuroinflammatory response observed in vivo . We expect the tri-culture model will enable mechanistic studies of neuroinflammation in vitro with enhanced physiological relevance.