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Estrogen activation of microglia underlies the sexually dimorphic differences in Nf1 optic glioma–induced retinal pathology

“…To identify potential risk factors for OPG-induced visual decline, we recently found that girls with NF1 are more likely to lose vision and require treatment than boys (Diggs-Andrews et al, 2014b). Importantly, when segmented by tumor location within the optic pathway, girls with optic nerve gliomas were 5–10 times more likely to experience visual decline than their male counterparts (Diggs-Andrews et al, 2014a; Fisher et al, 2014). Because boys and girls with NF1 develop OPGs at relatively similar frequencies, these findings indicate that a sexually dimorphic effect may underlie OPG-induced vision loss.…”

Insights into optic pathway glioma vision loss from mouse models of neurofibromatosis type 1

“…Together, reduced cAMP levels and microglial production of neurotoxic cytokines likely synergize to culminate in RGC death and vision loss in mice harboring Nf1 optic gliomas. While investigations have revealed some of the mechanisms underlying sexually dimorphic vision loss in mice, the etiology of the increased risk for vision loss in girls with NF1-OPG remains to be identified (Diggs-Andrews, Brown, Gianino, D'Agostino McGowan, et al, 2014;Fisher et al, 2014).…”