https://www.selleckchem.com/products/rvx-208.html Chronic activation of microglia is associated with retinal degeneration, which makes them a potential therapeutic target for retinal degenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Interferon-beta (IFN-β) is a potent immune regulator, commonly used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients. We have previously shown that IFN-β prevents microgliosis and choroidal neovascularization in a laser model of wet AMD. Here, we hypothesized that microglia modulation via IFN-β may also dampen mononuclear phagocyte reactivity and thereby protect from retinal degeneration in a light-damage paradigm mimicking some features of dry AMD. BALB/cJ mice received intraperitoneal injections of 10,000 U IFN-β or vehicle every other day; starting at the day of exposure to 15,000 lux white light for 1 h. Systemic treatment with IFN-β partially enhanced IFN-α/β receptor (IFNAR) signaling in the retina and reduced the number of reactivated microglia in the subretinal space. However, four days after light damage neither decreased expression of complement factors nor rescue of retinal thickness was found. We conclude that IFNAR signaling modulate retinal microglia but cannot prevent strong retinal degeneration as elicited by acute white light damage.Astrocytes are major glial cells that play a critical role in brain homeostasis. Abnormalities in astrocytic function, such as hepatic encephalopathy (HE) during acute liver failure, can result in brain death following brain edema and the associated astrocyte swelling. Recently, we have identified alpha 1-antichymotripsin (ACT) to be a biomarker candidate for HE. ACT induces astrocyte swelling by upregulating aquaporin 4 (AQP4); however, the causal connection between these proteins is not clear yet. In this study, we utilized a microarray profile to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in astrocytes treated with ACT. We then performed Gene Ontology, REACTOME,