Genes related to antigen processing and presentation are shown in Fig. 5A, and genes associated with phagocytosis in Fig. 5C. Most of these genes showed a significant increase in expression in high-PRS microglial cells following exposure to ethanol. In contrast, their expression levels remained relatively stable in low-PRS microglial cells (Fig. 5, B and D). Notably, one of the genes identified in this category, CLEC7A [Dectin-1, encoding a mammalian C-type lectin receptor expressed on microglial cell surfaces that is known to promote zymosan phagocytosis (52)], exhibited substantial up-regulation in high-PRS microglial cells after ethanol exposure (Fig. 5D). To validate these findings, we performed immunohistochemistry to assess the expression of CLEC7A protein by immunostaining in each of the 18 cell lines individually (Fig. 6A and table S1). In agreement with mRNA measurements, we found a notable increase in CLEC7A immunoreactivity expression levels in high-PRS microglial cells following ethanol exposure (75 mM). In contrast, the levels remained relatively stable in low-PRS microglial cells (Fig. 6, B and C).
