Astrocytes, the principal macroglial cells in the central nervous system (CNS), are fundamental to brain function and health [1, 2]. In pathological conditions, astrocytes react to almost all forms of CNS insults. Astrocytes’ pathological responses typically involve increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), cellular hypertrophy and enhanced proliferation. This pattern is indicative of reactive astrogliosis, a hallmark of diverse neurological disorders including trauma, ischemia, neurodegeneration, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and autism [3–5]. A growing body of evidence indicates that reactive astrocytes are not bystanders during disease development . However, their functions and regulatory mechanisms remain elusive.