Author(s)

Wen Wang ¹, Huiqun He ¹, Yumei Ren ¹, Xinwen Zhang ²

Affiliation(s)

¹ Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, Shaanxi, 712046, China
² Xi'an People's Hospital/Xi'an Fourth Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710004, China

Corresponding Author

Xinwen Zhang

ABSTRACT

Neuroglia undertakes a variety of crucial physiological functions in the nervous system, encompassing neural support, myelin formation, immune responses, etc. Research in recent years indicates that neuroglia are not only closely associated with the functions of neurons but also play a key role in lipid metabolism. Lipids such as fatty acids, cholesterol, and phospholipids, along with lipid metabolites, not only constitute the basis for the normal functions of neuroglia but also are involved in brain development, brain functions, and the occurrence of various neurological disorders. Hence, this article summarizes the fundamental functions of neuroglia and the role of their lipid metabolism in brain development and neurological diseases, and discusses the potential influence of lipid metabolic disorders in neuroglia on brain functions.

KEYWORDS

Neuroglia; Lipid Metabolism; Brain Development; Dysfunction

CITE THIS PAPER

Wen Wang, Huiqun He, Yumei Ren, Xinwen Zhang. Lipid Metabolism in Neuroglia and Its Role in Brain Development and Dysfunction. MEDS Clinical Medicine (2025) Vol. 6: 43-49. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/medsc.2025.060107.

REFERENCES

[1] Liu Y, Shen X, Zhang Y, et al. Interactions of glial cells with neuronal synapses, from astrocytes to microglia and oligodendrocyte lineage cells [J]. Glia, 2023, 71(6): 1383–1401.
[2] Venturini A, Passalacqua M, Pelassa S, et al. Exosomes From Astrocyte Processes: Signaling to Neurons[J]. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2019, 10: 1-11.
[3] Hussain G, Wang J, Rasul A, et al. Role of cholesterol and sphingolipids in brain development and neurological diseases[J]. Lipids Health Dis, 2019, 18:1-12.
[4] Kao YC, Ho PC, Tu YK, et al. Lipids and Alzheimer’s Disease[J]. Int J Mol Sci, 2020, 21(4): 1-37.
[5] Wendimu MY, Hooks SB. Microglia Phenotypes in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases[J]. Cells, 2022, 11(13): 1-52.
[6] Sala-Vila A, Arenaza-Urquijo EM, Sánchez-Benavides G, et al. DHA intake relates to better cerebrovascular and neurodegeneration neuroimaging phenotypes in middle-aged adults at increased genetic risk of Alzheimer disease[J]. Am J Clin Nutr, 2021, 113(6): 1627–1635.
[7] Matuleviciute R, Akinluyi ET, Muntslag TA, et al. Microglial contribution to the pathology of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans [J]. Acta Neuropathologica, 2023, 146(5): 663–683.
[8] Preininger MK, Kaufer D. Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction and Astrocyte Senescence as Reciprocal Drivers of Neuropathology in Aging [J]. Int J Mol Sci, 2022, 23(11): 6217.
[9] Souza DG, Almeida RF, Souza DO, et al. The astrocyte biochemistry [J]. Semin Cell Dev Biol, 2019, 95: 142–150.
[10] Guo S, Wang H, Yin Y. Microglia Polarization from M1 to M2 in Neurodegenerative Diseases [J]. Front Aging Neurosci, 2022, 14: 815347.
[11] Lee J H, Kim J, Seulgi N, et al. Astrocytes phagocytose adult hippocampal synapses for circuit homeostasis[J]. Nature, 590(7847): 612–617.
[12] Huntemer-Silveira A, Patil N, Brickner MA, et al. Strategies for Oligodendrocyte and Myelin Repair in Traumatic CNS Injury[J]. Front Cell Neurosci, 2021, 14: 619707.
[13] Bolino A. Myelin Biology [J]. Neurotherapeutics, 2021, 18(4): 2169–2184.
[14] Tepavčević V. Oligodendroglial Energy Metabolism and (re) Myelination [J]. Life, 2021, 11(3): 238.
[15] Yang D, Wang X, Zhang L, et al. Lipid metabolism and storage in neuroglia: role in brain development and neurodegenerative diseases[J]. Cell Biosci, 2022, 12(1): 106.
[16] Foerster S, Floriddia EM, VAN-BRUGGEN D, et al. Developmental origin of oligodendrocytes determines their function in the adult brain [J]. Nat Neurosci, 2024, 27: 1–10.
[17] Cheng J, Shen W, Jin L, et al. Treadmill exercise promotes neurogenesis and myelin repair via upregulating Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathways in the juvenile brain following focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion[J]. Int J Mol Med, 2020, 45(5): 1447–1463.
[18] Gao Y, Ye S, Tang Y, et al. Brain cholesterol homeostasis and its association with neurodegenerative diseases[J]. Neurochem Int, 2023, 171: 105635.
[19] Olsen AS, Færgeman NJ. Sphingolipids: membrane microdomains in brain development, function and neurological diseases [J]. Open biol, 2017, 7(5): 170069.
[20] Chen Z, Yuan Z, Yang S, et al. Brain Energy Metabolism: Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Diseases [J]. CNS Neurosci Ther, 2023, 29(1): 24–36.
[21] Farmer BC, Walsh AE, Kluemper JC, et al. Lipid Droplets in Neurodegenerative Disorders [J]. Front Neurosci, 2020, 14: 742.
[22] Wei W, Zhang L, Xin W, et al. TREM2 regulates microglial lipid droplet formation and represses post-ischemic brain injury[J]. Biomed Pharmacother, 2024, 170: 115962.
[23] Nugent AA, Lin K, Van-Lengerich B, et al. TREM2 Regulates Microglial Cholesterol Metabolism upon Chronic Phagocytic Challenge [J]. Neuron, 2020, 105(5): 837-854.
[24] Parhizkar S, Holtzman DM. APOE mediated neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease[J]. Semin Immunol, 2022, 59: 101594.
[25] Qi G, Mi Y, Shi X, et al. ApoE4 Impairs Neuron-Astrocyte Coupling of Fatty Acid Metabolism[J]. Cell rep, 2021, 34(1):108572.
[26] Chavda V, Singh K, Patel V, et al. Neuronal Glial Crosstalk: Specific and Shared Mechanisms in Alzheimer's Disease [J]. Brain Sci, 2022, 12(1): 75.
[27] Akyol S, Ugur Z, Yilmaz A, et al. Lipid Profiling of Alzheimer's Disease Brain Highlights Enrichment in Glycerol(phospho)lipid, and Sphingolipid Metabolism[J]. Cells, 2021, 10(10): 2591.
[28] Fais M, Dore A, Galioto M, et al. Parkinson's Disease-Related Genes and Lipid Alteration[J]. Int J Mol Sci, 2021, 22(14): 7630. 
[29] Kam TI, Hinkle JT, Dawson TM, et al. Microglia and astrocyte dysfunction in parkinson's disease[J]. Neurobiol Dis, 2020, 144: 105028.
[30] Savasan ZA, Kim SK, Oh KJ, et al. Advances in cerebral palsy biomarkers [J]. Adv Clin Chem, 2021, 100: 139–169.
[31] Molina-Gonzalez I, Miron V E. Astrocytes in myelination and remyelination [J]. Neurosci Lett, 2019, 713: 134532.
[32] Ishii A, Furusho M, Macklin W, et al. Independent and cooperative roles of the Mek/ERK1/2‐MAPK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathways during developmental myelination and in adulthood[J]. Glia, 2019, 67(7): 1277–1295.
[33] Planas-Fontánez TM, Sainato DM, Sharma I, et al. Roles of astrocytes in response to aging, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis[J]. Brain Research, 2021, 1764: 147464. 
[34] Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Fitzner D, Bosch-Queralt M. Defective cholesterol clearance limits remyelination in the aged central nervous system [J]. Science, 2018, 359(6376): 684–688.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• Journal of Neurobiology and Genetics
  
  
• Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine
  
  
• Bacterial Genetics and Ecology
  
  
• Transactions on Cancer
  
  
• Journal of Biophysics and Ecology
  
  
• Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary
  
  
• Academic Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  
  
• Transactions on Cell and Developmental Biology
  
  
• Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology
  
  
• Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
  
  
• Hematology and Stem Cell
  
  
• Journal of Intelligent Informatics and Biomedical Engineering
  
  
• MEDS Basic Medicine
  
  
• MEDS Stomatology
  
  
• MEDS Public Health and Preventive Medicine
  
  
• MEDS Chinese Medicine
  
  
• Journal of Enzyme Engineering
  
  
• Advances in Industrial Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  
  
• Bacteriology and Microbiology
  
  
• Advances in Physiology and Pathophysiology
  
  
• Journal of Vision and Ophthalmology
  
  
• Frontiers of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  
  
• Digestive Disease and Diabetes
  
  
• Advances in Immunology and Vaccines
  
  
• Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery
  
  
• Cardiology and Vascular System
  
  
• Pediatrics and Child Health
  
  
• Journal of Reproductive Medicine and Contraception
  
  
• Journal of Respiratory and Lung Disease
  
  
• Journal of Bioinformatics and Biomedicine