Uncovering the Role of Lipid Metabolism in Microglia Dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease
Two recent studies published on bioRxiv shed light on the role of Aβ fibrils in the formation of lipid droplets in microglia, a type of brain cell. The studies found that exposure to Aβ fibrils led to an increase in triglyceride-rich lipid droplets in both mouse and human microglia. The accumulation of these lipid droplets was associated with impaired phagocytosis of Aβ and the release of neurotoxic molecules. The researchers also identified specific enzymes, ACSL1 and DGAT2, that were involved in the formation of these lipid droplets. Furthermore, the presence of the APOE4 allele, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, exacerbated the formation of lipid droplets in microglia. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying lipid accumulation in microglia and its potential contribution to Alzheimer's disease.