Microglia are critical nervous system-specific immune cells serving as tissue-resident macrophages influencing brain development, maintenance of the neural environment, response to injury and repair. As influenced by their environment, microglia assume a diversity of phenotypes and retain the capability to shift functions to maintain tissue homeostasis. In comparison with peripheral macrophages, microglia demonstrate similar and unique features with regards to phenotype polarization, allowing for innate immunological functions. Microglia can be stimulated by LPS or IFN-γ to an M1 phenotype for expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines or by IL-4/IL-13 to an M2 phenotype for resolution of inflammation and tissue repair. Increasing evidence suggests a role of metabolic reprogramming in the regulation of the innate inflammatory response. Studies using peripheral immune cells demonstrate that polarization to an M1 phenotype is often accompanied by a shift in cells from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis for energy production. More recently, the link between polarization and mitochondrial energy metabolism has been considered in microglia. Under these conditions, energy demands would be associated with functional activities and cell survival and thus, may serve to influence the contribution of microglia activation to various neurodegenerative conditions. This review examines the polarization states of microglia and their relationship to mitochondrial metabolism. Additional supporting experimental data are provided to demonstrate mitochondrial metabolic shifts in primary microglia and the BV-2 microglia cell line induced under LPS (M1) and IL-4/IL-13 (M2) polarization.
Abbreviations2-DG, 2-deoxy-glucose; AMPK, AMP-activated PK; BBB, blood-brain barrier; CD172 (SIRP1A), signal-regulatory protein; CD206, mannose receptor; EAE, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; FA, fatty acid; Fizz1, found in inflammatory zone 1; HK, hexokinase; iNOS, inducible NOS; MHC-II, major histocompatibility complex-II; NLRP, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing; NODs, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domains; PPP, pentose phosphate pathway; RNS, reactive nitrogen species; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SR, scavenger receptor; TCA, tricarboxylic acid cycle; TLR, Toll-like receptor. DOI:10.1111/bph.13139 www.brjpharmacol.org Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA Themed Section: Inflammation: maladies, models, mechanisms and molecules
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IntroductionThe innate immune response of the body recruits a number of different cells to initiate a response to a novel stimulus such as a pathogen. These various cells of the immune system communicate and cooperate in a complex fashion to successfully complete their assigned tasks to clear the invading factor and return the system back to homeostasis. Such cells include ...