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Rae CD, Baur JA, Borges K, Dienel G, Díaz-García CM, Douglass SR, Drew K, Duarte JMN, Duran J, Kann O, Kristian T, Lee-Liu D, Lindquist BE, McNay EC, Robinson MB, Rothman DL, Rowlands BD, Ryan TA, Scafidi J, Scafidi S, Shuttleworth CW, Swanson RA, Uruk G, Vardjan N, Zorec R, McKenna MC. Brain energy metabolism: A roadmap for future research. J Neurochem 2024; 168:910-954. [PMID: 38183680 PMCID: PMC11102343 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Although we have learned much about how the brain fuels its functions over the last decades, there remains much still to discover in an organ that is so complex. This article lays out major gaps in our knowledge of interrelationships between brain metabolism and brain function, including biochemical, cellular, and subcellular aspects of functional metabolism and its imaging in adult brain, as well as during development, aging, and disease. The focus is on unknowns in metabolism of major brain substrates and associated transporters, the roles of insulin and of lipid droplets, the emerging role of metabolism in microglia, mysteries about the major brain cofactor and signaling molecule NAD+, as well as unsolved problems underlying brain metabolism in pathologies such as traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and metabolic downregulation during hibernation. It describes our current level of understanding of these facets of brain energy metabolism as well as a roadmap for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline D. Rae
- School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 & Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Joseph A. Baur
- Department of Physiology and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Karin Borges
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Gerald Dienel
- Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Carlos Manlio Díaz-García
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Kelly Drew
- Center for Transformative Research in Metabolism, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - João M. N. Duarte
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, & Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jordi Duran
- Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oliver Kann
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Heidelberg, D-69120; Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences (IZN), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tibor Kristian
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Center System, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and the Center for Shock, Trauma, and Anesthesiology Research (S.T.A.R.), University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dasfne Lee-Liu
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile
| | - Britta E. Lindquist
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neurocritical Care, Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Ewan C. McNay
- Behavioral Neuroscience, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Michael B. Robinson
- Departments of Pediatrics and System Pharmacology & Translational Therapeutics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Douglas L. Rothman
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center and Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Benjamin D. Rowlands
- School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Timothy A. Ryan
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joseph Scafidi
- Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Susanna Scafidi
- Anesthesiology & Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - C. William Shuttleworth
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Raymond A. Swanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Gökhan Uruk
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nina Vardjan
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology—Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Zorec
- Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology—Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mary C. McKenna
- Department of Pediatrics and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Todorovic S, Simeunovic V, Prvulovic M, Dakic T, Jevdjovic T, Sokanovic S, Kanazir S, Mladenovic A. Dietary restriction alters insulin signaling pathway in the brain. Biofactors 2023. [PMID: 37975613 DOI: 10.1002/biof.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Insulin is known to be a key hormone in the regulation of peripheral glucose homeostasis, but beyond that, its effects on the brain are now undisputed. Impairments in insulin signaling in the brain, including changes in insulin levels, are thought to contribute significantly to declines in cognitive performance, especially during aging. As one of the most widely studied experimental interventions, dietary restriction (DR) is considered to delay the neurodegenerative processes associated with aging. Recently, however, data began to suggest that the onset and duration of a restrictive diet play a critical role in the putative beneficial outcome. Because the effects of DR on insulin signaling in the brain have been poorly studied, we decided to examine the effects of DR that differed in onset and duration: long-term DR (LTDR), medium-term DR (MTDR), and short-term DR (STDR) on the expression of proteins involved in insulin signaling in the hippocampus of 18- and 24-month-old male Wistar rats. We found that DR-induced changes in insulin levels in the brain may be independent of what happens in the periphery after restricted feeding. Significantly changed insulin content in the hippocampus, together with altered insulin signaling were found under the influence of DR, but the outcome was highly dependent on the onset and duration of DR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smilja Todorovic
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Valentina Simeunovic
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Prvulovic
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tamara Dakic
- Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Tanja Jevdjovic
- Department for Comparative Physiology and Ecophysiology, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Srdjan Sokanovic
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Selma Kanazir
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Mladenovic
- Department for Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Novaj A, Engel MG, Wang R, Mao K, Xue X, Amir Y, Atzmon G, Huffman DM. Dietary Walnuts Preserve Aspects of Health Span and Alter the Hippocampal Lipidome in Aged High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032314. [PMID: 36768636 PMCID: PMC9916809 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence continues to accrue that aging and its diseases can be delayed by pharmacologic and dietary strategies that target the underlying hallmarks of the aging process. However, identifying simple, safe, and effective dietary strategies involving the incorporation of whole foods that may confer some protection against the aging process is also needed. Recent observational studies have suggested that nut consumption can reduce mortality risk in humans. Among these, walnuts are particularly intriguing, given their high content of n-3 fatty acids, fiber, and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. To this end, 12-month-old male CB6F1 mice were provided either a defined control low-fat diet (LFD), a control high-fat diet (HFD), or an isocaloric HFD containing 7.67% walnuts by weight (HFD + W), and measures of healthspan and related biochemical markers (n = 10-19 per group) as well as survival (n = 20 per group) were monitored. Mice provided the HFD or HFD + W demonstrated marked weight gain, but walnuts lowered baseline glucose (p < 0.05) and tended to temper the effects of HFD on liver weight gain (p < 0.05) and insulin tolerance (p = 0.1). Additional assays suggested a beneficial effect on some indicators of health with walnut supplementation, including preservation of exercise capacity and improved short-term working memory, as determined by Y maze (p = 0.02). However, no effect was observed via any diet on inflammatory markers, antioxidant capacity, or survival (p = 0.2). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of the hippocampal transcriptome identified two processes predicted to be affected by walnuts and potentially linked to cognitive function, including estrogen signaling and lipid metabolism, with changes in the latter confirmed by lipidomic analysis. In summary, while walnuts did not significantly improve survival on a HFD, they tended to preserve features of healthspan in the context of a metabolic stressor with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ardijana Novaj
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Matthew G. Engel
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ruixuan Wang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Kai Mao
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Xiaonan Xue
- Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Yam Amir
- Department of Human Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Gil Atzmon
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Human Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Derek M. Huffman
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-718-430-4278; Fax: +1-718-430-8922
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He DL, Fan YG, Wang ZY. Energy Crisis Links to Autophagy and Ferroptosis in Alzheimer's Disease: Current Evidence and Future Avenues. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:67-86. [PMID: 35980072 PMCID: PMC10193753 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220817140737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases worldwide. The occult nature of the onset and the uncertainty of the etiology largely impede the development of therapeutic strategies for AD. Previous studies revealed that the disorder of energy metabolism in the brains of AD patients appears far earlier than the typical pathological features of AD, suggesting a tight association between energy crisis and the onset of AD. Energy crisis in the brain is known to be induced by the reductions in glucose uptake and utilization, which may be ascribed to the diminished expressions of cerebral glucose transporters (GLUTs), insulin resistance, mitochondrial dysfunctions, and lactate dysmetabolism. Notably, the energy sensors such as peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR), transcription factor EB (TFEB), and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were shown to be the critical regulators of autophagy, which play important roles in regulating beta-amyloid (Aβ) metabolism, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, iron dynamics, as well as ferroptosis. In this study, we summarized the current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involved in the energy dysmetabolism of AD and discussed the interplays existing between energy crisis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. In addition, we highlighted the potential network in which autophagy may serve as a bridge between energy crisis and ferroptosis in the progression of AD. A deeper understanding of the relationship between energy dysmetabolism and AD may provide new insight into developing strategies for treating AD; meanwhile, the energy crisis in the progression of AD should gain more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Long He
- Key Laboratory of Major Chronic Diseases of Nervous System of Liaoning Province, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
| | - Yong-Gang Fan
- Key Laboratory of Major Chronic Diseases of Nervous System of Liaoning Province, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
| | - Zhan-You Wang
- Key Laboratory of Major Chronic Diseases of Nervous System of Liaoning Province, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology of Ministry of Education, Health Sciences Institute of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
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