Targeting Mitochondrial Metabolism in Neuroinflammation: Towards a Therapy for Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

The lack of effective treatment options for chronic neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), highlights the need to re-evaluate disease pathophysiology in the process of identifying novel therapeutic targets. The persistent activation of mononuclear phagocytes (MPs) is one of the major drivers of neurodegeneration and it sustains central nervous system (CNS) damage. Mitochondrial metabolism influences the activity of MPs, and the metabolites that they produce have key signalling roles in inflammation. However, how changes in immune cell metabolism sustain a chronic state of neuroinflammation is not fully understood. Novel molecular and cellular therapies for chronic neuroinflammation should be developed to target mitochondrial metabolism in innate immune cells to prevent secondary neurological damage and the accumulation of irreversible disability in patients.

Keywords: immune metabolism; macrophages; microglia; mitochondria; neuroinflammation; progressive multiple sclerosis.