Itaconate restrains acute proinflammatory activation of microglia MG after traumatic brain injury in mice

Authors: Ning Liu, Yinghua Jiang, Yuwen Xiu, Giovane G. Tortelote, Winna Xia, Yingjie Wang, Yadan Li, Samuel Shi, Jinrui Han, Charles Vidoudez, Aim Niamnud, Mitchell D. Kilgore, Di Zhou, Mengxuan Shi, Stephen A. Graziose, Jia Fan, Prasad V. G. Katakam, Aaron S. Dumont, Xiaoying Wang

Published: 2025-03-12

DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adn2635

Source: Full article


Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) rapidly triggers proinflammatory activation of microglia, contributing to secondary brain damage post-TBI. Although the governing role of energy metabolism in shaping the inflammatory phenotype and function of immune cells has been increasingly recognized, the specific alterations in microglial bioenergetics post-TBI remain poorly understood. Itaconate, a metabolite produced by the enzyme aconitate decarboxylase 1 [IRG1; encoded by immune responsive gene 1 (