Response to Comment on "Microglial activation states drive glucose uptake and FDG-PET alterations in
Xianyuan Xiang1,2, Sabina Tahirovic3, Sibylle Ziegler4,5
1Biomedical Center (BMC), Division of Metabolic Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany.
Science Translational Medicine
|August 24, 2022
Abstract:
Microglial FDG uptake alterations are the source of FDG-PET changes in models of neurodegenerative diseases.
Insights
Altered fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in microglia, the brain's immune cells, explains changes seen in FDG-positron emission tomography (PET) scans of neurodegenerative disease models.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Immunology
Background:
- Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive neuronal loss.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) measures brain glucose metabolism.
- Microglia play a crucial role in neuroinflammation and disease pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the contribution of microglial activity to observed changes in FDG-PET imaging.
- To determine if altered microglial metabolism is the primary driver of FDG-PET signal changes in neurodegenerative disease models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.
- Employed FDG-PET imaging to assess brain glucose metabolism.
- Quantified microglial activation and FDG uptake in specific brain regions.
Main Results:
- Significant alterations in microglial FDG uptake were observed in disease models.
- These microglial changes directly correlated with overall FDG-PET signal alterations.
- Evidence suggests microglia are a major source of the FDG-PET signal changes.
Conclusions:
- Microglial metabolic alterations are the source of FDG-PET changes in neurodegenerative disease models.
- FDG-PET imaging can reflect microglial activation states in these conditions.
- Targeting microglial metabolism may offer therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative diseases.
