Methylglyoxal, a Knot to Be Untied in Brain Glucose Hypometabolism

Background: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and receptors for AGEs (RAGE) have been extensively implicated in metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders due to their capacity to alter protein structure and function through non-enzymatic glycation. More recently, methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive glycolytic byproduct, has gained attention as a critical mediator of AGE formation and an independent contributor to cellular distress, particularly in the context of diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's disease. Objectives: This review synthesizes evidence from experimental and clinical studies addressing MG generation and metabolism in brain tissue, emphasizing the glyoxalase system as the primary detoxification mechanism, the functional contribution of astrocytes, and the downstream consequences of MG accumulation. In addition, we examined the interplay between MG, RAGE signaling, unfolded protein response, and regulatory mechanisms involving the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway and O-GlcNAcylation of key proteins in glucose metabolism and insulin signaling. Results and Conclusions: Brain glucose hypometabolism is a consequence of insulin resistance and results in a metabolic rearrangement that expands the glycolytic pathway and generates more MG, which, in turn, can affect insulin signaling, further compromising the molecular basis of insulin resistance and creating a vicious cycle. Astrocytes are key cells in the generation and detoxification of MG in the brain, making them a therapeutic target.