1-O-alkyl glycerophosphate-induced CD36 expression drives oxidative stress in microglial cells

Abstract

Microglia, the tissue-resident macrophages in the central nervous system, are important for the initiation and perpetuation of neuroinflammation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a ligand-inducible transcription factor and plays an important role in fatty acid metabolism. Our previous study found that 1-O-alkyl glycerophosphate (AGP), a naturally occurring ether analog of lysophosphatidic acid, is a high-affinity, partial agonist of PPARγ. In this study, we investigated the role of AGP in microglial activation and illustrated the underlying molecular mechanism. We found that AGP treatment increased the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and induced PPARγ activation in microglial cells. Interestingly, AGP also up-regulated the expression levels of the cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) scavenger receptor, a high-affinity receptor for oxidized low-density lipoproteins. The findings suggest that AGP induces PPARγ activation, enhances CD36 expression and increases the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in microglial cells.