| First Author | Zubillaga M | Year | 2025 |
| Journal | Redox Biol | Volume | 87 |
| Pages | 103872 | PubMed ID | 40992081 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:373112 | Mgi Id | MGI:8251376 |
| Doi | 10.1016/j.redox.2025.103872 | Citation | Zubillaga M, et al. (2025) Copper overload worsens the inflammatory response of microglia to amyloid beta (Abeta) by impairing phagocytosis and promoting mitochondrial DNA-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Redox Biol 87:103872 |
| abstractText | Microglia play a significant role in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These brain-resident immune cells efficiently clear neurotoxic amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides; however, chronic activation may overwhelm their protective abilities, resulting in persistent neuroinflammation. The causes of aberrant microglial activation in AD remain elusive. Emerging evidence indicates that copper (Cu) accumulation, which can arise from prolonged exposure to various environmental sources, modifies the innate immune response in AD. Here, we sought to explore the mechanisms by which Cu overload regulates the microglial phenotype when exposed to Abeta. Our findings showed that exposure to sublethal doses of Cu led to the accumulation of this transition metal in the mitochondria. Elevated mitochondrial Cu (mtCu) levels were accompanied by reduced mitochondrial glutathione (mtGSH) and high oxidative stress, leading to Abeta-induced inflammasome activation through the release of oxidized mitochondrial DNA (ox-mtDNA). Moreover, increased intracellular Cu levels enhanced cholesterol biosynthesis and facilitated its transport to mitochondria. The combination of elevated cholesterol and mitochondrial oxidative stress hindered the ability of microglia to phagocytose Abeta effectively. As expected, conditioned medium from Cu-activated microglia reduced neuronal viability. The neurotoxicity caused by Cu-overloaded microglia was prevented by inhibiting inflammasome activation and restoring mtGSH levels. In conclusion, our study outlines a mechanistic pathway by which chronic exposure to environmental Cu may lead to neuroinflammation and Abeta accumulation in AD, underscoring the crucial role of mitochondrial oxidative stress. |
