APOE4/4 is linked to damaging lipid droplets in Alzheimer’s microglia

Abstract

Several genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) implicate genes involved in lipid metabolism and many of these lipid genes are highly expressed in glial cells. However, the relationship between lipid metabolism in glia and AD pathology remains poorly understood. Through single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of AD brain tissue, we have identified a microglial state defined by the expression of the lipid droplet (LD) associated enzyme <i>ACSL1</i> with ACSL1-positive microglia most abundant in AD patients with the <i>APOE4/4</i> genotype. In human iPSC-derived microglia (iMG) fibrillar Aβ (fAβ) induces <i>ACSL1</i> expression, triglyceride synthesis, and LD accumulation in an APOE-dependent manner. Additionally, conditioned media from LD-containing microglia leads to Tau phosphorylation and neurotoxicity in an APOE-dependent manner. Our findings suggest a link between genetic risk factors for AD with microglial LD accumulation and neurotoxic microglial-derived factors, potentially providing novel therapeutic strategies for AD.