Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases
The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a critical structure that maintains the brain’s homeostasis by regulating the transport of molecules and protecting it from harmful substances. However, in neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1603292/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849406958342242304 |
|---|---|
| author | Luo Fu Luo Fu Ting Luo Ting Luo Zhongnan Hao Yongli Pan Yongli Pan Wenqiang Xin Lin Zhang Lin Zhang Zhuhong Lai Haitao Zhang Hua Liu Wei Wei Wei Wei |
| author_facet | Luo Fu Luo Fu Ting Luo Ting Luo Zhongnan Hao Yongli Pan Yongli Pan Wenqiang Xin Lin Zhang Lin Zhang Zhuhong Lai Haitao Zhang Hua Liu Wei Wei Wei Wei |
| author_sort | Luo Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a critical structure that maintains the brain’s homeostasis by regulating the transport of molecules and protecting it from harmful substances. However, in neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, the integrity and function of the BBB can be significantly compromised. In these conditions, BBB disruption leads to increased permeability, which facilitates neuroinflammation, exacerbates neuronal damage, and accelerates disease progression. Recent research has highlighted the potential of lipid-based carriers, including liposomes and lipid droplets (LDs), in modulating the BBB’s integrity and function in various neurological diseases. Liposomes, with their ability to cross the BBB via mechanisms such as receptor-mediated transcytosis and carrier-mediated transport, are emerging as promising vehicles for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain. These properties allow liposomes to effectively reduce infarct size and promote neuroprotection in ischemic stroke, as well as deliver drugs in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, LDs—dynamic regulators of lipid metabolism and cellular energy—play an essential role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, particularly during periods of stress when BBB function is compromised. These LDs help sustain cellular energy needs and modulate inflammatory responses, which are key factors in maintaining BBB integrity. Surface modifications of liposomes can further enhance their targeting efficiency, enabling them to selectively bind to specific brain cell types, including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. This customization improves the precision of therapeutic delivery and supports the development of more tailored treatments. However, challenges such as immune responses, rapid clearance, and complement activation-related toxicity continue to hinder the broader application of liposomes and LDs in clinical settings. This review will focus on the roles of liposomes and LDs in regulating BBB integrity across a range of neurological diseases, discussing their potential for targeted drug delivery, neuroprotection, and the modulation of neuroinflammation. Additionally, we will explore the strategies being developed to address the limitations that currently restrict their clinical use. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3b64d9aae5594fb58d4cc9d1e57a772c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-3b64d9aae5594fb58d4cc9d1e57a772c2025-08-20T03:36:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-08-011910.3389/fnins.2025.16032921603292Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseasesLuo Fu0Luo Fu1Ting Luo2Ting Luo3Zhongnan Hao4Yongli Pan5Yongli Pan6Wenqiang Xin7Lin Zhang8Lin Zhang9Zhuhong Lai10Haitao Zhang11Hua Liu12Wei Wei13Wei Wei14Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Gastrointestinal and Minimally Invasive Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center of Göttingen, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center of Göttingen, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, ChinaJiangxi Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center of Göttingen, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of Cardiology, Mianyang Central Hospital, Mianyang, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center of Göttingen, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, GermanyThe blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a critical structure that maintains the brain’s homeostasis by regulating the transport of molecules and protecting it from harmful substances. However, in neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis, the integrity and function of the BBB can be significantly compromised. In these conditions, BBB disruption leads to increased permeability, which facilitates neuroinflammation, exacerbates neuronal damage, and accelerates disease progression. Recent research has highlighted the potential of lipid-based carriers, including liposomes and lipid droplets (LDs), in modulating the BBB’s integrity and function in various neurological diseases. Liposomes, with their ability to cross the BBB via mechanisms such as receptor-mediated transcytosis and carrier-mediated transport, are emerging as promising vehicles for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain. These properties allow liposomes to effectively reduce infarct size and promote neuroprotection in ischemic stroke, as well as deliver drugs in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, LDs—dynamic regulators of lipid metabolism and cellular energy—play an essential role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, particularly during periods of stress when BBB function is compromised. These LDs help sustain cellular energy needs and modulate inflammatory responses, which are key factors in maintaining BBB integrity. Surface modifications of liposomes can further enhance their targeting efficiency, enabling them to selectively bind to specific brain cell types, including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. This customization improves the precision of therapeutic delivery and supports the development of more tailored treatments. However, challenges such as immune responses, rapid clearance, and complement activation-related toxicity continue to hinder the broader application of liposomes and LDs in clinical settings. This review will focus on the roles of liposomes and LDs in regulating BBB integrity across a range of neurological diseases, discussing their potential for targeted drug delivery, neuroprotection, and the modulation of neuroinflammation. Additionally, we will explore the strategies being developed to address the limitations that currently restrict their clinical use.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1603292/fulllipid dropletsliposomesblood–brain barrierneurological disordersneuroprotection |
| spellingShingle | Luo Fu Luo Fu Ting Luo Ting Luo Zhongnan Hao Yongli Pan Yongli Pan Wenqiang Xin Lin Zhang Lin Zhang Zhuhong Lai Haitao Zhang Hua Liu Wei Wei Wei Wei Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases Frontiers in Neuroscience lipid droplets liposomes blood–brain barrier neurological disorders neuroprotection |
| title | Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| title_full | Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| title_fullStr | Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| title_short | Exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood–brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| title_sort | exploring novel roles of lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in regulating inflammation and blood brain barrier function in neurological diseases |
| topic | lipid droplets liposomes blood–brain barrier neurological disorders neuroprotection |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1603292/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT luofu exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT luofu exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT tingluo exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT tingluo exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT zhongnanhao exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT yonglipan exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT yonglipan exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT wenqiangxin exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT linzhang exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT linzhang exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT zhuhonglai exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT haitaozhang exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT hualiu exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT weiwei exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases AT weiwei exploringnovelrolesoflipiddropletsandlipidmetabolisminregulatinginflammationandbloodbrainbarrierfunctioninneurologicaldiseases |