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Oligodendroglia metabolically support axons and contribute to neurodegeneration
Open accessAbstract
Oligodendroglia support axon survival and function through mechanisms independent of myelination, and their dysfunction leads to axon degeneration in several diseases. The cause of this degeneration has not been determined, but lack of energy metabolites such as glucose or lactate has been proposed. Lactate is transported exclusively by monocarboxylate transporters, and changes to these transporters alter lactate production and use. Here we show that the most abundant lactate transporter in the central nervous system, monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1, also known as SLC16A1), is highly enriched within oligodendroglia and that disruption of this transporter produces axon damage and neuron loss in animal and cell culture models. In addition, this same transporter is reduced in patients with, and in mouse models of, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, suggesting a role for oligodendroglial MCT1 in pathogenesis. The role of oligodendroglia in axon function and neuron survival has been elusive; this study defines a new fundamental mechanism by which oligodendroglia support neurons and axons.
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“Remyelination is a crucial regenerative process in demyelinating diseases, limiting persisting damage to the CNS. It restores saltatory nerve conduction and ensures trophic support of axons.”
From BCAS1-positive oligodendrocytes enable efficient cortical remyelination in multiple sclerosis (2025) · cites this paper as [4]
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“It is finally in agreement with axonal degeneration observed in mice lacking the monocarboxylate transporter MCT1 in oligodendrocytes lineage cells (Lee et al., 2012;Philips et al., 2021).”
From Downregulated expression of lactate dehydrogenase in adult oligodendrocytes and its implication for the transfer of glycolysis products to axons (2024) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
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“This led to a working model of glycolytic oligodendrocytes providing direct metabolic support to axons via non-compacted cytoplasmic channels in myelin and monocarboxylate transporters, which preserves functional integrity and axon survival (Amaral et al., 2013;Fünfschilling et al., 2012;Lee et al., 2012).”
From Downregulated expression of lactate dehydrogenase in adult oligodendrocytes and its implication for the transfer of glycolysis products to axons (2024) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
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“As oligodendrocytes support axonal energy metabolism and neuronal health4–7, we hypothesized that loss of myelin integrity could be an upstream risk factor for neuronal amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, the central neuropathological hallmark of AD.”
From Myelin dysfunction drives amyloid-β deposition in models of Alzheimer’s disease (2023) · cites this paper as [6]
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“Pyruvate and lactate can shuttle between glial cells and axons via monocarboxylate transporters.”
From Downregulated expression of lactate dehydrogenase in adult oligodendrocytes and its implication for the transfer of glycolysis products to axons (2024) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
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“This opens the possibility that glycolytic oligodendrocytes, which are suggested to support electrically active axons with an excess of glycolysis products (Fünfschilling et al., 2012;Lee et al., 2012;Saab et al., 2016;Trevisiol et al., 2017) do so primarily by self-made pyruvate.”
From Downregulated expression of lactate dehydrogenase in adult oligodendrocytes and its implication for the transfer of glycolysis products to axons (2024) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
In the citing paper
“an essential lactate transporter in the CNS whose expression is regulated by autophagy [458].”
From Autophagy and ALS: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications (2022) · cites this paper as [458]
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“and lower levels of SLC16A1/MCT1 (solute carrier family 16 member 1), an essential lactate transporter in the CNS whose expression is regulated by autophagy [458].”
From Autophagy and ALS: mechanistic insights and therapeutic implications (2022) · cites this paper as [458]
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“blocking neuronal oxidative utilization of lactate affects neuronal survival and even memory formation (Suzuki et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2012).”
From Metabolic reprogramming during neuronal differentiation from aerobic glycolysis to neuronal oxidative phosphorylation (2016) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
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“This confirms that axons readily use lactate for ATP generation”
From Oligodendroglial NMDA receptors regulate glucose import and axonal energy metabolism (2016) · cites this paper as Lee et al., 2012
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- Rinholm, J. E. et al. Regulation of oligodendrocyte development and myelination by glucose and lactate. J. Neurosci. 31, 538–548 (2011) · DOI · Paper page
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Metadata
- Authors
- Lee, Y., Morrison, B. M., Li, Y., Lengacher, S., Farah, M. H., Hoffman, P. N., Liu, Y., Tsingalia, A., Jin, L., Zhang, P.-W., Pellerin, L., Magistretti, P. J., & Rothstein, J. D.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- University of Lausanne (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Rothstein, Jeffrey D.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature
- Published
- 2012-07
- Volume
- 487
- Issue
- 7408
- Pages
- 443-448
- ISSN
- 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-4687
- PMC
- PMC3408792
- OpenAlex
- W2038811384
- Cited by
- 1,664
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 110 · 2025: 107 · 2024: 130 · 2023: 118 · 2022: 133 · 2021: 150 · 2020: 141 · 2019: 107 · 2018: 110 · 2017: 133 · 2016: 107 · 2015: 106 · 2014: 98 · 2013: 97 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 72.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
- IRIS (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Muscular Dystrophy Association
- Johns Hopkins University
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (31003A, 108336, 125063)
- Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute on Aging (P50AG005146, P50AG05146)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (P01NS016375, NS 33958, P01 NS16375, R01NS033958)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Clinical Neurology › Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Clinical Neurology › Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Keywords
- oligodendroglia, MCT1, lactate transport, axonal degeneration, neurodegeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, oligodendrocytes, neuronal loss, lactate export
- MeSH terms
- Superoxide Dismutase-1, Monocarboxylate Transport Protein 1, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Animals, Axons, Cell Line, Cell Survival, Disease Models, Animal, Heterozygote, Humans, Mice, Transgenic, Motor Neurons, Myelin Sheath, Nerve Degeneration, Oligodendroglia, Superoxide Dismutase, Down-Regulation, Lactic Acid, Protein Transport, Monocarboxylic Acid Transporters, Symporters, RNA, Small Interfering, Mice
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