Therapeutic targeting of neuroinflammation in sphingolipidosis

Abstract

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a class of hereditary metabolic disorders primarily caused by lysosomal enzyme defects, leading to the accumulation of undegraded substrates. Sphingolipidoses, a subset of LSDs, are primarily associated with profound involvement of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by progressive neurodegeneration due to massive sphingolipid accumulation. A common pathological feature among many CNS-involved LSDs is the early activation of microglia and astrocytes, which often precedes and predicts regions of subsequent neuronal loss. The extent to which neuroinflammation disrupts CNS homeostasis appears to be determined by its onset, magnitude, and duration. Although neuroinflammatory processes are increasingly recognized as critical contributors to disease progression in sphingolipidoses, the molecular mechanisms underlying glial activation and the initiation of inflammatory cascades remain incompletely understood. Therefore, mouse models of sphingolipidoses have been instrumental in elucidating these pathogenic processes and provide valuable platforms for evaluating therapeutic strategies. This review critically examines the role of neuroinflammation in sphingolipidoses, summarizes insights derived from pre-clinical models, and discusses the therapeutic potential of anti-inflammatory interventions to mitigate CNS pathology and improve clinical outcomes.