Target modulation of glycolytic pathways as a new strategy for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases

Neuroinflammation is an innate and adaptive immune response initiated by the release of inflammatory mediators from various immune cells in response to harmful stimuli. While initially beneficial and protective, prolonged or excessive neuroinflammation has been identified in clinical and experimental studies as a key pathological driver of numerous neurological diseases and an accelerant of the aging process. Glycolysis, the metabolic process that converts glucose to pyruvate or lactate to produce adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), is often dysregulated in many neuroinflammatory disorders and in the affected nerve cells. Enhancing glucose availability and uptake, as well as increasing glycolytic flux through pharmacological or genetic manipulation of glycolytic enzymes, has shown potential protective effects in several animal models of neuroinflammatory diseases. Modulating the glycolytic pathway to improve glucose metabolism and ATP production may help alleviate energy deficiencies associated with these conditions. In this review, we examine six neuroinflammatory diseases—stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and depression—and provide evidence supporting the role of glycolysis in their treatment. We also explore the potential link between inflammation-induced aging and glycolysis. Additionally, we briefly discuss the critical role of glycolysis in three types of neuronal cells—neurons, microglia, and astrocytes—within physiological processes. This review highlights the significance of glycolysis in the pathology of neuroinflammatory diseases and its relevance to the aging process.