Title:The Implication of Glial Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Alzheimer’s
Disease
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Author(s): Izabella B.Q. de Lima and Fabíola M. Ribeiro*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais,
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, metabotropic glutamate receptors, astrocytes, microglia, neurodegeneration, calcium signalling, amyloid-beta.
Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was first identified more than 100 years ago, yet aspects pertaining
to its origin and the mechanisms underlying disease progression are not well known. To this
date, there is no therapeutic approach or disease-modifying drug that could halt or at least delay disease
progression. Until recently, glial cells were seen as secondary actors in brain homeostasis. Although
this view was gradually refuted and the relevance of glial cells for the most diverse brain
functions such as synaptic plasticity and neurotransmission was vastly proved, many aspects of its
functioning, as well as its role in pathological conditions, remain poorly understood. Metabotropic
glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in glial cells were shown to be involved in neuroinflammation and
neurotoxicity. Besides its relevance for glial function, glutamatergic receptors are also central in the
pathology of AD, and recent studies have shown that glial mGluRs play a role in the establishment
and progression of AD. AD-related alterations in Ca2+ signalling, APP processing, and Aβ load, as
well as AD-related neurodegeneration, are influenced by glial mGluRs. However, different types of
mGluRs play different roles, depending on the cell type and brain region that is being analysed.
Therefore, in this review, we focus on the current understanding of glial mGluRs and their implication
in AD, providing an insight for future therapeutics and identifying existing research gaps worth
investigating.
