Roles of Oxidative Phosphorylation and Fatty Acid Oxidation in Neuroinflammation Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Hypothalamic Neuronal Cells

Neuroinflammation is intricately associated with impaired neuronal function and is a contributing factor in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Significant alterations in cellular metabolism often accompany these inflammatory changes. Although considerable research has focused on understanding these metabolic shifts in astrocytes and microglia, the precise mechanisms linking neuroinflammation and cellular metabolism in neurons remain poorly understood. This study explores the connection between neuroinflammation and neuronal cell metabolism through a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced neuroinflammation model utilizing GT1‐7 hypothalamic neuron cultures. Our findings indicate that LPS‐induced neuroinflammation in GT1‐7 hypothalamic neurons is marked by reduced oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and decreased endogenous fatty acid oxidation (FAO). In contrast, exogenous FAO increases, leading to elevated ATP production, while glycolysis remains unchanged. These metabolic changes are associated with increased inflammatory markers (IL‐6, TNF‐α) and oxidative stress indicators (ROS, NO), as well as decreased synaptic plasticity (as indicated by synaptophysin) and impaired cellular function, as evidenced by reduced gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) release. Our study highlights the intricate interplay between neuroinflammation and neuronal cell metabolism. These findings emphasize the significance of metabolic changes in neuroinflammatory processes, offering potential insights for therapeutic interventions in neurodegenerative diseases.