Comparative lipidomics of iPSC-derived microglia protocols reveal lipid droplet and immune differences mediated by media composition.

ABSTRACT: Altered microglial lipid metabolism is heavily implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and aging. Recently, protocols were developed to generate human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia-like cells (iMGL) to study microglial function in vitro, including embryoid body-based methods and induced transcription factor (iTF)-dependent approaches. Here, we performed comparative lipidomics on iMGL from these methods and report major differences in multiple lipid classes, including triglycerides (TGs), a storage form of fatty acids implicated in microglial reactivity. TGs are strongly increased in iTF microglia due to the absence of a media supplement (B-27). Supplementing iTF microglia with B-27, or its component L-carnitine, reduces TGs and promotes a homeostatic state. B-27 also rende

SUBMITTER: Toda Robert A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12903089 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature