The smoldering inflammation is a hallmark of the progressive phase of multiple sclerosis. In this cutting-edge paper Peruzzotti-Jametti et Al. investigated the mechanism underlying sustained activation of myeloid cells in multiple sclerosis (MS), demonstrating that:
- mitochondrial complex I activity is a specific signature for “smoldering” microglia activation
- blocking complex I activity protects the central nervous system from “smoldering” neurotoxic damage
Overall, this work is extremely relevant because it has shown that the mitochondrial complex I could be a future therapeutic target for quencing persistent neuroinflammation in neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.