Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42072647›Full record

ArticleBiomolecules2026

Cocaine Upregulates Microglial Lipid Droplet Formation Through Increasing Lipid Synthesis Activity In Vitro and In Vivo.

Yan Cheng, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Aryan Patel, Yan Y Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biomolecules, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Yan ChengDepartment of Biological and Translational, Macon and Joan Brock Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
Brooke RussellDepartment of Biological and Translational, Macon and Joan Brock Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
Liam Liyang GuoKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Aryan PatelDepartment of Biological and Translational, Macon and Joan Brock Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-9828-9334
Yan Y SandersDepartment of Biological and Translational, Macon and Joan Brock Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6575-9729
Ming-Lei GuoDepartment of Biological and Translational, Macon and Joan Brock Eastern Virginia Medical School/Virginia Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2969-0802

Funding

NIDA NIH HHS R01DA054826, R21AG090171, R34DA061156
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A novel subtype of microglia, lipid droplet accumulation microglia (LDAMs), has been identified in the aged brain, which is characterized by sustained inflammation and senescent-like phenotypes. LDAMs are deeply involved in promoting brain aging as well as the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Cocaine can alter brain lipidomic profiles, induce microglial activation, and accelerate brain aging. This suggests that cocaine might affect microglial lipid metabolism, which ultimately aggravates aging-related neurological disorders in people with addictions. In this study, we explored the effects of cocaine on microglial lipid metabolism. Our results showed that chronic cocaine administration altered brain lipid profiles and increased LDAM formation in vivo. The increase in LDAMs was accompanied by the upregulation of the senescent marker p53 in the brain. Cocaine also increased lipid droplet (LD) formation in BV2 microglia and primary microglia in vitro. A mechanism study revealed that cocaine increased the levels of SREBP1/2, HMGCR, DGAT1, and FASN, which are critical for lipid synthesis. Overall, our findings demonstrate that cocaine increases LDAM formation in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that targeting microglia lipid metabolism might be a promising therapeutic approach to mitigate aging-related neurological syndromes in people with cocaine addictions.

Indexed as

CocaineLipid DropletsLipidsMicrogliaAnimalsBrainCell LineLipid MetabolismMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLUp-RegulationCocaineLipidscocainelipid dropletsmicroglianeuroinflammationsenescence

Identifiers

PMID42072647
PMCPMC13114159

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.