Microglia contribute to bipolar depression through Serinc2-dependent phospholipid synthesis

Y Ying-Han Wang (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) C Chong-Lei Fu (Shandong Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University) L Lin-Bo Chen (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) C Chu-Yi Zhang (Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) J Jian-Shan Chen (Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Huiai Hospital) Q Qiao-Ming Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) Y Yirui Liang (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) R Rui-Lan Yang (Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Huiai Hospital) Y Yu Li Y Ya-Ni Zhang (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) Y Yi-Nuo Han (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) Z Zhen-Liang Yuan (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) Y Yi-Ni Chen (State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University) H Haimei Li (Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province) Y Yanmeng Pan (Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province) S Shaohua Hu (Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province) M Ming Li L Li-Ping Cao (Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences) J Jun Yao (Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering)

Abstract

Although clinical research has revealed microglia-related inflammatory and immune responses in bipolar disorder (BD) patient brains, it remains unclear how microglia contribute to the pathogenesis of BD. Here, we demonstrated that Serinc2 is associated with susceptibility to BD and showed a reduced expression in BDII patient plasma, which correlated with the disease severity. Using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of sporadic and familial BDII patients, we found that Serinc2 expression showed deficits in iPSC-derived microglia-like cells, resulting in decreased synaptic pruning. Further, combining the microglia-specific Serinc2-deficient mouse and iPSC-microglia models, we found that microglial Serinc2 deficits functioned through attenuating the synthesis of serine-related phospholipids in the plasma membrane, thus resulting in depression-like behavioral abnormalities in the animals. Finally, we showed that the Serinc2-dependent lipid deficits diminished microglial membrane CR3 formation to interrupted synaptic pruning signals from neurons. Therefore, our results indicated that Serinc2 deficits in microglia might contribute to the pathogenesis of BD.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 37
Published September 16, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (19)

Y

Ying-Han Wang

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

C

Chong-Lei Fu

Shandong Institute of Brain Science and Brain-inspired Research, Shandong First Medical University

L

Lin-Bo Chen

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

C

Chu-Yi Zhang

Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

J

Jian-Shan Chen

Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Huiai Hospital

Q

Qiao-Ming Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

Y

Yirui Liang

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

R

Rui-Lan Yang

Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Huiai Hospital

Y

Yu Li

Y

Ya-Ni Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

Y

Yi-Nuo Han

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

Z

Zhen-Liang Yuan

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

Y

Yi-Ni Chen

State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University

H

Haimei Li

Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province

Y

Yanmeng Pan

Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province

S

Shaohua Hu

Department of Psychiatry, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, The Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder Management in Zhejiang Province

M

Ming Li

L

Li-Ping Cao

Key Laboratory of Genetic Evolution & Animal Models, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

J

Jun Yao

Key Lab of Mesoscopic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering