Examining the Impact of Microglia on Ischemic Stroke With an Emphasis on the Metabolism of Immune Cells

ABSTRACT Background Ischemic stroke, a major cause of disability and the second leading cause of death, poses a significant public health challenge. Post‐stroke inflammation can harm the blood–brain barrier and worsen neurological deficits, which are key factors in neuronal damage in patients with ischemic stroke. Microglia are crucial in the central nervous system, involved in inflammation, neuronal damage, and repair after cerebral ischemia. While cellular immune metabolism has been widely studied, its role in ischamic stroke remains unclear. Aim This review aims to examine how inflammation affects the phenotypic characteristics of immune cells after ischemic stroke and to explore the effects of the immune metabolic microenvironment on the phenotypic profiles and functions of microglia in ischemic stroke. Method The review refers to the available literature in PubMed, searching for critical terms related to Ischemic stroke, neuroinflammation, microglia, and immunometabolism. Result In this review, we found that during stroke progression, microglia can dynamically switch between pro‐inflammatory and anti‐inflammatory phenotypes. Microglial glycometabolism includes oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, and lipid metabolism involves lipid synthesis and breakdown. Modulating the production of inflammatory mediator precursors can induce an anti‐inflammatory phenotype in microglia. Conclusion Thus, studying microglial metabolic pathways and their products may offer new insights for ischemic stroke treatment.