Oligodendrocytes (OLs) myelinate central nervous system (CNS) axons and provide metabolic support to maintain axonal integrity. Thyroid hormone (TH) is a mitogen for oligodendroglial precursor cells (OPCs) maturation into myelinating OLs. Cellular uptake of TH is mediated by monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8; encoded by slc16a2 ), and its dysfunction results in intracellular triiodothyronine (T3) deprivation, leading to hypomyelination and myelin degeneration during neuroinflammation. We showed that MCT8 expression is maintained in OPCs residing within the sub–ventricular zone (SVZ) throughout CNS development, suggesting a role during OL development. We identified MCT8 deficiency during neuroinflammatory and cuprizone demyelination models, as well as in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). These conditions were associated with dysregulated AKT–mTOR–PANK2 signaling and abrogated Co Enzyme A and lipid synthesis pathways in the CNS during myelin degeneration. Hence, neuroprotection during SPMS maybe achieved by overcoming MCT8 deficiencies in OLs.

Cerebral small vessel disease is a leading cause of cognitive decline and stroke in the elderly, with cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) as one of the key imaging biomarkers. Our understanding of its pathophysiology remains limited due to the lack of appropriate animal models. We report a novel mouse CMB model created by disrupting collagen IV, a core component of the vascular basement membrane (BM), specifically within brain microvessels. Targeted deletion of Col4a1 was achieved in adult mice using brain endothelial-specific AAV vectors with CRISPR/Cas9. MRI revealed numerous CMBs with distributions similar to those of human CMBs. CMB burden increased progressively over six months following Col4a1 deletion in a dose-dependent manner, accompanied by cognitive decline and motor incoordination. Histological examination revealed hemosiderin deposits corresponding to MRI-detected CMBs without evidence of macroscopic hemorrhage or white matter lesions, while ultrastructural analysis demonstrated significant BM thinning in Col4a1 -depleted microvessels. Analysis of human MRI and genomic data identified significant associations between CMB susceptibility and genetic variants in TIMP2 , an endogenous inhibitor of the matrix-degrading enzyme MMP2, underscoring the clinical relevance of our model. These findings establish a direct causal relationship between microvessel COL4A1 and CMB, suggesting that dysregulated collagen IV homeostasis in BM underlies CMB development.