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Chronic neurodegeneration induces type I interferon synthesis via STING, shaping microglial phenotype and accelerating disease progression
Nazmi A, Field RH, Griffin EW, Haugh O, Hennessy E, Cox D, Reis R, Tortorelli L et al.. Glia, 2019-01-25
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Type I interferons (IFN-I) are the principal antiviral molecules of the innate immune system and can be made by most cell types, including central nervous system cells. IFN-I has been implicated in neuroinflammation during neurodegeneration, but its mechanism of induction and its consequences remain unclear. In the current study, we assessed expression of IFN-I in murine prion disease (ME7) and examined the contribution of the IFN-I receptor IFNAR1 to disease progression.
Key findings
- IFN-I has been implicated in neuroinflammation during neurodegeneration, but its mechanism of induction and its consequences remain unclear.
- In the current study, we assessed expression of IFN-I in murine prion disease (ME7) and examined the contribution of the IFN-I receptor IFNAR1 to disease progression.
- The data indicate a robust IFNβ response, specifically in microglia, with evidence of IFN-dependent genes in both microglia and astrocytes.
- This IFN-I response was absent in stimulator of interferon genes (STING -/- ) mice.
Why it matters
In a mouse prion disease model, chronic neurodegeneration induced type I interferon via STING, shaping microglial phenotype and accelerating disease progression. This is animal work in a different disease and does not establish an Alzheimer's treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Glia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Glia: journal h-index 233 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 130 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.4 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 49 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Colm M. Cunningham: h-index 64 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Florida: institution h-index 1,303 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30680794) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Nazmi, A., Field, R. H., Griffin, E. W., Haugh, O., Hennessy, E., Cox, D., et al. (2019). Chronic neurodegeneration induces type I interferon synthesis via STING, shaping microglial phenotype and accelerating disease progression. Glia. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23592
Vancouver
Nazmi A, Field RH, Griffin EW, Haugh O, Hennessy E, Cox D, et al. Chronic neurodegeneration induces type I interferon synthesis via STING, shaping microglial phenotype and accelerating disease progression. Glia. 2019. doi:10.1002/glia.23592. PMID: 30680794.
BibTeX
@article{nazmi2019-30680794,
author = {Nazmi, A. and Field, R. H. and Griffin, E. W. and Haugh, O. and Hennessy, E. and Cox, D. and Reis, R. and Tortorelli, L. and others},
title = {{Chronic neurodegeneration induces type I interferon synthesis via STING, shaping microglial phenotype and accelerating disease progression}},
journal = {Glia},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1002/glia.23592},
pmid = {30680794},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23592}
}
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