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Diet-dependent regulation of TGFβ impairs reparative innate immune responses after demyelination
Bosch-Queralt M, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Damkou A, Schifferer M, Schlepckow K, Alexopoulos I, Lütjohann D, Klose C et al.. Nature metabolism, 2021-02-18
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Proregenerative responses are required for the restoration of nervous-system functionality in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Yet, the limiting factors responsible for poor CNS repair are only partially understood. Here, we test the impact of a Western diet (WD) on phagocyte function in a mouse model of demyelinating injury that requires microglial innate immune function for a regenerative response to occur.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
In a mouse model of demyelinating injury, a Western diet impaired microglial clearance of myelin debris and lesion recovery. This is early animal work on multiple sclerosis-like injury and does not show that any treatment prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Bosch-Queralt, M., Cantuti-Castelvetri, L., Damkou, A., Schifferer, M., Schlepckow, K., Alexopoulos, I., et al. (2021). Diet-dependent regulation of TGFβ impairs reparative innate immune responses after demyelination. Nature metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00341-7
Vancouver
Bosch-Queralt M, Cantuti-Castelvetri L, Damkou A, Schifferer M, Schlepckow K, Alexopoulos I, et al. Diet-dependent regulation of TGFβ impairs reparative innate immune responses after demyelination. Nature metabolism. 2021. doi:10.1038/s42255-021-00341-7. PMID: 33619376.
BibTeX
@article{boschqueralt2021-33619376,
author = {Bosch-Queralt, M. and Cantuti-Castelvetri, L. and Damkou, A. and Schifferer, M. and Schlepckow, K. and Alexopoulos, I. and Lütjohann, D. and Klose, C. and others},
title = {{Diet-dependent regulation of TGFβ impairs reparative innate immune responses after demyelination}},
journal = {Nature metabolism},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1038/s42255-021-00341-7},
pmid = {33619376},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00341-7}
}
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.
Key findings
- Yet, the limiting factors responsible for poor CNS repair are only partially understood.
- Here, we test the impact of a Western diet (WD) on phagocyte function in a mouse model of demyelinating injury that requires microglial innate immune function for a regenerative response to occur.
- We find that WD feeding triggers an ageing-related, dysfunctional metabolic response that is associated with impaired myelin-debris clearance in microglia, thereby impairing lesion recovery after demyelination.
- Mechanistically, we detect enhanced transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signalling, which suppresses the activation of the liver X receptor (LXR)-regulated genes involved in cholesterol efflux, thereby inhibiting phagocytic clearance of myelin and cholesterol.
Why it matters
In a mouse model of demyelinating injury, a Western diet impaired microglial clearance of myelin debris and lesion recovery. This is early animal work on multiple sclerosis-like injury and does not show that any treatment prevents or cures Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Genetics →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nature metabolism) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Nature Metabolism: journal h-index 148 (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 | 3 / 5 | 2021 — within 6 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 88 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.6 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 51 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Mikael Simons: h-index 86 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München: institution h-index 1,224 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33619376) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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