Expression of apolipoprotein E mRNA in rat microglia
Nakai M, Kawamata T, Taniguchi T, Maeda K, Tanaka C.. Neuroscience letters, 1996-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a major risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD), which is the most common cause of progressive dementing illness. ApoE has been postulated to be synthesized by astrocytes and taken up by microglia and neuronal cells. However, it remains unknown whether apoE is also produced by microglia in the brain. We analyzed apoE mRNA expression of microglia using a rat primary culture system. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed expression of apoE mRNA in cultured rat microglia. By RT-in situ-PCR, microglia showed positive staining for the PCR product of apoE mRNA. These results indicated that apoE was biosynthesized in rat microglia. We suggest that microglia might be one of the sources of apoE in the brain, and that apoE synthesized in microglia might be closely related to the pathogenesis of AD.
Key findings
- Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed expression of apoE mRNA in cultured rat microglia.
- These results indicated that apoE was biosynthesized in rat microglia.
- We suggest that microglia might be one of the sources of apoE in the brain, and that apoE synthesized in microglia might be closely related to the pathogenesis of AD.
Why it matters
This laboratory study in cultured rat microglia found that these cells can produce apoE mRNA. It is an early cell-culture finding and does not establish any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 39/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on institution's track record, so that was left out: it earned 38 of the 97 points we could judge it on, which is 39 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuroscience letters) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neuroscience Letters: journal h-index 267 (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 | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | Laboratory or animal study (title names “rat”) — scores zero |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 119 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.7 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Chikako Tanaka: h-index 55 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 8809843) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 38 / 97 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 38 of the 97 points we could judge it on is 39 out of 100. |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Nakai, M., Kawamata, T., Taniguchi, T., Maeda, K., & Tanaka, C. (1996). Expression of apolipoprotein E mRNA in rat microglia. Neuroscience letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(96)12716-6
Vancouver
Nakai M, Kawamata T, Taniguchi T, Maeda K, Tanaka C. Expression of apolipoprotein E mRNA in rat microglia. Neuroscience letters. 1996. doi:10.1016/0304-3940(96)12716-6. PMID: 8809843.
BibTeX
@article{nakai1996-8809843,
author = {Nakai, M. and Kawamata, T. and Taniguchi, T. and Maeda, K. and Tanaka, C.},
title = {{Expression of apolipoprotein E mRNA in rat microglia}},
journal = {Neuroscience letters},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1016/0304-3940(96)12716-6},
pmid = {8809843},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(96)12716-6}
}
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