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Extracellular microvesicles promote microglia-mediated pro-inflammatory responses to ethanol
Crews FT, Zou J, Coleman LG.. Journal of neuroscience research, 2021-02-20
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) pathology features pro-inflammatory gene induction and microglial activation. The underlying cellular processes that promote this activation remain unclear. Previously considered cellular debris, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as mediators of inflammatory signaling in several disease states.
Key findings
- The underlying cellular processes that promote this activation remain unclear.
- Previously considered cellular debris, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as mediators of inflammatory signaling in several disease states.
- We investigated the role of microvesicles (MVs, 50 nm-100 µm diameter EVs) in pro-inflammatory and microglial functional gene expression using primary organotypic brain slice culture (OBSC).
- Ethanol caused a unique immune gene signature that featured: temporal induction of pro-inflammatory TNF-α and IL-1β, reduction of homeostatic microglia state gene Tmem119, progressive increases in purinergic receptor P2RY12 and the microglial inhibitory fractalkine receptor CX3CR1, an increase in the microglial presynaptic gene C1q, and a reduction in the phagocytic gene TREM2.
Why it matters
In primary organotypic brain slice culture, ethanol caused a unique immune gene signature and microvesicles promoted microglia-mediated pro-inflammatory responses. This is a laboratory study of alcohol-related inflammation, so it does not show any effect on treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
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 (Journal of neuroscience research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Neuroscience Research: journal h-index 222 (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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 54 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.7 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 23 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Leon G. Coleman: h-index 22 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: institution h-index 1,674 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 33611821) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24813
- PubMed: 33611821
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neuroscience Research →
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Crews, F. T., Zou, J., & Coleman, L. G. (2021). Extracellular microvesicles promote microglia-mediated pro-inflammatory responses to ethanol. Journal of neuroscience research. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24813
Vancouver
Crews FT, Zou J, Coleman LG. Extracellular microvesicles promote microglia-mediated pro-inflammatory responses to ethanol. Journal of neuroscience research. 2021. doi:10.1002/jnr.24813. PMID: 33611821.
BibTeX
@article{crews2021-33611821,
author = {Crews, F. T. and Zou, J. and Coleman, L. G.},
title = {{Extracellular microvesicles promote microglia-mediated pro-inflammatory responses to ethanol}},
journal = {Journal of neuroscience research},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1002/jnr.24813},
pmid = {33611821},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.24813}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.