Home › Research › Inflammation and the immune system
Human TBK1: A Gatekeeper of Neuroinflammation
Ahmad L, Zhang SY, Casanova JL, Sancho-Shimizu V.. Trends in molecular medicine, 2016-06-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The importance of TANK binding kinase-1 (TBK1), a multimeric kinase that modulates inflammation and autophagy, in human health has been highlighted for the first time by the recent discoveries of mutations in TBK1 that underlie amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), normal tension glaucoma (NTG) or childhood herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). Gain-of-function of TBK1 are associated with NTG, whereas loss-of-function mutations result in ALS/FTD or in HSE. In light of these new findings, we review the role of TBK1 in these seemingly unrelated, yet allelic diseases, and discuss the role of TBK1 in neuroinflammatory diseases.
Key findings
- Gain-of-function of TBK1 are associated with NTG, whereas loss-of-function mutations result in ALS/FTD or in HSE.
- In light of these new findings, we review the role of TBK1 in these seemingly unrelated, yet allelic diseases, and discuss the role of TBK1 in neuroinflammatory diseases.
- This discovery has the potential to significantly increase our understanding of the molecular basis of these poorly understood diseases.
Why it matters
This review discusses TBK1 mutations linked to ALS, frontotemporal dementia, normal tension glaucoma and childhood herpes simplex encephalitis, and TBK1's role in neuroinflammation. It concerns these other conditions and does not report a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
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 (Trends in molecular medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Trends in Molecular Medicine: journal h-index 238 (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 | 2016 — within 20 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 210 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 17.5 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.5× 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 | 3 / 4 | Cited 66 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Vanessa Sancho‐Shimizu: h-index 56 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute: institution h-index 2,008 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 27211305) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.006
- PubMed: 27211305
- Original source →
- Free full text: Trends in Molecular Medicine →
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
Ahmad, L., Zhang, S. Y., Casanova, J. L., & Sancho-Shimizu, V. (2016). Human TBK1: A Gatekeeper of Neuroinflammation. Trends in molecular medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.006
Vancouver
Ahmad L, Zhang SY, Casanova JL, Sancho-Shimizu V. Human TBK1: A Gatekeeper of Neuroinflammation. Trends in molecular medicine. 2016. doi:10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.006. PMID: 27211305.
BibTeX
@article{ahmad2016-27211305,
author = {Ahmad, L. and Zhang, S. Y. and Casanova, J. L. and Sancho-Shimizu, V.},
title = {{Human TBK1: A Gatekeeper of Neuroinflammation}},
journal = {Trends in molecular medicine},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.006},
pmid = {27211305},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmed.2016.04.006}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
2 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Inflammation and the immune system
Also tagged “mice”
1,150 studies in the library carry the topic tag “mice”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,150 tagged studies.