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Microglial activation states drive glucose uptake and FDG-PET alterations in neurodegenerative diseases
Xiang X, Wind K, Wiedemann T, Blume T, Shi Y, Briel N, Beyer L, Biechele G et al.. Science translational medicine, 2021-10-13
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
2-Deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoro-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is widely used to study cerebral glucose metabolism. Here, we investigated whether the FDG-PET signal is directly influenced by microglial glucose uptake in mouse models and patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Using a recently developed approach for cell sorting after FDG injection, we found that, at cellular resolution, microglia displayed higher glucose uptake than neurons and astrocytes.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Xiang, X., Wind, K., Wiedemann, T., Blume, T., Shi, Y., Briel, N., et al. (2021). Microglial activation states drive glucose uptake and FDG-PET alterations in neurodegenerative diseases. Science translational medicine. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abe5640
Vancouver
Xiang X, Wind K, Wiedemann T, Blume T, Shi Y, Briel N, et al. Microglial activation states drive glucose uptake and FDG-PET alterations in neurodegenerative diseases. Science translational medicine. 2021. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.abe5640. PMID: 34644146.
BibTeX
@article{xiang2021-34644146,
author = {Xiang, X. and Wind, K. and Wiedemann, T. and Blume, T. and Shi, Y. and Briel, N. and Beyer, L. and Biechele, G. and others},
title = {{Microglial activation states drive glucose uptake and FDG-PET alterations in neurodegenerative diseases}},
journal = {Science translational medicine},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1126/scitranslmed.abe5640},
pmid = {34644146},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abe5640}
}
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Key findings
- Here, we investigated whether the FDG-PET signal is directly influenced by microglial glucose uptake in mouse models and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
- Using a recently developed approach for cell sorting after FDG injection, we found that, at cellular resolution, microglia displayed higher glucose uptake than neurons and astrocytes.
- Alterations in microglial glucose uptake were responsible for both the FDG-PET signal decrease in Trem2 -deficient mice and the FDG-PET signal increase in mouse models for amyloidosis.
- Thus, opposite microglial activation states determine the differential FDG uptake.
Why it matters
In mice, this study found that the brain's immune cells (microglia) take up more glucose than neurons or astrocytes. Changes in microglial glucose uptake accounted for both a drop in the FDG-PET brain-scan signal in Trem2-deficient mice and a rise in mice modelling amyloid build-up. This suggests an FDG-PET scan partly reflects immune-cell activity and not only neuron activity. It concerns how a scan signal is produced and is not a way to treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants12
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Science translational medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Science Translational Medicine: journal h-index 365 (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 | 1 / 4 | 12 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 267 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 38.1 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 14 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 166 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Matthias Brendel: h-index 56 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Chinese Academy of Sciences: institution h-index 1,801 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 19 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34644146) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
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