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Progranulin as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases
Rhinn H, Tatton N, McCaughey S, Kurnellas M, Rosenthal A.. Trends in pharmacological sciences, 2022-01-15
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Progranulin (PGRN, encoded by the GRN gene) plays a key role in the development, survival, function, and maintenance of neurons and microglia in the mammalian brain. It regulates lysosomal biogenesis, inflammation, repair, stress response, and aging. GRN loss-of-function mutations cause neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis or frontotemporal dementia-GRN (FTD-GRN) in a gene dosage-dependent manner.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Rhinn, H., Tatton, N., McCaughey, S., Kurnellas, M., & Rosenthal, A. (2022). Progranulin as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases. Trends in pharmacological sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.015
Vancouver
Rhinn H, Tatton N, McCaughey S, Kurnellas M, Rosenthal A. Progranulin as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases. Trends in pharmacological sciences. 2022. doi:10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.015. PMID: 35039149.
BibTeX
@article{rhinn2022-35039149,
author = {Rhinn, H. and Tatton, N. and McCaughey, S. and Kurnellas, M. and Rosenthal, A.},
title = {{Progranulin as a therapeutic target in neurodegenerative diseases}},
journal = {Trends in pharmacological sciences},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.015},
pmid = {35039149},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.015}
}
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.
Key findings
- It regulates lysosomal biogenesis, inflammation, repair, stress response, and aging.
- GRN loss-of-function mutations cause neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis or frontotemporal dementia-GRN (FTD-GRN) in a gene dosage-dependent manner.
- Mutations that reduce PGRN levels increase the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and limbic-predominant age-related transactivation response DNA-binding protein 43 encephalopathy, as well as exacerbate the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and FTD caused by the hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene.
- Elevating and/or restoring PGRN levels is an attractive therapeutic strategy and is being investigated for neurodegenerative diseases through multiple mechanisms of action.
Why it matters
This review describes progranulin's roles in neurons and microglia and notes that mutations reducing progranulin increase the risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases. It identifies a possible therapeutic target but reports no treatment that has been shown to cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
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 pharmacological sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Trends in Pharmacological Sciences: journal h-index 320 (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 | 2022 — 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 206 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 34.3 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 146 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Arnon Rosenthal: h-index 71 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Alector (United States): institution h-index 60 (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 35039149) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.015
- PubMed: 35039149
- Original source →
- Free full text: Trends in Pharmacological Sciences →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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