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Reactive microglia/macrophages phagocytose amyloid precursor protein produced by neurons following neural damage
Shigematsu K, McGeer PL, Walker DG, Ishii T, McGeer EG.. Journal of neuroscience research, 1992-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Kainic acid lesions of rat striatum caused an elevation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) immunoreactivity in neurons and neurites, some of which were then phagocytosed by reactive microglia/macrophages. Immunoexpression of APP was observed in neurites and neurons 1 day after the kainic injection. Four days after lesioning, immunoreactivity was still concentrated in thick and distorted neurites, but it began to appear in microglia/macrophages and in the tissue matrix. The cells were identified as microglia/macrophages by the phenotypic markers Ia (OX6), leukocyte common antigen (OX1), C3bi receptor (OX42), and macrophage marker (ED1). They were negative for the astrocytic marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). APP immunoreactivity in these phagocytic cells was most prominent between 1 week and 1 month postlesioning. No extracellular amyloid fibrils were detectable. These results suggest that APP production is rapidly upregulated in damaged neurons and accumulates in degenerating axons. However, phagocytosis of APP by reactive microglia/macrophages in this rat model does not result in production of Alzheimer type amyloid deposits.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Shigematsu, K., McGeer, P. L., Walker, D. G., Ishii, T., & McGeer, E. G. (1992). Reactive microglia/macrophages phagocytose amyloid precursor protein produced by neurons following neural damage. Journal of neuroscience research. https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490310306
Vancouver
Shigematsu K, McGeer PL, Walker DG, Ishii T, McGeer EG. Reactive microglia/macrophages phagocytose amyloid precursor protein produced by neurons following neural damage. Journal of neuroscience research. 1992. doi:10.1002/jnr.490310306. PMID: 1640496.
BibTeX
@article{shigematsu1992-1640496,
author = {Shigematsu, K. and McGeer, P. L. and Walker, D. G. and Ishii, T. and McGeer, E. G.},
title = {{Reactive microglia/macrophages phagocytose amyloid precursor protein produced by neurons following neural damage}},
journal = {Journal of neuroscience research},
year = {1992},
doi = {10.1002/jnr.490310306},
pmid = {1640496},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jnr.490310306}
}
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Key findings
- These results suggest that APP production is rapidly upregulated in damaged neurons and accumulates in degenerating axons.
- However, phagocytosis of APP by reactive microglia/macrophages in this rat model does not result in production of Alzheimer type amyloid deposits.
Why it matters
In this rat model, damaged neurons produced more amyloid precursor protein, which was then taken up by reactive microglia and macrophages, but this did not result in Alzheimer-type amyloid deposits. Because it is an animal study, it does not directly show what happens in human Alzheimer's 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, 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 | 1 / 5 | 1992 — 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 | 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 83 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.3 citations a year over 36 year(s) since 1992 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Edith G. McGeer: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of British Columbia: institution h-index 1,424 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 1640496) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 39 / 100 | — |
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