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sTREM2 cerebrospinal fluid levels are a potential biomarker for microglia activity in early-stage Alzheimer's disease and associate with neuronal injury markers
Suárez-Calvet M, Kleinberger G, Araque Caballero MÁ, Brendel M, Rominger A, Alcolea D, Fortea J, Lleó A et al.. EMBO molecular medicine, 2016-05-02
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
TREM2 is an innate immune receptor expressed on the surface of microglia. Loss-of-function mutations of TREM2 are associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). TREM2 is a type-1 protein with an ectodomain that is proteolytically cleaved and released into the extracellular space as a soluble variant (sTREM2), which can be measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Suárez-Calvet, M., Kleinberger, G., MÁ, A. C., Brendel, M., Rominger, A., Alcolea, D., et al. (2016). sTREM2 cerebrospinal fluid levels are a potential biomarker for microglia activity in early-stage Alzheimer's disease and associate with neuronal injury markers. EMBO molecular medicine. https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201506123
Vancouver
Suárez-Calvet M, Kleinberger G, MÁ AC, Brendel M, Rominger A, Alcolea D, et al. sTREM2 cerebrospinal fluid levels are a potential biomarker for microglia activity in early-stage Alzheimer's disease and associate with neuronal injury markers. EMBO molecular medicine. 2016. doi:10.15252/emmm.201506123. PMID: 26941262.
BibTeX
@article{suarezcalvet2016-26941262,
author = {Suárez-Calvet, M. and Kleinberger, G. and MÁ, Araque Caballero and Brendel, M. and Rominger, A. and Alcolea, D. and Fortea, J. and Lleó, A. and others},
title = {{sTREM2 cerebrospinal fluid levels are a potential biomarker for microglia activity in early-stage Alzheimer's disease and associate with neuronal injury markers}},
journal = {EMBO molecular medicine},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.15252/emmm.201506123},
pmid = {26941262},
url = {https://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201506123}
}
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Key findings
- Loss-of-function mutations of TREM2 are associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- TREM2 is a type-1 protein with an ectodomain that is proteolytically cleaved and released into the extracellular space as a soluble variant (sTREM2), which can be measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- In this cross-sectional multicenter study, we investigated whether CSF levels of sTREM2 are changed during the clinical course of AD, and in cognitively normal individuals with suspected non-AD pathology (SNAP).
- CSF sTREM2 levels were higher in mild cognitive impairment due to AD than in all other AD groups and controls.
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study, run across several centres, measured soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) in spinal fluid at different stages of Alzheimer's disease, in controls, and in cognitively normal people with suspected non-Alzheimer's pathology. It reports that sTREM2 "levels were higher in mild cognitive impairment due to AD than in all other AD groups and controls." People were measured once, so the study shows a difference between groups, not change over time. It points to a possible marker of brain immune-cell activity, not a diagnostic test or a treatment.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 (EMBO molecular medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | EMBO Molecular Medicine: journal h-index 186 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 520 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 43.3 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 5 / 6 | Cited by 102 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 154 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Christian Haass: h-index 139 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 23 institution(s) in 5 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26941262) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201506123
- PubMed: 26941262
- Original source →
- Free full text: EMBO Molecular Medicine →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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