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Targeting TREM2 on tumor-associated macrophages enhances immunotherapy
Binnewies M, Pollack JL, Rudolph J, Dash S, Abushawish M, Lee T, Jahchan NS, Canaday P et al.. Cell reports, 2021-10-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Converting checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-resistant individuals to being responsive requires identifying suppressive mechanisms. We identify TREM2 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as being correlated with exhausted CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in mouse syngeneic tumor models and human solid tumors of multiple histological types. Fc domain-enhanced anti-TREM2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy promotes anti-tumor immunity by elimination and modulation of TAM populations, which leads to enhanced CD8 + TIL infiltration and effector function.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Binnewies, M., Pollack, J. L., Rudolph, J., Dash, S., Abushawish, M., Lee, T., et al. (2021). Targeting TREM2 on tumor-associated macrophages enhances immunotherapy. Cell reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109844
Vancouver
Binnewies M, Pollack JL, Rudolph J, Dash S, Abushawish M, Lee T, et al. Targeting TREM2 on tumor-associated macrophages enhances immunotherapy. Cell reports. 2021. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109844. PMID: 34686340.
BibTeX
@article{binnewies2021-34686340,
author = {Binnewies, M. and Pollack, J. L. and Rudolph, J. and Dash, S. and Abushawish, M. and Lee, T. and Jahchan, N. S. and Canaday, P. and others},
title = {{Targeting TREM2 on tumor-associated macrophages enhances immunotherapy}},
journal = {Cell reports},
year = {2021},
doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109844},
pmid = {34686340},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109844}
}
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Key findings
- We identify TREM2 + tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as being correlated with exhausted CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in mouse syngeneic tumor models and human solid tumors of multiple histological types.
- Fc domain-enhanced anti-TREM2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy promotes anti-tumor immunity by elimination and modulation of TAM populations, which leads to enhanced CD8 + TIL infiltration and effector function.
- TREM2 + TAMs are most enriched in individuals with ovarian cancer, where TREM2 expression corresponds to disease grade accompanied by worse recurrence-free survival.
- In an aggressive orthotopic ovarian cancer model, anti-TREM2 mAb therapy drives potent anti-tumor immunity.
Why it matters
This study targeted TREM2 on tumor-associated macrophages to improve cancer immunotherapy, not Alzheimer's disease. It does not test any Alzheimer's treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
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 (Cell reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Cell Reports: journal h-index 321 (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 | 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 357 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 51.0 citations a year over 7 year(s) since 2021 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 10 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 251 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Venkataraman Sriram: h-index 22 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, San Francisco: institution h-index 1,915 (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 34686340) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
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