Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an Ig-like V-type receptor expressed by populations of myeloid cells in the central nervous system and periphery. Loss-of-function mutations in TREM2 cause a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder called Nasu-Hakola disease. In addition, a TREM2 R47H coding variant was recently identified as a risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer disease. TREM2 binds various polyanionic molecules but no specific protein ligands have been identified. Here we show that TREM2 specifically binds apolipoprotein E, a well established participant in Alzheimer disease. TREM2-Ig fusions efficiently precipitate ApoE from cerebrospinal fluid and serum. TREM2 also binds recombinant ApoE in solution and immobilized ApoE as detected by ELISA. Furthermore, the Alzheimer disease-associated R47H mutation, and other artificial mutations introduced in the same location, markedly reduced the affinity of TREM2 for ApoE. These findings reveal a link between two Alzheimer disease risk factors and may provide important clues to the pathogenesis of Nasu-Hakola disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Key findings
- These findings reveal a link between two Alzheimer disease risk factors and may provide important clues to the pathogenesis of Nasu-Hakola disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Why it matters
In laboratory tests, the immune-cell receptor TREM2 bound apolipoprotein E (ApoE), pulling it out of spinal fluid and blood serum and binding purified ApoE. The Alzheimer-linked TREM2 variant R47H, and other mutations at the same spot, "markedly reduced" that binding, though the summary gives no figures. The authors say this links two Alzheimer's risk factors and "may provide important clues" to disease, but no people, animals or treatments were studied.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
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 (The Journal of biological chemistry) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Biological Chemistry: journal h-index 780 (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 | 2015 — 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 303 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 23.3 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 89 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 74 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Michael Reynolds Farzan: h-index 89 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Scripps Research Institute: institution h-index 1,076 (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 26374897) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Bailey, C. C., DeVaux, L. B., & Farzan, M. (2015). The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 Binds Apolipoprotein E. The Journal of biological chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m115.677286
Vancouver
Bailey CC, DeVaux LB, Farzan M. The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 Binds Apolipoprotein E. The Journal of biological chemistry. 2015. doi:10.1074/jbc.m115.677286. PMID: 26374897.
BibTeX
@article{bailey2015-26374897,
author = {Bailey, C. C. and DeVaux, L. B. and Farzan, M.},
title = {{The Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 Binds Apolipoprotein E}},
journal = {The Journal of biological chemistry},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1074/jbc.m115.677286},
pmid = {26374897},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m115.677286}
}
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