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TREM2 Is a Receptor for β-Amyloid that Mediates Microglial Function
Zhao Y, Wu X, Li X, Jiang LL, Gui X, Liu Y, Sun Y, Zhu B et al.. Neuron, 2018-03-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Mutations in triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) have been linked to increased Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk. Neurobiological functions of TREM2 and its pathophysiological ligands remain elusive. Here we found that TREM2 directly binds to β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers with nanomolar affinity, whereas AD-associated TREM2 mutations reduce Aβ binding.
Key findings
- Neurobiological functions of TREM2 and its pathophysiological ligands remain elusive.
- Here we found that TREM2 directly binds to β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers with nanomolar affinity, whereas AD-associated TREM2 mutations reduce Aβ binding.
- TREM2 deficiency impairs Aβ degradation in primary microglial culture and mouse brain.
- Aβ-induced microglial depolarization, K + inward current induction, cytokine expression and secretion, migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and morphological changes are dependent on TREM2.
Why it matters
In lab and mouse experiments, the microglial receptor TREM2, a gene linked to higher Alzheimer's risk, bound directly to small clumps of amyloid-beta (oligomers) "with nanomolar affinity", while Alzheimer's-associated TREM2 mutations reduced that binding. Without TREM2, microglia broke down less amyloid-beta in culture and in mouse brain, and many of their responses to amyloid-beta (cytokine release, migration, proliferation, shape changes) depended on TREM2. This describes a possible mechanism in cells and mice; it did not involve patients or test a treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 57/100
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 (Neuron) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neuron: journal h-index 689 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 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 760 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 76.0 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 25.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 86 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 277 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Huaxi Xu: h-index 85 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29518356) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Zhao, Y., Wu, X., Li, X., Jiang, L. L., Gui, X., Liu, Y., et al. (2018). TREM2 Is a Receptor for β-Amyloid that Mediates Microglial Function. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.031
Vancouver
Zhao Y, Wu X, Li X, Jiang LL, Gui X, Liu Y, et al. TREM2 Is a Receptor for β-Amyloid that Mediates Microglial Function. Neuron. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.031. PMID: 29518356.
BibTeX
@article{zhao2018-29518356,
author = {Zhao, Y. and Wu, X. and Li, X. and Jiang, L. L. and Gui, X. and Liu, Y. and Sun, Y. and Zhu, B. and others},
title = {{TREM2 Is a Receptor for β-Amyloid that Mediates Microglial Function}},
journal = {Neuron},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.031},
pmid = {29518356},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.031}
}
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