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TREM2 is required for microglial instruction of astrocytic synaptic engulfment in neurodevelopment
Jay TR, von Saucken VE, Muñoz B, Codocedo JF, Atwood BK, Lamb BT, Landreth GE.. Glia, 2019-07-02
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Variants in the microglial receptor TREM2 confer risk for multiple neurodegenerative diseases. However, it remains unknown how this receptor functions on microglia to modulate these diverse neuropathologies. To understand the role of TREM2 on microglia more generally, we investigated changes in microglial function in Trem2 -/- mice.
Key findings
- However, it remains unknown how this receptor functions on microglia to modulate these diverse neuropathologies.
- To understand the role of TREM2 on microglia more generally, we investigated changes in microglial function in Trem2 -/- mice.
- We found that loss of TREM2 impairs normal neurodevelopment, resulting in reduced synapse number across the cortex and hippocampus in 1-month-old mice.
- This reduction in synapse number was not due directly to alterations in interactions between microglia and synapses.
Why it matters
Mice lacking TREM2 had fewer synapses across the cortex and hippocampus at one month of age, and the loss was not due to direct microglia-synapse interactions. This shows TREM2 is needed for normal brain development in mice, which is early biology rather than a treatment finding for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
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 (Glia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Glia: journal h-index 233 (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 | 2019 — 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 99 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.0 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 9 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Gary E. Landreth: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Case Western Reserve University: institution h-index 1,159 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31265185) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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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 names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Jay, T. R., von Saucken, V. E., Muñoz, B., Codocedo, J. F., Atwood, B. K., Lamb, B. T., et al. (2019). TREM2 is required for microglial instruction of astrocytic synaptic engulfment in neurodevelopment. Glia. https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23664
Vancouver
Jay TR, von Saucken VE, Muñoz B, Codocedo JF, Atwood BK, Lamb BT, et al. TREM2 is required for microglial instruction of astrocytic synaptic engulfment in neurodevelopment. Glia. 2019. doi:10.1002/glia.23664. PMID: 31265185.
BibTeX
@article{jay2019-31265185,
author = {Jay, T. R. and von Saucken, V. E. and Muñoz, B. and Codocedo, J. F. and Atwood, B. K. and Lamb, B. T. and Landreth, G. E.},
title = {{TREM2 is required for microglial instruction of astrocytic synaptic engulfment in neurodevelopment}},
journal = {Glia},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1002/glia.23664},
pmid = {31265185},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/glia.23664}
}
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