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TREM2 sustains microglial expansion during aging and response to demyelination
Poliani PL, Wang Y, Fontana E, Robinette ML, Yamanishi Y, Gilfillan S, Colonna M.. The Journal of clinical investigation, 2015-04-20
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Microglia contribute to development, homeostasis, and immunity of the CNS. Like other tissue-resident macrophage populations, microglia express the surface receptor triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), which binds polyanions, such as dextran sulphate and bacterial LPS, and activates downstream signaling cascades through the adapter DAP12. Individuals homozygous for inactivating mutations in TREM2 exhibit demyelination of subcortical white matter and a lethal early onset dementia known as Nasu-Hakola disease.
Key findings
- Like other tissue-resident macrophage populations, microglia express the surface receptor triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), which binds polyanions, such as dextran sulphate and bacterial LPS, and activates downstream signaling cascades through the adapter DAP12.
- Individuals homozygous for inactivating mutations in TREM2 exhibit demyelination of subcortical white matter and a lethal early onset dementia known as Nasu-Hakola disease.
- How TREM2 deficiency mediates demyelination and disease is unknown.
- Here, we addressed the basis for this genetic association using Trem2(-/-) mice.
Why it matters
This work concerns how TREM2 supports microglial expansion during aging and after demyelination, and notes that inactivating TREM2 mutations cause the early-onset dementia Nasu-Hakola disease. It is basic biology and does not test a therapy for Alzheimer's.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 53/100
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 clinical investigation) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Clinical Investigation: journal h-index 706 (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 523 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 40.2 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 16.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 92 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 124 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Marco Colonna: h-index 172 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25893602) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 53 / 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 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
Poliani, P. L., Wang, Y., Fontana, E., Robinette, M. L., Yamanishi, Y., Gilfillan, S., et al. (2015). TREM2 sustains microglial expansion during aging and response to demyelination. The Journal of clinical investigation. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci77983
Vancouver
Poliani PL, Wang Y, Fontana E, Robinette ML, Yamanishi Y, Gilfillan S, et al. TREM2 sustains microglial expansion during aging and response to demyelination. The Journal of clinical investigation. 2015. doi:10.1172/jci77983. PMID: 25893602.
BibTeX
@article{poliani2015-25893602,
author = {Poliani, P. L. and Wang, Y. and Fontana, E. and Robinette, M. L. and Yamanishi, Y. and Gilfillan, S. and Colonna, M.},
title = {{TREM2 sustains microglial expansion during aging and response to demyelination}},
journal = {The Journal of clinical investigation},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1172/jci77983},
pmid = {25893602},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1172/jci77983}
}
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