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Title: Neuropathological correlates and genetic architecture of microglial activation in elderly human brain

Journal Article · · Nature Communications

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain, have important roles in brain health. However, little is known about the regulation and consequences of microglial activation in the aging human brain. Here we report that the proportion of morphologically activated microglia (PAM) in postmortem cortical tissue is strongly associated with ß-amyloid, tau-related neuropathology, and the rate of cognitive decline. Effect sizes for PAM measures are substantial, comparable to that of APOE e4, the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, and mediation models support an upstream role for microglial activation in Alzheimer's disease via accumulation of tau. Further, we identify a common variant (rs2997325) influencing PAM that also affects in vivo microglial activation measured by [11C]-PBR28 PET in an independent cohort. Thus, our analyses begin to uncover pathways regulating resident neuroinflammation and identify overlaps of PAM's genetic architecture with those of Alzheimer's disease and several other traits.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1591798
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA--147570
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 10; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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The TREM2-APOE Pathway Drives the Transcriptional Phenotype of Dysfunctional Microglia in Neurodegenerative Diseases journal September 2017
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Microglia and schizophrenia: where next? text January 2017
Isolation of primary microglia from the human post-mortem brain: effects of ante- and post-mortem variables collection January 2019
A transcriptomic atlas of aged human microglia text January 2018

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An “Amyloid‐β Cleaner” for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Normalizing Microglial Dysfunction journal November 2019
Prospects and challenges of imaging neuroinflammation beyond TSPO in Alzheimer’s disease journal August 2019
Transcriptional Signatures of Tau and Amyloid Neuropathology journal February 2020
Sleep fragmentation, microglial aging, and cognitive impairment in adults with and without Alzheimer’s dementia journal December 2019
Brain γ-Tocopherol Levels Are Associated with Presynaptic Protein Levels in Elderly Human Midfrontal Cortex journal September 2020
An “Amyloid‐β Cleaner” for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Normalizing Microglial Dysfunction journal November 2019
Prospects and challenges of imaging neuroinflammation beyond TSPO in Alzheimer’s disease journal August 2019
Delayed Administration of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor (AT2R) Agonist Compound 21 Prevents the Development of Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment in Diabetes Through the Modulation of Microglia Polarization journal December 2019
Molecular Signatures of the Aging Brain: Finding the Links Between Genes and Phenotypes journal June 2019
Sleep fragmentation, microglial aging, and cognitive impairment in adults with and without Alzheimer’s dementia journal December 2019