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Li Zhong - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • soluble TREM2 ameliorates pathological phenotypes by modulating microglial functions in an alzheimer s disease model
    Nature Communications, 2019
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Tingting Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Rengong Zhuo, Kai Wang, Yue Gao, Yifei Zhu, Xuan Sheng, Kai Chen
    Abstract:

    Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a microglial surface receptor genetically linked to the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). A proteolytic product, soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), is abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid and its levels positively correlate with neuronal injury markers. To gain insights into the pathological roles of sTREM2, we studied sTREM2 in the brain of 5xFAD mice, a model of AD, by direct stereotaxic injection of recombinant sTREM2 protein or by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression. We found that sTREM2 reduces amyloid plaque load and rescues functional deficits of spatial memory and long-term potentiation. Importantly, sTREM2 enhances microglial proliferation, migration, clustering in the vicinity of amyloid plaques and the uptake and degradation of Aβ. Depletion of microglia abolishes the neuroprotective effects of sTREM2. Our study demonstrates a protective role of sTREM2 against amyloid pathology and related toxicity and suggests that increasing sTREM2 can be explored for AD therapy.

  • amyloid beta modulates microglial responses by binding to the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 TREM2
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2018
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Zhe Wang, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Kai Wang, Yuka A Martens, Dan Can, Xiao Fen Chen
    Abstract:

    TREM2 is an innate immune receptor specifically expressed in microglia. Coding variations in TREM2 have been reported to increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. While multiple studies support a role for TREM2 in microglial recruitment to amyloid plaques, the chemoattractant factor modulating TREM2-dependent microglial responses has not been defined. Potential binding of oligomeric amyloid-β 1–42 (oAβ1–42) to TREM2 was tested by complementary approaches including solid phase binding, surface plasmon resonance and immunoprecipitation assays. The ability of oAβ1–42 to activate TREM2 signaling pathways was examined by analyzing the phosphorylation of Syk and Akt in primary microglia as well as TREM2-mediated signaling in a reporter cell system. Lastly, the functional outcome of oAβ1–42-TREM2 interaction was tested by examining impacts on microglial migration in vitro and clustering around oAβ1–42-bearing brain areas in vivo. We found that oAβ1–42 bound to TREM2 with high affinity and activated TREM2-dependent signaling pathway. Neither monomeric nor scrambled Aβ bound to TREM2 supporting a specific interaction between oAβ and TREM2. The disease-associated mutations of TREM2 reduced its binding affinity to oAβ1–42. Furthermore, we identified several positively charged amino acids within residues 31–91 of TREM2 that were crucial for its interaction with oAβ1–42. Importantly, oAβ1–42 promoted microglial migration in vitro and clustering in vivo in a TREM2-dependent manner. Our data establish a critical link between oAβ1–42, a major pathological component of AD, and TREM2, a strong genetic risk factor for AD expressed in microglia, and suggest that such interaction contributes to the pathogenic events in AD by modulating microglial responses.

  • soluble TREM2 induces inflammatory responses and enhances microglial survival
    Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Xiao Fen Chen, Zhe Wang, Tingting Wang, Chunyan Liao, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Lin Jia, Honghua Zheng
    Abstract:

    Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an innate immune receptor expressed in microglia in the brain. A soluble form of TREM2 (sTREM2) derived from proteolytic cleavage of the cell surface receptor is increased in the preclinical stages of AD and positively correlates with the amounts of total and phosphorylated tau in the cerebrospinal fluid. However, the physiological and pathological functions of sTREM2 remain unknown. Here, we show that sTREM2 promotes microglial survival in a PI3K/Akt-dependent manner and stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines depending on NF-κB. Variants of sTREM2 carrying AD risk-associated mutations were less potent in both suppressing apoptosis and triggering inflammatory responses. Importantly, sTREM2 delivered to the hippocampi of both wild-type and TREM2-knockout mice elevated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and induced morphological changes of microglia. Collectively, these data indicate that sTREM2 triggers microglial activation inducing inflammatory responses and promoting survival. This study has implications for the pathogenesis of AD and provides insights into targeting sTREM2 pathway for AD therapy.

  • TREM2 promotes microglial survival by activating wnt β catenin pathway
    The Journal of Neuroscience, 2017
    Co-Authors: Honghua Zheng, Li Zhong, Xiao Fen Chen, Lin Jia, Chia Chen Liu, Zhouyi Rong, Longyu Yang, John D. Fryer, Xin Wang, Yun-wu Zhang
    Abstract:

    Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), which is expressed on myeloid cells including microglia in the CNS, has recently been identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). TREM2 transmits intracellular signals through its transmembrane binding partner DNAX-activating protein 12 (DAP12). Homozygous mutations inactivating TREM2 or DAP12 lead to Nasu-Hakola disease; however, how AD risk-conferring variants increase AD risk is not clear. To elucidate the signaling pathways underlying reduced TREM2 expression or loss of function in microglia, we respectively knocked down and knocked out the expression of TREM2 in in vitro and in vivo models. We found that TREM2 deficiency reduced the viability and proliferation of primary microglia, reduced microgliosis in TREM2-/- mouse brains, induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint, and decreased the stability of β-catenin, a key component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway responsible for maintaining many biological processes, including cell survival. TREM2 stabilized β-catenin by inhibiting its degradation via the Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway. More importantly, treatment with Wnt3a, LiCl, or TDZD-8, which activates the β-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling pathway, rescued microglia survival and microgliosis in TREM2-/- microglia and/or in TREM2-/- mouse brain. Together, our studies demonstrate a critical role of TREM2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in microglial viability and suggest that modulating this pathway therapeutically may help to combat the impaired microglial survival and microgliosis associated with AD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mutations in the TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2) gene are associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with effective sizes comparable to that of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele, making it imperative to understand the molecular pathway(s) underlying TREM2 function in microglia. Our findings shed new light on the relationship between TREM2/DNAX-activating protein 12 (DAP12) signaling and Wnt/β-catenin signaling and provide clues as to how reduced TREM2 function might impair microglial survival in AD pathogenesis. We demonstrate that TREM2 promotes microglial survival by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and that it is possible to restore Wnt/β-catenin signaling when TREM2 activity is disrupted or reduced. Therefore, we demonstrate the potential for manipulating the TREM2/β-catenin signaling pathway for the treatment of AD.

  • dap12 stabilizes the c terminal fragment of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 TREM2 and protects against lps induced pro inflammatory response
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2015
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Yun-wu Zhang, Xiao Fen Chen, Zhen Lian Zhang, Zhe Wang, Kai Xu, Huaxi Xu, Guojun D Bu
    Abstract:

    Abstract Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a DAP12-associated receptor expressed in microglia, macrophages, and other myeloid-derived cells. Previous studies have suggested that TREM2/DAP12 signaling pathway reduces inflammatory responses and promotes phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons. Recently, TREM2 has been identified as a risk gene for Alzheimer disease (AD). Here, we show that DAP12 stabilizes the C-terminal fragment of TREM2 (TREM2-CTF), a substrate for γ-secretase. Co-expression of DAP12 with TREM2 selectively increased the level of TREM2-CTF with little effects on that of full-length TREM2. The interaction between DAP12 and TREM2 is essential for TREM2-CTF stabilization as a mutant form of DAP12 with disrupted interaction with TREM2 failed to exhibit such an effect. Silencing of either TREM2 or Dap12 gene significantly exacerbated pro-inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Importantly, overexpression of either full-length TREM2 or TREM2-CTF reduced LPS-induced inflammatory responses. Taken together, our results support a role of DAP12 in stabilizing TREM2-CTF, thereby protecting against excessive pro-inflammatory responses.

Gernot Kleinberger - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • increased soluble TREM2 in cerebrospinal fluid is associated with reduced cognitive and clinical decline in alzheimer s disease
    Science Translational Medicine, 2019
    Co-Authors: Michael Ewers, Gernot Kleinberger, Marc Suarezcalvet, Nicolai Franzmeier, Laura Piccio, Miguel Angel Araque Caballero, Estrella Morenasrodriguez, Carlos Cruchaga
    Abstract:

    Loss of function of TREM2, a key receptor selectively expressed by microglia in the brain, contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We therefore examined whether soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were associated with reduced rates of cognitive decline and clinical progression in subjects with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We measured sTREM2 in CSF samples from 385 elderly subjects, including cognitively normal controls, individuals with MCI, and subjects with AD dementia (follow-up period: mean, 4 years; range 1.5 to 11.5 years). In subjects with AD defined by evidence of CSF Aβ1-42 (amyloid β-peptide 1 to 42; A+) and CSF p-tau181 (tau phosphorylated on amino acid residue 181; T+), higher sTREM2 concentrations in CSF at baseline were associated with attenuated decline in memory and cognition. When analyzed in clinical subgroups, an association between higher CSF sTREM2 concentrations and subsequent reduced memory decline was consistently observed in individuals with MCI or AD dementia, who were positive for CSF Aβ1-42 and CSF p-tau181 (A+T+). Regarding clinical progression, a higher ratio of CSF sTREM2 to CSF p-tau181 concentrations predicted slower conversion from cognitively normal to symptomatic stages or from MCI to AD dementia in the subjects who were positive for CSF Aβ1-42 and CSF p-tau181. These results suggest that sTREM2 is associated with attenuated cognitive and clinical decline, a finding with important implications for future clinical trials targeting the innate immune response in AD.

  • Early increase of CSF sTREM2 in Alzheimer’s disease is associated with tau related-neurodegeneration but not with amyloid-β pathology
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2019
    Co-Authors: Marc Suárez-calvet, Kai Schlepckow, Gernot Kleinberger, Estrella Morenas-rodríguez, Miguel Ángel Araque Caballero, Nicolai Franzmeier, Anja Capell, Katrin Fellerer, Brigitte Nuscher, Erden Eren
    Abstract:

    Background TREM2 is a transmembrane receptor that is predominantly expressed by microglia in the central nervous system. Rare variants in the TREM2 gene increase the risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble TREM2 (sTREM2) resulting from shedding of the TREM2 ectodomain can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and is a surrogate measure of TREM2-mediated microglia function. CSF sTREM2 has been previously reported to increase at different clinical stages of AD, however, alterations in relation to Amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) deposition or additional pathological processes in the amyloid cascade (such as tau pathology or neurodegeneration) remain unclear. In the current cross-sectional study, we employed the biomarker-based classification framework recently proposed by the NIA-AA consensus guidelines, in combination with clinical staging, in order to examine the CSF sTREM2 alterations at early asymptomatic and symptomatic stages of AD. Methods A cross-sectional study of 1027 participants of the Alzheimer’s Disease Imaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort, including 43 subjects carrying TREM2 rare genetic variants, was conducted to measure CSF sTREM2 using a previously validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ADNI participants were classified following the A/T/N framework, which we implemented based on the CSF levels of Aβ_1-42 (A), phosphorylated tau (T) and total tau as a marker of neurodegeneration (N), at different clinical stages defined by the clinical dementia rating (CDR) score. Results CSF sTREM2 differed between TREM2 variants, whereas the p.R47H variant had higher CSF sTREM2, p.L211P had lower CSF sTREM2 than non-carriers. We found that CSF sTREM2 increased in early symptomatic stages of late-onset AD but, unexpectedly, we observed decreased CSF sTREM2 levels at the earliest asymptomatic phase when only abnormal Aβ pathology (A+) but no tau pathology or neurodegeneration (TN-), is present. Conclusions Aβ pathology (A) and tau pathology/neurodegeneration (TN) have differing associations with CSF sTREM2. While tau-related neurodegeneration is associated with an increase in CSF sTREM2, Aβ pathology in the absence of downstream tau-related neurodegeneration is associated with a decrease in CSF sTREM2.

  • the TREM2 r47h alzheimer s risk variant impairs splicing and reduces TREM2 mrna and protein in mice but not in humans
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2018
    Co-Authors: Xianyuan Xiang, Gernot Kleinberger, Thomas M Piers, Benedikt Wefers, Kaichuan Zhu, Anna Mallach, Bettina Brunner, Wilbur M Song, Marco Colonna, Jochen Herms
    Abstract:

    The R47H variant of the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) significantly increases the risk for late onset Alzheimer’s disease. Mouse models accurately reproducing phenotypes observed in Alzheimer’ disease patients carrying the R47H coding variant are required to understand the TREM2 related dysfunctions responsible for the enhanced risk for late onset Alzheimer’s disease. A CRISPR/Cas9-assisted gene targeting strategy was used to generate TREM2 R47H knock-in mice. TREM2 mRNA and protein levels as well as TREM2 splicing patterns were assessed in these mice, in iPSC-derived human microglia-like cells, and in human brains from Alzheimer’s patients carrying the TREM2 R47H risk factor. Two independent TREM2 R47H knock-in mouse models show reduced TREM2 mRNA and protein production. In both mouse models TREM2 haploinsufficiency was due to atypical splicing of mouse TREM2 R47H, which introduced a premature stop codon. Cellular splicing assays using minigene constructs demonstrate that the R47H variant induced abnormal splicing only occurs in mice but not in humans. TREM2 mRNA levels and splicing patterns were both normal in iPSC-derived human microglia-like cells and patient brains with the TREM2 R47H variant. The TREM2 R47H variant activates a cryptic splice site that generates miss-spliced transcripts leading to TREM2 haploinsufficiency only in mice but not in humans. Since TREM2 R47H related phenotypes are mouse specific and do not occur in humans, humanized TREM2 R47H knock-in mice should be generated to study the cellular consequences caused by the human TREM2 R47H coding variant. Currently described phenotypes of TREM2 R47H knock-in mice can therefore not be translated to humans.

  • an alzheimer associated TREM2 variant occurs at the adam cleavage site and affects shedding and phagocytic function
    Embo Molecular Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: Kai Schlepckow, Gernot Kleinberger, Akio Fukumori, Regina Feederle, Stefan F Lichtenthaler, Harald Steiner, Christian Haass
    Abstract:

    Sequence variations occurring in the gene encoding the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) support an essential function of microglia and innate immunity in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. TREM2 matures within the secretory pathway, and its ectodomain is shed on the plasma membrane. Missense mutations in the immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domain such as p.T66M and p.Y38C retain TREM2 within the endoplasmic reticulum and reduce shedding as well as TREM2-dependent phagocytosis. Using mass spectrometry, we have now determined the cleavage site of TREM2. TREM2 is shed by proteases of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain containing protein) family C-terminal to histidine 157, a position where an AD-associated coding variant has been discovered (p.H157Y) in the Han Chinese population. Opposite to the characterized mutations within the Ig-like domain, such as p.T66M and p.Y38C, the p.H157Y variant within the stalk region leads to enhanced shedding of TREM2. Elevated ectodomain shedding reduces cell surface full-length TREM2 and lowers TREM2-dependent phagocytosis. Therefore, two seemingly opposite cellular effects of TREM2 variants, namely reduced versus enhanced shedding, result in similar phenotypic outcomes by reducing cell surface TREM2.

  • TREM2 deficiency impairs chemotaxis and microglial responses to neuronal injury.
    EMBO reports, 2017
    Co-Authors: Fargol Mazaheri, Gernot Kleinberger, Anja Capell, Nicolas Snaidero, Charlotte Madore, Anna Daria, Georg Werner, Susanne Krasemann, Dietrich Trümbach, Wolfgang Wurst
    Abstract:

    Sequence variations in the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) have been linked to an increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. In the brain, TREM2 is predominantly expressed in microglia. Several disease-associated TREM2 variants result in a loss of function by reducing microglial phagocytosis, impairing lipid sensing, preventing binding of lipoproteins and affecting shielding of amyloid plaques. We here investigate the consequences of TREM2 loss of function on the microglia transcriptome. Among the differentially expressed messenger RNAs in wild-type and TREM2-/- microglia, gene clusters are identified which represent gene functions in chemotaxis, migration and mobility. Functional analyses confirm that loss of TREM2 impairs appropriate microglial responses to injury and signals that normally evoke chemotaxis on multiple levels. In an ex vivo organotypic brain slice assay, absence of TREM2 reduces the distance migrated by microglia. Moreover, migration towards defined chemo-attractants is reduced upon ablation of TREM2 and can be rescued by TREM2 re-expression. In vivo, microglia lacking TREM2 migrate less towards injected apoptotic neurons, and outgrowth of microglial processes towards sites of laser-induced focal CNS damage in the somatosensory cortex is slowed. The apparent lack of chemotactic stimulation upon depletion of TREM2 is consistent with a stable expression profile of genes characterizing the homoeostatic signature of microglia.

Xiao Fen Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • amyloid beta modulates microglial responses by binding to the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 TREM2
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2018
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Zhe Wang, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Kai Wang, Yuka A Martens, Dan Can, Xiao Fen Chen
    Abstract:

    TREM2 is an innate immune receptor specifically expressed in microglia. Coding variations in TREM2 have been reported to increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. While multiple studies support a role for TREM2 in microglial recruitment to amyloid plaques, the chemoattractant factor modulating TREM2-dependent microglial responses has not been defined. Potential binding of oligomeric amyloid-β 1–42 (oAβ1–42) to TREM2 was tested by complementary approaches including solid phase binding, surface plasmon resonance and immunoprecipitation assays. The ability of oAβ1–42 to activate TREM2 signaling pathways was examined by analyzing the phosphorylation of Syk and Akt in primary microglia as well as TREM2-mediated signaling in a reporter cell system. Lastly, the functional outcome of oAβ1–42-TREM2 interaction was tested by examining impacts on microglial migration in vitro and clustering around oAβ1–42-bearing brain areas in vivo. We found that oAβ1–42 bound to TREM2 with high affinity and activated TREM2-dependent signaling pathway. Neither monomeric nor scrambled Aβ bound to TREM2 supporting a specific interaction between oAβ and TREM2. The disease-associated mutations of TREM2 reduced its binding affinity to oAβ1–42. Furthermore, we identified several positively charged amino acids within residues 31–91 of TREM2 that were crucial for its interaction with oAβ1–42. Importantly, oAβ1–42 promoted microglial migration in vitro and clustering in vivo in a TREM2-dependent manner. Our data establish a critical link between oAβ1–42, a major pathological component of AD, and TREM2, a strong genetic risk factor for AD expressed in microglia, and suggest that such interaction contributes to the pathogenic events in AD by modulating microglial responses.

  • soluble TREM2 induces inflammatory responses and enhances microglial survival
    Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Xiao Fen Chen, Zhe Wang, Tingting Wang, Chunyan Liao, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Lin Jia, Honghua Zheng
    Abstract:

    Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an innate immune receptor expressed in microglia in the brain. A soluble form of TREM2 (sTREM2) derived from proteolytic cleavage of the cell surface receptor is increased in the preclinical stages of AD and positively correlates with the amounts of total and phosphorylated tau in the cerebrospinal fluid. However, the physiological and pathological functions of sTREM2 remain unknown. Here, we show that sTREM2 promotes microglial survival in a PI3K/Akt-dependent manner and stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines depending on NF-κB. Variants of sTREM2 carrying AD risk-associated mutations were less potent in both suppressing apoptosis and triggering inflammatory responses. Importantly, sTREM2 delivered to the hippocampi of both wild-type and TREM2-knockout mice elevated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and induced morphological changes of microglia. Collectively, these data indicate that sTREM2 triggers microglial activation inducing inflammatory responses and promoting survival. This study has implications for the pathogenesis of AD and provides insights into targeting sTREM2 pathway for AD therapy.

  • TREM2 promotes microglial survival by activating wnt β catenin pathway
    The Journal of Neuroscience, 2017
    Co-Authors: Honghua Zheng, Li Zhong, Xiao Fen Chen, Lin Jia, Chia Chen Liu, Zhouyi Rong, Longyu Yang, John D. Fryer, Xin Wang, Yun-wu Zhang
    Abstract:

    Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), which is expressed on myeloid cells including microglia in the CNS, has recently been identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). TREM2 transmits intracellular signals through its transmembrane binding partner DNAX-activating protein 12 (DAP12). Homozygous mutations inactivating TREM2 or DAP12 lead to Nasu-Hakola disease; however, how AD risk-conferring variants increase AD risk is not clear. To elucidate the signaling pathways underlying reduced TREM2 expression or loss of function in microglia, we respectively knocked down and knocked out the expression of TREM2 in in vitro and in vivo models. We found that TREM2 deficiency reduced the viability and proliferation of primary microglia, reduced microgliosis in TREM2-/- mouse brains, induced cell cycle arrest at the G1/S checkpoint, and decreased the stability of β-catenin, a key component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway responsible for maintaining many biological processes, including cell survival. TREM2 stabilized β-catenin by inhibiting its degradation via the Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway. More importantly, treatment with Wnt3a, LiCl, or TDZD-8, which activates the β-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling pathway, rescued microglia survival and microgliosis in TREM2-/- microglia and/or in TREM2-/- mouse brain. Together, our studies demonstrate a critical role of TREM2-mediated Wnt/β-catenin pathway in microglial viability and suggest that modulating this pathway therapeutically may help to combat the impaired microglial survival and microgliosis associated with AD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mutations in the TREM2 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2) gene are associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) with effective sizes comparable to that of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele, making it imperative to understand the molecular pathway(s) underlying TREM2 function in microglia. Our findings shed new light on the relationship between TREM2/DNAX-activating protein 12 (DAP12) signaling and Wnt/β-catenin signaling and provide clues as to how reduced TREM2 function might impair microglial survival in AD pathogenesis. We demonstrate that TREM2 promotes microglial survival by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and that it is possible to restore Wnt/β-catenin signaling when TREM2 activity is disrupted or reduced. Therefore, we demonstrate the potential for manipulating the TREM2/β-catenin signaling pathway for the treatment of AD.

  • dap12 stabilizes the c terminal fragment of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 TREM2 and protects against lps induced pro inflammatory response
    Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2015
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Yun-wu Zhang, Xiao Fen Chen, Zhen Lian Zhang, Zhe Wang, Kai Xu, Huaxi Xu, Guojun D Bu
    Abstract:

    Abstract Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a DAP12-associated receptor expressed in microglia, macrophages, and other myeloid-derived cells. Previous studies have suggested that TREM2/DAP12 signaling pathway reduces inflammatory responses and promotes phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons. Recently, TREM2 has been identified as a risk gene for Alzheimer disease (AD). Here, we show that DAP12 stabilizes the C-terminal fragment of TREM2 (TREM2-CTF), a substrate for γ-secretase. Co-expression of DAP12 with TREM2 selectively increased the level of TREM2-CTF with little effects on that of full-length TREM2. The interaction between DAP12 and TREM2 is essential for TREM2-CTF stabilization as a mutant form of DAP12 with disrupted interaction with TREM2 failed to exhibit such an effect. Silencing of either TREM2 or Dap12 gene significantly exacerbated pro-inflammatory responses induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Importantly, overexpression of either full-length TREM2 or TREM2-CTF reduced LPS-induced inflammatory responses. Taken together, our results support a role of DAP12 in stabilizing TREM2-CTF, thereby protecting against excessive pro-inflammatory responses.

Shane M Bemiller - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • the TREM2 r47h variant confers loss of function like phenotypes in alzheimer s disease
    PMC, 2018
    Co-Authors: Shane M Bemiller, Victoria Von Saucken, Taylor R Jay, Shweta S Puntambekar, Paul J Chenghathaway, Erin G Reedgeaghan, Brad T Casali, Roxanne Y Williams
    Abstract:

    The R47H variant of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) confers greatly increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), reflective of a central role for myeloid cells in neurodegeneration. Understanding how this variant confers AD risk promises to provide important insights into how myeloid cells contribute to AD pathogenesis and progression. In order to investigate this mechanism, CRISPR/Cas9 was used to generate a mouse model of AD harboring one copy of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) encoding the R47H variant in murine TREM2. TREM2 expression, myeloid cell responses to amyloid deposition, plaque burden, and neuritic dystrophy were assessed at 4 months of age. AD mice heterozygous for the TREM2 R47H allele exhibited reduced total TREM2 mRNA expression, reduced TREM2 expression around plaques, and reduced association of myeloid cells with plaques. These results were comparable to AD mice lacking one copy of TREM2. AD mice heterozygous for the TREM2 R47H allele also showed reduced myeloid cell responses to amyloid deposition, including a reduction in proliferation and a reduction in CD45 expression around plaques. Expression of the TREM2 R47H variant also reduced dense core plaque number but increased plaque-associated neuritic dystrophy. These data suggest that the AD-associated TREM2 R47H variant increases risk for AD by conferring a loss of TREM2 function and enhancing neuritic dystrophy around plaques.

  • TREM2 deficiency exacerbates tau pathology through dysregulated kinase signaling in a mouse model of tauopathy
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2017
    Co-Authors: Shane M Bemiller, Tyler J Mccray, Kevin C Allan, Shane Formica, Gina N Wilson, Olga N Kokikocochran, Samuel D Crish
    Abstract:

    Genetic variants of the Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-2 (TREM2) confer increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies provided insight into the multifaceted roles of TREM2 in regulating extracellular β-amyloid (Aβ) pathology, myeloid cell accumulation, and inflammation observed in AD, yet little is known regarding the role of TREM2 in regulating intracellular microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT; tau) pathology in neurodegenerative diseases and in AD, in particular. Here we report that TREM2 deficiency leads to accelerated and exacerbated hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau in a humanized mouse model of tauopathy. TREM2 deficiency also results, indirectly, in dramatic widespread dysregulation of neuronal stress kinase pathways. Our results suggest that deficiency of microglial TREM2 leads to heightened tau pathology coupled with widespread increases in activated neuronal stress kinases. These findings offer new insight into the complex, multiple roles of TREM2 in regulating Aβ and tau pathologies.

  • TREM2 deficiency eliminates TREM2 inflammatory macrophages and ameliorates pathology in alzheimer s disease mouse models
    Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2015
    Co-Authors: Taylor R Jay, Shane M Bemiller, Crystal M Miller, Paul J Cheng, Leah C Graham, Margaret L Broihier, Daniel Margevicius, Colleen J Karlo, Gregory L Sousa, Anne C Cotleur
    Abstract:

    Variants in triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) confer high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, the cell types and mechanisms underlying TREM2's involvement in neurodegeneration remain to be established. Here, we report that TREM2 is up-regulated on myeloid cells surrounding amyloid deposits in AD mouse models and human AD tissue. TREM2 was detected on CD45(hi)Ly6C(+) myeloid cells, but not on P2RY12(+) parenchymal microglia. In AD mice deficient for TREM2, the CD45(hi)Ly6C(+) macrophages are virtually eliminated, resulting in reduced inflammation and ameliorated amyloid and tau pathologies. These data suggest a functionally important role for TREM2(+) macrophages in AD pathogenesis and an unexpected, detrimental role of TREM2 in AD pathology. These findings have direct implications for future development of TREM2-targeted therapeutics.

Daxin Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • soluble TREM2 ameliorates pathological phenotypes by modulating microglial functions in an alzheimer s disease model
    Nature Communications, 2019
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Tingting Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Rengong Zhuo, Kai Wang, Yue Gao, Yifei Zhu, Xuan Sheng, Kai Chen
    Abstract:

    Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a microglial surface receptor genetically linked to the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). A proteolytic product, soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), is abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid and its levels positively correlate with neuronal injury markers. To gain insights into the pathological roles of sTREM2, we studied sTREM2 in the brain of 5xFAD mice, a model of AD, by direct stereotaxic injection of recombinant sTREM2 protein or by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression. We found that sTREM2 reduces amyloid plaque load and rescues functional deficits of spatial memory and long-term potentiation. Importantly, sTREM2 enhances microglial proliferation, migration, clustering in the vicinity of amyloid plaques and the uptake and degradation of Aβ. Depletion of microglia abolishes the neuroprotective effects of sTREM2. Our study demonstrates a protective role of sTREM2 against amyloid pathology and related toxicity and suggests that increasing sTREM2 can be explored for AD therapy.

  • amyloid beta modulates microglial responses by binding to the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 TREM2
    Molecular Neurodegeneration, 2018
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Zhe Wang, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Kai Wang, Yuka A Martens, Dan Can, Xiao Fen Chen
    Abstract:

    TREM2 is an innate immune receptor specifically expressed in microglia. Coding variations in TREM2 have been reported to increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. While multiple studies support a role for TREM2 in microglial recruitment to amyloid plaques, the chemoattractant factor modulating TREM2-dependent microglial responses has not been defined. Potential binding of oligomeric amyloid-β 1–42 (oAβ1–42) to TREM2 was tested by complementary approaches including solid phase binding, surface plasmon resonance and immunoprecipitation assays. The ability of oAβ1–42 to activate TREM2 signaling pathways was examined by analyzing the phosphorylation of Syk and Akt in primary microglia as well as TREM2-mediated signaling in a reporter cell system. Lastly, the functional outcome of oAβ1–42-TREM2 interaction was tested by examining impacts on microglial migration in vitro and clustering around oAβ1–42-bearing brain areas in vivo. We found that oAβ1–42 bound to TREM2 with high affinity and activated TREM2-dependent signaling pathway. Neither monomeric nor scrambled Aβ bound to TREM2 supporting a specific interaction between oAβ and TREM2. The disease-associated mutations of TREM2 reduced its binding affinity to oAβ1–42. Furthermore, we identified several positively charged amino acids within residues 31–91 of TREM2 that were crucial for its interaction with oAβ1–42. Importantly, oAβ1–42 promoted microglial migration in vitro and clustering in vivo in a TREM2-dependent manner. Our data establish a critical link between oAβ1–42, a major pathological component of AD, and TREM2, a strong genetic risk factor for AD expressed in microglia, and suggest that such interaction contributes to the pathogenic events in AD by modulating microglial responses.

  • soluble TREM2 induces inflammatory responses and enhances microglial survival
    Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2017
    Co-Authors: Li Zhong, Xiao Fen Chen, Zhe Wang, Tingting Wang, Chunyan Liao, Zongqi Wang, Ruizhi Huang, Daxin Wang, Lin Jia, Honghua Zheng
    Abstract:

    Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is an innate immune receptor expressed in microglia in the brain. A soluble form of TREM2 (sTREM2) derived from proteolytic cleavage of the cell surface receptor is increased in the preclinical stages of AD and positively correlates with the amounts of total and phosphorylated tau in the cerebrospinal fluid. However, the physiological and pathological functions of sTREM2 remain unknown. Here, we show that sTREM2 promotes microglial survival in a PI3K/Akt-dependent manner and stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines depending on NF-κB. Variants of sTREM2 carrying AD risk-associated mutations were less potent in both suppressing apoptosis and triggering inflammatory responses. Importantly, sTREM2 delivered to the hippocampi of both wild-type and TREM2-knockout mice elevated the expression of inflammatory cytokines and induced morphological changes of microglia. Collectively, these data indicate that sTREM2 triggers microglial activation inducing inflammatory responses and promoting survival. This study has implications for the pathogenesis of AD and provides insights into targeting sTREM2 pathway for AD therapy.