Cited by 40Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsPhagocytosis and Immune Regulation

TREM2 expression level is critical for microglial state, metabolic capacity and efficacy of TREM2 agonism

Open access
Feiten, Astrid F., Dahm, Kilian, Schlepckow, Kai, van Lengerich, Bettina, Suh, Jung H., Reifschneider, Anika, Wefers, Benedikt, Bartos, Laura M. +33 more·2026·Nature Communications

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a central regulator of microglial activity and loss-of-function coding variants are major risk factors for late onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD). To better understand the molecular and functional changes associated with TREM2 signalling in microglia, we generated a TREM2 reporter mouse. In APP transgenic animals, bulk RNA-sequencing of isolated microglia sorted based on reporter expression highlighted TREM2 level-related changes in major immunometabolic pathways, and enrichment of genes in oxidative phosphorylation and cholesterol metabolism in microglia with increased TREM2 expression. Metabolic and lipidomic profiling of sorted microglia showed that, independent of Aβ pathology, TREM2 expression correlated with signatures consistent with increased cellular redox, energetics, and cholesterol homoeostasis. In accordance, metabolic activity correlated with phagocytic capacity. Finally, we performed chronic treatment with a TREM2 agonist antibody and identified a window of TREM2 expression where microglia are most responsive, thereby informing clinical applications of TREM2 agonists.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41467-026-68706-8

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  • TREM2 is a microglial receptor involved in lipid sensing, survival, phagocytosis, metabolism, and plaque-associated microglial responses.

    “The best-developed example is TREM2, a microglial receptor involved in lipid sensing, survival, phagocytosis, metabolism, and plaque-associated microglial responses.”

    From Lymphoid-like Suppressive Microglia in Alzheimer’s Disease: A New Neuroimmune Regulatory Axis? (2026) · cites this paper as [52]

    The Introduction identifies TREM2 as predominantly expressed in microglia and links it to phagocytosis, metabolism, and clustering around amyloid plaques. The Discussion also links TREM2 to microglial survival under stress and lipid metabolism. Lipid sensing appears in a cited work’s title in the References, but the paper’s substantive passages do not describe that receptor function; that part of the claim is not established by our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Enhancing TREM2 signaling may strengthen the ability of microglia to respond to amyloid plaques and neuronal damage.

    “TREM2 has attracted therapeutic interest because enhancing TREM2 signaling may strengthen the ability of microglia to respond to amyloid plaques and neuronal damage.”
  • Microglial state, not merely plaque burden, is a plausible therapeutic target.

    “Newer work continues to examine how TREM2 expression level and activation state influence microglial metabolism and phagocytic capacity, reinforcing the broader principle that microglial state, not merely plaque burden, is a plausible therapeutic target [52,53].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 8

  1. [14]Martiskainen, H. et al. Monoallelic TYROBP deletion is a novel risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Mol. Neurodegen.20, 50 (2025). PMC12038944 40301889
  2. [39]Kim, J. H. et al. High cleavage efficiency of a 2 A peptide derived from porcine teschovirus-1 in human cell lines, zebrafish and mice. PLoS One 6, 1–8 (2011). PMC3084703 21602908
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Authors
Feiten, A. F., Dahm, K., Schlepckow, K., van Lengerich, B., Suh, J. H., Reifschneider, A., Wefers, B., Bartos, L. M., Wind-Mark, K., de Weerd, L., Ulas, T., De-Domenico, E., Grundschöttel, P., Paulusch, S., Tast, B., Honda, T., Müller, S. A., Becker, M., Khalin, I., Ricci, A., Liesz, A., Brunner, B., Krenner, C., Buschmann, K., Nuscher, B., Spieth, L., Junker, N., Berghoff, S. A., Davis, S. S., Neher, J. J., Wurst, W., Plesnila, N., Lewcock, J. W., Simons, M., Lichtenthaler, S. F., Di Paolo, G., Brendel, M., Capell, A., Monroe, K. M., Schultze, J. L., & Haass, C.
Affiliations
  • German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DE)
  • University of Bonn (DE)
  • Denali Therapeutics (United States) (US)
  • Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
  • Inserm (FR)
  • Institut für Schlaganfall- und Demenzforschung (DE)
  • Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Monroe, Kathryn M.
  • Schultze, Joachim L.
  • Haass, Christian
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2026-01-24
Volume
17
Issue
1
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W7125608282
Cited by
39
References
118
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 6
FWCI
90.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Open access LMU (Ludwid Maxmilian's Universitat Munchen) (acceptedVersion)
  • DZNE Pub (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Online Publication Service of Würzburg University (Würzburg University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (HA1737/16-1)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Phagocytosis and Immune Regulation
Keywords
TREM2, microglia, late-onset Alzheimer's disease, APP transgenic mice, microglial metabolism, cholesterol metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, lipidomics, redox state, phagocytosis
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Cholesterol, Humans, Male, Membrane Glycoproteins, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Phagocytosis, Receptors, Immunologic, Signal Transduction, Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor, Microglia, Mice

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