Cited by 448Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsNeurological Disease Mechanisms and Treatments

Microglia drive APOE-dependent neurodegeneration in a tauopathy mouse model

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Shi, Yang, Manis, Melissa, Long, Justin, Wang, Kairuo, Sullivan, Patrick M., Remolina Serrano, Javier, Hoyle, Rosa, Holtzman, David M.·2019·Journal of Experimental Medicine

Abstract

Chronic activation of brain innate immunity is a prominent feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and primary tauopathies. However, to what degree innate immunity contributes to neurodegeneration as compared with pathological protein-induced neurotoxicity, and the requirement of a particular glial cell type in neurodegeneration, are still unclear. Here we demonstrate that microglia-mediated damage, rather than pathological tau-induced direct neurotoxicity, is the leading force driving neurodegeneration in a tauopathy mouse model. Importantly, the progression of ptau pathology is also driven by microglia. In addition, we found that APOE, the strongest genetic risk factor for AD, regulates neurodegeneration predominantly by modulating microglial activation, although a minor role of apoE in regulating ptau and insoluble tau formation independent of its immunomodulatory function was also identified. Our results suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting microglia may represent an effective approach to prevent disease progression in the setting of tauopathy.

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Crossref · 10.1084/jem.20190980

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  • APOE4 exacerbates AD-related pathologies, including amyloid-beta plaques, Tau tangles, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation.

    “It exacerbates AD-related pathologies, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, Tau tangles, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation4–16.”

    From The APOE-R136S mutation protects against APOE4-driven tau pathology, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation (2023) · cites this paper as [11]

    The Introduction says apoE4 significantly exacerbated neurodegeneration in P301S tauopathy mice. The Results link apoE to phosphorylated-tau pathology and show greater microglial activation in apoE4 mice than in apoE-deficient mice. The paper does not show that APOE4 exacerbates amyloid-β plaques, and its tau findings concern tau pathology rather than specifically demonstrating more tangles. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Mounting evidence shows that APOE downstream effects converge on the microglial response to protein aggregates.

    “Indeed, mounting evidence shows that APOE downstream effects converge on the microglial response to protein aggregates, as further discussed subsequently129,130.”

    From Multifaceted roles of APOE in Alzheimer disease (2024) · cites this paper as [130]

    The Discussion reports that apoE’s effects on tau pathology and neurodegeneration in a tauopathy mouse model were mediated predominantly through microglial function. The Introduction identifies tau as an aggregated protein, but the paper’s finding does not establish convergence of APOE effects on microglial responses to protein aggregates generally. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Studies using transgenic P301STau mice report that microglial depletion reduced neurodegeneration and the accumulation of phosphorylated tau.

    “In line with our findings, studies using transgenic P301STau mice report that microglial depletion reduced neurodegeneration and the accumulation of phosphorylated tau (Johnson et al., 2023; Mancuso et al., 2019; Shi et al., 2019).”
  • APOE4 exacerbates these phenotypes in a PS19 tauopathy model.

    “APOE4 exacerbates these phenotypes in a PS19 tauopathy model7,11,55.”
  • Microglia are the principal driving force of neurodegeneration and tau pathogenesis in tauopathy mouse models.

    “We and others subsequently identified microglia as the principal driving force of neurodegeneration and tau pathogenesis in tauopathy mouse models (Mancuso et al., 2019; Shi et al., 2019).”

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Authors
Shi, Y., Manis, M., Long, J., Wang, K., Sullivan, P. M., Remolina Serrano, J., Hoyle, R., & Holtzman, D. M.
Affiliations
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
  • Duke University (US)
  • Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 1
Corresponding author
Holtzman, David M.
Venue
Journal of Experimental Medicine
Published
2019-10-10
Volume
216
Issue
11
Pages
2546-2561
ISSN
  • 0022-1007 (ISSN-L)
  • 1540-9538
OpenAlex
W2980270906
Cited by
448
References
26
Citations by year
2026: 44 · 2025: 51 · 2024: 76 · 2023: 98 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 2 · 2014: 1
FWCI
30.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Experimental Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (NS090934, AG047644)
  • JPB Foundation
  • Cure Alzheimer’s Fund
  • Washington University School of Medicine
  • Children’s Discovery Institute (CDI-CORE-2015-505)
  • Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital (3770)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurological Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
Keywords
microglia, apolipoprotein E, tauopathy, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's disease, microglial activation, phosphorylated tau, microglia-targeted therapy, mouse model
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Aminopyridines, Animals, Apolipoproteins E, Brain, Disease Models, Animal, Humans, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Pyrroles, tau Proteins, Microglia, Mice, Knockout, Dietary Supplements, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tauopathies

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