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Brain, behavior, and immunity
Published

Evidence for reduced anti-inflammatory microglial phagocytic response in late-life major depression

Authors

Chelsea Reichert Plaska, Amanda Heslegrave, Davide Bruno, Jaime Ramos-Cejudo, Sang Han Lee, Ricardo Osorio, Bruno P Imbimbo, Henrik Zetterberg, Kaj Blennow, Nunzio Pomara

Abstract

Brain Behav Immun. 2024 May 23;120:248-255. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.030. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship are not understood. While it is well established that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble levels of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) increase during early stages of AD, how sTREM2 levels behave in subjects with MDD is not known. In a longitudinal study, we measured CSF sTREM2 levels in 27 elderly cognitively intact individuals with late-life major depression (LLMD) and in 19 healthy controls. We tested the hypothesis that, similarly to what happens in early stages of AD, CSF sTREM2 would be elevated in MDD. In addition, we compared the associations of CSF sTREM2, pro- and anti- inflammatory, and AD biomarkers in LLMD and control subjects. Surprisingly, we found that mean CSF sTREM2 levels were significantly reduced in LLMD compared to controls. This reduction was no longer significant at the 3-year follow-up visit when depression severity improved. In addition, we found that CSF sTREM2 was associated with AD biomarkers and proinflammatory cytokines in controls but not in LLMD. These findings suggest that impaired microglia phagocytic response to AD pathology may be a novel link between MDD and AD.

PMID:38795783 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.030

UK DRI Authors

Amanda Heslegrave

Dr Amanda Heslegrave

Principal Research Fellow

Co-leading the UK DRI Biomarker Factory platform based at UK DRI at UCL

Dr Amanda Heslegrave
Profile picture of Henrik Zetterberg

Prof Henrik Zetterberg

Group Leader

Pioneering the development of fluid biomarkers for dementia

Prof Henrik Zetterberg