Skip to main content
Log in

Fibrin induces neurotoxic microglia gene programs in neurodegeneration

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

From Nature Immunology

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Extravasation of blood into the brain and activation of innate immune cells are hallmarks and therapeutic targets in neurological diseases. We show that specific blood proteins induce distinct receptor-mediated gene programs in microglia and that the blood coagulation protein fibrin has a causal role in pathogenic innate immunity in models of neurological diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1: Fibrin is necessary for neurotoxic microglia gene expression.

References

  1. Petersen, M. A., Ryu, J. K. & Akassoglou, K. Fibrinogen in neurological diseases: mechanisms, imaging and therapeutics. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 19, 283–301 (2018). This review highlights fibrinogen functions in neurological diseases.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Iadecola, C. The pathobiology of vascular dementia. Neuron 20, 844–866 (2013). This review highlights vascular and immune mechanisms in Alzheimer’s disease.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Hajishengallis, G., Reis, E. S., Mastellos, D. C., Ricklin, D. & Lambris, J. D. Novel mechanisms and functions of complement. Nat. Immunol. 18, 1288–1298 (2017). This review highlights complement functions in immunity and disease.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Mendiola, A. S. et al. Transcriptional profiling and therapeutic targeting of oxidative stress in neuroinflammation. Nat. Immunol. 21, 513–524 (2020). This article reports Tox-seq transcriptomics and the discovery of selective innate immune cell inhibitors.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Merlini, M. et al. Fibrinogen induces microglia-mediated spine elimination and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Neuron 101, 1099-1108. Neuron 101, 1099–1108 (2019). This article reports that fibrin signaling is necessary for synaptic dysfunction and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease models.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Ryu, J. K. et al. Fibrin-targeting immunotherapy protects against neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Nat. Immunol. 19, 1212–1223 (2018). This article reports fibrin-targeting immunotherapy to suppress disease in MS and Alzheimer’s disease models.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Mendiola, A. S. et al. Defining blood-induced microglia functions in neurodegeneration through multiomic profiling. Nat. Immunol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01522-0 (2023).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fibrin induces neurotoxic microglia gene programs in neurodegeneration. Nat Immunol 24, 1062–1063 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01542-w

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-023-01542-w

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

This article is cited by

Navigation