Microglial activation in schizophrenia: Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?

Marjolein A M Sneeboer; Thalia van der Doef; Manja Litjens; N B B Psy; J Melief; Elly M Hol; René S Kahn; Lot D de Witte

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.045

Microglial activation in schizophrenia: Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?

Marjolein A M Sneeboer, Thalia van der Doef, Manja Litjens, N B B Psy, J Melief, Elly M Hol, René S Kahn, Lot D de Witte

Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN)

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) with translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) radioligands has frequently been used to investigate microglial activation in schizophrenia in vivo. However, the specificity of this marker is increasingly debated. Here we show that TSPO expression is 1) not increased in postmortem brain tissue of schizophrenia patients; 2) not correlated with expression of microglial activation markers; 3) not restricted to microglia; and 4) not upregulated in ex vivo activated human primary microglia. Our data are in line with recent reports showing that TSPO expression is not increased in schizophrenia and that it is not a specific marker for activated microglia. This study emphasizes the need for further development of tracers to study the role of microglial activation in schizophrenia and other diseases.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	167-172
Journal	Schizophrenia Research
Volume	215
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.045
Publication status	Published - 2020

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title = "Microglial activation in schizophrenia: Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?",

abstract = "Positron emission tomography (PET) with translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) radioligands has frequently been used to investigate microglial activation in schizophrenia in vivo. However, the specificity of this marker is increasingly debated. Here we show that TSPO expression is 1) not increased in postmortem brain tissue of schizophrenia patients; 2) not correlated with expression of microglial activation markers; 3) not restricted to microglia; and 4) not upregulated in ex vivo activated human primary microglia. Our data are in line with recent reports showing that TSPO expression is not increased in schizophrenia and that it is not a specific marker for activated microglia. This study emphasizes the need for further development of tracers to study the role of microglial activation in schizophrenia and other diseases.",

author = "Sneeboer, {Marjolein A M} and {van der Doef}, Thalia and Manja Litjens and Psy, {N B B} and J Melief and Hol, {Elly M} and Kahn, {Ren{\'e} S} and {de Witte}, {Lot D}",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2019. Published by Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.045",

language = "English",

volume = "215",

pages = "167--172",

journal = "Schizophrenia Research",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Microglial activation in schizophrenia

T2 - Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?

AU - Sneeboer, Marjolein A M

AU - van der Doef, Thalia

AU - Litjens, Manja

AU - Psy, N B B

AU - Melief, J

AU - Hol, Elly M

AU - Kahn, René S

AU - de Witte, Lot D

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Positron emission tomography (PET) with translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) radioligands has frequently been used to investigate microglial activation in schizophrenia in vivo. However, the specificity of this marker is increasingly debated. Here we show that TSPO expression is 1) not increased in postmortem brain tissue of schizophrenia patients; 2) not correlated with expression of microglial activation markers; 3) not restricted to microglia; and 4) not upregulated in ex vivo activated human primary microglia. Our data are in line with recent reports showing that TSPO expression is not increased in schizophrenia and that it is not a specific marker for activated microglia. This study emphasizes the need for further development of tracers to study the role of microglial activation in schizophrenia and other diseases.

AB - Positron emission tomography (PET) with translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) radioligands has frequently been used to investigate microglial activation in schizophrenia in vivo. However, the specificity of this marker is increasingly debated. Here we show that TSPO expression is 1) not increased in postmortem brain tissue of schizophrenia patients; 2) not correlated with expression of microglial activation markers; 3) not restricted to microglia; and 4) not upregulated in ex vivo activated human primary microglia. Our data are in line with recent reports showing that TSPO expression is not increased in schizophrenia and that it is not a specific marker for activated microglia. This study emphasizes the need for further development of tracers to study the role of microglial activation in schizophrenia and other diseases.

U2 - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.045

DO - 10.1016/j.schres.2019.10.045

M3 - Article

C2 - 31699629

SN - 0920-9964

VL - 215

SP - 167

EP - 172

JO - Schizophrenia Research

JF - Schizophrenia Research

ER -

Microglial activation in schizophrenia: Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?

Abstract

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Microglial activation in schizophrenia: Is translocator 18 kDa protein (TSPO) the right marker?