ArticleNeuropathology and applied neurobiology2009
Expression of the translocator protein of 18 kDa by microglia, macrophages and astrocytes based on immunohistochemical localization in abnormal human brain.
Article in Neuropathology and applied neurobiology, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 270 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
270 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 464 citations in OpenAlex.
- Association between FDG- and TSPO-PET signals across human and animal studies investigating neurodegenerative conditions: a systematic review.Molecular psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Systematic review of human post-mortem immunohistochemical studies and bioinformatics analyses unveil the complexity of astrocyte reaction in Alzheimer's disease.Neuropathology and applied neurobiology · 2022Pooled it
- Meta-analysis of molecular imaging of translocator protein in major depression.Frontiers in molecular neuroscience · 2022Pooled it
- Neuroinflammation in schizophrenia: meta-analysis ofPsychological medicine · 2019Pooled it
- A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of minocycline on translocator protein distribution volume in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.Translational psychiatry · 2021Trial
- Kinetic modelling of [Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2018Trial
- Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.Translational neurodegeneration · 2026Review
- Towards a Whole-Body Assessment of Pain Using the 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) as a Broad-Spectrum Imaging Marker of Inflammation.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2026Review
- The test-retest reproducibility of [EJNMMI research · 2026Article
- Sex- and Region-Specific Glial Reactivity in Hyperthyroid Mice Lacks Correlation With the Noncognitive and Non-Depressive-Like Behavioral Alterations.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Inflammatory alterations mediate tau-associated neurodegeneration.Brain communications · 2026Article
- Neuroinflammation demonstrated byAlzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026Article
- Microglia modulate Aβ-dependent astrocyte reactivity in Alzheimer's disease.Nature neuroscience · 2026Article
- Greater Neuroimmune System Deficit in Women Than Men With Alcohol Use Disorder.Biological psychiatry · 2026Article
- Obesity is associated with increased brain glucose uptake and activity but not neuroinflammation (TSPO availability) in monozygotic twin pairs discordant for BMI-Exercise training reverses increased brain activity.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2025Article
- Preclinical Fluorescence-Guided Imaging Leveraging Surrounding Sentinel Tumor Microenvironment Identifies High-Risk Premalignant Pancreatic Lesions.Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research · 2025Article
- Inflammation of central nervous system fiber tracts is active in patients over six months post-intracerebral hemorrhage.Acta neuropathologica communications · 2025Article
- Novel neurotherapeutic targets for substance use disorders: Neuroplasticity, neuroinflammation, gasotransmitters and non-canonical organ systems.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2025Review
- Decoding Thalamic Glial Interplay in Multiple Sclerosis Through Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Positron Emission Tomography.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Evidence for brain glial activity in chronic migraine patients: a [European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2025Article
210 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
aimsMicroglia are involved in neurodegeneration, are prime targets for anti-inflammatory therapy and are potential biomarkers of disease progression. For example, positron emission tomography imaging employing radioligands for the mitochondrial translocator protein of 18 kDa (TSPO, formerly known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor) is being scrutinized to detect neuroinflammation in various diseases. TSPO is presumably present in activated microglia, but may be present in other neural cells.
methodsWe sought to elucidate the protein expression in normal human central nervous system, several neurological diseases (HIV encephalitis, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke) and simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis by performing immunohistochemistry with two anti-TSPO antibodies.
resultsAlthough the overall parenchymal staining was minimal in normal brain, endothelial and smooth muscle cells, subpial glia, intravascular monocytes and ependymal cells were TSPO-positive. In disease states, elevated TSPO was present in parenchymal microglia, macrophages and some hypertrophic astrocytes, but the distribution of TSPO varied depending on the disease, disease stage and proximity to the lesion or relation to infection. Staining with the two antibodies correlated well in white matter, but one antibody also stained cortical neurones. Quantitative analysis demonstrated a significant increase in TSPO in the white matter of HIV encephalitis compared with brains without encephalitis. TSPO expression was also increased in simian immunodeficiency virus encephalitis.
conclusionsThis report provides the first comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of TSPO. The results are useful for informing the usage of positron emission tomography as an imaging modality and have an impact on the potential use of TSPO as an anti-inflammatory pharmacological target.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.