Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34782623›Full record

ArticleNature communications2021

Tau activates microglia via the PQBP1-cGAS-STING pathway to promote brain inflammation.

Meihua Jin, Hiroki Shiwaku, Hikari Tanaka, Takayuki Obita, Sakurako Ohuchi, Yuki Yoshioka, Xiaocen Jin, Kanoh Kondo, Kyota Fujita, Hidenori Homma and 3 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 134 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
134citing papers in PubMed
12.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

134 citing papers in PubMed, 211 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. [Mechanisms of cGAS-STING signaling pathway mediated neuroinflammation in central nervous system and their therapeutic implications].Zhejiang da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences · 2026
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  16. Expanding roles of cGAS-STING signaling in neuroinflammation.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2026
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74 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Meihua Jin *Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2938-607X
Hiroki Shiwaku *Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7503-8044
Hikari Tanaka *Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2602-8226
Takayuki ObitaFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Innovative Life Science, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9192-9362
Sakurako OhuchiFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Innovative Life Science, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0813-8632
Yuki YoshiokaDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7931-0313
Xiaocen JinDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2798-1630
Kanoh KondoDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9672-7794
Kyota FujitaDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8384-8143
Hidenori HommaDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3175-7463
Kazuyuki NakajimaDepartment of Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioinformatics, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8577, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4108-6018
Mineyuki MizuguchiFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Innovative Life Science, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0450-0339
Hitoshi OkazawaDepartment of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan. okazawa-tky@umin.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6127-5046
Tokyo Medical and Dental University · JPUniversity of Toyama · JPSoka University · JP

Funding

MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 16H02655MEXT | Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) 19H01042Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) 22110001Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) 22110002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Brain inflammation generally accompanies and accelerates neurodegeneration. Here we report a microglial mechanism in which polyglutamine binding protein 1 (PQBP1) senses extrinsic tau 3R/4R proteins by direct interaction and triggers an innate immune response by activating a cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)-Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway. Tamoxifen-inducible and microglia-specific depletion of PQBP1 in primary culture in vitro and mouse brain in vivo shows that PQBP1 is essential for sensing-tau to induce nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NFκB), NFκB-dependent transcription of inflammation genes, brain inflammation in vivo, and eventually mouse cognitive impairment. Collectively, PQBP1 is an intracellular receptor in the cGAS-STING pathway not only for cDNA of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but also for the transmissible neurodegenerative disease protein tau. This study characterises a mechanism of brain inflammation that is common to virus infection and neurodegenerative disorders.

Indexed as

AnimalsBrainCyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Adenosine Monophosphate SynthaseDNA-Binding ProteinsEncephalitisFemaleHIVHumansImmunity, InnateMaleMembrane GlycoproteinsMembrane ProteinsMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutMicrogliacGAS protein, mouseCyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Adenosine Monophosphate SynthaseDNA-Binding ProteinsMembrane GlycoproteinsMembrane ProteinsNF-kappa BNucleotidyltransferasesPqbp1 protein, mouseSting1 protein, mouseSTING ProteinTamoxifen

Identifiers

PMID34782623
PMCPMC8592984
OpenAlexW3214109787

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.