Boosting brain immune proteins AXL and MERTK to slow Alzheimer's memory loss
Official title: Augmenting AXL and MERTK function to restrain cognitive decline and improve health span in mouse models of Alzheimer's Disease
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11457055 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work boosts two immune-related proteins in brain support cells to try to slow memory loss linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $707,095 |
| NIH project number | 4R01AG082190-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457055 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with early-stage Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment are the most likely future candidates for therapies that come from this research.
✕Less likely to help
People with very advanced Alzheimer's or other non-Alzheimer dementias may be less likely to benefit from these specific approaches.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are working with mouse models of Alzheimer's to learn how brain immune cells called microglia use proteins TREM2, AXL, and MERTK to control damage and clear toxic material. They use genetic tools and molecular approaches to increase AXL (and study MERTK) to see whether that can stop or slow cognitive decline seen in the mice. The team will map the order and roles of these proteins in microglia and how that affects plaque handling and memory. Results could point toward new drug targets that aim to harness the brain's own cleanup cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to treatments that slow or stop memory decline in people with Alzheimer's by boosting protective microglial functions.
How similar studies have gone: Targeting microglial receptors such as TREM2 has shown promising results in mouse studies, and early preclinical data suggest AXL augmentation can halt decline in animal models, but human testing remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rothlin, Carla — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Rothlin, Carla
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.