A TMEM119-tankyrase axis restrains microglial phagocytosis to maintain memory and enables pharmacological forgetting.
A TMEM119-tankyrase axis limits microglial phagocytosis, with its disruption causing excessive synapse elimination and memory destabilization in adult mice.
- Why it matters: Understanding how microglia regulate synaptic stability is crucial for addressing memory-related disorders and developing targeted therapies for cognitive enhancement or impairment.
- What they did: Researchers used genetic ablation and a membrane-permeable peptide to disrupt TMEM119-tankyrase interactions in mice, revealing their role in controlling microglial activity and synapse maintenance.
- The result: Disrupting this axis increased microglial phagocytosis, destabilized fear memories, and demonstrated that pharmacological modulation of the TMEM119-tankyrase pathway can influence memory processes.