African Americans Have Differences in CSF Soluble TREM2 and Associated Genetic Variants

Objective To evaluate for racial differences in triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a key immune mediator in Alzheimer disease, the levels of CSF soluble TREM2 (sTREM2), and the frequency of associated genetic variants were compared in groups of individuals who self-reported their race as African American (AA) or non-Hispanic White (NHW). Methods Community-dwelling older research participants underwent measurement of CSF sTREM2 concentrations and genetic analyses. Results The primary cohort included 91 AAs and 868 NHWs. CSF sTREM2 levels were lower in the AA compared with the NHW group (1,336 ± 470 vs 1,856 ± 624 pg/mL, p Conclusions On average, AAs had lower CSF sTREM2 levels compared with NHWs, potentially because AAs are more likely to carry genetic variants associated with lower CSF sTREM2 levels. Importantly, CSF sTREM2 reflects TREM2-mediated microglial activity, a critical step in the immune response to amyloid plaques. These findings suggest that race may be associated with risk for genetic variants that influence Alzheimer disease–related inflammation.