TIMP2 protein identified as key to healthy immune function in aging brain

Researchers at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified that the youth-associated protein TIMP2 plays a critical role in supporting the healthy function of microglia, which are the brain’s resident immune cells.

A study published in Nature Communications found that a loss of TIMP2 causes microglia to exhibit features associated with aging and neurodegeneration. In experimental trials involving aged mice, restoring TIMP2 in the blood improved the cells' ability to clear debris and reduced molecular markers linked to inflammation and other maladaptive states.

Because aging is the primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, these findings offer new insights into how biological factors influence the aging brain. Joseph M. Castellano, PhD, noted that TIMP2 may help restore microglial functions that typically decline with age.