Single-cell spatial transcriptomics reveals distinct patterns of dysregulation in non-neuronal and neuronal cells induced by the Trem2 Alzheimer's risk gene mutation.

The R47H missense mutation of the TREM2 gene is a known risk factor for development of Alzheimer's Disease. In this study, we analyze the impact of the Trem2 mutation on specific cell types in multiple cortical and subcortical brain regions in the context of wild-type and 5xFAD mouse background. We profile 19 mouse brain sections consisting of wild-type, Trem2, 5xFAD and Trem2; 5xFAD genotypes using MERFISH spatial transcriptomics, a technique that enables subcellular profiling of spatial gene expression.