Associations of cortical SPP1 and ITGAX with cognition and common neuropathologies in older adults.

Introduction: The secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) gene expressed by CD11c cells is known to be associated with microglia activation and neuroinflammatory diseases. As most studies rely on mouse models, we investigated these genes and proteins in the cortical brain tissue of older adults and their role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders.

Methods: We leveraged protein measurements, single-nuclei, and RNASeq data from the Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project (ROSMAP) of over 1200 samples for association analysis.