Low brain protein levels may be linked to neurodegeneration, according to a recent study.

Researchers found that people with reduced levels of the TREM2 protein could be at greater risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia.

The TREM2 gene is expressed mainly in the microglia, brain cells in charge of phagocytosis and of eliminating cell waste which accumulates in this organ, such as amyloid fibers and other protein aggregates.

"Although we must still continue researching, these results suggest that the TREM2 protein plays a fundamental role in the elimination of amyloids and other protein aggregates and its malfunctioning can accelerate neurodegenerative processes. It could also be a useful indicator of neurodegenerative diseases," Marc Suárez-Calvet, participant in the study, said in a statement.

During the study, the role played by TREM2 in the microglia when regulating its function as a phagocyte was revealed.

The study was conducted in two phases. In the first, carried out with microglial cell cultures, scientists observed that when mutated forms of TREM2 are expressed, the protein does not reach the cell membrane and the cells lose their ability to clean the residues accumulated in the brain.

In the second phase, researchers observed in the analyses carried out that patients with Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia tended to have low levels of TREM2 in their cerebrospinal fluid, while patients with FTD-like syndrome completely lacked this protein.

Researchers said the stimulation of TREM2 functions could be a useful strategy when fighting neurodegenerative diseases, the study indicates.

"It would be good to continue with the research and observe if acting on the TREM2 to restore or increase its activity could be effective in treating different neurodegenerative pathologies", researcher Albert Lleó said in a statement.

Recent genetic studies have linked other less aggressive mutations in this gene to a higher risk of suffering from other more common neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia.

The findings were recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.