Drug screening targeting TREM2-TYROBP transmembrane binding

TREM2 encodes a microglial membrane receptor involved in the disease-associated microglia (DAM) phenotype whose activation requires the transmembrane interaction with TYROBP. Mutations in TREM2 represent a high-impact risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) which turned TREM2 into a significant drug target. We present a bacterial two-hybrid (B2H) system designed for high-throughput screening of modulators for the TREM2-TYROBP transmembrane interaction. In a pilot study, 315 FDA-approved drugs were analyzed to identify potential binding modifiers. Our pipeline includes multiple filtering steps to ensure candidate specificity. The screening suggested two potential candidates that were finally assayed in the human microglial cell line HMC3. Upon stimulation with anti-TREM2 mAb, pSYK/SYK ratios were calculated in the presence of the candidates. As a result, we found that varenicline, a smoking cessation medication, can be considered as a transmembrane agonist of the TREM2-TYROBP interaction.