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Review
. 2016 May 30;2(2):99-109.
doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2016.05.001. eCollection 2016 Jun.

The roles of inflammation and immune mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease

Linda J Van Eldik  1 , Maria C Carrillo  2 , Patricia E Cole  3 , Dominik Feuerbach  4 , Barry D Greenberg  5 , James A Hendrix  2 , Matthew Kennedy  6 , Nick Kozauer  7 , Richard A Margolin  8 , José L Molinuevo  9   10 , Reinhold Mueller  11 , Richard M Ransohoff  12 , Donna M Wilcock  13 , Lisa Bain  14 , Kelly Bales  15
Affiliations
Review

The roles of inflammation and immune mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease

Linda J Van Eldik et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

The Alzheimer's Association's Research roundtable met in April 2015 to explore the role of neuroinflammatory mechanisms in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The ability of innate immune cells, particularly microglia and astrocytes, to mediate neuroinflammation in AD has been implicated as a significant contributor to disease pathogenesis. Adaptive immunity, which plays an important role in responding to injury and some diseases of the central nervous system, may contribute to neuroinflammation in AD as well. Communication between the central and peripheral immune systems may also be important in AD. An increased understanding of the physiology of the innate immune system may aid the identification of new therapeutic targets or mechanisms. The development of predictive animal models and translatable neuroinflammation biomarkers for AD would also facilitate the advancement of novel treatments for innate immunity. Important challenges impeding the advancement of new therapeutic agents and strategies to overcome them were discussed.

Keywords: Adaptive immunity; Alzheimer's disease; Astrocyte; Innate immunity; Microglia; Neuroinflammation.

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