Dataset Information

?-Amyloid peptides and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

ABSTRACT: Many lines of evidence support that ?-amyloid (A?) peptides play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia. But despite much effort the molecular mechanisms of how A? contributes to AD remain unclear. While A? is generated from its precursor protein throughout life, the peptide is best known as the main component of amyloid plaques, the neuropathological hallmark of AD. Reduction in A? has been the major target of recent experimental therapies against AD. Unfortunately, human clinical trials targeting A? have not shown the hoped-for benefits. Thus, doubts have been growing about the role of A? as a therapeutic target. Here we review evidence supporting the involvement of A? in AD, highlight the importance of differentiating between various forms of A?, and suggest that a better understanding of A?'s precise pathophysiological role in the disease is important for correctly targeting it for potential future therapy.

SUBMITTER: Gouras GK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4322079 | biostudies-other | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Publications

β-Amyloid peptides and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

Gouras Gunnar K GK Olsson Tomas T TT Hansson Oskar O

Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics 20150101 1

Many lines of evidence support that β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia. But despite much effort the molecular mechanisms of how Aβ contributes to AD remain unclear. While Aβ is generated from its precursor protein throughout life, the peptide is best known as the main component of amyloid plaques, the neuropathological hallmark of AD. Reduction in Aβ has been the major target of recent experimental therapies against AD. U ...[more]

PMID: 25371168

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Project description:Microglia are brain-resident myeloid cells and play a major role in the innate immune responses of the CNS and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the contribution of nonparenchymal or brain-infiltrated myeloid cells to disease progression remains to be demonstrated. Here, we show that monocyte-derived cells (MDC) invade brain parenchyma in advanced stages of AD continuum using transcriptional analysis and immunohistochemical characterization in post-mortem human hippocampus. Our findings demonstrated that a high proportion (60%) of demented Braak V-VI individuals was associated with up-regulation of genes rarely expressed by microglial cells and abundant in monocytes, among which stands the membrane-bound scavenger receptor for haptoglobin/hemoglobin complexes or Cd163. These Cd163-positive MDC invaded the hippocampal parenchyma, acquired a microglial-like morphology, and were located in close proximity to blood vessels. Moreover, and most interesting, these invading monocytes infiltrated the nearby amyloid plaques contributing to plaque-associated myeloid cell heterogeneity. However, in aged-matched control individuals with hippocampal amyloid pathology, no signs of MDC brain infiltration or plaque invasion were found. The previously reported microglial degeneration/dysfunction in AD hippocampus could be a key pathological factor inducing MDC recruitment. Our data suggest a clear association between MDC infiltration and endothelial activation which in turn may contribute to damage of the blood brain barrier integrity. The recruitment of monocytes could be a consequence rather than the cause of the severity of the disease. Whether monocyte infiltration is beneficial or detrimental to AD pathology remains to be fully elucidated. These findings open the opportunity to design targeted therapies, not only for microglia but also for the peripheral immune cell population to modulate amyloid pathology and provide a better understanding of the immunological mechanisms underlying the progression of AD.

Dataset Information

?-Amyloid peptides and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

Publications

β-Amyloid peptides and amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease.

Similar Datasets

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