Immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease.
The utility of vaccine strategies to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) may still hold promise. Both active and passive immunization strategies reduced AD-like pathology and restored cognitive deficits in transgenic mice. These results were initially met with considerable optimism; however, phase IIa clinical trials were halted because of a small but significant occurrence of meningoencephalitis. Knowledge gained from studies on amyloid-beta peptide (A beta) immunotherapy will allow optimization of new-generation vaccines, targeting highly specific epitopes while reducing undesired side effects. In harnessing and steering the immune system, an effective response can be generated against A beta. If this proves successful, A beta vaccination could provide the first definitive treatment for AD.
Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, 6 Queen's Park Crescent West, Toronto, ON M5S 3H2, Canada.
David S
DS
Gelinas
Kevin
K
DaSilva
Daniela
D
Fenili
Peter
P
St George-Hyslop
Joanne
J
McLaurin
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D017628:Microglia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D014612:Vaccines