title: Apoptosis of CD4+ T and natural killer cells in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunotherapy appears to be a potent treatment against Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the mechanisms underlying neural-immune interaction are still not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here, we determined cell death and distribution of lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in AD and aging, e.g. T (CD4+ CD3+, CD8+ CD3+), B (CD19+) and NK (CD16++CD56+) cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased apoptosis was found in CD4+ T and NK cells in AD, while in aging all subsets were affected. The expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl2 correlated with observed cell death in T-helper and B cells irrespective of dementia. The levels of Bcl2 in T-cells were significantly increased in mild AD. Apoptosis and Bcl2 levels were also elevated in the APP (751SL)xPS1 (M146L) transgenic mouse model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mechanisms triggering apoptosis and activation of lymphocytes in AD appear therefore to be different than those in immunosenescence and possibly bear an important biomarker to monitor immunotherapy in AD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Biocenter, Johann Wolfgang-Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany. Katharina.Schindowski@lille.inserm.fr
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schindowski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gorriz
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weinandi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leutner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frölich
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000737:chemistry; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001057:Apolipoproteins E