Targeting microglia for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.
While histological changes in microglia have long been recognized as a pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), recent genetic association studies have also strongly implicated microglia in the etiology of the disease. Coding and noncoding polymorphisms in several genes expressed in microglia-including APOE, TREM2, CD33, GRN, and IL1RAP-alter AD risk, and therefore could be considered as entry points for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, microglia may have a substantial effect on current amyloid β (Aβ) and tau immunotherapy approaches, since they are the primary cell type in the brain to mediate Fc receptor-facilitated antibody effector function. In this review, we discuss the considerations in selecting microglial therapeutic targets from the perspective of drug discovery feasibility, and consider the role of microglia in ongoing immunotherapy clinical strategies. GLIA 2016;64:1710-1732.
Neuroinflammation Department, Lundbeck Research USA, Paramus, New Jersey.
Paul D
PD
Wes
Gladstone Institute for Neurodegeneration, San Francisco, California.
Faten A
FA
Sayed
Janssen Prevention Center, San Diego, California.
Frédérique
F
Bard
Gladstone Institute for Neurodegeneration, San Francisco, California.
Li
L
Gan
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017628:Microglia / Q000502:physiology*; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D000906:Antibodies; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D016875:tau Proteins
Alzheimer's disease; amyloid; immunotherapy; microglia; tau