Identification of Chlamydia pneumoniae and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Alzheimer's disease retina.

ABSTRACT: Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular bacterium implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its role in retinal pathology and disease progression is unclear. Here we identify Chlamydia pneumoniae inclusions in the retina, showing higher burden in AD retina and brain, increasing with APOEε4, disease stage, and cognitive deficit. Retinal and cortical proteomics reveal bacterial-infection and related NLRP3-inflammasome pathways. Retinal NLRP3 is elevated in mild cognitive impairment and activated in AD dementia, evidenced by increased caspase-1, cleaved interleukin-1β, and cleaved N-terminal gasdermin-D. Chlamydia pneumoniae associates with amyloid-β₄₂, inflammation, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and AD status. In neuronal cultures and APP_SWE/PS1_ΔE9 model mice, in

SUBMITTER: Gaire BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12827417 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature