Glatiramer acetate fights against Alzheimer's disease by inducing dendritic-like microglia expressing insulin-like growth factor 1.

ABSTRACT: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by plaque formation, neuronal loss, and cognitive decline. The functions of the local and systemic immune response in this disease are still controversial. Using AD double-transgenic (APP/PS1) mice, we show that a T cell-based vaccination with glatiramer acetate, given according to a specific regimen, resulted in decreased plaque formation and induction of neurogenesis. It also reduced cognitive decline, assessed by performance in a Morris water maze. The vaccination apparently exerted its effect by causing a phenotype switch in brain microglia to dendritic-like (CD11c) cells producing insulin-like growth factor 1. In vitro findings showed that microglia activated by aggregated beta-amyloid, and characterized as CD11b(+)/CD11c(-)/MHC class II(-)/TN

SUBMITTER: Butovsky O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1544247 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature