Altered Blood Levels of Anti-Gal Antibodies in Alzheimer's Disease: A New Clue to Pathogenesis?

ABSTRACT: Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder whose pathological mechanisms, despite recent advances, are not fully understood. However, the deposition of beta amyloid -peptide and neuroinflammation, which is probably aggravated by dysbiotic microbiota, seem to play a key role. Anti-Gal are the most abundant xenoreactive natural antibodies. They are supposed to stem from immunization against the gut microbiota and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including multiple sclerosis. These antibodies target the alpha-Gal epitope, expressed on the terminal sugar units of glycoprotein or glycolipid of all mammals except apes, Old World monkeys and humans. The alpha-Gal is constitutively expressed in several bacteria constituting the brain microbiota, and alpha-Gal-

SUBMITTER: Angiolillo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8228012 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature