Title:T Lymphocytes in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Alzheimer’s
Disease: Pursuing Direct Neuropathological Evidence
Volume: 20
Issue: 7
Author(s): Peng Cheng Han*Eric Daniel Hamlett
Affiliation:
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Morgantown,
WV 26501, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University
School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26501, USA
Keywords:
T lymphocytes, Alzheimer’s disease, neuropathology, T cell-modifying therapy, immune-based therapy, neurodegenerative diseases.
Abstract: Multiple studies have proposed important roles of T cells in the pathogenesis of
Alzheimer’s disease. Given the successful application of immune-based therapy for cancer and a
variety of diseases, T cell-modifying therapy becomes an attractive way to develop new therapies
for Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps neurodegenerative diseases in general. However, most of these
studies address peripheral T cell responses, while direct pathological evidence documenting T
cell infiltration relative to Alzheimer’s disease pathological markers (i.e., amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary
tangle) is sparse and at best, very preliminary in both human subjects and relevant animal
models. Here, we concisely summarize the available pathological data that directly corresponds
to T cell infiltration, critically analyze the current knowledge gaps, and thoughtfully propose
several key recommendations for future research.
