The Role of T Cells in Alzheimer's Disease Pathogenesis

作者：Zhao, Jin; Wang, Xiaofang; He, Yusheng; Xu, Pingyi^*; Lai, Laijun^*; Chung, Younggie^*; Pan, Xinghua^*

来源：Critical Reviews in Immunology, 2023, 43(6): 15-23.

• Alzheimer's disease
• T cells
• neuroinflammation
• amyloid-beta
• thymus
• thymic epithelial cells

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with memory decline and cognitive impairment, which is related to hallmark protein aggregates, amyloid-beta (A beta) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles; the latter are accumulated with hyperphosphorylated Tau protein. Immune cells play an important role in AD pathogenesis. Although the role of T cells in AD remains controversial, studies have shown that T cell deficiency is associated with increased AD pathology. In contrast, transplantation of T cells reduces AD pathology. T cells can help B cells generate anti-A beta antibody to neutralize the toxin of A beta and hyperphosphorylated Tau. T cells also activate macrophages to phagocytose misfolded proteins including A beta and Tau. Recent data have also shown that AD animals have a damaged thymic microenvironment, especially thymic epithelial cells (TECs), resulting in decreased T cell numbers, which contribute to AD pathology. Therefore, regulation of T cell regeneration, for example by rejuvenating the thymic microenvironment, has the potential to be used in the treatment of AD.

• 单位
  1; 广州医学院; 南方医科大学