HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McGeer, E. G. Articles by McGeer, P. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McGeer, E. G. Articles by McGeer, P. L.

Innate Immunity in Alzheimer's Disease

A Model for Local Inflammatory Reactions

Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research, Department of Psychiatry University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

Correspondence: Address correspondence to EGM. E-mail mcgeer{at}interchange.ubc.ca; fax 604-822-7086.

Amyloid plaques (large extracellular deposits) and neurofibrillary tangles (dense intracellular aggregates) are well-known histological indicators of Alzheimer's disease. Intriguingly, these pathological hallmarks contain all of the major complement proteins that are normally associated with immune activation. The afflicted brain tissue shown here has been stained with antibodies specific for complement proteins.

Over the past fifteen years, evidence has been accumulating that there is a chronic inflammatory reaction in areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease. Chronic inflammation, which arises in reaction to an underlying pathology, represents a threat in its own right, wherever it may occur, and can in fact surpass primary affronts upon tissues. The brain, however, is particularly vulnerable because neurons are generally irreplaceable. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, inflammatory processes thus have the potential for turning a relatively slowly progressing condition into one characterized by rapid neurodegeneration.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Yan, X. Hu, H. Song, K. Yin, R. J. Bateman, J. R. Cirrito, Q. Xiao, F. F. Hsu, J. W. Turk, J. Xu, et al. Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Degrades Amyloid-beta Fibrils in Vitro and Compact Plaques in Situ J. Biol. Chem., August 25, 2006; 281(34): 24566 - 24574. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Stalder, F. Ermini, L. Bondolfi, W. Krenger, G. J. Burbach, T. Deller, J. Coomaraswamy, M. Staufenbiel, R. Landmann, and M. Jucker Invasion of Hematopoietic Cells into the Brain of Amyloid Precursor Protein Transgenic Mice J. Neurosci., November 30, 2005; 25(48): 11125 - 11132. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]