Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai). 2012 Oct;44(10):807-14. doi: 10.1093/abbs/gms065. Epub 2012 Aug 16.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques consisted primarily of aggregated Aβ proteins and neurofibrillary tangles formed by hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Both Aβ and hyperphosphorylated tau are toxic both in vivo and in vitro. Immunotherapy targeting Aβ seems to provide a promising approach to reduce the toxic species in the brain. However, there is little evidence from clinical trials so far indicating the efficacy of Aβ immunotherapy in cognitive improvement. Immunization with tau peptides or anti-tau antibodies could remove the tau aggregates and improve the cognitive function in preclinical study, which provides a novel strategy of AD therapy. In this article, we will summarize the immunotherapeutic strategies targeting either Aβ or tau.
阿尔茨海默病（AD）的特征是β-淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）斑块，主要由聚集的 Aβ 蛋白和由过度磷酸化的 tau 蛋白形成的神经原纤维缠结组成。Aβ 和过度磷酸化的 tau 蛋白在体内和体外都是有毒的。针对 Aβ 的免疫疗法似乎提供了一种有前途的方法来减少大脑中的毒性物质。然而，到目前为止，临床试验几乎没有证据表明 Aβ 免疫疗法在认知改善方面的疗效。用 tau 肽或抗 tau 抗体免疫接种可以去除 tau 聚集物并改善临床前研究中的认知功能，这为 AD 治疗提供了一种新策略。在本文中，我们将总结针对 Aβ 或 tau 的免疫治疗策略。
