T-Cell Modulation of Microglia to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, play a multifaceted role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), contributing to inflammation and neurodegeneration. As AD progresses, the ability of microglia to clear amyloid beta plaques decreases, leading to plaque accumulation in the brain and further AD progression. Additionally, microglia contribute to neurodegeneration in AD through the release of toxic substances and regulation of synaptic function. Thus, understanding the role of microglia in AD is crucial for developing effective treatments. More importantly, developing ways to modulate microglia function represents a crucial avenue for the treatment of AD. Here, we propose to investigate a completely novel way to modulate microglia to treat AD: Generate a T-cell immune response against surface proteins that are only expressed on the microglial surface. Our underlying hypothesis is that microglial-specific T-cells would migrate to the brain, interact with microglia, and modulate them in a way that would be beneficial for AD.