The Role of Immune Cells’ Interaction in Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology

Project Summary

While microglia are in the spotlight, researchers know little about how adaptive immune cells interact with Alzheimer’s amyloid plaques. MHCII is a microglia-associated Alzheimer’s risk gene that functions to mediate interaction with T cells. The relevance of the microglia-T cell interaction in Alzheimer’s is unknown. To study the contribution of this interaction to Alzheimer’s pathology, Dr. Pasciuto and her team will use genetic models to manipulate MHC II expression in mice and test efficacy of T cell-based immunotherapy in Alzheimer’s mice lacking MHCII.

Dr. Pasciuto’s research will extend the current knowledge of how the immune system changes in Alzheimer's disease. By uncovering these mechanisms, this study builds the basis toward more precise therapies that target the immune system to protect against the progression of Alzheimer's. Additionally, this research will establish how the Alzheimer's risk gene MHCII influences the development of Alzheimer's and the response to potential immune-based treatments, offering hope for more personalized approaches to combating the disease.