Various types of T cells infiltrate the brains and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with AD.

Infiltrating T cells include expanded clones that recognize Epstein–Barr virus.

The impact of brain-infiltrating T cells in AD remains largely unknown.

Patients with AD and healthy individuals have antibodies against amyloid beta and tau.

How these ubiquitous antiamyloid and antitau antibodies are elicited is an enigma.

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly. Although AD is primarily a neurological disorder distinguished by amyloid β plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, the immune system can impact the progression of the disease and may be targeted for therapeutic purposes. To date, most studies have focused on innate immune responses of microglia. However, emerging evidence implicates adaptive immune responses by T cells and B cells in the progression of AD. Moreover, the recent approval of an antibody that promotes amyloid β plaque clearance for AD therapy has pinpointed adaptive immunity as a fertile ground for the design of novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we highlight key studies delineating T cell and B cell responses in human AD and mouse models of AD, identify open questions on the specificity, development and impact of these responses and discuss outlooks for future studies and novel therapeutic avenues.

Alzheimer's disease

T cell

B cell

antibody

amyloid beta

tau

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