Research Progress of Targeting Neuro-Immune Inflammation in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by extracellular senile plaques and the formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. The accumulation of toxic beta-amyloid (Aβ) induces the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Accumulating studies suggest that neuroinflammatory mechanism plays an important role in the occurrence and development of AD. Microglia, astrocytes, macrophages, mast cells and T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of AD through neuroimmune mechanisms and inflammatory reactions. In recent years, many new drugs have been developed for the treatment of AD targeting neuroimmune and inflammatory mechanisms. Although some drugs failed in the Ⅲ phase of clinical trial, they made sense on subsequent research. This paper mainly discusses the positive effects on AD according to immunotherapy, anti-inflammatory treatment and regulation of immune inflammation by traditional Chinese medicine, in order to benefit for prevention or treatment of AD in the future.