Biomedicines (Oct 2023)

Overlapping Neuroimmune Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets in Neurodegenerative Disorders

  • Fabiola De Marchi,
  • Ivana Munitic,
  • Lea Vidatic,
  • Eliša Papić,
  • Valentino Rački,
  • Jerneja Nimac,
  • Igor Jurak,
  • Gabriela Novotni,
  • Boris Rogelj,
  • Vladimira Vuletic,
  • Rajka M. Liscic,
  • Jason R. Cannon,
  • Emanuele Buratti,
  • Letizia Mazzini,
  • Silva Hecimovic

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11102793
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 10
p. 2793

Abstract

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Many potential immune therapeutic targets are similarly affected in adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s (AD) disease, Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as in a seemingly distinct Niemann–Pick type C disease with primarily juvenile onset. This strongly argues for an overlap in pathogenic mechanisms. The commonly researched immune targets include various immune cell subsets, such as microglia, peripheral macrophages, and regulatory T cells (Tregs); the complement system; and other soluble factors. In this review, we compare these neurodegenerative diseases from a clinical point of view and highlight common pathways and mechanisms of protein aggregation, neurodegeneration, and/or neuroinflammation that could potentially lead to shared treatment strategies for overlapping immune dysfunctions in these diseases. These approaches include but are not limited to immunisation, complement cascade blockade, microbiome regulation, inhibition of signal transduction, Treg boosting, and stem cell transplantation.

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