Fresh Microglia Destroy Alzheimer's Plaques

Researchers have found that microglia, the specialized immune cells of the nervous system, were effective in destroying the amyloid plaques of Alzheimer's disease if they were recently derived from bone marrow stem cells, but not if they were long-term residents of the brain.

Investigators at the faculty of medicine of Université Laval (Quebec, CA) worked with a transgenic mouse model of human Alzheimer's disease. They showed that in contrast to resident microglia, similar cells transferred from the bone marrow to the brain became highly branched and elongated within the core of amyloid plaques. Further results published in the February 16, 2006, issue of Neuron revealed that the microglia's phagocytic action dissolved the plaques.
"Stem cells should be harvested from the patients themselves, thus limiting the risks of both rejection and adverse effects,” said senior author Dr. Serge Rivest, professor of molecular endocrinology at Université Laval. "While this cellular therapy will not prevent Alzheimer's, by curbing plaque development, we believe that it will help patients prolong their autonomy and cognitive capacity. We believe that this is a new and powerful weapon in the fight to conquer Alzheimer's.”


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