Alzheimer vaccine

A major step toward an Alzheimer’s treatment and vaccine

January 17, 2013

PET scan of the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, showing a loss of function in the temporal lobe (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

A way to stimulate the brain’s natural defense mechanisms in people with Alzheimer’s disease has been discovered by researchers atUniversité Laval, CHU de Québec and pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK): a molecule known as MPL (monophosphoryl lipid A) that stimulates the activity of the brain’s immune cells.

The breakthrough opens the door to developing a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and a vaccine to prevent the illness.

80% of senile plaques eliminated

One of the main characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease is the production in the brain of a toxic molecule known as amyloid beta. Microglial cells, the nervous system’s defenders, are unable to eliminate this substance, which forms deposits called senile plaques.

The researchers administered weekly injections of MPL over a twelve-week period to mice with Alzheimer’s symptoms. The treatment eliminated up to 80% of senile plaques. Tests measuring the mice’s ability to learn new tasks also showed significant improvement in cognitive function over the same period./.../