Protective molecules in Alzheimer's disease: Therapeutic antibodies

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease by recruiting an immune response against β-amyloid was suggested by the findings that monoclonal antibodies against β-amyloid peptide can keep the peptides from aggregating into neurotoxic fibrils and dissolve already formed amyloid. Subsequent β-amyloid vaccination studies in transgenic mice models of Alzheimer's disease have shown a significant reduction in the number of amyloid plaques and overall amyloid burden and even some improvement in cognitive performance. It is not yet clear if immunization with soluble or fibrillar forms of β-amyloid peptide will end up being a treatment to prevent or treat Alzheimer's disease. However, various strategies for mobilizing the immune system may be effective toward treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease in humans.