2023 Alzheimer's Association Research Grant to Promote Diversity (AARG-D)
Role of gamma-delta T cells in modulating the pathogenesis of AD and FTD.
How do specialized immune cells contribute to brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s?
Rafael Rezende, Ph.D.
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
Boston, MA - United States
Background
The immune system is complex and serves to maintain our overall health. In our brain, the immune system specifically serves to maintain healthy nerve cells. Individuals with Alzheimer’s typically experience brain inflammation, which can damage nerve cells in the brain. Recent studies have shown that certain types of immune cells, called T cells, may play a key role in brain inflammation.
Dr. Rafael Rezende and colleagues believe that gamma delta T cells, a subset of T cells that mediate immune response may contribute to brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s.
Research Plan
Dr. Rezende and the team will use genetically engineered Alzheimer’s-like mice to study how gamma delta T cells contribute to Alzheimer’s. They will measure the levels of gamma delta T cells in the brains of these mice and associate their levels with cognitive function as well as amyloid plaque and tau tangle accumulation, two of the hallmark brain changes in Alzheimer’s. The team will then study whether inhibiting gamma delta T cells reduced brain inflammation and cognitive decline in the same genetically engineered Alzheimer’s-like mice.
Impact
If successful, the results of this study may improve our understanding of the role of brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s and may inform the development of novel therapies for Alzheimer’s.