Immune System Response

[Swarfmaker]

I've written about this topic before in relation to the Herpes virus,
Helicobacter pylori and other chronic infections...

Immune System Linked With Accumulation of Toxic Tau Protein
ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2010)
Cells that help to protect the central nervous system may also
contribute to pathological changes in the brain. New research,
published by Cell Press in the October 7th issue of the journal
Neuron, provides mechanistic insight into a link between the immune
system and neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease that
are associated with abnormal accumulation of tau protein... "While
some research has suggested a correlative link between
neuroinflammation and tauopathies, there is little mechanistic
evidence that altered microglial activation plays a pathogenic role in
the formation of MAPT pathologies,"... In addition to documenting the
effects of a specific microglial receptor on MAPT pathology, the
researchers also gained new insight into specific signaling molecules
downstream of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 interaction. Taken together, the
findings reveal a direct link between the activation of microglia and
the abnormal phosphorylation and aggregation of MAPT in neurons and
suggest potential novel therapeutic strategies for tauopathies...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101006131201.htm