Alzheimer's disease: is a vaccine possible?

• Published in: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research Vol. 47; no. 6; pp. 438 - 444
• Main Authors: Alves, R P S, Yang, M J, Batista, M T, Ferreira, L C S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Associacao Brasileira de Divulgacao Cientifica (ABDC) 01.06.2014; Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
• Subjects: Active immunization; Alzheimer Disease - pathology; Alzheimer Disease - prevention & control; Alzheimer Vaccines - classification; Alzheimer's disease; amyloid; Amyloid beta-Peptides - metabolism; Amyloid beta-protein; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; BIOLOGY; Brain - pathology; Clinical Trials as Topic - trends; Control; Development and progression; Genetic aspects; Humans; MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Overview; Plaque, Amyloid - immunology; Prevention; Vaccination - methods; Vaccine; Vaccines; Vaccine; amyloid; Alzheimer's disease; Active immunization
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X; 1414-431X
• DOI: 10.1590/1414-431X20143434

The cause of Alzheimer's disease is still unknown, but the disease is distinctively characterized by the accumulation of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. These features have become the primary focus of much of the research looking for new treatments for the disease, including immunotherapy and vaccines targeting β-amyloid in the brain. Adverse effects observed in a clinical trial based on the β-amyloid protein were attributed to the presence of the target antigen and emphasized the relevance of finding safer antigen candidates for active immunization. For this kind of approach, different vaccine formulations using DNA, peptide, and heterologous prime-boost immunization regimens have been proposed. Promising results are expected from different vaccine candidates encompassing B-cell epitopes of the β-amyloid protein. In addition, recent results indicate that targeting another protein involved in the etiology of the disease has opened new perspectives for the effective prevention of the illness. Collectively, the evidence indicates that the idea of finding an effective vaccine for the control of Alzheimer's disease, although not without challenges, is a possibility.