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Immune system response in Alzheimer's disease
McGeer PL, Akiyama H, Itagaki S, McGeer EG.. The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques, 1989-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease was demonstrated in two ways: by the attachment of complement proteins to diseased tissue, and by the activation of cells associated with the immune system. Alzheimer brain tissue was stained immunohistochemically by antibodies to components of the classical, but not the alternative, complement pathway. Antibodies to C1q, C3d, and C4d stained senile plaques, dystrophic neurites, neuropil threads and some tangled neurons. Antibodies to a neoantigenic site on the C5b-9 membrane attack complex stained dystrophic neurites and many tangled neurons, but not senile plaques. Antibodies to Factor P and fraction Bb of Factor B, which are specific for the alternative complement pathway, did not stain Alzheimer brain tissue. The cellular immune response was evaluated by the presence of reactive microglia and by the infiltration of small numbers of T-cells into diseased brain tissue. Reactive microglia were identified by antibodies to HLA-DR, a class II major histocompatibility complex glycoprotein, and by enhanced staining with antibodies to leukocyte common antigen and the Fc gamma RI and Fc gamma RII receptors. T-cells were identified by antibodies to leukocyte common antigen, as well as the CD4 and CD8 surface proteins. Double immunostaining with antibodies to GFAP and MHC class I or class II antigens established that astrocytes, which are GFAP positive, do not express MHC antigens in Alzheimer's disease. Endothelial cells express MHC class I antigens while reactive microglia and some leukocytes express class II antigen.
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APA 7th
McGeer, P. L., Akiyama, H., Itagaki, S., & McGeer, E. G. (1989). Immune system response in Alzheimer's disease. The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0317167100029863
Vancouver
McGeer PL, Akiyama H, Itagaki S, McGeer EG. Immune system response in Alzheimer's disease. The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques. 1989. doi:10.1017/s0317167100029863. PMID: 2804814.
BibTeX
@article{mcgeer1989-2804814,
author = {McGeer, P. L. and Akiyama, H. and Itagaki, S. and McGeer, E. G.},
title = {{Immune system response in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques},
year = {1989},
doi = {10.1017/s0317167100029863},
pmid = {2804814},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0317167100029863}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease was demonstrated in two ways: by the attachment of complement proteins to diseased tissue, and by the activation of cells associated with the immune system.
Why it matters
This early study found complement proteins and activated immune cells in Alzheimer's brain tissue, indicating immune system involvement. It is a descriptive tissue study and does not show that any immune-based treatment helps patients.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques: journal h-index 121 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1989 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 460 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 11.8 citations a year over 39 year(s) since 1989 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 17 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 15 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Edith G. McGeer: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of British Columbia: institution h-index 1,424 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 2804814) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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