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Tau immunotherapy and imaging
Einar M Sigurdsson. Neuro-degenerative diseases, 2013-09-11
Topic: Disease mechanisms in lab and animal studies
Disappointing findings from recent phase III trials on amyloid-β (Aβ) immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) have shifted the focus of such treatments to the tau protein. As tau pathology correlates better with the degree of dementia than Aβ plaque burden, it is a more attractive target once cognitive impairments are evident, while Aβ therapies may be better suited for the presymptomatic phase of the disease. Over 12 years ago, we initiated a tau immunotherapy program, seeking to alleviate the functional impairments associated with tau lesions in tauopathies. We have reported that various active and passive tau immunizations diminish tau pathology and improve function, including cognition, in different mouse models. Both extra- and intracellular pathways are likely involved. The antibodies may block the spread of tau pathology via microglial phagocytosis of the antibody-tau complex and facilitate lysosomal tau clearance in neurons after endosomal uptake. We have observed such antibody internalization following intracarotid injection in mice and in various culture models. These include brain slices and primary neurons from tangle mice as well as human neuroblastoma cell lines. Antibody targeting of different intracellular protein aggregates, including α-synuclein, Aβ and superoxide dismutase has been reported by others. Now, several laboratories have confirmed and extended our findings using various active and passive tau immunizations in different models, thereby clearly establishing the feasibility of this approach for clinical trials. We are also working on imaging approaches to monitor tau pathology, its consequences and the efficacy of treatments. Dire need exists for such diagnostic methods for tauopathies. Overall, therapies and diagnostic tools targeting tau pathology have a great potential for AD and other tauopathies.
Key findings
- Over 12 years ago, we initiated a tau immunotherapy program, seeking to alleviate the functional impairments associated with tau lesions in tauopathies.
- Now, several laboratories have confirmed and extended our findings using various active and passive tau immunizations in different models, thereby clearly establishing the feasibility of this approach for clinical trials.
- Overall, therapies and diagnostic tools targeting tau pathology have a great potential for AD and other tauopathies.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
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. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 21 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 38 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neuro-degenerative diseases) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| 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 | 2014 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| 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 | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 24029727) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 21 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 21 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 38 out of 100. |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Sigurdsson, E. M. (2014). Tau immunotherapy and imaging. Neuro-degenerative diseases. https://doi.org/10.1159/000354491
Vancouver
Sigurdsson EM. Tau immunotherapy and imaging. Neuro-degenerative diseases. 2014. doi:10.1159/000354491. PMID: 24029727.
BibTeX
@article{sigurdsson2014-24029727,
author = {Sigurdsson, Einar M},
title = {{Tau immunotherapy and imaging}},
journal = {Neuro-degenerative diseases},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1159/000354491},
pmid = {24029727},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1159/000354491}
}