WashU team blocks Alzheimer’s damage via immune cells — SkimNews
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- Washington University in St. Louis researchers blocked the CXCR3 protein on T cells using an antibody, reducing brain infiltration of immune cells by about half in mice with tau accumulation.
- Treated mice retained approximately 40% more brain tissue in memory-related regions and performed better on memory tests, despite no reduction in tau tangles.
- David M. Holtzman emphasized that the therapy works outside the brain, avoiding the challenge of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a major hurdle for neurological treatments.
- The study was published September 28, 2026, in Neuron and demonstrated that neurodegeneration in tauopathies may be driven more by immune response than by tau itself.
- CXCL10 and CXCR3 pathway was identified as the mechanism guiding harmful T cells into the brain, with experiments showing no T cell infiltration when either molecule was absent in mice.
- Holtzman suggested existing T-cell-modulating drugs for autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis could be repurposed for Alzheimer’s, marking a potential shift in treatment strategy.
Why it matters: This approach could protect brain tissue in Alzheimer’s and other tauopathies without requiring drugs to enter the brain or eliminate tau, making treatment development faster and safer. The 40% preservation of memory-region tissue in mice suggests a meaningful therapeutic benefit even if protein buildup remains.
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