IFN-γ Production by Amyloid β–Specific Th1 Cells Promotes Microglial Activation and Increases Plaque Burden in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of amyloid-β (Aβ)–containing plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and neuronal loss in the brain. Inflammatory changes, typified by activated microglia, particularly adjacent to Aβ plaques, are also a characteristic of the disease, but it is unclear whether these contribute to the pathogenesis of AD or are a consequence of the progressive neurodegenerative processes. Furthermore, the factors that drive the inflammation and neurodegeneration remain poorly understood. CNS-infiltrating T cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, but their role in the progression of AD is still unclear. In this study, we examined the role of Aβ-specific T cells on Aβ accumulation in transgenic mice that overexpress amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 (APP/PS1). We found significant infiltration of T cells in the brains of APP/PS1 mice, and a proportion of these cells secreted IFN-γ or IL-17. Aβ-specific CD4 T cells generated by immunization with Aβ and a TLR agonist and polarized in vitro to Th1-, Th2-, or IL-17–producing CD4 + T cells, were adoptively transferred to APP/PS1 mice at 6 to 7 mo of age. Assessment of animals 5 wk later revealed that Th1 cells, but not Th2 or IL-17–producing CD4 + T cells, increased microglial activation and Aβ deposition, and that these changes were associated with impaired cognitive function. The effects of Th1 cells were attenuated by treatment of the APP/PS1 mice with an anti–IFN-γ Ab. Our study suggests that release of IFN-γ from infiltrating Th1 cells significantly accelerates markers of diseases in an animal model of AD.