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Neuroinflammation and the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease: The search for a pro-inflammatory phenotype

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Abstract

The role of interleukin 1 (IL-1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is reviewed within the framework of “inflammaging”, i.e., the characteristic chronic pro-inflammatory status which develops in old age, and neuroinflammation, i.e., the peculiar inflammatory process which is present in the brain of AD patients. In particular, the data suggesting that several IL-1 and IL-6 gene polymorphisms can contribute to the risk of developing AD are reviewed. The possibility as well as the difficulty in identifying a pro-inflammatory phenotype, and its importance for the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of AD and other age-related pathologies are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Via S. Giacomo 12, 40125, Bologna, Italy

    C. Franceschi M.D., S. Valensin, F. Lescai, F. Licastro & M. Bonafè

  2. Italian National Research Center on Aging (INRCA), Ancona, Italy

    C. Franceschi M.D. & F. Olivieri

  3. Department of Neuroscience, Neuroimmunology Unit, S. Raffaele Hospital, University of Milano, Milano, Italy

    L. M. E. Grimaldi

  4. Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Firenze, Firenze, Italy

    D. Monti

  5. Department of Cell Biology, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy

    G. De Benedictis

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  1. C. Franceschi M.D.
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  2. S. Valensin
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  3. F. Lescai
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  4. F. Olivieri
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  5. F. Licastro
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  6. L. M. E. Grimaldi
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  9. M. Bonafè
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Correspondence to C. Franceschi M.D..

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Franceschi, C., Valensin, S., Lescai, F. et al. Neuroinflammation and the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease: The search for a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Aging Clin Exp Res 13, 163–170 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351475

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03351475

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