Cited by 118Alzheimer's disease research and treatmentsNeuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration MechanismsDementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Tumour Necrosis Factor Modulation for Treatment of Alzheimerʼs Disease: Rationale and Current Evidence

Tobinick, Edward·2009·CNS Drugs

Abstract

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF), a key regulator of varied physiological mechanisms in multiple organ systems, is an immune signalling molecule produced by glia, neurons, macrophages and other immune cells. In the brain, among other functions, TNF serves as a gliotransmitter, secreted by glial cells that envelope and surround synapses, which regulates synaptic communication between neurons. The role of TNF as a gliotransmitter may help explain the profound synaptic effects of TNF that have been demonstrated in the hippocampus, in the spinal cord and in a variety of experimental models. Excess TNF is present in the CSF of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD), and has been implicated as a mediator of the synaptic dysfunction that is hypothesized to play a central role in the pathogenesis of AD. TNF may also play a role in endothelial and microvascular dysfunction in AD, and in amyloidogenesis and amyloid-induced memory dysfunction in AD. Genetic and epidemiological evidence has implicated increased TNF production as a risk factor for AD. Perispinal administration of etanercept, a potent anti-TNF fusion protein, produced sustained clinical improvement in a 6-month, open-label pilot study in patients with AD ranging from mild to severe. Subsequent case studies have documented rapid clinical improvement following perispinal etanercept in both AD and primary progressive aphasia, providing evidence of rapidly reversible, TNF-dependent, pathophysiological mechanisms in AD and related disorders. Perispinal etanercept for AD merits further study in randomized clinical trials.

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Crossref · 10.2165/11310810-000000000-00000

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  • TNF-α has two primary receptors: TNFR1, which is constitutively expressed throughout the brain, and TNFR2, which is inducible and primarily localized to glial and endothelial cells.

    “TNF-α has two primary receptors, TNFR1 which is constitutively expressed throughout the brain and TNFR2 which is inducible and primarily localized to glial and endothelial cells [141].”

    From Glial contributions to neurodegeneration in tauopathies (2017) · cites this paper as [141]

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Authors
Tobinick, E.
Affiliations
University of California, Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author
Tobinick, Edward
Venue
CNS Drugs
Published
2009-09
Volume
23
Issue
9
Pages
713-725
ISSN
1172-7047 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2053730308
Cited by
117
References
115
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 11
FWCI
1.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • CNS Drugs (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Keywords
TNF-α, Alzheimer's disease, etanercept, anti-TNF therapy, gliotransmitters, synaptic dysfunction, amyloidogenesis, microvascular dysfunction, primary progressive aphasia
MeSH terms
Etanercept, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Brain, Humans, Immunoglobulin G, Synaptic Transmission, Risk Factors, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Drug Delivery Systems, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor

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