CAR-microglia (Aβ-specific)

CAR-microglia (Aβ-specific) refers to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered microglia designed to target amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, are naturally responsible for clearing Aβ but lack receptors optimized for efficient and non-inflammatory clearance. By engineering microglia (often derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs) to express CARs specific to Aβ epitopes (such as those derived from antibodies like aducanumab, gantenerumab, or lecanemab) paired with intracellular signaling domains (such as DAP12, CD3ζ, or TAM receptor domains like AXL), researchers aim to enhance their phagocytic clearance of Aβ plaques. This approach has been shown in preclinical models to significantly reduce amyloid plaque burden and promote an anti-inflammatory microenvironment, offering a novel cell- or lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease.

Other names

Aβ-specific CAR-microgliaAβ-targeted CAR-microgliaCAR-iMGLsCAR-MGLCAR-microglia