THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES TO THE TREATMENT OF NEUROINFLAMMATORY DISEASES

Microglia cells are present in the central nervous system and respond quickly to pathogenic stimuli in order to protect the brain. When thes e immunological responses activate inappropriately or are prolonged, t hey can contribute to the neuronal damage observed in many neurodegene rative diseases. A variety of immune system modulators including compl ement proteins, inflammatory cytokines such 1L-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL- 3, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and S100 beta, colony-stimulating factor-1, coagul ation proteins and matrix metalloproteases are made by both microglia and astrocytes. Additionally astrocytes, the predominant glial compone nt of the brain, express cell-adhesion molecules, cytokine receptors a nd induce nitric oxide synthease. The pathophysiology of Alzheimer's d isease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and multiple sclerosis suggest that a large portion of the irreversible damage observed can be attri buted to a neuroinflammatory mechanism. The immunomodulators of these diseases are reviewed and new agents within specific molecular mechani sms are presented and discussed.