Higher frequency of regulatory T suppressive activity cells in the elderly and increased in neurodegeneration

The involvement of regulatory T cells (Treg) in autoinumme-disease development has been demonstrated. However, their alteration during ageing and age-related diseases has not been thoroughly investigated yet. Alzheimer (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD), are related to proteinmisfolding and are accompanied by neuroinflarnmation. Since, it has been hypothesized that the neuroinflainmation attempts to prevent disease development, we speculated that changes in Treg might affect any relevant irru-nune mechanism. The analysis of Treg from AD and PD patients as well as non-affected individuals, revealed that the frequency of Treg (CD4(+)Foxp3(+)) increases with age and is accompanied by intensified suppressive activity for Treg in patients. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.