Fig. 2. Potential roles of autoantibodies in Alzheimer’s disease.

Like a double edged sword, autoantibodies could exert both detrimental and protective effects. Under pathological conditions, autoantibodies interfere with cellular function and trigger severe inflammatory response, causing brain tissue damage and autoimmune disease. Under physiological conditions, autoantibodies confer immune tolerance, attenuate inflammation, and facilitate the clearance of toxic proteins. These beneficial effects of autoantibodies have provided the basis for developing anti-Aβ and anti-tau immunotherapies. However, the exact roles of many autoantibodies are currently unknown. Some autoantibodies are specifically associated with the status of the disease and thus may serve as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease.