Microglia in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Favorable Cellular Target to Ameliorate Alzheimer’s Pathogenesis

Figure 3

Possible mechanisms of action of activated microglia in different early and later stages of Alzheimer’s disease. In the early stages of AD, activated microglia may increase Aβ clearance through TREM2 and scavenger receptors. On the other hand, in the late stage of the disease, continuous microglial activation induced by Aβ through various receptors triggers a vicious cycle of microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and Aβ buildup that leads to AD. AD: Alzheimer’s disease; TLR: Toll-like receptor; RAGE: receptor for advanced glycation end products; IL-1β: interleukin-1β; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SR: scavenger receptor; TREM2: triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 2