Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease

Carter, Chris J.

HIV-1 is immunosuppressant and has been associated with many opportunistic pathogens including tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus encephalitis and Cryptococcal brain invasion [270, 271] . The human cytomegalovirus is also immunosuppressant via an ability to target MHC class I molecules for degradation [272] and to inhibit MHC class II antigen presentation [273] . Parasites, which maintain a long-term, if unwelcome presence in the host have also developed immunosuppressant and anti-defensive strategies [274, 275] . In addition, the success of most pathogens depends upon their ability to subvert the defensive armory of the host in some way. The AD genes affect human processes relevant to the disease itself, but given that they are also part of pathogen interactomes, polymorphisms therein are also likely to affect pathogen life cycles or the ability of pathogens to promote diverse effects within the host. Apart from the APOE4 allele there are no studies relating to the effects of the AD gene variants on pathogens or their effects.