Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42464410›Full record

ArticleAlzheimer's research & therapy2026

Blood-based immunophenotyping of T cell profiles in patients with neurodegenerative disorders.

Frederika Malichova, Peter Swann, Stacey L Kigar, Natalia Savinykh Yarkoni, Julia Goddard, Kei Onn Lai, Leonidas Chouliaras, Ajenthan Surendranathan, Lorinda Turner, George Savulich and 10 more

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Article in Alzheimer's research & therapy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Frederika Malichova *Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Peter Swann *Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Stacey L KigarDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Natalia Savinykh YarkoniDepartment of Medicine, University Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Julia GoddardDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Kei Onn LaiDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Leonidas ChouliarasDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Ajenthan SurendranathanUniversity College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Lorinda TurnerDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
George SavulichDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Richard Bevan-JonesDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Nicholas J AshtonDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Kaj BlennowDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Henrik ZetterbergDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Edward NeedhamDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Joanne JonesDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
William A McEwanUK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK.
James B RoweDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
John T O'BrienDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Maura MalpettiDepartment of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK. mm2243@medschl.cam.ac.uk.

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is increasing evidence for the role of central and peripheral inflammation across neurodegenerative disorders, with animal models and post-mortem studies identifying T-cell infiltration in the brain associated with pathology and neurodegeneration. Peripheral T-cell changes have been measured in Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). This study examines a unique cohort of blood-based T-cell profiles across a range of neurodegenerative dementias including AD, DLB, FTD, corticobasal syndrome (CBS), PSP, and aged-matched healthy controls. Then it also explores their associations with dementia-relevant plasma biomarkers and clinical outcomes.

methodsFreshly prepared peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 174 participants (AD = 20, DLB = 24, FTD = 19, CBS = 18, PSP = 58, controls = 35) were studied using a flow-cytometry panel designed to analyse major T-cell subpopulations, including memory and T-helper subtypes. Neurodegeneration-relevant biomarkers (p-tau217, p-tau231, GFAP, NfL, and A-beta42/40) were measured in plasma samples. T-cell populations were compared between groups and in association with biomarkers, and principal components analysis (PCA) was used to identify T-cell profiles and their association with dementia-relevant biomarkers in diagnostic classification and survival prediction.

resultsThere was a significant reduction in the fraction of CD3+ cells in patients with DLB compared to other diagnostic groups, and an increase in relative Th1/17-like cell levels in patients with FTD compared to controls. This increase in Th1/17-like cells correlated with NfL and GFAP plasma levels in patients with FTD. PCA identified five components primarily representing CD4+ memory cell population subsets. After sex and age adjustments, component 4 marked by effector memory types including Th2-like, Th-like1 and Th1/17-like cells was a significant predictor of FTD, however was not as accurate as plasma NfL. Higher scores in specific T-cell components (1 and 3) were associated with reduced mortality across all diseases, with component 3 remaining a significant predictor even when controlling for traditional neurodegenerative biomarkers like NfL and p-tau217.

conclusionsThis study provides evidence that T-cell dysregulation is not unified in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. We observe different involvement across different dementia types establishing adaptive immunity as a key contributor to disease heterogeneity. However, although plasma biomarkers such as NfL and p-tau217 exhibit superior diagnostic accuracy for clinical classification, peripheral T-cell signature were associated with survival outcomes across diagnostic groups, highlighting their promise for prognostic applications and disease monitoring. The characterisation of T-cell populations across neurodegenerative conditions may inform target development and patient stratification for new interventional trials.

Indexed as

Neurodegenerative DiseasesT-LymphocytesAgedAged, 80 and overBiomarkersFemaleFlow CytometryFrontotemporal DementiaHumansImmunophenotypingMaleMiddle Agedtau ProteinsBiomarkerstau Proteins

Identifiers

PMID42464410
PMCPMC13656490

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