Tau-targeting therapy in Alzheimer’s disease: critical advances and future opportunities

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by two pathological hallmark lesions: extracellular plaques composed of ?-amyloid (A?) peptide and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles made up highly phosphorylated tau protein. Over the past decades, most disease-modifying therapies against AD have been developed mainly on basis amyloid cascade hypothesis with focus A?. However, these agents yielded only limited benefits progression, which prompts us to revitalize long-neglected hypothesis. Tau protein microtubule-associated protein, can stabilize microtubules, regulate microtubule assembly, affect morphology growth neuronal axons. Much more importantly, degree pathology closely related cognitive decline in patients than that A? pathology. Therefore, tau-targeting therapy seems be promising approach combat AD. This review describes research progress AD, an emphasis immunotherapy. The current challenges future perspectives this field are also discussed.