Efficacy of BCG vaccine in animal models of neurological disorders

Davide Cossu1, Stefano Ruberto2, Kazumasa Yokoyama3

  • 1University of Sassari, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Microbiology and Virology, Sassari 09100, Italy; Juntendo University, Department of Neurology, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan.

Vaccine
|December 15, 2021
PubMed

The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine can modulate the immune response via antigen-specific immune response, but also it can confer nonspecific protection and therapeutic benefits in several neurological conditions through different heterologous effects of vaccination. However, the precise mechanism of action of BCG remains unclear. In this review, different mechanisms underlying BCG-mediated immunity will be explained in animal models that reflects characteristic feature of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Furthermore, evidence for a beneficial effect of the BCG on neuropsychiatric disorders, will be also discussed.

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