The Two-Faced Alzheimer’s Gene

         A team of researchers at Harvard University set out to understand gene apolipoprotein E or more commonly APOE and how it plays a role in Alzheimer’s disease. Currently this neurodegenerative disease is the 6^th leading cause of death in the United States. It is known that those carrying a specific version of the APOE called APOE4 increases the risk of developing late onset Alzheimer’s disease. The APOE gene is responsible for making proteins that transport cholesterol. Using mice with an “Alzheimer’s like disease” they injected each one with APOE2, APOE3 or APOE4. Mice that were injected with APOE4 had a 10% increase in plaque formation and amyloid beta. These plaque and amyloid beta tangles are a key suspected to play a key role in Alzheimer’s disease progression. Mice injected with APOE2 on the other hand were found to have a 10% decrease in these plaque formations and tangles. This research shows that while APOE4 decreases the number of synapse connections APOE2 protects them, mice injected with APOE3 were found to have no significant difference in Alzheimer’s symptoms. The findings of this study are exciting when thinking of the possibility of gene therapy. Currently about 14% of the population carries the APOE2 version of APOE while 7% of the population carries APOE4. The team now wants to look at ways to decreasing or inhibiting APOE2 and increase APOE2.
 

Link:

https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/scicurious/gene-boosts-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-risk-might-protect-against-it-too

Related Links:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/AlzheimersDisease/43056

http://www.alz.org/