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Williams OA, An Y, Armstrong NM, Shafer AT, Helphrey J, Kitner-Triolo M, Ferrucci L, Resnick SM. Apolipoprotein E ε4 allele effects on longitudinal cognitive trajectories are sex and age dependent. Alzheimers Dement 2019; 15:1558-1567. [PMID: 31561966 DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2019.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/14/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Questions remain about whether apolipoprotein E (APOE)-ε4 effects on cognitive decline are similar in men and women and how APOE-ε4 and age interact to influence decline in different cognitive domains. METHODS In sex-stratified analyses, baseline age-dependent associations between APOE-ε4 status and longitudinal cognitive trajectories were examined in cognitively normal Caucasian older adults (631 men, 561 women, baseline age range: 50-93, 6733 assessments). RESULTS In men, older baseline age was associated with greater effects of APOE-ε4 on longitudinal decline in memory and executive function, detectible from baseline age of 64 and 68, respectively. In women, older baseline age was associated with greater APOE-ε4 effects on longitudinal decline in attention, detectible at baseline age of 66. No significant APOE-ε4 effects were found for language, visual-spatial ability, or processing speed. DISCUSSION Results highlight the importance of considering sex and age when assessing APOE-ε4-associated vulnerability to cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen A Williams
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yang An
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nicole M Armstrong
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrea T Shafer
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Helphrey
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melissa Kitner-Triolo
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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102
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Eich TS, Tsapanou A, Stern Y. When time's arrow doesn't bend: APOE-ε4 influences episodic memory before old age. Neuropsychologia 2019; 133:107180. [PMID: 31473197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Episodic memory impairment is the hallmark symptom of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, episodic memory has also been shown to decline across the lifespan. Here, we investigated whether episodic memory is differentially affected relative to other cognitive abilities before old age, and whether being an Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carrier -a genetic risk factor for developing AD-exacerbates any such impairments. We used general linear models to test for performance differences within 4 composite measures of cognition - episodic memory, semantic memory, speed of processing, and fluid reasoning-- as a function of age group (young, Mage = 30.21 vs. middle-aged, Mage = 50.84) and APOE-ε4 genotype status (ε4+ vs. ε4-). We replicated findings of age-related reductions in episodic memory, speed of processing, and fluid reasoning, and age-related increases in semantic memory. However, we also found that APOE genotype status moderated the age-related declines in episodic memory: APOE-ε4+ middle-aged adults exhibited impairments relative to both APOE-ε4- middle-aged participants, and APOE-ε4+ younger adults. These results suggest specific and dynamic alterations to episodic memory as a function of APOE allelic variation and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teal S Eich
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, USA; Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology and the Taub Institute, Columbia University, USA.
| | - Angeliki Tsapanou
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology and the Taub Institute, Columbia University, USA
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology and the Taub Institute, Columbia University, USA
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103
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Ira D, Snively BM, Espeland MA, Shumaker SA, Rapp SR, Goveas JS, Casanova RL, Jean WW, Manson JE, Rebecca R, Janet B, Hernandez DG, Singleton AB, Resnick SM. A candidate gene study of risk for dementia in older, postmenopausal women: Results from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2019; 34:692-699. [PMID: 30706571 PMCID: PMC6608707 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or cognitive impairment have been identified, independent replications remain the only way to validate proposed signals. We investigated SNPs in candidate genes associated with either cognitive impairment or AD pathogenesis and their relationships with probable dementia (PD) in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). METHODS We analyzed 96 SNPs across five genes (APOE/TOMM40, BDNF, COMT, SORL1, and KIBRA) in 2857 women (ages ≥65) from the WHIMS randomized trials of hormone therapy using a custom Illumina GoldenGate assay; 19% of the sample were MCI (N = 165) or PD (N = 387), and the remaining 81% were free of cognitive impairment. SNP associations were evaluated for PD in non-Hispanic whites adjusting for age and HT using logistic regression under an additive genetic model. RESULTS One SNP (rs157582), located in the TOMM40 gene nearby APOE, was associated with the PD phenotype based on a P value accounting for multiple comparisons. An additional 12 SNPs were associated with the PD phenotype at P ≤ 0.05 (APOE: rs405509, rs439401; TOMM40: rs8106922, and KIBRA: rs4320284, rs11740112, rs10040267, rs13171394, rs6555802, rs2241368, rs244904, rs6555805, and rs10475878). Results of the sensitivity analyes excluding MCI were similar, with addition of COMT rs737865 and BDNF rs1491850 (P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results in older women provide supporting evidence that the APOE/TOMM40 genes confer dementia risk and extend these findings to COMT, BDNF, and KIBRA. Our findings may lead to a better understanding of the role these genes play in cognition and cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Driscoll Ira
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI,Correspondence: Ira Driscoll, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 224 Garland Hall; Psychology Department, 2441 E Hartford Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53211, Phone: 414 229-6665,
| | - Beverly M Snively
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Mark A Espeland
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Sally A Shumaker
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Stephen R Rapp
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Joseph S Goveas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Ramon L Casanova
- Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Wactawski-Wende Jean
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI,Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - JoAnn E Manson
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rossom Rebecca
- HealthPartners Institute for Education and Research, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Brooks Janet
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD
| | - Dena G Hernandez
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD
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104
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Ahmad MH, Fatima M, Mondal AC. Role of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis and Insulin Signaling in the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease. Neuropsychobiology 2019; 77:197-205. [PMID: 30605907 DOI: 10.1159/000495521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), the commonest progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the brain, is clinically characterized by the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Recent studies suggest a relationship between the endocrinal dysregulation and the neuronal loss during the AD pathology. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis regulating circulating levels of glucocorticoid hormones has been implicated in the pathophysiology of AD. Likewise, dysregulated insulin signaling, impaired glucose uptake and insulin resistance are some of the prime factors in the onset/progression of AD. In this review, we have discussed the changes in HPA and HPG axes, implicated insulin resistance/signaling and glucose regulation during the onset/progression of AD. Therefore, simultaneous detection of these endocrinal markers in the early or presymptomatic stages may help in the early diagnosis of AD. This evidence for implicated endocrinal functions supports the fact that modulation of endocrinal pathways can be used as therapeutic targets for AD. Future studies need to determine how the induction or inhibition of endocrinal targets could be used for predictable neuroprotection in AD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Hilal Ahmad
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahino Fatima
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Amal Chandra Mondal
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India,
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105
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APOE-ε4 risk variant for Alzheimer's disease modifies the association between cognitive performance and cerebral morphology in healthy middle-aged individuals. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 23:101818. [PMID: 30991302 PMCID: PMC6463204 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The APOE-ε4 genotype is the highest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In cognitively unimpaired individuals, it has been related to altered brain morphology, function and earlier amyloid beta accumulation. However, its impact on cognitive performance is less evident. Here, we examine the impact of APOE-ε4 allele load in modulating the association between cognitive functioning and brain morphology in middle-aged healthy individuals. A high-resolution structural MRI scan was acquired and episodic memory (EM) as well as executive functions (EFs) were assessed in a sample of 527 middle-aged unimpaired individuals hosting a substantial representation of ε4-homozygous (N = 64). We adopted a voxel-wise unbiased method to assess whether the number of APOE-ε4 alleles significantly modified the associations between gray matter volumes (GMv) and performance in both cognitive domains. Even though the APOE-ε4 allele load did not exert a direct impact on any cognitive measures, it reversed the relationships between GMv and cognitive performance in a highly symmetrical topological pattern. For EM, interactions mapped onto the inferior temporal gyrus and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Regarding EFs, significant interactions were observed for processing speed, working memory, and visuospatial attention in distinct brain regions. These results suggest that APOE-ε4 carriers display a structure-function association corresponding to an older age than their chronological one. Our findings additionally indicate that APOE-ε4 carriers may rely on the integrity of multiple compensatory brain systems in order to preserve their cognitive abilities, possibly due to an incipient neurodegeneration. Overall this study provides novel insights on the mechanisms through which APOE-ε4 posits an increased AD risk.
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106
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The Contribution of Genetic Factors to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: Apolipoprotein E Gene, Gene Interactions, and Polygenic Risk. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20051177. [PMID: 30866553 PMCID: PMC6429136 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Although it has been studied for years, the pathogenesis of AD is still controversial. Genetic factors may play an important role in pathogenesis, with the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene among the greatest risk factors for AD. In this review, we focus on the influence of genetic factors, including the APOE gene, the interaction between APOE and other genes, and the polygenic risk factors for cognitive function and dementia. The presence of the APOE ε4 allele is associated with increased AD risk and reduced age of AD onset. Accelerated cognitive decline and abnormal internal environment, structure, and function of the brain were also found in ε4 carriers. The effect of the APOE promoter on cognition and the brain was confirmed by some studies, but further investigation is still needed. We also describe the effects of the associations between APOE and other genetic risk factors on cognition and the brain that exhibit a complex gene⁻gene interaction, and we consider the importance of using a polygenic risk score to investigate the association between genetic variance and phenotype.
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107
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Zokaei N, Čepukaitytė G, Board AG, Mackay CE, Husain M, Nobre AC. Dissociable effects of the apolipoprotein-E (APOE) gene on short- and long-term memories. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 73:115-122. [PMID: 30342272 PMCID: PMC6261846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Short- and long-term memory performance as a function of apolipoprotein-E (APOE) genotype was examined in older, healthy individuals using sensitive and comparable tasks to provide a more detailed description of influences of the ε4 allele (highest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease) on memory. Older heterozygous and homozygous ε4 carriers and noncarriers performed 2 tasks of memory. Both tasks allowed us to measure memory for item identity and locations, using a sensitive, continuous measure of report. Long-term memory for object locations was impaired in ε4/ε4 carriers, whereas, paradoxically, this group demonstrated superior short-term memory for locations. The dissociable effects of the gene on short- and long-term memory suggest that the effect of genotype on these two types of memories, and their neural underpinnings, might not be co-extensive. Whereas the long-term memory impairment might be linked to preclinical Alzheimer's disease, the short-term memory advantage may reflect an independent, phenotypical effect of this allele on cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Zokaei
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Giedrė Čepukaitytė
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alexander G Board
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Clare E Mackay
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Masud Husain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna Christina Nobre
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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108
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Hodgetts CJ, Shine JP, Williams H, Postans M, Sims R, Williams J, Lawrence AD, Graham KS. Increased posterior default mode network activity and structural connectivity in young adult APOE-ε4 carriers: a multimodal imaging investigation. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 73:82-91. [PMID: 30339963 PMCID: PMC6261847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Young adult APOE-ε4 carriers show increased activity in posterior regions of the default mode network (pDMN), but how this is related to structural connectivity is unknown. Thirty young adults (one half of whom were APOE-ε4 carriers; mean age 20 years) were scanned using both diffusion and functional magnetic resonance imaging. The parahippocampal cingulum bundle (PHCB)-which links the pDMN and the medial temporal lobe-was manually delineated in individual participants using deterministic tractography. Measures of tract microstructure (mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) were then extracted from these tract delineations. APOE-ε4 carriers had lower mean diffusivity and higher fractional anisotropy relative to noncarriers in PHCB, but not in a control tract (the inferior longitudinal fasciculus). Furthermore, PHCB microstructure was selectively associated with pDMN (and medial temporal lobe) activity during a scene discrimination task known to be sensitive to Alzheimer's disease. These findings are consistent with a lifespan view of Alzheimer's disease risk, where early-life, connectivity-related changes in specific, vulnerable "hubs" (e.g., pDMN) lead to increased neural activity. Critically, such changes may reflect reduced network efficiency/flexibility in APOE-ε4 carriers, which in itself may portend a faster decline in connectivity over the lifespan and ultimately trigger early amyloid-β deposition in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl J Hodgetts
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
| | - Jonathan P Shine
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Aging and Cognition Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Huw Williams
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Mark Postans
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Rebecca Sims
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Julie Williams
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK; Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Andrew D Lawrence
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Kim S Graham
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
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109
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The Role of APOE and TREM2 in Alzheimer's Disease-Current Understanding and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 20:ijms20010081. [PMID: 30587772 PMCID: PMC6337314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. The extracellular deposits of Amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain-called amyloid plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles-intracellular tau aggregates, are morphological hallmarks of the disease. The risk for AD is a complicated interplay between aging, genetic risk factors, and environmental influences. One of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles-APOEε4, is the major genetic risk factor for late-onset AD (LOAD). APOE is the primary cholesterol carrier in the brain, and plays an essential role in lipid trafficking, cholesterol homeostasis, and synaptic stability. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified other candidate LOAD risk loci, as well. One of those is the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), which, in the brain, is expressed primarily by microglia. While the function of TREM2 is not fully understood, it promotes microglia survival, proliferation, and phagocytosis, making it important for cell viability and normal immune functions in the brain. Emerging evidence from protein binding assays suggests that APOE binds to TREM2 and APOE-containing lipoproteins in the brain as well as periphery, and are putative ligands for TREM2, thus raising the possibility of an APOE-TREM2 interaction modulating different aspects of AD pathology, potentially in an isoform-specific manner. This review is focusing on the interplay between APOE isoforms and TREM2 in association with AD pathology.
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110
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Tong BCK, Wu AJ, Li M, Cheung KH. Calcium signaling in Alzheimer's disease & therapies. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2018; 1865:1745-1760. [PMID: 30059692 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Much attention has been given to develop AD treatments based on the amyloid cascade hypothesis; however, none of these drugs had good efficacy at improving cognitive functions in AD patients suggesting that Aβ might not be the disease origin. Thus, there are urgent needs for the development of new therapies that target on the proximal cause of AD. Cellular calcium (Ca2+) signals regulate important facets of neuronal physiology. An increasing body of evidence suggests that age-related dysregulation of neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis may play a proximal role in the pathogenesis of AD as disrupted Ca2+ could induce synaptic deficits and promote the accumulation of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Given that Ca2+ disruption is ubiquitously involved in all AD pathologies, it is likely that using chemical agents or small molecules specific to Ca2+ channels or handling proteins on the plasma membrane and membranes of intracellular organelles to correct neuronal Ca2+ dysregulation could open up a new approach to AD prevention and treatment. This review summarizes current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms linking Ca2+ dysregulation with AD pathologies and discusses the possibility of correcting neuronal Ca2+ disruption as a therapeutic approach for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Chun-Kit Tong
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Aston Jiaxi Wu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Min Li
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - King-Ho Cheung
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
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