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Jackson RJ, Hyman BT, Serrano-Pozo A. Multifaceted roles of APOE in Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:457-474. [PMID: 38906999 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00988-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
For the past three decades, apolipoprotein E (APOE) has been known as the single greatest genetic modulator of sporadic Alzheimer disease (AD) risk, influencing both the average age of onset and the lifetime risk of developing AD. The APOEε4 allele significantly increases AD risk, whereas the ε2 allele is protective relative to the most common ε3 allele. However, large differences in effect size exist across ethnoracial groups that are likely to depend on both global genetic ancestry and local genetic ancestry, as well as gene-environment interactions. Although early studies linked APOE to amyloid-β - one of the two culprit aggregation-prone proteins that define AD - in the past decade, mounting work has associated APOE with other neurodegenerative proteinopathies and broader ageing-related brain changes, such as neuroinflammation, energy metabolism failure, loss of myelin integrity and increased blood-brain barrier permeability, with potential implications for longevity and resilience to pathological protein aggregates. Novel mouse models and other technological advances have also enabled a number of therapeutic approaches aimed at either attenuating the APOEε4-linked increased AD risk or enhancing the APOEε2-linked AD protection. This Review summarizes this progress and highlights areas for future research towards the development of APOE-directed therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Jackson
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Charlestown, MA, USA.
| | - Alberto Serrano-Pozo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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2
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Kloske CM, Belloy ME, Blue EE, Bowman GR, Carrillo MC, Chen X, Chiba-Falek O, Davis AA, Paolo GD, Garretti F, Gate D, Golden LR, Heinecke JW, Herz J, Huang Y, Iadecola C, Johnson LA, Kanekiyo T, Karch CM, Khvorova A, Koppes-den Hertog SJ, Lamb BT, Lawler PE, Guen YL, Litvinchuk A, Liu CC, Mahinrad S, Marcora E, Marino C, Michaelson DM, Miller JJ, Morganti JM, Narayan PS, Naslavsky MS, Oosthoek M, Ramachandran KV, Ramakrishnan A, Raulin AC, Robert A, Saleh RNM, Sexton C, Shah N, Shue F, Sible IJ, Soranno A, Strickland MR, Tcw J, Thierry M, Tsai LH, Tuckey RA, Ulrich JD, van der Kant R, Wang N, Wellington CL, Weninger SC, Yassine HN, Zhao N, Bu G, Goate AM, Holtzman DM. Advancements in APOE and dementia research: Highlights from the 2023 AAIC Advancements: APOE conference. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 39031528 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) is an established central player in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), with distinct apoE isoforms exerting diverse effects. apoE influences not only amyloid-beta and tau pathologies but also lipid and energy metabolism, neuroinflammation, cerebral vascular health, and sex-dependent disease manifestations. Furthermore, ancestral background may significantly impact the link between APOE and AD, underscoring the need for more inclusive research. METHODS In 2023, the Alzheimer's Association convened multidisciplinary researchers at the "AAIC Advancements: APOE" conference to discuss various topics, including apoE isoforms and their roles in AD pathogenesis, progress in apoE-targeted therapeutic strategies, updates on disease models and interventions that modulate apoE expression and function. RESULTS This manuscript presents highlights from the conference and provides an overview of opportunities for further research in the field. DISCUSSION Understanding apoE's multifaceted roles in AD pathogenesis will help develop targeted interventions for AD and advance the field of AD precision medicine. HIGHLIGHTS APOE is a central player in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. APOE exerts a numerous effects throughout the brain on amyloid-beta, tau, and other pathways. The AAIC Advancements: APOE conference encouraged discussions and collaborations on understanding the role of APOE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael E Belloy
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, Palo Alto, California, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Elizabeth E Blue
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Institute for Public Health Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gregory R Bowman
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Xiaoying Chen
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Ornit Chiba-Falek
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Albert A Davis
- Department of Neurology Hope Center for Neurological Disorders Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Francesca Garretti
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David Gate
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lesley R Golden
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jay W Heinecke
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, UV Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joachim Herz
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Yadong Huang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Costantino Iadecola
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lance A Johnson
- Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Takahisa Kanekiyo
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutic Institute, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sascha J Koppes-den Hertog
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, USA
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, USA
| | - Bruce T Lamb
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Paige E Lawler
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- The Tracy Family SILQ Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Yann Le Guen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
- Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Litvinchuk
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chia-Chen Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Edoardo Marcora
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn Genomics Institute; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Claudia Marino
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Justin J Miller
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Josh M Morganti
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Priyanka S Narayan
- Genetics and Biochemistry Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias (CARD), National Institutes of Health, Maryland, USA
| | - Michel S Naslavsky
- Human Genome and Stem-cell Research Center, Biosciences Institute, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matao, São Paulo, Brazil
- Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Avenida Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marlies Oosthoek
- Neurochemistry Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kapil V Ramachandran
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA
| | - Abhirami Ramakrishnan
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Aiko Robert
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, USA
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, USA
| | - Rasha N M Saleh
- Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, UK Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Norfolk, UK
- Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria Governorate, Egypt
| | | | | | | | - Isabel J Sible
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrea Soranno
- Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael R Strickland
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Julia Tcw
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Bioinformatics Program, Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Manon Thierry
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ryan A Tuckey
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Jason D Ulrich
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Rik van der Kant
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, USA
- Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, USA
| | - Na Wang
- Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Cheryl L Wellington
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Hussein N Yassine
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Guojun Bu
- Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Alison M Goate
- Department of Genetics & Genomic Sciences, Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Poblano J, Castillo-Tobías I, Berlanga L, Tamayo-Ordoñez MC, Del Carmen Rodríguez-Salazar M, Silva-Belmares SY, Aguayo-Morales H, Cobos-Puc LE. Drugs targeting APOE4 that regulate beta-amyloid aggregation in the brain: Therapeutic potential for Alzheimer's disease. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2024. [PMID: 39020526 DOI: 10.1111/bcpt.14055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by progressive cognitive decline, and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are common. The APOE ε4 allele, a genetic risk factor, significantly increases susceptibility to the disease. Despite efforts to effectively treat the disease, only seven drugs are approved for its treatment, and only two of these prevent its progression. This highlights the need to identify new pharmacological options. This review focuses on mimetic peptides, small molecule correctors and HAE-4 antibodies that target ApoE. These drugs reduce β-amyloid-induced neurodegeneration in preclinical models. In addition, loop diuretics such as bumetanide and furosemide show the potential to reduce the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease in humans, and antidepressants such as imipramine improve cognitive function in individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Consistent with this, both classes of drugs have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects by inhibiting ApoE4-catalysed Aβ aggregation in preclinical models. Moreover, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ligands, particularly pioglitazone and rosiglitazone, reduce ApoE4-induced neurodegeneration in animal models. However, they do not prevent the cognitive decline in APOE ε4 allele carriers. Finally, ApoE4 impairs the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and haemostasis. On this basis, ApoE4 modulation is a promising avenue for the treatment of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Poblano
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Ileana Castillo-Tobías
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Lia Berlanga
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Hilda Aguayo-Morales
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
| | - Luis E Cobos-Puc
- Faculty of Chemical Sciences, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
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4
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Parra Bravo C, Naguib SA, Gan L. Cellular and pathological functions of tau. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00753-9. [PMID: 39014245 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00753-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Tau protein is involved in various cellular processes, including having a canonical role in binding and stabilization of microtubules in neurons. Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases marked by the abnormal accumulation of tau protein aggregates in neurons, as seen, for example, in conditions such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer disease. Mutations in tau coding regions or that disrupt tau mRNA splicing, tau post-translational modifications and cellular stress factors (such as oxidative stress and inflammation) increase the tendency of tau to aggregate and interfere with its clearance. Pathological tau is strongly implicated in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, and the propagation of tau aggregates is associated with disease severity. Recent technological advancements, including cryo-electron microscopy and disease models derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells, have increased our understanding of tau-related pathology in neurodegenerative conditions. Substantial progress has been made in deciphering tau aggregate structures and the molecular mechanisms that underlie protein aggregation and toxicity. In this Review, we discuss recent insights into the diverse cellular functions of tau and the pathology of tau inclusions and explore the potential for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Parra Bravo
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah A Naguib
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Li Gan
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Narasimhan S, Holtzman DM, Apostolova LG, Cruchaga C, Masters CL, Hardy J, Villemagne VL, Bell J, Cho M, Hampel H. Apolipoprotein E in Alzheimer's disease trajectories and the next-generation clinical care pathway. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:1236-1252. [PMID: 38898183 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-024-01669-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex, progressive primary neurodegenerative disease. Since pivotal genetic studies in 1993, the ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE ε4) has remained the strongest single genome-wide associated risk variant in AD. Scientific advances in APOE biology, AD pathophysiology and ApoE-targeted therapies have brought APOE to the forefront of research, with potential translation into routine AD clinical care. This contemporary Review will merge APOE research with the emerging AD clinical care pathway and discuss APOE genetic risk as a conduit to genomic-based precision medicine in AD, including ApoE's influence in the ATX(N) biomarker framework of AD. We summarize the evidence for APOE as an important modifier of AD clinical-biological trajectories. We then illustrate the utility of APOE testing and the future of ApoE-targeted therapies in the next-generation AD clinical-diagnostic pathway. With the emergence of new AD therapies, understanding how APOE modulates AD pathophysiology will become critical for personalized AD patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight ADRC, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Liana G Apostolova
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Neurosciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Carlos Cruchaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Colin L Masters
- Florey Institute and the University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Dementia Research Institute, Reta Lila Weston Research Laboratories, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
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Rasmussen KL, Frikke-Schmidt R. The current state of apolipoprotein E in dyslipidemia. Curr Opin Lipidol 2024; 35:78-84. [PMID: 38054895 DOI: 10.1097/mol.0000000000000915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism in the peripheral circulation and in the brain. This has been recognized for decades; however, the importance of the full spectrum of variation in the APOE gene has been less investigated. This review focusses on current progresses in this field with main focus on apoE in dyslipidemia and vascular disease. RECENT FINDINGS Whereas ε4 is the risk increasing allele for Alzheimer disease, ε2 is associated with increased risk for age-related macular degeneration. Rare functional ε2-like variants in APOE have previously been reported to have protective associations for Alzheimer disease but recent findings suggest a simultaneous high risk of age-related macular degeneration, in line with observations for the ε2 allele. SUMMARY ApoE plays an important and well established role in dyslipidemia, vascular disease, and dementia. Recent evidence from large general population studies now also suggests that apoE is involved in age-related macular degeneration. ApoE-targeted therapeutics are being developed for multiple purposes; this heralds a promising change in the approach to disease processes involving apoE. The different risk profile for dementia and age-related macular degeneration should, however, be kept in mind when developing drugs targeting mechanisms resembling these variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrine L Rasmussen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Nordsjællands Hospital, Hillerød
- The Copenhagen General Population Study, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ruth Frikke-Schmidt
- The Copenhagen General Population Study, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Perez-Corredor P, Vanderleest TE, Vacano GN, Sanchez JS, Villalba-Moreno ND, Marino C, Krasemann S, Mendivil-Perez MA, Aguillón D, Jiménez-Del-Río M, Baena A, Sepulveda-Falla D, Lopera F, Quiroz YT, Arboleda-Velasquez JF, Mazzarino RC. APOE3 Christchurch modulates β-catenin/Wnt signaling in iPS cell-derived cerebral organoids from Alzheimer's cases. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1373568. [PMID: 38571814 PMCID: PMC10987717 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1373568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
A patient with the PSEN1 E280A mutation and homozygous for APOE3 Christchurch (APOE3Ch) displayed extreme resistance to Alzheimer's disease (AD) cognitive decline and tauopathy, despite having a high amyloid burden. To further investigate the differences in biological processes attributed to APOE3Ch, we generated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived cerebral organoids from this resistant case and a non-protected control, using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to modulate APOE3Ch expression. In the APOE3Ch cerebral organoids, we observed a protective pattern from early tau phosphorylation. ScRNA sequencing revealed regulation of Cadherin and Wnt signaling pathways by APOE3Ch, with immunostaining indicating elevated β-catenin protein levels. Further in vitro reporter assays unexpectedly demonstrated that ApoE3Ch functions as a Wnt3a signaling enhancer. This work uncovered a neomorphic molecular mechanism of protection of ApoE3 Christchurch, which may serve as the foundation for the future development of protected case-inspired therapeutics targeting AD and tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Perez-Corredor
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Timothy E. Vanderleest
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Justin S. Sanchez
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nelson D. Villalba-Moreno
- Molecular Neuropathology of Alzheimer’s Disease, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Marino
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Susanne Krasemann
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - David Aguillón
- The Neuroscience Group of Antioquia, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Ana Baena
- The Neuroscience Group of Antioquia, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Diego Sepulveda-Falla
- Molecular Neuropathology of Alzheimer’s Disease, Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Francisco Lopera
- The Neuroscience Group of Antioquia, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- The Neuroscience Group of Antioquia, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joseph F. Arboleda-Velasquez
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Randall C. Mazzarino
- Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear and Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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8
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Blumenfeld J, Yip O, Kim MJ, Huang Y. Cell type-specific roles of APOE4 in Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 2024; 25:91-110. [PMID: 38191720 PMCID: PMC11073858 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00776-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The ɛ4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE), which translates to the APOE4 isoform, is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD). Within the CNS, APOE is produced by a variety of cell types under different conditions, posing a challenge for studying its roles in AD pathogenesis. However, through powerful advances in research tools and the use of novel cell culture and animal models, researchers have recently begun to study the roles of APOE4 in AD in a cell type-specific manner and at a deeper and more mechanistic level than ever before. In particular, cutting-edge omics studies have enabled APOE4 to be studied at the single-cell level and have allowed the identification of critical APOE4 effects in AD-vulnerable cellular subtypes. Through these studies, it has become evident that APOE4 produced in various types of CNS cell - including astrocytes, neurons, microglia, oligodendrocytes and vascular cells - has diverse roles in AD pathogenesis. Here, we review these scientific advances and propose a cell type-specific APOE4 cascade model of AD. In this model, neuronal APOE4 emerges as a crucial pathological initiator and driver of AD pathogenesis, instigating glial responses and, ultimately, neurodegeneration. In addition, we provide perspectives on future directions for APOE4 research and related therapeutic developments in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Blumenfeld
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Oscar Yip
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Min Joo Kim
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yadong Huang
- Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Gladstone Center for Translational Advancement, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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