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Kausar G, Chauhan SB, Roy R, Kumar S, Engwerda C, Nylen S, Kumar R, Wilson ME, Sundar S. Apolipoprotein E Is Upregulated in Blood and Circulating Monocytes of Indian Patients With Visceral Leishmaniasis. Parasite Immunol 2024; 46:e13036. [PMID: 38720445 PMCID: PMC11141729 DOI: 10.1111/pim.13036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) has been associated with several diseases including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. ApoE also has documented immunomodulatory functions. We investigated gene expression in circulating monocytes and in bone marrows of patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) living in an endemic area in Bihar, India, and contrasted these with control healthy subjects or other diagnostic bone marrows from individuals in the same region. Samples from VL patients were obtained prior to initiating treatment. Our study revealed significant upregulated expression of the apoE transcript in patients with VL. Furthermore, the levels of ApoE protein were elevated in serum samples of subjects with VL compared with healthy endemic controls. These observations may provide clues regarding the complex interactions between lipid metabolism and immunoregulation of infectious and inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulafsha Kausar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Shashi Bhushan Chauhan
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington D.C. 20052, USA
| | - Ritirupa Roy
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Shashi Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Christian Engwerda
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Susanne Nylen
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rajiv Kumar
- Centre of Experimental Medicine & Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
| | - Mary E. Wilson
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA 52240, USA
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, UP, India
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Chao LL, Sullivan K, Krengel MH, Killiany RJ, Steele L, Klimas NG, Koo BB. The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in Gulf War veterans: a follow-up study. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1301066. [PMID: 38318196 PMCID: PMC10838998 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1301066] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Gulf War Illness (GWI), also called Chronic Multisymptom Illness (CMI), is a multi-faceted condition that plagues an estimated 250,000 Gulf War (GW) veterans. Symptoms of GWI/CMI include fatigue, pain, and cognitive dysfunction. We previously reported that 12% of a convenience sample of middle aged (median age 52 years) GW veterans met criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a clinical syndrome most prevalent in older adults (e.g., ≥70 years). The current study sought to replicate and extend this finding. Methods We used the actuarial neuropsychological criteria and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to assess the cognitive status of 952 GW veterans. We also examined regional brain volumes in a subset of GW veterans (n = 368) who had three Tesla magnetic resonance images (MRIs). Results We replicated our previous finding of a greater than 10% rate of MCI in four additional cohorts of GW veterans. In the combined sample of 952 GW veterans (median age 51 years at time of cognitive testing), 17% met criteria for MCI. Veterans classified as MCI were more likely to have CMI, history of depression, and prolonged (≥31 days) deployment-related exposures to smoke from oil well fires and chemical nerve agents compared to veterans with unimpaired and intermediate cognitive status. We also replicated our previous finding of hippocampal atrophy in veterans with MCI, and found significant group differences in lateral ventricle volumes. Discussion Because MCI increases the risk for late-life dementia and impacts quality of life, it may be prudent to counsel GW veterans with cognitive dysfunction, CMI, history of depression, and high levels of exposures to deployment-related toxicants to adopt lifestyle habits that have been associated with lowering dementia risk. With the Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of and the VA's decision to cover the cost for anti-amyloid β (Aβ) therapies, a logical next step for this research is to determine if GW veterans with MCI have elevated Aβ in their brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda L. Chao
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Kimberly Sullivan
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maxine H. Krengel
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ronald J. Killiany
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lea Steele
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Nancy G. Klimas
- Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, United States
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Miami VA Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Bang-Bong Koo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Zhou J, Wang Y, Huang G, Yang M, Zhu Y, Jin C, Jing D, Ji K, Shi Y. LilrB3 is a putative cell surface receptor of APOE4. Cell Res 2023; 33:116-130. [PMID: 36588123 PMCID: PMC9892561 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-022-00759-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The three isoforms of apolipoprotein E (APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4) only differ in two amino acid positions but exert quite different immunomodulatory effects. The underlying mechanism of such APOE isoform dependence remains enigmatic. Here we demonstrate that APOE4, but not APOE2, specifically interacts with the leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B3 (LilrB3). Two discrete immunoglobin-like domains of the LilrB3 extracellular domain (ECD) recognize a positively charged surface patch on the N-terminal domain (NTD) of APOE4. The atomic structure reveals how two APOE4 molecules specifically engage two LilrB3 molecules, bringing their intracellular signaling motifs into close proximity through formation of a hetero-tetrameric complex. Consistent with our biochemical and structural analyses, APOE4, but not APOE2, activates human microglia cells (HMC3) into a pro-inflammatory state in a LilrB3-dependent manner. Together, our study identifies LilrB3 as a putative immune cell surface receptor for APOE4, but not APOE2, and may have implications for understanding the biological functions as well as disease relevance of the APOE isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Advanced Research Center for Biological Structure & Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Gaoxingyu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Min Yang
- Advanced Research Center for Biological Structure & Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yumin Zhu
- Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, MOE Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Chen Jin
- Advanced Research Center for Biological Structure & Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Jing
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kai Ji
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yigong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University; Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Advanced Research Center for Biological Structure & Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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Perna L, Mons U, Rujescu D, Kliegel M, Brenner H. Apolipoprotein E e4 and Cognitive Function: A Modifiable Association Results from Two Independent Cohort Studies. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2016; 41:35-45. [PMID: 26495840 DOI: 10.1159/000440697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 genetic polymorphism is a major risk factor for Alzheimer' s disease, hence the possible prevention of its detrimental effects on cognition is of high relevance. METHODS We used linear regression models to assess associations of APOE e4 with cognitive performance in a population-based cohort study (n = 1,434) and in a cohort of patients with coronary heart disease (n = 366), and restricted cubic splines to explore dose-response relationships between serum cholesterol levels and cognition depending on APOE polymorphism. RESULTS The association of APOE e4 with cognitive function was strongly amplified in the presence of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease in both independent cohorts; hypercholesterolemia was associated with cognitive function only among APOE e4 carriers in the presence of cardiovascular disease. The interaction effect between APOE genotype and hypercholesterolemia was statistically significant in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS The detrimental effects of APOE e4 polymorphism on cognition may strongly depend on modifiable risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Perna
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Schikowski T, Vossoughi M, Vierkötter A, Schulte T, Teichert T, Sugiri D, Fehsel K, Tzivian L, Bae IS, Ranft U, Hoffmann B, Probst-Hensch N, Herder C, Krämer U, Luckhaus C. Association of air pollution with cognitive functions and its modification by APOE gene variants in elderly women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 142:10-6. [PMID: 26092807 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies have shown effects of long-term exposure to air pollution on cardiovascular and respiratory health. However, studies investigating the effects of air pollution on cognition and brain function are limited. We investigated if neurocognitive functions are associated with air pollution exposure and whether apolipoprotein E (ApoE) alleles modify the association of air pollution exposure with cognition. METHODS We investigated 789 women from the SALIA cohort during the 22-year follow-up examination (2008-2009). Exposure to particulate matter (PM) size fractions and nitrogen oxides (NOx) were assigned to home addresses. Traffic indicators were used to assess residential proximity to high traffic load. Level of cognitive performance was assessed using the CERAD-Plus test. Air pollution effects on cognitive functioning were estimated cross-sectionally using adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS Air pollution was negatively associated with cognitive function and cognitive performance in the subtests for semantic memory and visuo-construction. Significant associations could be observed for figure copying with an interquartile range increase of NO2 (β=-0.28 (95%CI:-0.44;-0.12)), NOx (β=-0.25 (95%CI:-0.40;-0.09)), PM10 (β=-0.14 (95%CI:-0.26;-0.02)) and PM2.5 (β=-0.19 (95%CI:-0.36;-0.02)). The association with traffic load was significant in carriers of one or two ApoE ɛ4 risk alleles. CONCLUSION In this study of elderly women, markers of air pollution were associated with cognitive impairment in the visuospatial domain. The association of traffic exposure is significant in participants carrying the ApoE ε4 risk allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Schikowski
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Mohammad Vossoughi
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Andrea Vierkötter
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Schulte
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tom Teichert
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Centre for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), partner site Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Dorothee Sugiri
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Karin Fehsel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lilian Tzivian
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Il-seok Bae
- Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ulrich Ranft
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Barbara Hoffmann
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicole Probst-Hensch
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Herder
- Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Centre for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), partner site Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ursula Krämer
- IUF- Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (IUF), Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christian Luckhaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Germany
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Yi L, Wu T, Luo W, Zhou W, Wu J. A non-invasive, rapid method to genotype late-onset Alzheimer's disease-related apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms. Neural Regen Res 2014; 9:69-75. [PMID: 25206745 PMCID: PMC4146311 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.125332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The apolipoprotein E gene ε4 allele is considered a negative factor for neural regeneration in late-onset Alzheimer's disease cases. The aim of this study was to establish a non-invasive, rapid method to genotype apolipoprotein E gene polymorphisms. Genomic DNA from mouth swab specimens was extracted using magnetic nanoparticles, and genotyping was performed by real-time PCR using TaqMan-BHQ probes. Genotyping accuracy was validated by DNA sequencing. Our results demonstrate 100% correlation to DNA sequencing, indicating reliability of our protocol. Thus, the method we have developed for apolipoprotein E genotyping is accurate and reliable, and also suitable for genotyping large samples, which may help determine the role of the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele in neural regeneration in late-onset Alzheimer's disease cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yi
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ting Wu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wenyuan Luo
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
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The Association between Apolipoprotein E Gene Polymorphism and Mild Cognitive Impairment among Different Ethnic Minority Groups in China. Int J Alzheimers Dis 2014; 2014:150628. [PMID: 25161798 PMCID: PMC4138891 DOI: 10.1155/2014/150628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The association, in different ethnic groups, of apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene polymorphism with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been unclear. Few studies have examined the association in Chinese minorities. The current study explores the association between apoE gene polymorphism and MCI in one of the biggest ethnic groups—the Hui—and compares it with the Han. The Minimental State Exam, Activities of Daily Living Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale were administered to 306 ethnic Hui and 618 ethnic Han people aged ≥55 years. ApoE genotypes were determined using the high resolution melting curve method. The distribution of the apoE genotype and the frequency of alleles ε2, ε3, and ε4 were similar in the Hui and Han groups. In analyses adjusted for age, gender, and education level, the ε4 allele was a risk factor for MCI in both the Hui group (OR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.02–6.66) and the Han group (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.19–4.67), but the apoE ε2 allele was protective for MCI only in the Han group (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.38–0.88). The association of some apoE genotypes with MCI may differ in different ethnic groups in China. Further studies are needed to explore this effect among different populations.
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Quintas JL, Souza VC, Henriques AD, Machado-Silva W, Toledo JO, Córdova C, Moraes CF, Camargos EF, Nóbrega OT. Lack of association between apolipoprotein E genotypes and cognitive performance in the non-demented elderly. Psychogeriatrics 2014; 14:11-6. [PMID: 24118648 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
AIM The ε4 alelle of the apolipoprotein E gene is known to be a key genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and possibly for other neurological disorders. Some evidence in the literature indicates that the ε4 allele interferes with human cognition independently of chronological age and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The present study investigated the correlation of allelic variants of apolipoprotein E with the cognitive performance of elderly individuals without apparent cognitive impairment. METHODS This was a cross-sectional analysis that included 213 non-demented elderly individuals (age ≥60 years) from the Brazilian Federal District. The analysis assessed the subjects for cognitive domains including short- and long-term episodic memory, processing speed, and attention and executive functions. Sociodemographic and other clinical characteristics were gathered and analyzed as covariates. RESULTS Being sufficiently powered, the present study did not identify differential performance across apolipoprotein E genotypes. There was no influence of age, gender, marital status, schooling, depressive symptoms or use of central nervous system depressants when the analyses were controlled for such factors. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the ε4 allele does not contribute to detectable cognitive decline within the context of non-dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Lima Quintas
- Geriatric Medical Centre, Hospital of the University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil; Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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Brainerd CJ, Reyna VF, Petersen RC, Smith GE, Kenney AE, Gross CJ, Taub ES, Plassman BL, Fisher GG. The apolipoprotein E genotype predicts longitudinal transitions to mild cognitive impairment but not to Alzheimer's dementia: findings from a nationally representative study. Neuropsychology 2013; 27:86-94. [PMID: 23356599 DOI: 10.1037/a0030855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype is the most widely accepted genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's dementia (AD), but findings on whether it is a risk factor for the AD prodrome, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), have been inconsistent. In a prospective longitudinal design, we investigated (a) whether transitions to MCI and other forms of neurocognitive impairment without dementia (CIND) are more frequent among normal ε4 carriers than among noncarriers and (b) whether subsequent transitions to AD from MCI and from other forms of CIND are more frequent among ε4 carriers than among noncarriers. METHOD The frequency of the ε4 allele was studied in older adults (mean age > 70), who had participated in two or more waves of neuropsychological testing and diagnosis in the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging's Health and Retirement Study, conducted by the University of Michigan. The association between ε4 and longitudinal transitions to specific types of CIND and dementia can be determined with this data set. RESULTS Epsilon 4 increased the rate of progression from normal functioning to MCI (58% of new diagnoses were carriers) but not to other forms of CIND. The rate of progression to AD from MCI or from other forms of CIND was not increased by ε4. CONCLUSIONS The results support the hypothesis that ε4 is a risk factor for transitions from normal functioning to MCI but not for subsequent transitions to AD. In the ADAMS sample, the reason ε4 is elevated in AD individuals is because it is already elevated in MCI individuals, who are the primary source of new AD diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Brainerd
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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Castellani RJ, Smith MA. Compounding artefacts with uncertainty, and an amyloid cascade hypothesis that is 'too big to fail'. J Pathol 2011; 224:147-52. [PMID: 21557219 DOI: 10.1002/path.2885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
With each failure of anti-amyloid-β therapy in clinical trials, new trials are initiated with no hint of slowing down. This may be due, in part, to the fact that the amyloid cascade hypothesis has been so modified over time that it is now impossible to confirm or deny. The hypothesis now states, in effect, that invisible molecules target invisible structures. Still relevant, however, are multiple factors that surely cast some doubt but have either been rationalized or overlooked. Among these are the poor correlation between amyloid-β deposits and disease, the substantial differences between familial and sporadic disease, pathological assessment that indicates the secondary nature of lesions/proteins/cascades, the fact that soluble species are poorly reproducible laboratory phenomena, and the irrelevance of synaptic assessment to pathological interpretation. Although not yet dogma, the premature addition of mild cognitive impairment as the implied in vivo homologue to the soluble toxin-synapse interaction is also problematic. In either case, the amyloid cascade hypothesis continues to dominate the Alzheimer's disease literature and grant applications. The more the neuroscience community perseverates along these lines in the face of accumulating outcome data to the contrary, the more one is left to wonder whether the hypothesis is too big to fail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudy J Castellani
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Tuminello ER, Han SD. The apolipoprotein e antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis: review and recommendations. Int J Alzheimers Dis 2011; 2011:726197. [PMID: 21423560 PMCID: PMC3056453 DOI: 10.4061/2011/726197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2010] [Revised: 01/03/2011] [Accepted: 01/04/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on apolipoprotein E (APOE) has consistently revealed a relationship between the gene's ε4 allele and risk for development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, research with younger populations of ε4 carriers has suggested that the APOE ε4 allele may in fact be beneficial in earlier ages and may only confer risk of cognitive decline later in life. Accordingly, we and others have proposed that APOE may represent an example of antagonistic pleiotropy. Antagonistic pleiotropy is an evolutionary biology concept that proposes certain genes or alleles that may differentially impact fitness during different life stages. We critically review this hypothesis in light of new research of the impact of APOE on cognition and neural integrity across the lifespan. We provide recommendations for the revision of the antagonistic pleiotropy hypothesis of APOE and suggest important avenues for future research in this area.
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The immune-modulatory role of apolipoprotein E with emphasis on multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Clin Dev Immunol 2010; 2010:186813. [PMID: 20613949 PMCID: PMC2896842 DOI: 10.1155/2010/186813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2009] [Accepted: 02/18/2010] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a 34.2 kDa glycoprotein characterized by its wide tissue distribution and multiple functions. The nonlipid-related properties of apoE include modulating inflammation and oxidation, suppressing T cell proliferation, regulating macrophage functions, and facilitating lipid antigen presentation by CD1 molecules to natural killer T (NKT) cells, and so forth. Increasing studies have revealed that APOE ε allele might be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), although evidence is still not sufficient enough. In this review, we summarized the current progress of the immunomodulatory functions of apoE, with special focus on the association of APOE ε allele with the clinical features of MS and of its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
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The role of apolipoprotein E in Guillain-Barré syndrome and experimental autoimmune neuritis. J Biomed Biotechnol 2010; 2010:357412. [PMID: 20182542 PMCID: PMC2825561 DOI: 10.1155/2010/357412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2009] [Accepted: 12/20/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a 34.2 kDa glycosylated protein characterized by its wide tissue distribution and multiple functions. ApoE has been widely studied in lipid metabolism, cardiocerebrovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, and so forth. Recently, a growing body of evidence has pointed to nonlipid related properties of apoE, including suppression of T cell proliferation, regulation of macrophage function, facilitation of lipid antigen presentation by CD1 molecules to natural killer T (NKT) cells, and modulation of inflammation and oxidation. By these properties, apoE impacts physiology and pathophysiology at multiple levels. The present paper summarizes updated studies on the immunoregulatory function of apoE, with special focus on isoform-specific effects of apoE on Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN).
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