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Apolipoproteins and Alzheimer's pathophysiology
Manja Koch1, Steven T DeKosky2, Annette L Fitzpatrick3
1Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Alzheimer'S & Dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|October 30, 2018
Summary
Specific apolipoproteins in the blood may indicate Alzheimer's disease pathology. Higher levels of certain apolipoproteins, like apoE and apoJ, were linked to brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Apolipoproteins influence brain cholesterol and amyloid-beta metabolism.
- These proteins are potential novel risk markers for Alzheimer's disease pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between plasma apolipoproteins and Alzheimer's disease biomarkers.
- To explore apolipoproteins as potential minimally invasive biomarkers for Alzheimer's pathology.
Main Methods:
- Measured apolipoproteins (apoE, apoJ, apoA-I, apoC-III) and their subspecies in plasma from 176 dementia-free participants.
- Utilized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for apolipoprotein measurement.
- Correlated apolipoprotein levels with beta-amyloid deposition, hippocampal volume, and white matter lesion volume using PET scans and MRI.
Main Results:
- Higher apoE levels correlated with lower beta-amyloid deposition.
- Specific subspecies of apoA-I showed differing associations with hippocampal volume.
- Elevated apoJ and apoE lacking apoJ were linked to increased hippocampal and white matter lesion volumes, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Plasma apolipoproteins demonstrate potential as minimally invasive biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease.
- Specific apolipoprotein subspecies may reflect distinct aspects of brain pathology.