Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025
09:36
Direct Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy of Extracellular Vesicles in Three Dimensions
Published on: August 26, 2021
3.9K
Apolipoprotein E and viral infection: Risks and Mechanisms.
Feng Chen1, Qiongwei Ke1, Wenyan Wei2
1Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524000, China.
Molecular Therapy. Nucleic Acids
|August 17, 2023
Summary
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms influence viral infections differently. ApoE4 increases susceptibility to some viruses like HIV but protects against others, including hepatitis B and C, and impacts COVID-19 severity.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Virology
- Immunology
Background:
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is crucial for lipid metabolism and cholesterol homeostasis.
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a known genetic determinant for neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) plays a significant role in various viral infection-related diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the emerging relationship between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and viral infections.
- To discuss the potential mechanisms underlying the influence of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) on viral pathogenesis.
- To identify future research directions for understanding Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and viral infection interactions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and viral infections.
- Analysis of the functional polymorphism of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms (ApoE2, ApoE3, ApoE4).
- Examination of structural differences between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms and their impact on viral interactions.
Main Results:
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms exhibit varied effects on viral infections, with ApoE4 increasing susceptibility to herpes simplex virus type-1 and HIV.
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE)4 confers protection against hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus infections.
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE)4 influences the incidence and progression of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.
Conclusions:
- Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) critically influences viral infections, with its polymorphic forms having diverse or opposing effects.
- Structural variations among Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoforms contribute to their differential roles in viral infection processes.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and viral pathogenesis.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Subviral Agents
41
Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
41
02:28Leaky Scanning
5.2K
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.2K
00:57Viral Recombination
23.5K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
23.5K
02:33Retroviruses
12.4K
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
12.4K
01:51Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
5.1K
Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
5.1K
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
46.2K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
46.2K