APOE4 accelerates menopause-associated brain metabolic shift and disrupts bioenergetic adaptation

Disruption of brain glucose and lipid metabolism contributes to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and often emerges before clinical symptoms. Women are at increased AD risk due to menopause-associated estrogen decline, which impairs mitochondrial function and glucose metabolism. Women's risk of AD is further exacerbated by the APOE4 allele, the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD.

To investigate the impact of APOE genotype on the menopausal metabolic transition, brain metabolomic and lipidomic profiling was conducted in humanized female APOE3/3, APOE3/4, and APOE4/4 mice across chronological and endocrinological stages from pre- to postmenopause.

APOE3/3 mice exhibited dynamic regulation of metabolic systems that supported postmenopausal brain bioenergetic demand. In contrast, APOE3/4 and APOE4/4 mice exhibited accelerated and compromised metabolic adaptation, resulting in postmenopausal amino acid depletion, reduced tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, lipid accumulation, and compromised brain lipid composition. A single APOE4 allele was sufficient to impair metabolic adaptation, while APOE4 homozygosity resulted in greater severity of deficits.

Outcomes of these analyses revealed that APOE4 accelerated menopause-related metabolic decline and compromised bioenergetic adaptation, providing a mechanistic basis for increased AD susceptibility and earlier onset in APOE4-positive women.