Dement Neurocogn Disord.  2016 Sep;15(3):61-67. 10.12779/dnd.2016.15.3.61.

Apolipoprotein E4: A Risk Factor for Successful Cognitive Aging

• Kwon OD

• KMID: 2442847
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12779/dnd.2016.15.3.61

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E is a plasma protein that has an important role in transport and metabolism of lipids in serum as well as central nervous system. Among the 3 common alleles, the ε2 allele has the most stable structure followed by ε3 and ε4 in order. There is evidence for a deleterious role of ε4 allele by atherosclerosis and amyloid beta accumulation in brain and body. The presence and gene dose of ε4 allele are risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoprotein E ε4 may have a role in the pathology of amyloid beta and tau and it has a strong relationship with the early onset of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, early-onset Alzheimer's disease has a weaker relationship with ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E.

Keyword

apolipoprotein E; polymorphism; Alzheimer's disease

MeSH Terms

Alleles
Alzheimer Disease
Amyloid
Apolipoprotein E4*
Apolipoproteins*
Atherosclerosis
Brain
Central Nervous System
Cognitive Aging*
Metabolism
Pathology
Plasma
Risk Factors*
Amyloid
Apolipoprotein E4
Apolipoproteins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of human apolipoprotein E structure and main functional areas. The NH2 terminal domain and COOH terminal domain is connected by a flexible hinge region. There is low-density lipoprotein receptor binding region in NH2 terminal domain while Major lipid binding region and Amyloid beta interaction region are in COOH terminal domain. In apolipoprotein E ε4, domain reaction occurs between Arginine at residue 61 and Glutamate at residue 255 which results in the compact shape of the molecule. LDL: low-density lipoprotein.

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