ApoE in Alzheimer’s disease: pathophysiology and therapeutic strategies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing due to extended lifespans. Among the increasing number of genetic risk factors identified, the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene remains the strongest and most prevalent, impacting more than half of all AD cases. While the ε4 allele of the APOE gene significantly increases AD risk, the ε2 allele is protective relative to the common ε3 allele. These gene alleles encode three apoE protein isoforms that differ at two amino acid positions. The primary physiological function of apoE is to mediate lipid transport in the brain and periphery; however, additional functions of apoE in diverse biological functions…

• BF
  BrightFocus Foundation
• CA
  Cure Alzheimer's Fund
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01AG062110, R37AG027924, RF1AG057181, U19AG069701
• NB
  NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research

  Awards: U19AG069701, R01AG062110, R37AG027924, RF1AG057181, U19AG069701