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Background  Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes progressive loss of memory and cognition, exacerbated by  APOE4,  the greatest genetic risk factor for AD. One proposed mechanism for apolipoprotein E (apoE) effects on cognition is via NMDAR-dependent signaling.  APOE  genotype-specific effects on this pathway were dissected using EFAD-transgenic (Tg) mice (5xFAD mice, that over-express human amyloid-beta (Aβ) via 5 familial-AD (FAD) mutations, and express human apoE), and 5xFAD/ APOE -knockout (KO) mice. Previous data from EFAD-Tg mice demonstrate age-dependent (2-6 months), apoE-specific effects on the development of Aβ pathology. This study tests the hypothesis that apoE4 impairs cognition via modulation of NMDAR-dependent signaling, specifically via a loss of function by comparison of E4FAD mice with 5xFAD/ APOE -KO mice, E3FAD and E2FAD mice.    Results  Using female E2FAD, E3FAD, E4FAD and 5xFAD/ APOE -KO mice aged 2-, 4-, and 6-months, the Y-maze and Morris water maze behavioral tests were combined with synaptic protein levels as markers of synaptic viability. The results demonstrate a greater age-induced deficit in cognition and reduction in PSD95, drebrin and NMDAR subunits in the E4FAD and 5xFAD/ APOE -KO mice compared with E2FAD and E3FAD mice, consistent with an apoE4 loss of function. Interestingly, for NMDAR-mediated signaling, the levels of p-CaMK-II followed this same apoE-specific pattern as cognition, while the levels of p-CREB and BDNF demonstrate an apoE4 toxic gain of function: E2FAD > E3FAD > 5xFAD/ APOE -KO > E4FAD.    Conclusion  These findings suggest that compared with E2FAD and E3FAD, E4FAD and 5xFAD/ APOE -KO mice exhibit enhanced age-induced reductions in cognition and key synaptic proteins via down-regulation of an NMDAR signaling pathway, consistent with an apoE4 loss of function. However, levels of p-CREB and BDNF, signaling factors common to multiple pathways, suggest a gain of toxic function. Publications in this field present contradictory results as to whether  APOE4  imparts a loss or gain of function. As with the results reported herein, the overall effect of  APOE4  on a given CNS-specific measure will be the product of multiple overlapping mechanisms. Thus, caution remains critical in determining whether  APOE  gene inactivation or therapies that correct the loss of positive function related to apoE4, are the appropriate therapeutic response.    Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13024-015-0002-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

APOE4 enhances age-dependent decline in cognitive function by down-regulating an NMDA receptor pathway in EFAD-Tg mice