Open AccessApolipoprotein E: a major piece in the Alzheimer's disease puzzle
Author(s) -
CedazoMínguez A.,
Cowburn R. F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2001.tb00159.x
Subject(s) - apolipoprotein e , disease , oxidative stress , neuroscience , alzheimer's disease , senile plaques , neurofibrillary tangle , cholinergic , amyloid (mycology) , gene isoform , neurodegeneration , medicine , biology , pathology , biochemistry , gene
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder with multiple etiologies. The presence of the E4 isoform of apolipoprotein E (apoE) has been shown to increase the risk and to decrease the age of onset for AD and is the major susceptibility factor known for the disease. ApoE4 has been shown to intensify all the biochemical distrubances characteristic of AD, including beta amyloid (Aβ) deposition, tangle formation, neuronal cell death, oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity and dysfunctions of lipid homeostasis and cholinergic signalling. In contrast, other apoE isoforms are protective. Here we review and discuss these major hypotheses of the apoE4‐AD association.