ApoE, Energy, and Synaptic V-ATPase

Humans possess three major isoforms of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene coded by three alleles—ε2, ε3, and ε4—that confer differential risk for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ApoE4 is currently recognized as the most potent genetic risk factor for AD and ApoE2 as a neuroprotective variant. While there exists an abundance of research demonstrating the neurotoxic impact caused by ApoE4, far less is known about the mechanisms by which ApoE2 delegates neuroprotection.

To address this research gap, this project is attempted to identify the molecular bases that distinguish an ApoE2 brain from ApoE3 and ApoE4 brains and that could contribute to the neuroprotective nature of ApoE2.