A new study, published today in Nature Communications, offers clues into how APOE isoforms differentially affect human microglia function in Alzheimer’s disease. The study, led by Dr Sarah Marzi and Dr Kitty Murphy at the UK Dementia Research Institute at King’s College London and the Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, underscores the need for new targeted interventions based on APOE genotypes.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK, affecting 1 in 14 people over the age of 65. Alzheimer’s is characterised pathologically by a buildup of proteins in the form of amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
The apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. There are three different versions of the APOE protein: APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. While APOE4…