Like amyloid plaque, the genetic variant APOE4 has long been associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but still little is known about the role the gene plays in the disease process.
Now, a new study published in Nature Aging not only sheds light on how the gene may instigate a cascade of pathologies that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, but also suggests a new treatment target that might help people who carry the APOE4 gene in early and late stages of the disease. Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers found that APOE4 is associated with the activation of an inflammatory protein that causes a breakdown in the blood-brain barrier which protects the brain.
This research builds on a recent USC study that revealed APOE4 triggers leaks in the blood-brain barrier in humans, which lets toxic substances from the blood stream into the brain, damaging brain cells and disrupting cognitive…
