Potential role of apoE in structural plasticity in the nervous system; implications for disorders of the central nervous system

D M Holtzman; A M Fagan

doi:10.1016/s1050-1738(98)00017-6

Potential role of apoE in structural plasticity in the nervous system; implications for disorders of the central nervous system

Trends Cardiovasc Med. 1998 Aug;8(6):250-5. doi: 10.1016/s1050-1738(98)00017-6.

Authors

D M Holtzman¹, A M Fagan

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Center for the Study of Nervous System Injury, Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110 USA. holtzman@neuro.wustl.edu

PMID: 14987560
DOI: 10.1016/s1050-1738(98)00017-6

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a well characterized 299 amino acid protein that participates in the regulation of plasma cholesterol and lipid metabolism. In humans, apoE has three major protein isoforms: E2 (cys(112), cys(158)); E3 (cys(112), arg(158)); and E4 (arg(112), arg(158)) that are encoded for by a single gene on chromosome 19. Genetic studies have shown that apoE4 is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) as well as for poor outcome following certain injuries to the central nervous system (CNS). These genetic data, as well as other data reviewed herein, suggest that apoE may play an important role in the nervous system under certain conditions. This review focuses on studies demonstrating that apoE can modulate neuronal structure and the potential implication of these findings for its role following CNS injury, in AD, and in other neurodegenerative diseases.