Homozygosity for the K variant of BCHE gene increases the risk for development of neurofibrillary pathology but not amyloid deposits at young ages.
The presence of the K variant of the butyrylcholinesterase gene (BCHE-K) has been associated with the severity of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and amyloid beta-protein (Abeta). To examine the impact of BCHE-K on the development of initial NFT- and Abeta pathologies in young individuals below the age of 45 years a total of 124 cases (110 cases with NFT-only pathology, 14 cases with Abeta-only pathology) and 104 matched controls were genotyped for BCHE-K. Homozygosity for BCHE-K was highly overrepresented among NFT-only group (8.2%) compared with controls (1%, P = 0.02) or the Abeta-only group (0%). The prevalence of the K allele, however, was comparable among groups. These findings suggest that homozygosity, but not heterozygosity, for BCHE-K is a potential risk factor for the development of NFT pathology in young individuals implicating BCHE-K in the pathogenesis of early AD.
Ghebremedhin
Estifanos
E
Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, J.W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main, Germany. ghebremedhin@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Thal
Dietmar Rudolf
DR
Schultz
Christian
C
Braak
Heiko
H
Deller
Thomas
T
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000473:pathology*; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology*; D012307:Risk Factors
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase