Apolipoprotein E highly correlates with AbetaPP- and tau-related markers in human cerebrospinal fluid.
We assessed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of apolipoprotein E (apoE), phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity, cholesterol, secreted amyloid-beta protein precursor alpha and beta (sAbetaPPalpha, sAbetaPPbeta), amyloid-beta peptides 1-40 (Abeta_{40}) and 1-42 (Abeta_{42}), total tau and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (pTau) in neurologically healthy, cognitively intact adults. ApoE significantly correlated with sAbetaPPalpha (r = 0.679), sAbetaPPbeta (r = 0.634), Abeta_{40} (r = 0.609), total and pTau (r = 0.589 and r = 0.673, respectively, all p < 0.001), PLTP activity (r = 0.242, p = 0.002) and cholesterol (r = 0.194, p < 0.01). PLTP activity significantly correlated with sAbetaPPalpha (r = 0.292), sAbetaPPbeta (r = 0.281), total and pTau (r = 0.265 and 0.258, respectively; all p <or= 0.001). Using partial correlations of CSF biomarkers with apoE, PLTP activity, age and gender, apoE remained significantly correlated with sAbetaPPalpha, sAbetaPPbeta, Abeta_{40}, total and pTau (p < 0.001). The presence of apoE epsilon2 was associated with lower levels of apoE, PLTP activity and Abeta_{42}, while APOEepsilon4} had no significant impact on any of the measured variables. Our data suggest that there is a significant physiological link between apoE and AbetaPP, as well as between apoE and tau in neurologically healthy, cognitively intact individuals.
Vuletic
Simona
S
Northwest Lipid Metabolism and Diabetes Research Laboratories, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
Li
Ge
G
Peskind
Elaine R
ER
Kennedy
Hal
H
Marcovina
Santica M
SM
Leverenz
James B
JB
Petrie
Eric C
EC
Lee
Virginia M-Y
VM
Galasko
Douglas
D
Schellenberg
Gerard D
GD
Albers
John J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D015415:Biomarkers; D049294:Phospholipid Transfer Proteins; D016875:tau Proteins; D002784:Cholesterol