Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate hepatic gene expression profiles differentially regulated by the APOE genotype in gene targeted replacement mice. The APOE4 genotype is associated with increased mortality in the elderly and is an independent risk factor for age-dependent chronic diseases. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms and molecular targets involved in the APOE4-risk association. As APOE is centrally involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism and in large part is produced in the liver, we analyzed hepatic RNA profiles of APOE4- and APOE3-expressing mice. 2 groups of 5 animals with 1 liver extract per animal. Mice were homozygous for a human APOE3 or APOE4 gene targeted replacement of the endogenous mouse Apoe gene (B6.129P2-Apoetm2(APOE*3)Mae N8 or B6.129P2-Apoetm3(APOE*4)Mae N8, Taconic Transgenic ModelsM-bM-^DM-", http://www.taconic.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=2542), purchased at the age of 6-8 weeks, strain C57BL/6, 3 months old at the performance of the microarray, 6 weeks on a high-fat diet containing 41% energy from milk fat and 2 g/kg cholesterol.
Project description:We examined the impact of Abca1 deficiency and APOE isoform expression on the response to TBI using 3-months-old, human APOE3+/+ (E3/Abca1+/+) and APOE4+/+ (E4/Abca1+/+) targeted replacement mice, and APOE3+/+ and APOE4+/+ mice with only one functional copy of the Abca1 gene (E3/Abca1+/-; E4/Abca1+/-). TBI-treated mice received a craniotomy followed by a controlled cortical impact (CCI) brain injury in the left hemisphere; sham-treated mice received the same surgical procedure without the impact. We performed RNA-seq using samples from cortices and hippocampi collected at 14 days post-injury, followed by genome-wide differential gene expression analysis.
Project description:In 12-month-old APOE targeted-replacement mice, we report that overall differences in gene expression were the most prominent when comparing the protective APOE2 to the other two alleles, with fewer differences found when comparing the risk-neutral APOE3 and disease-promoting APOE4 alleles. When compared with either APOE3 or APOE4, differential expression of genes within the endosomal pathways is a prominent feature of APOE2 expression in the brain. We hypothesized that the protective effects of APOE2 are mediated through the endosomal pathway during aging. In contrast to Alzheimer’s disease and APOE4 models, we detected normal morphology and abundance of early endosomes within cortical neurons of APOE2 targeted-replacement mice during aging despite decreased rab5b recruitment to early endosomes. Similarly, the morphology and abundance of retromer-associated vesicles was normal in APOE2 mice, despite reduced recruitment of vesicle-associated VPS35. Significantly, we observed increased brain extracellular levels of endosome-derived exosomes in APOE2 compared with APOE3 mice during aging, indicative of an enhanced endosomal cargo clearance to the extracellular space that contributes to a homeostatic balance of endosomal functions. Our findings thus demonstrate that APOE2 effectively offsets endosomal pathway changes during aging to preserve its integrity by enhancing exosome biogenesis, mitigating age-driven endosomal dysfunction that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Project description:To determine if there is an APOE isoform-specific response to TBI we performed controlled cortical impact on 3-month-old mice expressing human APOE3 or APOE4 isoforms. Following injury, we used several behavior paradigms to test for anxiety and learning and found that APOE3 and APOE4 targeted replacement mice demonstrate cognitive impairments following moderate TBI. Transcriptional profiling 14 days following injury revealed a significant effect of TBI, which was similar in both genotypes.
Project description:To investigate the apoE isoform-dependent role of vascular mural cell (VMC)-LRP1, we generated VMC-specific LRP1 knockout mice (smLrp1-/-), followed by breeding these mice with either APOE3-targeted replacement (TR) or APOE4-TR mice We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of cortical samples from 4 different mouse models
Project description:The aim of the study was to investigate hepatic gene expression profiles differentially regulated by the APOE genotype in gene targeted replacement mice. The APOE4 genotype is associated with increased mortality in the elderly and is an independent risk factor for age-dependent chronic diseases. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms and molecular targets involved in the APOE4-risk association. As APOE is centrally involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism and in large part is produced in the liver, we analyzed hepatic RNA profiles of APOE4- and APOE3-expressing mice.
Project description:Recent findings suggest that the human APOE epsilon 4 allele protects against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, while APOE epsilon 3 promotes hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis. We performed an untargeted proteome analysis of the liver and identified a great number of proteins differently expressed in obese APOE3 and APOE4 mice. The majority of the proteins up-regulated in APOE3 can be grouped to inflammation and damage-associated response, cytoskeleton and lipid storage. In contrast, those proteins that are up-regulated in APOE4 can be related to intermediate filament modifications, biotransformation and amino acid metabolism. Results of the targeted quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot experiments contribute to the overall finding that APOE3 promotes hepatic steatosis, inflammatory- and damage-associated response signaling and fibrosis in the liver of obese mice. One of the proteins that were up-regulated in obese as well as lean APOE4 compared to APOE3 mice is parvulin 14 (Pin4). Up-regulation of parvulin 14 may be involved in the protection against fatty liver disease evident in the presence of APOE4.
Project description:APOE4 allele is a major risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD). The mechanism of action of APOE in AD remains unclear. To study the effects of APOE alleles on gene expression in AD, we have analyzed the gene transcription patterns of human hippocampus from APOE3/3, APOE3/4, APOE4/4 AD patients and normal control using Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE). Using SAGE, we found gene expression patterns in hippocampus of APOE3/4 and APOE4/4 AD patients differ substantially from those of APOE3/3 AD patients. APOE3/4 and APOE4/4 allele expression may activate similar genes or gene pools with associated functions. APOE4 AD alleles activate multiple tumor suppressors, tumor inducers and negative regulator of cell growth or repressors that may lead to increased cell arrest, senescent and apoptosis. In contrast, there is decreased expression of large clusters of genes associated with synaptic plasticity, synaptic vesicle trafficking (metabolism) and axonal/neuronal outgrowth. In addition, reduction of neurotransmitter receptors and Ca++ homeostasis, disruption of multiple signal transduction pathways, and loss of cell protection and notably mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation/energy metabolism are associated with APOE3/4 and APOE4/4 AD alleles. These findings help define the mechanisms that APOE4 contribute increased risk for AD and identify new candidate genes conferring susceptibility to AD. Keywords: Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE); Apolipoprotein E (APOE3/3, APOE3/4, APOE4/4); Alzheimer disease; Hippocampus; apoptosis; signal pathways