Quantitation of apoE Domains in Alzheimer Disease Brain Suggests a Role for apoE in Aß Aggregation

ApoE N-terminal-specific and C-terminal-specific antibodies covered 50% and 74% of Abeta plaque burden, respectively (p < 0.003).

• ApoE and its fragments are found in amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
• ApoE2- and apoE4-specific residues are present on plaques and blood vessels in these conditions.
• Immunoblotting confirmed the presence of N- and C-terminal apoE cleavage fragments in brain extracts.
• The C-terminal fragment suggests a cleavage event occurs in the random coil region of apoE.
• Most small Abeta-positive, apoE-negative deposits are less than 150 microm2 in size.
• C-terminal residues of apoE may facilitate the progression of small Abeta deposits into larger aggregates.

AI simplified