“The ApoE ε4 allele is the most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer disease. The risk conferred by ε4, however, differs across populations, with populations of African ancestry showing lower ε4 risk compared to those of European or Asian ancestry. The cause of this heterogeneity in risk effect is currently unknown; it may be due to environmental or cultural factors correlated with ancestry, or it may be due to genetic variation local to the ApoE region that differs among populations.” To test these hypotheses, the authors analyzed ApoE genotypes and genome-wide array data in individuals from African American and Puerto Rican populations. They concluded that factors contributing to the lower risk effect in the ApoE gene ε4 allele are likely due to ancestry-specific genetic factors near ApoE rather than non-genetic ethnic, cultural, and environmental factors. Further exploration of these hypotheses may lead to novel, population-specific therapeutics and risk predictions.
Rajabli F, Feliciano BE, Celis K, Hamilton-Nelson KL, Whitehead PL, Adams LD, Bussies PL, Manrique CP, et al: Ancestral origin of ApoE ε4 Alzheimer disease risk in Puerto Rican and African American populations. PLoS Genet. 2018 Dec 5;14(12):e1007791. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007791. eCollection 2018 Dec.
