The genetics of dementias, Part 3: A molecular basis for the multifactorial inheritance of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease
Journal Title: Advances in Hygiene and Experimental Medicine - Year 2009, Vol 63, Issue
Abstract
The majority of Alzheimer’s disease cases, i.e. more than 85% of the whole population of patients, can be referred to as the sporadic form of the disease, with a negative family history and complex inheritance. As the genetic background of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease is still largely unknown., strategies based on individual genetic risk profiling for either early prediction of the disease or its therapy and prevention are not possible. The APOE*4 allele of the gene for apolipoprotein E is still the only completely confirmed risk factor. Screening for new genetic risk factors with the use of genetic association analysis has many methodological difficulties and limitations. New combined approaches including genomics, proteogenomics, pharmacogenomics, epigenomics, and bioinformatics have to been applied in the future search for a molecular basis of AD. Genetic defects do not fully explain the complexity of the etiopathogenesis of this disease. It is rather certain that environmental factors (through epigenetic modifications in the patient’s epigenome) also have impact on the initiation of neurodegeneration processes. The identification of new genetic and environmental risk factors would make it possible to understand epistatic processes, for example interactions between genes and between genes and environmental factors, responsible for the complex etiology and multifactorial inheritance of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease.
Authors and Affiliations
Anna Kowalska
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP66401
- DOI -
- Views 170
- Downloads 0
Heterogenność ludzkiego genu WT1
Gen WT1, charakteryzujący się niezwykle złożoną strukturą, jest umiejscowiony w obrębie chromosomu 11. Bierze udział w regulacji wzrostu i rozwoju komórek, ma także znaczny wpływ na etapy funkcjonowania organizmu. Gen WT...
Odkształcalność i agregacja krwinek czerwonych u pacjentów z przewlekłą niewydolnością żylną kończyn dolnych z towarzyszącymi żylakami
Genetyka zespołów otępiennych. Część 4: spektrum mutacji odpowiedzialnych za rozwój rodzinnej autosomalnie dominującej postaci choroby Alzheimera
Już 50 lat temu zaobserwowano, że choroba Alzheimera (AD) dziedziczy się w niektórych rodzinach w sposób autosomalny dominujący według praw Mendla. Przypadki AD o wczesnym początku uwarunkowane rodzinnie (familial Alzhei...
Chondrocytes apoptosis in osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease where the balance between the degradation and the regeneration of articular cartilage is impaired, which leads to its progressive loss. This disease is the most...
Autophagy in brain ischemia
Autophagy is an intracellular process of macromolecule and organelle degradation, which plays an important role both in maintaining homeostasis and in responding to various harmful stimuli. Recent studies clearly indicat...