PathScan^® RP ApoE4 Sandwich ELISA Kit

Background

Apolipoproteins are plasma lipoproteins that function as transporters of lipids and cholesterol in the circulatory system. Chylomicrons are a fundamental class of apolipoproteins containing very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) (1,2).
Human ApoE has three isoforms: ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4. These three isoforms differ in the combination of cysteine and arginine residues located at positions 130 and 176. The ApoE4 isoform contains arginine at both locations. Research studies have linked ApoE4 function to neuronal plasticity, synaptogenesis, and neurodegenerative diseases (3). ApoE4 is produced in the liver and brain, although it is widely expressed in other tissues, such as the lung, spleen, and ovary. Investigators have established the ApoE4 allele as a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), accounting for 50-60% of the genetic variation in the disease (4). Research studies indicate that patients expressing ApoE4 have a reduced capacity for synaptic plasticity, an earlier age of onset of AD, and an increase in amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition. The increase in Aβ suggests a role for ApoE4 in the impairment of amyloid clearance (5).