Genetic Changes to ApoE4 Allele that Stop the Progression of or Reverse Alzheimer’s Disease Effects

ApoE4 is the major genetic factor in Alzheimer’s disease(AD), causing different malignant phenomena such as tau tangles and amyloid plaques. The alleles of the ApoE gene researched in the paper are ε2 and ε4, where the latter one is linked with a higher AD risk. The paper comprises the background research about how the ApoE impacts lipid transport and how the switch from ApoE4 to ApoE2 resolves AD-linked issues.

Main findings include the astrocytes being the target cells for the switch, brain-blood barrier is semi-permeable and the genetic material requires specific technology to pass through it, efficient vectors that can be used for this matter are nanoparticles and viruses equipped with particular receptors, the genetic strategy can be either gene replacement using ApoE2 complementary mRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 modification, effect of ε4 is at the largest extent during the early amyloid development phase.

In conclusion, the model comprises a vector that can pass through the blood-brain barrier and deliver a genetic material to an astrocyte cell with a time consideration. The feasibility of the model derives from the research and the assumptions made about the efficiency of this pathway. Limitations lie in the fact that the penetration of the brain-blood barrier is rarely used in this field of research, and the impact of ApoE protein on internal organs outside of the central nervous system.