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ISSN (Print): 2374-1155 ISSN (Online): 2374-1163 Website: https://www.sciepub.com/journal/ajfn Editor-in-chief: Mihalis Panagiotidis
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American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2024, 12(2), 49-58
DOI: 10.12691/ajfn-12-2-1
Open AccessArticle

Natural Compounds Modulate Apolipoprotein E Gene and Protein Expression in Fibroblasts Derived from Young and Old Female Alzheimer’s Patients

Gabriela N. Lopez1, Anna Goc1, Matthias Rath1 and Aleksandra Niedzwiecki1,

1Dr. Rath Research Institute, San Jose, CA

Pub. Date: May 09, 2024
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Cite this paper:
Gabriela N. Lopez, Anna Goc, Matthias Rath and Aleksandra Niedzwiecki. Natural Compounds Modulate Apolipoprotein E Gene and Protein Expression in Fibroblasts Derived from Young and Old Female Alzheimer’s Patients. American Journal of Food and Nutrition. 2024; 12(2):49-58. doi: 10.12691/ajfn-12-2-1

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for approximately 60–80% of all dementia cases. Among the genetic risk factors identified, the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene remains the strongest and most prevalent, impacting more than half of all Alzheimer’s disease cases. Targeting the APOE gene with nutrients and natural compounds could potentially benefit Alzheimer’s disease patients. In the search for such natural-derived compounds, we evaluated the effects of soy-derived estrogenic compounds such as genistein and daidzein, phospholipid precursors such as inositol and choline, phospholipid phosphatidylserine, and vitamins C and E as potent antioxidants on APOE gene transcription as well as APOE, APOE4, and Tau proteins expression in cells cultured in non-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory conditions. The study was conducted on fibroblasts derived from young and old female Alzheimer’s disease patients and normal human dermal fibroblasts. Depending on culturing conditions, we observed very distinct patterns of changes of the APOE gene as well as APOE, APOE4, and Tau protein status, which differed significantly upon treatment with test compounds in the studied cell lines. To our knowledge, this study is recognizing for the first time, the link between natural compounds and important biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease identifying that selective estrogen receptor modulator, daidzein, and carbocyclic sugar, inositol, as compounds, which might have importance in Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementia or other brain pathologies. Further in vivo and clinical studies are however warranted to support these findings.

Keywords:
APOE Alzheimer’s disease phytoestrogens phospholipid precursors inflammation

Creative CommonsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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