By Murray Sherriffs
A study from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, suggests that a specific “longevity gene” may help protect the brain from the effects of aging.
The APOE gene helps the body transport and metabolize fats and cholesterol, in the brain.
The APOE4 variant is associated with a significantly higher risk of Alzheimer’s.
The APOE2 variant appears to carry a lower risk.
Using human brain cells derived from stem cells, researchers explored the reasons for that protective effect, discovering that APOE2 improves neurons’ ability to repair DNA damage and to resist “cellular senescence,” a process that leads to cells becoming old and worn out.
In contrast, brain cells with the APOE4 variant are more fragile and more likely to show signs of aging and dysfunction.
Senior author Lisa M. Ellerby, PhD, professor at the Buck, says that the findings suggest that future treatments could aim to simulate the protective effects of APOE2 or boost DNA repair systems in the brain, especially for people who carry the higher-risk APOE4 gene.
More information is available in the journal Aging Cell.
