APOE genotype influences the gut microbiome structure and function in humans and mice: relevance for Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology
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Abstract
Apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) genotype is the strongest prevalent genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Numerous studies have provided insights into the pathologic mechanisms. However, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of APOE genotype on microflora speciation and metabolism is completely lacking. In this study, we investigated the association between APOE genotype and the gut microbiome composition in human and APOE–targeted replacement (TR) transgenic mice. Fecal microbiota amplicon sequencing from matched individuals with different APOE genotypes revealed no significant differences in overall microbiota diversity in group‐aggregated human APOE genotypes. However, several bacterial taxa showed significantly different relative abundance between APOE genotypes. Notably, we detected an association of Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae and several butyrate‐producing genera abundances with APOE genotypes. These findings were confirmed by comparing the gut microbiota of APOE ‐TR mice. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis of murine fecal water detected significant differences in microbe‐associated amino acids and short‐chain fatty acids between APOE genotypes. Together, these findings indicate that APOE genotype is associated with specific gut microbiome profiles in both humans and APOE ‐TR mice. This suggests that the gut microbiome is worth further investigation as a potential target to mitigate the deleterious impact of the APOE4 allele on cognitive decline and the prevention of AD.—Tran, T. T. T., Corsini, S., Kellingray, L., Hegarty, C., Le Gall, G., Narbad, A., Müller, M., Tejera, N., O'Toole, P. W., Minihane, A.‐M., Vauzour, D . APOE genotype influences the gut microbiome structure and function in humans and mice: relevance for Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology. FASEB J. 33, 8221–8231 (2019). www.fasebj.org
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ApoE isoform is associated with specific gut microbiome profiles in humans and apoE KI mice.
“Consistent with this notion, apoE isoform is associated with specific gut microbiome profiles in humans and apoE KI mice67.”
From Integrated analysis of behavioral, epigenetic, and gut microbiome analyses in AppNL-G-F, AppNL-F, and wild type mice (2021) · cites this paper as [67]
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- Authors
- Tran, T. T. T., Corsini, S., Kellingray, L., Hegarty, C., Le Gall, G., Narbad, A., Müller, M., Tejera, N., O'Toole, P. W., Minihane, A.-M., & Vauzour, D.
- Affiliations
- University College Cork (IE)
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Norwich Research Park (GB)
- Quadram Institute Bioscience Norwich Research Park Norwich United Kingdom
- Norwich Medical School University of East Anglia Norwich United Kingdom
- Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) Microbiome Ireland University College Cork Cork Ireland
- Corresponding author
- Vauzour, David
- ORCID
- Venue
- The FASEB Journal
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-04-08
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 8221-8231
- ISSN
- 0892-6638 (ISSN-L)
- 1530-6860
- PMC
- PMC6593891
- OpenAlex
- W2937882491
- Cited by
- 233
- References
- 76
- Citations by year
- 2026: 27 · 2025: 42 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 7
- FWCI
- 7.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- The FASEB Journal (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/M004449/1)
- Science Foundation Ireland
- Association for Progressive Communications
- Food Institutional Research Measure
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Ireland
- Sugar Research Australia (PRJNA533610)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
- Keywords
- APOE genotype, apolipoprotein E, Alzheimer's disease, gut microbiota, Prevotellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, butyrate-producing bacteria, short-chain fatty acids, microbial metabolites, APOE ε4, cognitive decline, fecal microbiota
- MeSH terms
- Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Aged, Alzheimer Disease, Animals, Apolipoproteins E, Female, Genotype, Humans, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Middle Aged, Retrospective Studies, Butyric Acid, Mice, Cognitive Dysfunction
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