APOE ε4 gene dose effect on imaging and blood biomarkers of neuroinflammation and beta-amyloid in cognitively unimpaired elderly

BackgroundNeuroinflammation, characterized by increased reactivity of microglia and astrocytes in the brain, is known to be present at various stages of the Alzheimer's disease (AD) continuum. However, its presence and relationship with amyloid pathology in cognitively normal at-risk individuals is less clear. Here, we used positron emission tomography (PET) and blood biomarker measurements to examine differences in neuroinflammation and beta-amyloid (A beta) and their association in cognitively unimpaired homozygotes, heterozygotes, or non-carriers of the APOE epsilon 4 allele, the strongest genetic risk for sporadic AD.MethodsSixty 60-75-year-old APOE epsilon 4 homozygotes (n = 19), heterozygotes (n = 21), and non-carriers (n = 20) were recruited in collaboration with the local Auria biobank. The participants underwent C-11-PK11195 PET (targeting 18-kDa translocator protein, TSPO), C-11-PiB PET (targeting A beta), brain MRI, and neuropsychological testing including a preclinical cognitive composite (APCC). C-11-PK11195 distribution volume ratios and C-11-PiB standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were calculated for regions typical for early A beta accumulation in AD. Blood samples were drawn for measuring plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and plasma A beta(1-42/1.40).ResultsIn our cognitively unimpaired sample, cortical C-11-PiB-binding increased according to APOE epsilon 4 gene dose (median composite SUVR 1.47 (range 1.38-1.66) in non-carriers, 1.55 (1.43-2.02) in heterozygotes, and 2.13 (1.61-2.83) in homozygotes, P = 0.002). In contrast, cortical composite C-11-PK11195-binding did not differ between the APOE epsilon 4 gene doses (P = 0.27) or between A beta-positive and A beta-negative individuals (P = 0.81) and associated with higher A beta burden only in APOE epsilon 4 homozygotes (Rho = 0.47, P = 0.043). Plasma GFAP concentration correlated with cortical C-11-PiB (Rho = 0.35, P = 0.040), but not C-11-PK11195-binding (Rho = 0.13, P = 0.47) in A beta-positive individuals. In the total cognitively unimpaired population, both higher composite C-11-PK11195-binding and plasma GFAP were associated with lower hippocampal volume, whereas elevated C-11-PiB-binding was associated with lower APCC scores.ConclusionsOnly A beta burden measured by PET, but not markers of neuroinflammation, differed among cognitively unimpaired elderly with different APOE epsilon 4 gene dose. However, APOE epsilon 4 gene dose seemed to modulate the association between neuroinflammation and A beta.