Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorders in the elderly. To identify rare genetic factors other than apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele (ApoE ɛ4) contributing to the pathogenesis of late-onset AD (LOAD), we conducted a whole-exome analysis of 246 ApoE ɛ4-negative LOAD cases and 172 matched controls in Hong Kong Chinese population. LOAD patients showed a significantly higher burden of rare loss-of-function variants in genes related to immune function than healthy controls. Among the genes involved in immune function, we identified a rare stop-gain variant (p.Q48X) in mixed lineage kinase domain like pseudokinase (MLKL) gene present exclusively in 6 LOAD cases. MLKL is expressed in neurons, and the its expression levels in the p.Q48X carriers were significantly lower than that in age-matched wild-type controls. The ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40 significantly increased in MLKL knockdown cells compared to scramble controls. MLKL loss-of-function mutation might contribute to late-onset ApoE ɛ4-negative AD in the Hong Kong Chinese population.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 160.e1-160.e7 |
Journal | Neurobiology of Aging |
Volume | 68 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- ApoE ɛ4-negative
- Late-onset Alzheimer's disease
- MLKL
- Whole exome sequencing
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Ageing
- Developmental Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Geriatrics and Gerontology