Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a very common cause of dementia in the elderly. It is characterized by progressive amnesia and accretions of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of neurons and senile plaques in the neuropil. After aging, the inheritance of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) epsilon 4 (ε4) allele is the greatest risk factor for late-onset AD. The ApoE protein is the translated product of the ApoE gene. This protein undergoes proteolysis, and the resulting fragments colocalize with neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, and for that matter may be involved in AD onset and/or progression. Previous studies have reported the pathogenic potential of various ApoE fragments in AD pathophysiology. However, the pathways activated by the fragments are not fully understood. In this review, ApoE fragments obtained from post-mortem brains and body fluids, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma, are discussed. Additionally, current knowledge about the process of fragmentation is summarized. Finally, the mechanisms by which these fragments are involved in AD pathogenesis and pathophysiology are discussed.
Keywords: ApoE fragments; alzheimer's disease; apolipoprotein E.