WEDNESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- A protein linked to
Alzheimer's disease also plays a role in HIV progression by
promoting entry of the virus into cells, U.S. researchers say.
"The apoE4 protein is the greatest known genetic risk factor to
Alzheimer's disease. However, its role in infectious diseases has
been less well-defined," study author Robert W. Mahley, president
of the Gladstone Institutes, said in a prepared statement.
There are three different forms of ApoE. The genetic variant
that leads to the production of the apoE4 protein is present in
about 15 percent of people.
In this study, the researchers analyzed 1,267 HIV-positive
people and 1,132 people without HIV. They found that HIV patients
with two copes of the apoE4 allele had a much faster disease course
and progression to death than those with two copies of the apoE3
allele.
While apoE4 helped HIV invade cells, it wasn't associated with
increased incidence of HIV-associated dementia.
The findings, published in the journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest a
drug that converts apoE4 to an apoE3-like molecule may prove
effective in treating people with HIV. Gladstone researchers are
currently trying to develop such a drug for treating Alzheimer's
disease.
"Although we suspected that apoE4 had a role in infectious
disease, this aspect of the study is very exciting for us, because
we already have studies under way to find small molecules that make
apoE4 more like apoE3. Now those potential new drugs may have more
value than we originally thought," Mahley said.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more
about
HIV/AIDS.
