Role of the Transforming-Growth-Factor-β1 Gene in Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for the Treatment.

Role of the Transforming-Growth-Factor-β1 Gene in Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for the Treatment. Curr Genomics. 2013 Apr;14(2):147-56 Authors: Bosco P, Ferri R, Salluzzo MG, Castellano S, Signorelli M, Nicoletti F, Nuovo SD, Drago F, Caraci F Abstract Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. LOAD has a complex and largely unknown etiology with strong genetic determinants. Genetics of LOAD is known to involve several genetic risk factors among which the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene seems to be the major recognized genetic determinant. Recent efforts have been made to identify other genetic factors involved in the pathophysiology of LOAD such as genes associated with a deficit of neurotrophic factors in the AD brain. Genetic variations of neurotrophic factors, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and transforming-growth-factor-β1 (TGF-β1) are known to increase the risk to develop LOAD and have also been related to depression susceptibility in LOAD. Transforming-Growth-Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a neurotrophic factor that exerts neuroprotective effects against ß-amyloid-induced neurodegeneration. Recent evidence suggests that a specific impairment in the signaling of TGF-β is an early event in the pathogenesis of AD. TGF-β1 protein levels are predominantly under genetic control, and the TGF-β1 gene, located on chromosome 19q13.1-3, con-tains several singl...
Source: Current Genomics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Curr Genomics Source Type: research