Apolipoprotein () Genes Expression in the CA3 Region of the Hippocampus in an Ischemic Model of Alzheimer's Disease with Survival Up to 2 Years

Background: Changes in the Alzheimer's disease-related apolipoprotein genes expression, occurring parallel with brain ischemia-induced neurodegeneration in the hippocampal CA3 area, may be crucial for the development of memory loss and dementia.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate changes in genes expression of () () and () in CA3 area post-ischemia with survival of 2 years.

Methods: The gene expression was evaluated with the use of an RT-PCR protocol after 2, 7, and 30 days and 6, 12, 18, and 24 months post-ischemia.

Results: The expression of the gene (encoding apolipoprotein A1) was below the control values at 2 days, 6 and 12 months while at 7 and 30 days and 18 and 24 months post-ischemia this gene expression exceeded the control values. In the case of the gene (encoding clusterin) expression, it was above the control values at all times post-ischemia. Similar expression was observed for the gene (encoding apolipoprotein E) except on day 7 after ischemia where its expression was below the control value.

Conclusions: The results seem to indicate that the observed changes in the gene expression may reflect the activation and inhibition of a variety of processes involved in ischemia-induced neurodegeneration. The enhanced expression of and genes may be associated with induction of neuroprotective mechanisms while increased expression of the gene may produce detrimental effects.