Association Between Common Variants of APOE, ABCA7, A2M, BACE1, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease: Data from the PUMCH Dementia Cohort

BACKGROUND: The previous studies have identified several genes in relation to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), such as ABCA7, CR1, etc. A few studies have explored the association between the common variants, mainly in the non-coding regions of these genes, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Fewer studies target the variants in the coding regions. OBJECTIVE: To illustrate the association between the common variants within or adjacent to the coding regions of AD susceptible genes and CSF biomarkers in AD patients. METHODS: 75 sporadic probable AD patients were extracted from the dementia cohort of Peking Union Medical College Hospital. They all had history inquiry, physical examination, blood test, cognitive assessment, brain MRI, CSF testing of Aβ(42), (181)p-tau, and t-tau, and next-generation DNA sequencing. Sixty-nine common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (minor allele frequency > 0.01) within or near the coding region of 13 AD susceptible genes were included in the analysis. RESULTS: The rs7412-CC (APOE) genotype showed lower CSF Aβ(42) level and higher p-tau/Aβ(42) ratio than the rs7412-CT genotype. The rs3752246-C (ABCA7) allele correlated with lower CSF Aβ(42) level. The alternate alleles of six ABCA7 SNPs were related to lower CSF p-tau, including rs3745842, rs3764648, rs3764652, rs4147930, rs4147934 and rs881768. The rs11609582-TT (A2M) genotype showed higher CSF p-tau than the rs11609582-TA genotype. The p-tau/Aβ(42) ratio was higher in the rs490460-TT (BACE1) genotype relative to the rs490460-GT genotype. CONCLUSION: Some common variants within or near the coding regions of APOE, ABCA7, A2M, and BACE1 are associated with CSF Aβ(42), p-tau. or p-tau/Aβ(42).