IMR Press / JIN / Special Issues / 1636017615577

Understanding the mechanisms and interactions of amyloid beta aggregates, APOE4, and fatty acids in AD pathogenesis and intervention

Submission deadline: 31 May 2022
Special Issue Editor
  • Qiu-Lan Ma, MD, PhD
    Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Geriatric Research and Clinical Center, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
    Interests: Alzheimer’s disease; neurodegenerative diseases; tauopathies; protein misfolding; neuroimmunomodulation; neuroinflammation; neuroprotection; preclinical intervention for drug discovery with cellular and animal models in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases
    Special Issues and Topics in IMR Press journals
Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease of aging. It is characterized pathologically by progressive amyloid deposition, neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of synapses and neurons in specific brain regions. The disease is manifested clinically by progressive loss of learning and memory. It is widely believed that elevated brain amyloid beta (Aβ) directly contributes to the pathogenesis of AD, in which misfolded Aβ aggregates play crucial roles. For decades, although Aβ has been extensively studied in AD pathogenesis, the precise mechanisms of Aβ-induced neurodegeneration remain not entirely understood. This research topic aims to deeply understand the mechanisms of Aβ in AD pathogenesis, which could contribute to the discoveries of novel therapeutic targets in AD. 
Currently, there are no effective drugs to prevent or treat AD. Sporadic AD (SAD) accounts for 90-95% of cases. Both genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the etiology and pathology of SAD. This research topic aims to understand the impact of non-modifiable genetic factors and modifiable environmental factors on AD intervention. For instance, APOE4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for AD. It regulates cholesterol metabolism and accelerates Aβ pathology. The environmental factor of dietary fatty acids can affect a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes in human body. For decades, available evidence from epidemiological, pre-clinical, and clinical studies suggests the preventive and therapeutic effects of omega-3 fatty acid DHA on AD. However, the outcomes are inconsistent. In addition, the beneficial effect of DHA in AD is affected by APOE isoforms with favoring APOE4 non-carriers. Thus, it is important to better understand the mechanisms of the interactions between AD risk genes and dietary intake of fatty acids in AD intervention. Modifiable intake of fatty acids approach could be a promising strategy to prevent or slow the progression of AD.
This research topic welcomes articles that contribute to better understanding the mechanisms and interactions of Aβ, APOE4, and fatty acids in AD pathogenesis and intervention.  
Dr. Qiu-Lan Ma

Guest Editor

Keywords
Alzheimer’s disease
Amyloid beta
Protein misfolding
APOE4
Fatty acids
Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted via our online editorial system at https://imr.propub.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to start your submission. Manuscripts can be submitted now or up until the deadline. All papers will go through peer-review process. Accepted papers will be published in the journal (as soon as accepted) and meanwhile listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, reviews as well as short communications are preferred. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office to announce on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts will be thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. Please visit the Instruction for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) in this open access journal is 2200 USD. Submitted manuscripts should be well formatted in good English.

Back to top