How APOE and brain sugars (heparan sulfate) interact in Alzheimer's
Official title: ApoE and Heparan Sulfate Interaction in Alzheimer’s Disease
Funded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · NIH-11309158 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether different versions of the APOE gene change how APOE protein binds to sugars called heparan sulfate in the brain, which may help explain Alzheimer’s risk in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Troy, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $745,430 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG087305-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309158 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a laboratory and animal-focused project that does not enroll patients, although its findings are most relevant to people with Alzheimer’s disease and carriers of the APOE-ε4 risk allele.
✕Less likely to help
People without Alzheimer’s disease or without APOE-related genetic risk are unlikely to see direct benefits from this specific basic-science project in the near term.
What this research studies
From a patient’s perspective, the team will examine human Alzheimer’s brain tissue to see how APOE proteins stick to heparan sulfate sugars on brain cells. They will determine the exact molecular contacts between different APOE forms using high-resolution structural methods. The researchers will then test how those differences affect cells and animals to understand potential effects on disease processes. Together these steps aim to connect genetic risk (APOE types) to specific biological mechanisms in the brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat APOE-linked Alzheimer’s by blocking harmful APOE–heparan sulfate interactions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown links between APOE and heparan sulfate in Alzheimer’s brains, but the isoform-specific, atomic-level mechanisms proposed here are relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Chunyu — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Study coordinator: Wang, Chunyu
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.