How ozone air pollution, APOE4, and aging together affect Alzheimer's risk in men and women
Sex-dependent synergy between O3 exposure, APOE4 e4 genotype, and aging in the onset of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers want to find out whether breathing ozone air pollution together with carrying the APOE4 gene and getting older raises Alzheimer's risk, and whether this happens differently in women and men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238905 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses mice engineered to carry the human APOE3 or APOE4 gene and exposes them at different ages to ozone air pollution while measuring memory, brain inflammation, and protein damage. The team compares males and females to identify sex-specific responses. They will link these animal findings to existing human data on ozone exposure and Alzheimer's patterns. Methods include behavioral memory tests, biochemical measures of oxidative stress and inflammation, and genetic comparisons across age and sex.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults—especially women—and people who know they carry the APOE4 gene or live in areas with high ozone exposure would be the most relevant candidates for related human studies.
Not a fit: Younger people without APOE4 or those living in low-pollution areas are less likely to gain direct, immediate benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal environmental triggers that interact with APOE4 and aging, guiding prevention advice for at-risk people and pointing to new treatment targets.
How similar studies have performed: Epidemiology has linked air pollution and ozone to higher Alzheimer's risk and preliminary mouse work showed memory effects, but combining sex differences, aging, and APOE4 interactions is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Rui-Ming — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Liu, Rui-Ming
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 below.