Characterization of Transgenic Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Expressing the ApoE4_(1-151) Fragment: A Study Involving the Strongest Genetic Risk Factor for Developing Late On-Set Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal disorder that leads to neuronal cell loss in brain regions crucial for thinking & memory. While the inheritance risk of the APOE4 allele is well documented, the molecular basis for how it leads to enhanced dementia risk is not yet understood. Previous work in the Rohn lab has shown that proteolysis & formation of an amino-terminal protein fragment (ApoE4 1-151 ) may contribute to toxicity in vitro . Using zebrafish as an in vivo model organism, mutants expressing this fragment were generated to examine any deleterious effects. As an initial approach, this study seeks to characterize this mutant, transgenic strain of zebrafish to determine any differences in their observed phenotypes.