Neurodegeneration
Does a high-fat diet hit APOE4 males harder?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
In APOE knock-in mice, 12 weeks of 45% fat diet produced more visceral fat and glucose intolerance in male APOE4 than APOE3 mice, while females of both genotypes responded similarly and behavior did not change.
Study at a glance
- Design
- Animal / in-vitro — Diet-induced obesity in human APOE3 vs APOE4 knock-in mice; both sexes; HFD vs matched LFD for 12 weeks with GTT, MRI adiposity, and behavior
- N
- N=48 · n = 5–9/sex across APOE3/APOE4 × HFD/LFD cells (GraphPad N = 5–9)
- Population
- Six-month-old male and female human APOE3 and APOE4 knock-in mice on C57BL/6J
- Outcome
- Weight gain, glucose tolerance, MRI VAT/SAT/BAT, open field, elevated zero maze, Barnes maze
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Key findings
HFD groups gained more weight than LFD. Male APOE4 mice were more susceptible to VAT accumulation and glucose intolerance than male APOE3 mice; female APOE3 and APOE4 mice had similar metabolic responses. No HFD effects on anxiety-like behavior or spatial memory in either genotype.
Methodology
Fed 6-month-old male and female APOE3 and APOE4 knock-in mice (n = 5–9/sex) a 45% kcal HFD or matched 10% kcal LFD for 12 weeks, then ran GTT, abdominal/neck MRI, open field, elevated zero maze, and Barnes maze.
Limitations
A 12-week mouse diet study cannot prove that APOE4 men will develop diabetes or dementia from high-fat food, and null behavior results do not rule out longer or different cognitive assays.
How this study connects
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