Katrina Celis, MD

“Our study emphasizes that the inclusion of diversity populations in genetic research is essential, not only for AD, but for many other diseases as well.”

2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC

 by Katrina Celis, MD, uncovered further information about the 

allele, suggesting there is an increased risk for Alzheimer disease (AD) in non-Hispanic Whites compared to African Americans because of the increased 

expression in carriers with the European local genomic ancestry.

Furthermore, Celis and colleagues found that the increased 

expression is strongly associated with a large increase in potentially reactive A1 astrocytes, supporting the theory for an increased risk of AD. Celis, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, claimed that although the results of the study are preliminary they do carry weight for future studies. Now that it is proven that genomic ancestry can play a role in AD risk, the attention turns to research populations and clinical care.

, Celis detailed how her findings may impact patient populations within AD research, and whether or not her data can have immediate effect on clinical care.

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The postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine detailed the role that increased APOE ε4 expression can have on future research and clinical care.

Katrina Celis, MD: Genetics and Their Role in Alzheimer Research, Clinical Care

“If the APOE ε4 gene is the one causing the problem, then the opposite approach will be indicated, which would be to reduce the expression of APOE ε4 expression and ultimately making it therapeutic.”

APOE ε4 is the strongest genetic risk factor associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) in people of European decent, while previous studies have confirmed that African local genomic ancestry (LA) is associated with a decreased risk for AD in African American carriers of the APOE ε4 allele relative to European LA in non-Hispanic Whites.  

During the virtual 2020 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) , July 27-31, 2020,  Katrina Celis, MD, presented her study which suggested that the increased risk for AD seen in non-Hispanic Whites versus African American carriers of APOE ε4 is likely due to increased APOE ε4 expression in carriers with European LA. Further, Celis and colleagues found that there was an association between APOE ε4 expression and an increase in potentially reactive A1 astrocytes, opening the possibility that it may be a mechanism for an increased risk for AD.  

Celis, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, sat down with NeurologyLive to discuss her findings and outline the importance of the results for specific ancestral populations.  

Celis K, Bussies P, Whitehead PL, et al. Increased APOEε4 expression is associated with reactive A1 astrocytes and may confer the difference in Alzheimer disease risk from different ancestral backgrounds. Presented virtually at AAIC 2020; July 27-31, 2020. Poster 47901.  

The postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine detailed her study presented at AAIC 2020 that examined Alzheimer risk associated with  APOE ε4  in different genetic populations.

Author | Katrina Celis, MD

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