An unexpected connection
A common genetic cause of Alzheimer's disease and gastrointestinal diseases has been found
Ekaterina Petrova, PCR.news
Australian scientists have conducted a large genomic study and identified genes and loci associated with both gastrointestinal diseases and Alzheimer's disease. The authors of the study suggested that a significant role in the development of these ailments may play a high level of cholesterol in the blood serum.
It is known from the results of observational studies that Alzheimer's disease (AD) often develops against the background of certain gastrointestinal diseases and regular medication for their treatment. For example, people with gastritis are twice as likely to develop AD and six times more likely to develop inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
A team of researchers from Edith Cowan University (Australia) analyzed large sets of genetic data from several studies of patients with AD and gastrointestinal diseases, each of which involved approximately 400,000 people.
Genome analysis revealed a significant correlation between AD and gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer, gastritis-duodenitis, irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis, but not with IBD. Using the GWAS meta-analysis, scientists identified several loci common to AD and gastrointestinal diseases: PDE4B, BRINP3, ATG16L1, SEMA3F, HLA-DRA, SCARA3, MTSS2, PHB and TOMM40.
The researchers also identified biological pathways associated with genes common to both diseases. Lipid-related and autoimmune pathways were the most represented. Thus, abnormal cholesterol levels are associated with the risk of both gastrointestinal diseases and Alzheimer's disease. Hypercholesterolemia increases the permeability of the blood—brain barrier, facilitating the entry of cholesterol into the central nervous system (including the brain) - this may increase the risk of AD. As for gastrointestinal diseases, abnormal lipid profiles are associated with the activity of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
The study did not reveal causal relationships between various intestinal diseases and AD, however, even the evidence from the correlation is very important.
"These results provide additional evidence to support the concept of the gut-brain axis, a two—way connection between the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain and the functioning of the intestine," commented Professor Simon Laws, director of the university and head of the study.
Perhaps a diet and cholesterol-lowering medications can be useful both in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Article by Adewuyi et al. A large-scale genome-wide cross-trait analysis reveals shared genetic architecture between Alzheimer's disease and gastrointestinal tract disorders published in the journal Communications Biology.
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