The National Institute on Aging awarded a $2,250,745 Project Grant (CFDA 93.866 - Aging Research) to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, doing business as Scott Lynch MD, to conduct research on the role of apolipoprotein E (APOE) in meningeal lymphatic function and its impact on Alzheimer's disease pathophysiology.
The research aims to uncover the effects of APOE4 expression on meningeal lymphatic drainage and immune cell interactions, and how this may contribute to neuroinflammation and amyloid-β accumulation in Alzheimer's disease. The project will use mouse models to investigate the cell-autonomous and non-autonomous impact of APOE4 on meningeal lymphatics, identify associated changes in gene expression and signaling factors, and test whether modulating meningeal lymphatic function can ameliorate cognitive decline in aged APOE4 mice. The research findings may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to treat Alzheimer's disease in APOE4 allele carriers. The grant period runs from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2026.