Association of Complement Factor H Y402H Gene Polymorphism With Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) share several epidemiological and biochemical features. The present study aimed to assess the possible influence of the AMD-associated complement factor H (CFH) Y402H (1277T > C) polymorphism on the risk of AD. Caucasian subjects (n=800) meeting the criteria for probable (n = 717) or definite (n = 83) AD and Caucasian non-demented controls (n 1265) were included in this multi-center case-control study, in which genotype and allele frequencies of the CFH 1277T > C polymorphism were determined and related to diagnosis, APOE genotype, Mini-Mental State Examination score (MMSE) and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers total-tau (T-tau), phospho-tau(181), (P-tau(181)), and beta-amyloid(1-42) (A beta(1-42)). The AMD-associated CFH genotypes (1277CC and 1277TC) were overrepresented in subjects with AD as compared to control individuals (P = 0.029). Positive C carrier status was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for AD of 1.24 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.50). When APOE 4 carrier status was included in the regression model, this association was even stronger (OR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.08-1.65, P=0.007). Subgroup analysis showed that the association between CFH C allele positivity and AD was only evident for individuals carrying the APOE epsilon 4 allele. Positive C carrier status was also associated with lower levels of CSF A beta(1-42) selectively in the control group in an APOE epsilon 4-independent manner (P=0.003). In conclusion, the CFH 1277T > C polymorphism seems to influence the risk of AD and there appears to be an interaction between CFH 1277C and APOE epsilon 4 alleles. The CFH 1277C allele may predispose patients for co-morbidity in AD and AMD. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.