Apolipoprotein E4 as a target for developing new therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease.

The identification of factors that influence the onset or progression of the sporadic form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a key step toward understanding its mechanism(s) and developing successful rational therapies. The apoE genotype has been identified as a powerful risk factor for AD that may account for as much as 50% of the sporadic form of the disease. As the major risk factor for late-onset AD, apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) should be considered a good target for AD drug discovery.