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Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer's Disease
Carter CJ.. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports, 2017-09-28
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Diverse pathogens are detected in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. A bioinformatics survey showed that AD genome-wide association study (GWAS) genes (localized in bone marrow, immune locations and microglia) relate to multiple host/pathogen interactomes ( Candida albicans , Cryptococcus neoformans , Bornavirus, Borrelia burgdorferri , cytomegalovirus, Ebola virus, HSV-1, HERV-W, HIV-1, Epstein-Barr, hepatitis C, influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae , Porphyrymonas gingivalis , Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi ). These interactomes also relate to the AD hippocampal transcriptome and to plaque or tangle proteins.
Key findings
- A bioinformatics survey showed that AD genome-wide association study (GWAS) genes (localized in bone marrow, immune locations and microglia) relate to multiple host/pathogen interactomes ( Candida albicans , Cryptococcus neoformans , Bornavirus, Borrelia burgdorferri , cytomegalovirus, Ebola virus, HSV-1, HERV-W, HIV-1, Epstein-Barr, hepatitis C, influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae , Porphyrymonas gingivalis , Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi ).
- These interactomes also relate to the AD hippocampal transcriptome and to plaque or tangle proteins.
- Upregulated AD hippocampal genes match those upregulated by multiple bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa in immunocompetent cells.
- AD genes are enriched in GWAS datasets reflecting pathogen diversity, suggesting selection for pathogen resistance, as supported by the old age of AD patients, implying resistance to earlier infections.
Why it matters
This bioinformatics survey found that Alzheimer's risk genes relate to interactomes of many pathogens and that upregulated Alzheimer's hippocampal genes match those upregulated by multiple microbes. It is a data analysis only and reports no treatment, cure or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports: journal h-index 40 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2017 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 70 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.4 citations a year over 11 year(s) since 2017 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 17 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Christopher J. Carter: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Polytecnic in Požega: institution h-index 20 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30480234) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3233/adr-170017
- PubMed: 30480234
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Alzheimer s Disease Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Carter, C. J. (2017). Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. https://doi.org/10.3233/adr-170017
Vancouver
Carter CJ. Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer's Disease. Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports. 2017. doi:10.3233/adr-170017. PMID: 30480234.
BibTeX
@article{carter2017-30480234,
author = {Carter, C. J.},
title = {{Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer's Disease}},
journal = {Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports},
year = {2017},
doi = {10.3233/adr-170017},
pmid = {30480234},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3233/adr-170017}
}
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