Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41806350›Full record

ArticleJournal of extracellular vesicles2026

Neuronal Extracellular Vesicles Carrying APOE Downregulate Filament Actin Polymerization Signaling to Inhibit Synapse Formation in Alzheimer's Disease.

Yang Yu, Zhixin Ma, Taixu Li, Wenjun Xiao, Zhigang Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of extracellular vesicles, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yang YuScientific Research Center, Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Zhixin MaScientific Research Center, Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Taixu LiScientific Research Center, Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Wenjun XiaoScientific Research Center, Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Zhigang LiScientific Research Center, Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1733-9997

Funding

Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund of Guangdong Province 2023A1515010090National Natural Science Foundation of China 32200638National Natural Science Foundation of China 32400813Research Start-up Fund of the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University ZSQYBRJH0021Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Active Substance Screening and Translational Research ZDSYS20220606100801003Shenzhen Medical Research Fund D2502003Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program JCYJ20230807110316034Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program JCYJ20240813150253048Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Program JCYJ20250604143710014
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Synaptic formation impairment is closely correlated with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Emerging evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs), critical mediators of intercellular communication, are implicated in the progression of AD. However, the specific mechanisms through which neuron-derived EVs contribute to synaptic formation impairment in AD remain unexplored. In this study, we characterized EVs derived from primary neurons of APP/PS1 transgenic mice (APPNEVs) and investigated their impact on synapse formation. Transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle flow cytometry, and immunoblotting confirmed that APPNEVs and WT neuron-derived EVs (WTNEVs) had similar morphology, size, and canonical small EVs markers. We further revealed that APPNEVs significantly impaired neuronal synapse formation by downregulating synaptic proteins PSD95 and Synaptophysin (SYP), reducing total synapse number, and shifting synapse morphology toward immature states. Proteomic profiling via mass spectrometry identified APOE as a key upregulated protein in APPNEVs. Pharmacological inhibition of APOE with EZ-482 effectively prevented APPNEV-induced synaptic formation impairment, APPNEV-mediated downregulation of synaptic proteins, and the APPNEV-induced decrease in synaptic maturity. Mechanistically, APPNEVs suppressed Rac1-N-WASP-Arp2/3-mediated filament actin polymerization, a critical pathway for synaptic spine formation, which was prevented by APOE inhibition. In vivo stereotactic injection of APPNEVs into the hippocampus of WT mice further validated their detrimental effects on synaptic integrity, which were prevented by EZ-482 treatment. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that APPNEVs mediate synaptic damage via carrying APOE, providing novel insights into EV-mediated neurodegeneration in AD and highlighting APOE as a potential therapeutic target for preserving synaptic formation.

Indexed as

ActinsAlzheimer DiseaseApolipoproteins EExtracellular VesiclesNeuronsSynapsesAnimalsDown-RegulationMiceMice, TransgenicSignal TransductionActinsApolipoproteins EAlzheimer's diseaseAPOEextracellular vesiclessynapse

Identifiers

PMID41806350
PMCPMC12974907

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.