Experienced newbie

A primer for newbies and old pros alike.
Post Reply
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

Let me start off my saying I am a social worker for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia so I know all about this tragic disease.
My paternal grandfather had AD and now my father has had a recent diagnosis of MCI but new scans show Biomarkers for AD, he is 81.
So I toyed with checking the box on 23 and me for Apoe and now it’s glaring at me with results that look like gibberish but I know I must have a gene or variant based on all these numbers.
Is there a guide somewhere to decipher these results while I sit here and take deep breaths?
Thanks in advance.
User avatar
Tincup
Mod
Mod
Posts: 3558
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Front Range, CO

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Tincup »

Lingling wrote: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:48 pm Is there a guide somewhere to decipher these results while I sit here and take deep breaths?
Welcome!

Not sure what output you are looking at. One way to do this, at least on a computer (never tried on a phone) is to log in to 23andMe. Then click your name in the upper right. Then select Browse Raw Data.

You can then separately search for these two SNPs:
rs429358
rs7412

You can then find out what each SNP is for you. In my case, as an ApoE 3/4
rs429358 C/T
rs7412 C/C

Taking the C from the rs429358 and first C from rs7412 gives CC or ε4
Then taking the T from the rs429358 and last C from rs7412 gives TC or ε3

Hence I'm a ApoE 3/4 (the order here doesn't matter).

Here is the table from this page.

rs429358 rs7412 Name
C T ε1
T T ε2
T C ε3
C C ε4

In their reports (again on a computer), if you go to
Health and Traits
then
Health Predisposition
then
Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease
mine says
you have one copy of the ε4 variant we tested

Or the same thing I figured out up above.
Tincup
E3,E4
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

I appreciate your response. I suppose I am confused if I am to look for the letters under the variant that says c or t or the last column under genotype that says T/T

ASSEMBLY Varants. Genotpye
rs429358 Build 37 45411941 C or T T / T
Build 38 44908684 C or T T / T

APOE rs7412 Build 37 45412079 C or T C / C

Build 38 44908822 C or T C / C


I am assuming its the variant that matters and I have both C/T?
Kmlseattle
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2022 9:46 am

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Kmlseattle »

Lingling wrote: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:48 pm Let me start off my saying I am a social worker for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia so I know all about this tragic disease.
My paternal grandfather had AD and now my father has had a recent diagnosis of MCI but new scans show Biomarkers for AD, he is 81.
So I toyed with checking the box on 23 and me for Apoe and now it’s glaring at me with results that look like gibberish but I know I must have a gene or variant based on all these numbers.
Is there a guide somewhere to decipher these results while I sit here and take deep breaths?
Thanks in advance.
Welcome, Lingling.
It certainly can be overwhelming to learn your 23&me results. Tincup has given you some options for deciphering your results. You may also want to try the Promethease website to interpret the 23&me results.

As a welcome intern, I'd also like to make sure you are aware of the resources available to you on this forum. First of all, the Primer is authored by a member physician who carries two copies of the APOE-ε4 allele and offers accessible science background and prioritized sensible preventative measures. Other good resources include the search engine on our site, PubMed, and the internet at large in your quest for information.

Secondly, the WIKI contains lots of data about various contributing factors to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) as well as many treatment options.

Finally, the Our Stories page provides stories and experiences posted by members. Please consider posting your own story there, too.
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

rs429358 c/t
rs7412 c/t
does that mean I have
e2/e4?
As well my 23 and me doesn't say SNP, its says variant c/t. Is this the same thing?
NF52
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 2772
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 am
Location: Eastern U.S.

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by NF52 »

Lingling wrote: Thu Dec 01, 2022 8:32 pm I appreciate your response. I suppose I am confused if I am to look for the letters under the variant that says c or t or the last column under genotype that says T/T

ASSEMBLY Varants. Genotpye
rs429358 Build 37 45411941 C or T T / T
Build 38 44908684 C or T T / T

APOE rs7412 Build 37 45412079 C or T C / C

Build 38 44908822 C or T C / C


I am assuming its the variant that matters and I have both C/T?
Welcome Lingling,

I think you are ApoE 3/3, if I'm reading your results correctly.

rs329358. with T/T and rs 7412 with C/C is equal to ApoE 3/3 on this snpedia link, if you read down the columns and match across for the two snps:
https://www.snpedia.com/index.php/APOE. That means you have the most common allele, with about 75% of people of European ancestry and similar percentages in other groups. At age 81, your dad most likely has what is considered MCI that has developed gradually and may have been affected by both vascular aging of his cerebral blood vessels as well as amyloid beta that may have been seen on a PET scan. (MRIs can't see signs of AD biomarkers, but can seen signs of some loss of neurons in brain areas that support new learning, memory retrieval, language, or spatial abilities. Your paternal grandfather may have had multiple causes also, since he would have been born around 1900 or earlier and been exposed to possible toxins and diseases that caused neuroinflammation. You also have only 12% or so of that grandparents genes, so please know that you have so much going for your own ability to chart a different course.

Even when looking at people of my generation (age 70), someone with ApoE 3/3 has only a 5-10% chance of being diagnosed with MCI or Dementia by age 85. As someone who knows several wonderful people with MCI, I believe that those with MCI deserve the same accommodations and supports we would give someone that age with hearing loss, or mobility issues--looking at their strengths and finding ways to make their lives fulfilling.

Hugs from someone who worked with wonderful social workers in schools and hospital settings--you rock!
Nancy
4/4 and still an optimist!
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

Thank you for your response. I found it very helpful.
I think my issue was the wording that 23 and me has used. I don't see the letters SNP. I see it says that I have a variant of c or t and a genotype of T/T so I therefore don't know which letter to plug into the graphs. Are the Cs and Ts that everyone is referring too under the variant or the genotype column ?
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

As well, on 23 and me there is no mention that I have the APOe4 variant like Tincup has mentioned. So perhaps I have been interpreting this chart wrong the last few weeks and causing unnecessary stress!
NF52
Support Team
Support Team
Posts: 2772
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:41 am
Location: Eastern U.S.

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by NF52 »

Lingling wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:58 am As well, on 23 and me there is no mention that I have the APOe4 variant like Tincup has mentioned. So perhaps I have been interpreting this chart wrong the last few weeks and causing unnecessary stress!
It can be very confusing and stressful to try to interpret your raw data. That's why the Snpedia chart is so helpful. Basically, everyone has a C or T from each parent, so someone could have C/C, C/T or T/T on the two variants. The combinations for you are listed as: rs329358 (T/T) and rs 7412 (C/C) from your earlier post, which means each of your parents passed on one ApoE 3 "allele", even if they might have been ApoE 3/4 themselves. You now have the ApoE 3/3 genotype.

Enjoy a long, healthy life that includes a challenging occupation, which itself confers "cognitive resilience", and make time for exercise, healthy foods, good friends and less stress!
Nancy
4/4 and still an optimist!
Lingling
Contributor
Contributor
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2022 7:25 pm

Re: Experienced newbie

Post by Lingling »

That is so helpful! Thank you so much
Post Reply