Association of immunity-related gene SNPs with Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline. Genetic factors have been implicated in disease susceptibility as its etiology remains multifactorial. The <i>CD33</i> and the <i>HLA-DRB1</i> genes, involved in immune responses, have emerged as potential candidates influencing AD risk. In this study, 644 Lebanese individuals, including 127 AD patients and 250 controls, were genotyped, by KASP assay, for six SNPs selected from the largest GWAS study in 2021. Logistic regression analysis assessed the association between SNP genotypes and AD risk, adjusting for potential confounders. Among the six SNPs analyzed, rs1846190G>A in <i>HLA-DRB1</i> and rs1354106T>G in <i>CD33</i> showed significant associations with AD risk in the Lebanese population (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Carriers of the AG and AA genotypes of rs1846190 in <i>HLA-DRB1</i> exhibited a protective effect against AD (AG: OR = 0.042, p = 0.026; AA: OR = 0.052, p = 0.031). The GT genotype of rs1354106T>G in <i>CD33</i> was also associated with reduced risk (OR = 0.173, p = 0.005). Following Bonferroni correction, a significant correlation of rs1354106T > G with AD risk was established. Our results might highlight the complex interplay between genetic and immunological factors contributing to the development of the disease.