SMAD3 and Alzheimer disease: These 26 brain vascular target candidates include genes with diverse biological functions (Fig. 3a), including cytoskeleton and ECM-related (TIMP352, AHNAK53, SLC38A254, STARD1355); growth factor-related (STAT3, SMAD3, TGFB1, TFPI, EGFR, FGFR1, PDGFA)56–58; glucocorticoid-related and anti-inflammatory (NR3C1, TSC22D3)59; angiogenesis (ANGPT2)60,61; as well as ECE1, an AD-related gene that is involved in Aβ clearance and vasoconstriction62,63.