Apolipoprotein E polymorphism affects plasma levels of lipoprotein(a).
In a group of 303 healthy Caucasian adults of both sexes we studied the influence of the apolipoprotein E (apo E) polymorphism on plasma levels of Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a). The APOE*2 allele was found to decrease the mean plasma Lp(a) level by 24.8%, whereas the APOE*4 allele increased the mean Lp(a) level by 25.7%. These effects were parallel to the effect of apo E polymorphism on plasma cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. For the Lp(a) levels, the genetic variance associated with the APOE locus contributed about 4% to the total phenotypic variance. For plasma cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol this contribution was 4.5 and 6.3%, respectively. We also found a significant positive correlation between LDL-cholesterol and Lp(a) levels. Since the apo E polymorphism effects LDL-receptor activity, we conclude that, at least in healthy normolipidemic individuals, plasma levels of Lp(a) are modulated by the LDL-receptor activity.
de Knijff
P
P
Gaubius Laboratory IVVO-TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Kaptein
A
A
Boomsma
D
D
Princen
H M
HM
Frants
R R
RR
Havekes
L M
LM
D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008074:Lipoproteins; D002784:Cholesterol