title: ApoE epsilon 4 allelic association with Alzheimer's disease: independent confirmation using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.
abstract: There is intriguing evidence associating apolipoprotein E (ApoE) with Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE is deposited with beta-amyloid in senile plaques and binds to beta-amyloid in vitro. We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to identify ApoE epsilon 2, epsilon 3, and epsilon 4 alleles in 135 control subjects and 57 AD patients. We observed a marked increase in ApoE epsilon 4 allele frequency (0.40) in AD patients compared with control subjects (0.14) (p < 0.0001). Our independent finding of a marked association of ApoE epsilon 4 allele with AD further supports a possible role of ApoE in the pathogenesis of AD and confirms the study of Saunders et al (Neurology 1993;43:1467-1472).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Peacock
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D005091:Exons; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004247:DNA