Apolipoprotein E polymorphism influence on lipids, apolipoproteins and Lp(a) in a Spanish population underexpressing apo E4.
The apolipoprotein E (apo E) polymorphism in a Spanish working population of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) was analyzed. The distribution of apo E alleles (epsilon 3, 0.850; epsilon 2, 0.075; epsilon 4, 0.075) and phenotypes (E3/3, 72.6%; E3/4, 13%; E3/2, 11.5%; E4/4, 0.8%; E2/2, 1.5%; E4/2, 0.5%) was significantly different from those of a combined Caucasian population owing to a lower frequency of apo E4. We have also investigated the effect of apo E polymorphism on serum levels of cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, Lp(a) and apolipoproteins A-I, B and E. The average effect of E4 (in whole sample and men only, respectively) was to raise serum levels of total cholesterol (by 4.1 mg/dl and 8.3 mg/dl), LDL-cholesterol (by 6.5 mg/dl and 9 mg/dl), and apo B (5.3 mg/dl and 4.5 mg/dl). The average effect of E2 was to lower serum levels of total cholesterol (by 14.8 mg/dl mg/dl and 8.3 mg/dl), LDL-cholesterol (by 20.2 mg/dl and 15.5 mg/dl) and apo B (11.5 mg/dl and 6.5 mg/dl), and to raise apo E (1.14 mg/dl and 3.4 mg/dl and 3.4 mg/dl). We found significantly higher serum triglyceride levels in individuals carrying E4, but no differences were found in serum HDL-cholesterol, apo A-I or Lp(a) by alleles. Data confirm previous reports about an underexpression of apo E4 in societies living in Southern Europe, and its repercussion in a more beneficial lipid profile and relatively low cardiovascular mortality rate in the Mediterranean region.
Muros
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Servicio de Laboratorio, Hospital Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, Tenerife, Spain.
Rodríguez-Ferrer
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D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D004032:Diet; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008055:Lipids; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)