title: Apolipoprotein E allele frequencies in a South African Indian female population.
abstract: Coronary heart disease is common amongst South Africans of Indian (Asian) ancestry. As part of an investigation into risk factors in premenopausal and post-menopausal Indian nurses, we determined the apolipoprotein E genotype by means of restriction isotyping on 173 healthy nurses between the ages of 25-55 years. The apolipoprotein E allele frequencies on 346 chromosomes were: epsilon 2, 1.2% (95% confidence interval 0.06-2.66); epsilon 3, 87.6% (95% confidence interval 84.1-91.1 and epsilon 4, 11.3% (95% confidence interval 7.94-14.60). No epsilon 2/2 homozygotes were encountered. Our results demonstrate an extremely low frequency of the epsilon 2 allele, a low-normal apo epsilon 4 and a high epsilon 3 allele frequency. It is unlikely that apolipoprotein E polymorphism contributes to the high incidence of coronary heart disease in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gounden
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naidoo
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pegoraro
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Berger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000353:Africa, Southern; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E