Apolipoprotein E genotype and plasma levels in coronary artery disease. A case-control study in the Italian population.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of the apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein E polymorphisms in coronary artery disease (CAD) susceptibility in the Italian population and their relation to plasma lipid and apolipoprotein levels.


METHODS
APOB (APOB Xbal, EcoRI, Ins/Del), and APOE (APOE Cfol) polymorphisms were analyzed in 150 male CAD patients and 110 matched controls. In the same subjects plasma lipid, apoB, and apoE levels were measured.


RESULTS
No differences in the distribution of the APOB polymorphisms were observed between patients and controls. Among patients the number of e*4-carriers was significantly higher than in controls. e*4-carriers were more frequent among the hypertensive patients and had a higher systolic blood pressure (p = 0.007) than the non-e*4 carriers. The APOB Xbal polymorphism was found to influence the distribution of HDL-cholesterol. Patients showed significantly lower levels of apoE (39.29 mg/L) than controls (54.32 mg/dL) and the lowest concentrations were associated to the E4/E3 and E4/E4 genotypes.


CONCLUSIONS
Quantitative data are consistent with the hypothesis that apoE has an anti-atherosclerotic role and suggest that the apoE quantitation could be a useful parameter for defining cardiovascular risk. e*4 allele appears to be a risk factor for CAD in the Italian population and could act by its association with low apoE levels.
Corbo
R M
RM
Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology and CNR Center of Evolutionary Genetics, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Corbo@axcasp.caspur.it
Vilardo
T
T
Ruggeri
M
M
Gemma
A T
AT
Scacchi
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008055:Lipids