title: The deletion polymorphism and Val1000Ile in alpha-2-macroglobulin and Alzheimer disease in Caribbean Hispanics.
abstract: The association between polymorphisms in the alpha-2-macroglobulin (a2m) gene and Alzheimer's disease remains in doubt because of conflicting results in independent case-control and family studies. We examined the association between Alzheimer's disease and alpha2m polymorphisms in Caribbean Hispanic families. The odds of having the alpha2m deletion/insertion polymorphism was increased 3-fold for family members with Alzheimer's disease compared to healthy family members, rising to 5-fold after adjusting for APOE-epsilon4. In contrast, there was no relationship between the alpha2m Val1000Ile polymorphism and Alzheimer's disease in these families. The inconsistencies in studies cited above and the modest association between alpha2m and Alzheimer's disease found in the Caribbean Hispanic families reported here, suggest that the overall effect of this gene on susceptibility is small and may be limited to certain populations or families.
authors.affiliation: The Taub Institute on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Romas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mayeux
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabinowitz
authors.forename: M X
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Zadroga
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lantigua
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tycko
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Knowles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins