ApoE polymorphism accounts for only part of the genetic variation in quantitative ApoE levels.
ApoE levels and chromosome 19 ApoE polymorphisms were measured in a sample of 156 Dutch families. Each pedigree consisted of parents aged 35-65 years and their twin offspring aged 14-21 years. A significant effect of the chromosome 19 apoE locus on quantitative plasma levels of apolipoprotein E was observed. The ApoE polymorphism explained 16% of the variance in ApoE levels. Tests of association of ApoE levels with the apoC1 locus, which is in complete linkage disequilibrium with the ApoE locus, also showed a significant effect, although the variance explained by ApoC1 was only 1%. Examination of the covariance between twins classified according to allele sharing indicates that the association is not due to population stratification, but to a genuine effect of the ApoE locus on levels. However, the ApoE locus accounts for only one-fourth of the genetic variation in ApoE levels.
Neale
M C
MC
Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth, Richmond, VA 23298-0126, USA. neale@psycho.psi.vcu.edu
de Knijff
P
P
Havekes
L M
LM
Boomsma
D I
DI
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002888:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 19 / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009426:Netherlands; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014427:Twins / Q000235:genetics
D001057:Apolipoproteins E