title: Apolipoprotein E in Southern Italy: protective effect of epsilon 2 allele in early- and late-onset sporadic Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism was evaluated in 81 sporadic late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) patients, 28 sporadic early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and 92 sex- and age-matched healthy controls from Apulia, Southern Italy. ApoE genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The frequency of apoE epsilon 4 allele was significantly higher in EOAD patients than in the control group, but not in LOAD patients. Furthermore, EOAD patients carrying epsilon 4 allele had lower age at onset of AD symptoms (about 4. 5 years). In the whole sample, epsilon 4 was associated to AD by an odds ratio of 2.14, while it increased up to 6.55 in < 65 years old subjects. Finally, in both < 65 and > or = 65 subgroups of subjects, epsilon 2 played a protective role against the development of AD. It is concluded that the geographic decreasing trend of epsilon 4 allele and the age at onset may influence the association of apoE polymorphism with sporadic AD in a Southern Italian sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Center for Aging Brain, Memory Unit, University of Bari, Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Panza
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Solfrizzi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mastroianni
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Colacicco
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Capurso
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Introno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Parigi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capurso
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
chemical_list: D053329:Apolipoprotein E2; D001057:Apolipoproteins E