The butyrylcholinesterase K variant is a protective factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease in women.
BACKGROUND
Recent reports indicate that the K variant of the butyrylcholinesterase (BCHE) gene may act in synergism with the epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but this is controversial.


METHODS
We genotyped for the BCHE-K and APOE epsilon4 alleles in a sample of 249 AD patients and 250 controls derived from the same region in a Spanish population.


RESULTS
A protective effect of the K variant of BCHE with an odds ratio of 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.19-0.86, P=0.02) was observed among non-APOE epsilon4 carriers, but it was limited to women.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study is the first to demonstrate that lower susceptibility to AD determined by the K variant of BCHE is dependent on gender.
Alvarez-Arcaya
A
A
Service of Neurology, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain.
Combarros
O
O
Llorca
J
J
Sánchez-Guerra
M
M
Berciano
J
J
Fernández-Viadero
C
C
Peña
N
N
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase