title: Influence of apolipoprotein E polymorphism on plasma vitamin A and vitamin E levels.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E are positively correlated with those of concurrent lipids and, on the other hand, lipid levels are influenced by apolipoprotein E polymorphism. Therefore, the effect of this polymorphism on both vitamins was analysed in an adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects were recruited from a working population. Their anthropometric, lifestyle and dietary intake variables and menopausal status were recorded. Their apolipoprotein E phenotype and their plasma vitamins A and E (by high-performance liquid chromatography) and lipid (enzymatically) concentrations were determined after an overnight fast. The associations of the phenotype with vitamins and lipids were studied in men and women separately and controlling for significant covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The apolipoprotein E phenotype was associated with the concentrations of total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in women, whereas no associations with lipids were found in men. Vitamin A and vitamin E levels were higher in men than in women, but only the difference in the former persisted after lipid adjustment. Apolipoprotein E2 slightly increased vitamin A levels in women, an effect which was still evident with lipid adjustment. Actually, both the apolipoprotein E phenotype and triglyceride were selected as significant predictors of this vitamin by multiple regression. This phenotype did not affect vitamin E levels in either sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lipids do not mediate the effect of gender on vitamin A levels. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism is an independent determinant of vitamin A levels in women. Pending confirmation by others, we propose that enhancement of this vitamin may contribute to the beneficial impact of the epsilon2 allele on human ageing and health.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Bioquímica-Investigación, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. diego.gomez@hrc.es
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gómez-Coronado
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Entrala
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olmos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sastre
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lasunción
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002784:Cholesterol