Distribution of apolipoprotein E alleles in a Scottish healthy newborn population.
The different alleles of the human apolipoprotein E polymorphism, ApoE epsilon2, epsilon3, epsilon4, have important implications for systemic lipid metabolism, immunological function and for the brain in maintenance and in response to injury. Few studies have focussed on their role in early life. The ApoE alleles and genotypes were ascertained in the cord blood of 371 full-term and normal Scottish newborn infants using PCR methodology. The results were compared to previously published data for Scottish adults in late middle age. There was a marginally significant over-representation of epsilon4 and under-representation of epsilon3 alleles in healthy infants as compared with adults. Inspection of the individual genotypes confirms the over-representation of ApoE 4/4 and 2/4 with a reduction in ApoE 2/3 and 3/3 when compared with Scottish adults. Although these results may have occurred by chance, the ApoE epsilon4 allele may confer an increased risk of premature death.
Becher
J-C
JC
Division of Pathology, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Bell
J E
JE
McIntosh
N
N
Keeling
J W
JW
D000483:Alleles; D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012606:Scotland
D053318:Apolipoprotein E3; D053327:Apolipoprotein E4; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D004247:DNA