title: Apolipoprotein E polymorphism influences lipid phenotypes in Chinese families with familial combined hyperlipidemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism is associated with changes in the lipoprotein profile of individuals with familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL), but its effects on the lipoprotein profiles of members of Chinese families with FCHL remain uncertain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  43 FCHL families (n=449) and 9 normolipidemic families (n=73) were recruited to assess the influence of apoE polymorphism on plasma lipids. The relative frequency of the epsilon4 allele in affected and unaffected FCHL relatives, spouses and normolipidemic members was 13.8%, 5.3%, 9.1% and 6.8%, respectively, with a significantly higher frequency in affected FCHL relatives, compared with unaffected FCHL relatives or normolipidemic members (p=0.0002 or p=0.029). In FCHL relatives, the apoE4 subset (E4/4 and E4/3) exhibited significantly higher levels of apoB, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) than did the apoE3 (E3/3) subset, especially in women (all p<0.05), and there was significant elevation of LDL-C concentrations in men only (p<0.05). In men, the apoE2 (E3/2) subset indicated a decreased level of apoB and increased apoA1 compared with those in the apoE3 subset (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ApoE polymorphism appears to be associated with variance of the lipoprotein phenotype in Chinese families with FCHL.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Institute and Fu Wai Heart Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. pei_wei-dong@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Yan-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yu-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Yan-Fen
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chao-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ru-Tai
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Yu-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yue-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006950:Hyperlipidemia, Familial Combined / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008074:Lipoproteins