Apolipoprotein E polymorphism influences lipid phenotypes in Chinese families with familial combined hyperlipidemia.
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.
Pei
Wei-Dong
WD
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
Zhang
Yan-Hong
YH
Sun
Yu-Hua
YH
Gu
Yu-Chun
YC
Wang
Yan-Fen
YF
Zhang
Chao-Yang
CY
Zhang
Jian
J
Liu
Li-Sheng
LS
Hui
Ru-Tai
RT
Liu
Yu-Qing
YQ
Yang
Yue-Jin
YJ
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
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008074:Lipoproteins