title: [Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in first-degree relatives of patients with familial or sporadic Alzheimer's disease].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Apolipoprotein E (apo E) has been recognized as a risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze apo E polymorphism in first-degree relatives of patients with familial or sporadic late-onset AD comparing with families without AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with familial or sporadic late-onset of AD, being both groups classified as probable, according of NINCS-ADRDAs criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allele epsilon3 was the most frequent in all of these groups. Higher frequency of epsilon4 when comparing the relatives of the probands with the relatives of the control group (p<0,0001) was observed. Allele epsilon2 showed significant difference only between relatives of familial AD and relatives of control group (p=0,026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Apo E polymorphism has not differentiated familial from sporadic AD. The study of families allows to amplify the alelles epsilon2 and epsilon4 representative, revealing, their value as protecting factor and of risk for AD, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina I, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto SP, Brazil. jccacao@terra.com.br
authors.forename: João de Castilho
authors.initials: Jde C
authors.lastname: Cação
authors.forename: Dorotéia Rossi Silva
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Waldir Antonio
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Tognola
authors.forename: Maria Regina Pereira de
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.forename: Marcela Augusta de Souza
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pinhel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000483:Alleles; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E