APOE gene polymorphism analysis in Barranquilla, Colombia.
BACKGROUND
The genetic variability present in the APOE gene polymorphism is considered an important factor associated with predisposition to diseases affecting lipid metabolism, as well as heart diseases and Alzheimer's disease, among others. Understanding it as a risk factor in different populations and ethnic groups is a useful tool.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the APOE gene polymorphism and determine allelic and genotypic frequencies of a representative sample of population from Barranquilla, Colombia.


METHODS
We performed a descriptive and comparative study. The sample size was 227 unrelated individuals from Barranquilla, Colombia.


RESULTS
The most frequent allele was the ε3, with 85%, followed by the ε4 allele (13%) and ε2 (1.8%). The genotypes found were: ε3/ε3: 71.8%, ε3/ε4: 24.2%, ε2/ε3: 2.2%, ε2/ε4: 1.3% and ε4/ε4: 0.4%. The ε2/ε2 genotype was not found in this study. The sample exhibited the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of the ε3 allele and the ε3/ε3 genotype was similar to that reported in the literature in countries like Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and in some Colombian Amerindian ethnic groups. The ε2/ε2 genotype was absent. This result is consistent with those found in other population groups worldwide. The frequency of the ε4 allele and the genotypes associated in this population could be related to the presence of diseases such as hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction and Alzheimer.
Grupo de Investigación en Genética y Medicina Molecular, Departamento de Medicina, Universidad del Norte, Barranquilla, Colombia. mruiz033@gmail.com.
Martha
M
Ruiz
Isis
I
Arias
Gloria
G
Rolón
Enio
E
Hernández
Pilar
P
Garavito
Carlos
C
Silvera-Redondo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D003105:Colombia; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D055815:Young Adult
C000612345:ApoE protein, human; D001057:Apolipoproteins E
Apolipoproteins E; Colombia; alleles; genetic; polymorphism; population