Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in normal Han Chinese population: frequency and effect on lipid parameters

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotypes were studied in order to determine the prevalence and effect on lipid parameters in normal Han Chinese population. Fragments of ApoE gene forth exon containing codon 112 and 158 polymorphic locus were amplified by PCR, and then digested with Cfo I endonuclease. Genotypes and alleles frequencies of 168 healthy Han Chinese were calculated. The frequency of genotypes ε3/3, ε3/4, and ε2/3 was found to be 75.00, 10.70, and 11.90%, respectively, and 0.60, 1.20, and 0.60% for ε2/2, ε2/4, and ε4/4. The effects of ApoE genotypes and alleles on lipid parameters were analyzed. The effects of ApoE alleles on TC, LDL-C, ApoB was: along a decreasing gradient ε4 > ε3 > ε2. The effect of ε4 allele was to increase serum levels of TC, LDL-C and ApoB, and ε2 allele had an effect opposite to that of ε4 allele. Results obtained in this study indicate that ApoE polymorphism is an independent genetic factor on individual serum levels of lipids and apolipoproteins.