Apolipoprotein E Polymorphism And Carotid Atherosclerosis

Objective To clarify the association between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and carotid atherosclerosis, and explore the genetic mark of the susceptibility of carotid atherosclerosis.Methods The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP) was used to analyze the gene polymorphism of ApoE in 25 high carotid artery IMT patients, 25 carotid artery sclerostenosis patients and 25 healthy age-matched controls.Results Compared with the control group, an increased frequency of ApoE e4 allele (P<0.01) and decreased ApoE e3 allele frequency (P<0.05) were found in both carotid artery sclerostenosis group and high carotid artery IMT group, and there was no difference in allele distribution between the two groups. There was a significant increase in e3/e4 and e4/e4 allele frequency, and e4 allele was in particular. In each of the above-mentioned groups, three ApoE genotype groups were defined:: ApoE2(ε 2/2+ ε 2/3) , ApoE3 (ε 3/3) , ApoE4 (ε 3/4+ ε 4/4) .The results showed that there was significant difference in the sickness of carotid IMT among different genotypes, a significant increase in both high carotid artery IMT and carotid plaque rate was found ine3/4+e4/4 group. The research also revealed that the degree of sclerostenosis was different among the groups, an increased sclerostenosis was found ine3/4+e4/4 group. Conclusions ApoE polymophysims maybe associated with carotid atherosclerosis . ApoEe4 allele could probably be a risk factor for the carotid atherosclerosis.