Association between apolipoprotein E polymorphism and lipid metabolism in patients with cerebral infarction

AIM:To study the relationship between ApoE polymorphism and lipid metabolism of patients with cerebral infarction. METHODS:ApoE phenotype was determined in 110 patients with cerebral infarction and 60 normal controls by isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting. The TC, TG and HDL-C levels in serum of these subjects were measured with enzymes methods, ApoA I and ApoB levels with rocket immunoelectrophoresis methods, ApoE and Lp(a) levels with ELISA methods. RESULTS:The differences of the ApoE polymorphism distribution and ApoE allele frequencies (P＜0.05) occurred between two groups. The frequence of ApoE ε4 allele in patients with cerebral infarction was significantly higher than those in the normal controls (P＜0.05). However, ApoE 3/3 phenotypes was significantly lower (P＜0.05). Comparison of values of serum lipid with various ApoE phenotyoe among patients with cerebral infarction revealed that there was correlation between ApoE polymorphism and TC(P＜0.05), TG(P＜0.05), HDL-C(P＜0.05), LDL-C(P＜0.05), ApoA I(P＜0.05), ApoB(P＜0.05), ApoE(P＜0.05)and Lp(a)(P＜0.05). Patients carrying ε4 were associated with increased TC, LDL-C, ApoB and Lp(a), while those with ε2 were assiociated with decreased TC, LDL-C, and ApoB. Patients carrying ε2 were associated with increased TG, HDL-C, ApoAⅠ, and ApoE.CONCLUSIONS:ApoEε4 allele was associated with the development of cerebral infarction. ApoE polyphorphism affects lipid metabolism of cerebral infarction patients.