Studies on the Distribution of Plasma Lipid Profiles and Body Fatness According to Apo E Polymorphism in Normolipidemic Korean Women

Apo E polymorphism(e2, e3, e4) was among the first reported genetic polymorphism that explained part of the normal vairation in plasma cholesterol concentrations. Both alleles E2 and E4 are significantly more frequent in patients with mixed forms of hyperlipidemia and contribute on the observed differences in CHD risk among different populations. Effects of apo E polymorphism on the distribution of plasma lipid profiles were studied in 89 normolipidemic healthy females, aged 19 up to 22 years. The relative frequencies of E3/3 was 0.787, E3/2 was 0.101, E3/4 allele was 0.112 and no E2/2, E2/4 and E4/4 were found. Weight, height and %LBM were elevated in E2 than those in E3&E4. No differences in the blood pressure among apo E isomers were found, otherwise the pulsation was higher in E4 than that in the others. There were no differences in plasma total-, total DL-, HDL$_3$-, HDL$_2$ cholesterol, apo B-100 and apo A-I, However, phenotype means rank E3/2>E3/3>E3/4 in average TG levels(p<0.0001) significantly, and rank E3/4>E3/3>E3/2 in LDL cholesterol levels. These results were related to the correlation between atherogenic indiced (AI) such as LDL/HDL, (TC-HDL)/HDL, HDL$_3$/HDL$_2$. The ratio of HDL$_3$& HDL$_2$was significantly increased in E2 & E4 than that in E3(P=0.043). LCAT activity was not different between E2 and E3 but was highly increased in E4 (p<0.0001 among apo E isomers), but CETP was not different. Since the negative correlation between LCAT and CETP in apo E2(r=-0.491) was stronger than that in apo E3, E2 allele impacts the clearance of plasma apo E mediated lipoproteins. In conclusion firstly, E4 mediated alteration through LDL or E receptors results in lower TG or higher $\beta$-lipoprotein levels and E2 shows reciprocal effects of E4, respectively. Second, E4 allele was more atherogenic than E2 allele because the higher levels of AI such as HDL$_3$/HDL$_2$ were criticized.