Yonsei Med J.  2011 May;52(3):429-434. 10.3349/ymj.2011.52.3.429.

ApoE Polymorphism May Determine Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Level in Association with Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Korean Women

• Lee DJ
• Kim KM
• Kim BT
• Kim KN
• Joo NS

• KMID: 1777014
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2011.52.3.429

Abstract

PURPOSE
We investigated how serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level is related to various isoforms of apolipoprotein (ApoE) polymorphism in association with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We gathered total 332 sample of postmenopausal Korean women and analyzed ApoE isoforms, serum lipid level including LDL, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and anthropometry. The relationship between ApoE isoforms and serum lipid level, metabolic syndrome, and obesity was investigated.
RESULTS
Six ApoE isoforms were found, ApoE2 [E2/2 (n=1), E2/3 (n=54), E2/4 (n=14)], ApoE3 (E3/3, n=200), ApoE4 [E3/4 (n=55), and E4/4 (n=8)]. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and obesity showed higher ApoE3 isoform than that of other isoforms. In additon, ApoE3 isoform was related to higher serum LDL and total cholesterol level than to ApoE2 isoform. The odds ratio of having the highest LDL cholesterol quartile in ApoE3 with obesity, compared to ApoE2 without obesity, was 3.46 [95% confidence interval (CI); 1.07-11.14, p=0.037], and odds ratio of ApoE3 with metabolic syndrome compared to ApoE2 without metabolic syndrome was 5.06 (95% CI; 1.14-22.29, p=0.037). Serum LDL cholesterol was positively associated with obesity or metabolic syndrome in ApoE3 isoform.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that obesity or metabolic syndrome risk should be effectively managed in ApoE3 isomform groups to reduce serum LDL in postmenopausal Korean women.

Keyword

ApoE polymorphism; LDL; obesity; metabolic syndrome

MeSH Terms

Aged
Apolipoproteins E/*genetics
Cholesterol, LDL/*blood
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Obesity/*blood
*Polymorphism, Genetic
Postmenopause/*blood
Republic of Korea
Syndrome

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and obesity according to the ApoE isoforms. This figure represents the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and obesity according to the ApoE isoforms. ApoE3/3 isoform showed higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and obesity than other ApoE isoforms (p<0.05). MS, metabolic syndrome; OB, obesity.

• 

  Fig. 2 The relationship between ApoE isoforms, LDL-cholesterol, and Total cholesterol level. This figure represents LDL-cholesterol (above) and Total cholesterol level according to the ApoE isoforms. E2 type has low LDL-cholesterol and total cholesterol level compared to the E3 type. E2; including E2/E2, E2/E3, E2/E4, E3; including E3/E3.

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