Lack of genetic association between cholesteryl ester transfer protein and Japanese sporadic Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: Psychogeriatrics 2006-12, Vol.6 (4), p.150-153
• Main Authors: KITAJIMA, Akiyoshi, SHIBATA, Nobuto, OHNUMA, Tohru, HIGASHI, Shinji, OHKUBO, Taku, USUI, Chie, WATANABE, Tomoko, KAWASHIMA, Ritsuko, OHTSUKA, Mieko, UEKI, Akira, NAGAO, Masatsugu, ARAI, Heii
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; CETP; cholesterol; SNP
• ISSN: 1346-3500; 1479-8301
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1479-8301.2006.00161.x

Background:  Cholesteryl ester transfer protein regulates the plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol level, which is considered to play an antiatherogenic role in humans. The presence of apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele is a strong risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since apolipoprotein E is a regulator of lipid metabolism, it is reasonable to assume that lipids play important roles in the pathogenesis of AD. Methods:  We studied the relationship between polymorphisms of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene and risk for AD, analyzing two common polymorphisms of the gene and the relationship between them and plasma cholesterol level control samples. Results:  These polymorphisms showed no association with risk for AD. In rs5882, there was no significant difference in the mean plasma cholesterol concentrations found between patients with the A/A, A/G and G/G genotype. For rs2303790, no significant difference in the mean baseline cholesterol concentrations was found between patients with the A/A genotype and carriers of the G allele. Conclusion:  Our study indicates that these polymorphisms, rs5882 and rs2303790 were not associated with risk for AD. We also pointed out that these two polymorphisms do not affect plasma cholesterol levels in our Japanese AD samples.