Possible association between genetic variability at the apolipoprotein(a) locus and Alzheimer's disease in apolipoprotein E2 carriers

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2002-10, Vol.331 (1), p.60-62
• Main Authors: Compton, Danielle, Wavrant DeVriéze, Fabienne, Petersen, Ronald C, Tangalos, Eric, Li, Ling, Hardy, John
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - genetics; Alzheimer's disease; Apolipoprotein E2; Apolipoprotein(a); Apolipoprotein(a) locus; Apolipoproteins - genetics; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Apoprotein(a); Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Genetic Variation; Genotype; Humans; Kringles - genetics; Lipoprotein(a); Lipoprotein(a) - genetics; Medical sciences; Neurology; Point Mutation; Polymorphisms
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00703-6

Apolipoprotein(a) (Apo(a)) is a glycoprotein that is linked by a disulfide bond to apolipoprotein B on low density lipoprotein particles to form lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)). High plasma levels of Lp(a) are thought to contribute directly to the development of atherosclerosis. We tested a variant (T3888P) located in the Kringle-IV region of Apo(a) in a case-control series. Overall, there were no differences between case and controls. However, in the apoE2 positive subgroup, we noticed that the mutant allele is over-represented in the cases ( P=0.005). We suggest that this polymorphism and others at the Apo(a) locus be further studied in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.