INCREASED FREQUENCY OF APOLIPOPROTEIN EPSILON-2 ALLELE IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETIC (NIDDM) PATIENTS WITH NEPHROPATHY

The genetic polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (epsilon 2, epsilon 3 and epsilon 4) is associated with lipid abnormalities. It has been sugges ted that lipid abnormalities may contribute to the development and pro gression of kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy. Thus, in this study we compared the apo E allele frequencies among 146 non-insu lin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients with nephropathy, 135 NIDDM pa tients without nephropathy and 576 of the general Japanese population. The epsilon 2 allele frequency was significantly higher in diabetic p atients with nephropathy (7.2%) and with renal failure (9.7%) than in diabetic patients without nephropathy (2.6%) and in the general Japane se population (3.7%). It is concluded that there is a possibility that the epsilon 2 allele is associated with nephropathy in NIDDM.