ASSOCIATION OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E POLYMORPHISM WITH LIPOPROTEIN GLOMERULOPATHY - REPORT OF 2 CASES WITH A NEW GENOTYPE AND COMPARISON OF THE RELATIVE FREQUENCIES OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E ISOFORMS IN LIPOPROTEIN GLOMERULOPATHY AND IN THE GENERAL-POPULATION

Two cases of lipoprotein glomerulopathy with a new apolipoprotein E (A po E) genotype, epsilon 3/epsilon 4, were diagnosed recently. These 2 cases, together with other cases documented in English literature made a total of 6 common isoforms of Apo E encountered in lipoprotein glom erulopathy. Although the calculated allele frequency of epsilon 2 is r elative high in cases with lipoprotein glomerulopathy as compared with that in the general population (39.3 vs, 6.4-11.4%), the gradual emer gence of Apo E isoforms other than E2/E3 in lipoprotein glomerulopathy implicates that the genetic susceptibility of certain Apo E isoforms may not be a crucial factor. An alteration in the local environment of glomerular capillaries may be more important in the pathogenesis of l ipoprotein glomerulopathy.