APOLIPOPROTEIN-E GENOTYPES IN OFFSPRING WITH A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FAMILY HISTORY OF PREMATURE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Apolipoprotein E (apo-E) allele and genotype frequencies were evaluate d in offspring with positive (MI-offspring) and negative (control-offs pring) parental history of myocardial infarction (MI). The apo-E allel e frequencies in MI-and control-offspring were as follows: epsilon 2: 9.04 and 2.08% (p < 0.02), epsilon 3: 84.04 and 87.5%, epsilon 4: 6.91 and 10.41%, respectively. The frequencies of the E2-genotypes were si gnificantly lower in offspring of controls (4.2%, 17.0%, respectively, p < 0.03). The epsilon 2-allele is associated with raised plasma trig lyceride concentrations in subjects on a diet high in saturated fat. W e therefore hypothesize that offspring carrying an epsilon 2-allele ar e predisposed to develop disturbance of plasma triglyceride metabolism when exposed to a traditional Slovak high-fat diet and/or weight gain , resulting in altered lipid levels and increased predisposition to at herosclerosis.