Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and serum concentration in Alzheimer's disease in nine European centres: The ApoEurope study

As part of the ApoEurope Project, apolipoprotein E (apo E) common polymorph ism and serum concentration were determined in 489 Alzheimer's disease pati ents and 429 controls. Patients and controls were recruited through nine ce ntres in eight European countries. Age, sex ratios and education levels of both case and control populations were similar, although discrete differenc es appeared between centres. The prevalence of the epsilon4 allele was high er in Alzheimer's disease than in controls (increased by 140%), while serum apo E concentration was lower by 11.2% (p<0.001). In addition, serum total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were lower in Alzheimer's dise ase (p<0.001), while that of apo Al was not affected. The decrease in serum apo E concentration was not accounted for by the epsilon4 allele, age or g ender, suggesting that apo E concentration might represent an additional ri sk factor for Alzheimer's disease, complementary and independent of the eps ilon4 allele. Further analysis will be aimed at determining whether the qua ntitative link between apo E concentration and Alzheimer's disease occurs t hrough the effect of apo E genotype on lipid parameters or by other mechani sms.