Association between Alzheimer's disease and a functional polymorphism in the myeloperoxidase gene

A polymorphism in the Myeloperoxidase gene (MPO) has previously been demons trated to be associated with gender-specific risk in an Alzheimers Disease (AD) autopsy sample. We have investigated this polymorphism in our own samp les of 226 Caucasian cases and 166 controls and 59 Hispanic cases and 75 co ntrols. In Caucasians we find a significant association between MPO genotyp e and AD (P = 0.03), although we do not observe any effects of gender or an y interaction with the APOE gene. Specifically, the MPO GG; genotype contri butes a 1.57-fold increased risk for AD. In Hispanics there was no effect o f MPO genotype, or of MPO genotype in interaction with age or gender, on di agnosis of AD. (C) 2001 Academic Press.