CHANGES IN PHENOTYPES OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E AND APOLIPOPROTEIN(A) IN LIVER-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

The aim of this study has been to confirm that liver is the main site of apolipoprotein (apo) E and apo(a) synthesis, based in the changes o f their phenotypes after transplantation. Apo E phenotypes were studie d in 34 patients and apo(a) phenotypes in 27 of them before and after liver transplant. Thirteen patients changed the apo E phenotype after transplantation. Eight patients with E3/3 phenotype changed to the oth ers with 2 or 4 alleles. Three patients with E4/3 phenotype changed to E3/3, one changed from E3/2 to E3/3 and another one changed from E4/2 to E3/2 phenotype after transplantation, Twenty one of the 27 patient s changed the apo(a) phenotype. Thirteen of them also changed lipoprot ein (Lp)(a) serum concentration at least twofold, showing in 11 an inc rease and in 2 a decrease, in relation with the change to phenotype as sociated with high and low Lp(a) concentration, respectively. Changes in apo E and apo(a) phenotypes in liver transplant recipients studied show that most of these apolipoproteins are synthesized by the liver.