The very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) receptor is a genetic susceptibility factor for Alzheimer disease in a European Caucasian population

The epsilon 4 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) constitutes a major genetic susceptibility factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). Recently, a polymorphic triplet (CGG) in the very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDL-R) gene, coding for a receptor binding only apoE-containing lipoproteins, was associated with AD in a Japanese population but not in Caucasian American populations. We explored this association and the potential interaction with the APOE polymorphism in a Caucasian sample of sporadic AD and control subjects of similar ages of European origin. The allelic distribution of the VLDL-R polymorphism differed significantly between Japanese and Caucasian populations (p < 0.0001). However. in our population, the presence of at least one VLDL-R 5 repeat allele increased significantly (p < 0.0003) the probability to develop AB after 65 years of age in APOE epsilon 4 allele bearers.