Increased frequency of the apolipoprotein E2 allele in maintenance haemodialysis patients in Taiwan

Apolipoprotein E (apo E) regulates the metabolism of lipoproteins. Three different apo E alleles (epsilon2, epsilon3 and epsilon4) produce the apo E isoproteins, apo E2, apo E3 and apo E4. Previous studies had revealed that lipid abnormalities might contribute to the development and progression of kidney diseases. Thus, the apo E gene polymorphism may be associated with end-stage renal disease. To investigate the distribution of apo E genotype in patients under haemodialysis in Taiwan, we examined 205 dialysis patients and 103 age-matched normal controls. The apo E gene polymorphism was analysed by the use of polymerase chain reaction. Our study revealed that the frequency of apo E2 allele was significantly higher in dialysis patients (8.0%) than in normal controls (1.9%; P < 0.01). The E3 and E4 allele frequencies were not significantly different between the groups. Our findings indicate that apo E polymorphism was apparently associated with the development of end-stage renal disease in Taiwan.