Decreased frequency of apolipoprotein E ε4 allele from Northern to Southern Europe in Alzheimer's disease patients and centenarians

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism was studied in 79 sporadic late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) patients, 125 un related caregivers or volunteers (19-80 years), and 67 centenarians from Apulia, Southern Italy. The frequency of apoE epsilon 2 allele was higher in centenarians than in LOAD patients, while epsilon 4 was lower. In middle-aged adults, the epsilon 4 allele frequency was higher than in centenarians. The epsilon 4 allele frequency was lower in healthy adults than in LOAD patients, while epsilon 2 was higher. Compared with the allele frequencies of Northern and Central European countries, a geographic trend for epsilon 3 and epsilon 4 alleles in LOAD and middle-aged adults was observed. The frequency of epsilon 3 increased from Northern to Southern Europe, while epsilon 4 decreased significantly. in centenarians, epsilon 2 showed a North-South increasing pattern, while epsilon 4 was in opposite trend. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.