PHENOTYPING OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-E USING IMMOBILIZED PH GRADIENT GELS FOR ONE-DIMENSIONAL AND 2-DIMENSIONAL SEPARATIONS

Apolipoprotein E (ape E) is a normal component of several classes of plasma lipoproteins. Apo E phenotypes are closely related to total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and apo B concentration. The apo E 2/2 phenotype is related to the type III hyperlipoproteinemia due to the defective binding of apo E-2 to the hepatic receptors. The apo E 4/4 phenotype has been reported to be present in most elderly people suffering from the Alzheimer disease, and is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. Therefore, apo E phenotyping is essential. The method described here uses a precast immobilized pH gradient, avoids time-consuming separation of lipoproteins from plasma, needs no pretreatment with neuraminidase and involves highly sensitive enhanced chemiluminescence for visualization. Therefore it has many advantages over previously published methods.