Aging and genetic variation of plasma apolipoproteins. Relative loss of the apolipoprotein E4 phenotype in centenarians

• Published in: Arteriosclerosis and thrombosis Vol. 14; no. 7; p. 1084
• Main Authors: Louhija, J, Miettinen, H E, Kontula, K, Tikkanen, M J, Miettinen, T A, Tilvis, R S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - blood; Aging - genetics; Alleles; Apolipoprotein E4; Apolipoproteins - analysis; Apolipoproteins E - analysis; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Child; Child, Preschool; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Female; Genetic Variation; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phenotype; Polymorphism, Genetic; Triglycerides - blood
• ISSN: 1049-8834
• DOI: 10.1161/01.atv.14.7.1084

We determined the common polymorphism of apolipoprotein E (E2, E3, and E4), apolipoprotein B Xba I polymorphism, and apolipoprotein C-III Sst I polymorphism in almost all Finnish centenarians alive in 1991 (n = 179/185). Plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in different apolipoprotein genotypes were also measured. In comparison with younger Finnish populations studied previously, the frequency of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 2 allele was almost twice as high (7.0% versus 4.1%; P < .05) and that of the epsilon 4 allele only approximately one third as high (8.4% versus 22.7%; P < .001) in the centenarians. Plasma cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels tended to be lowest in the group with the epsilon 2 allele (4.33 mmol/L and 1.41 mmol/L, respectively), intermediate in those with the epsilon 3 allele (4.57 mmol/L and 1.48 mmol/L, respectively), and highest in those with the epsilon 4 allele (4.82 mmol/L and 1.60 mmol/L, respectively). The frequencies of the apolipoprotein B X1 and X2 alleles (Xba I restriction site absent or present, respectively) among the centenarians and among the young Finns were not significantly different, whereas the apolipoprotein C-III S2 allele (Sst I restriction site present) occurred more often in the centenarians (frequency, 12.9%) than in the youngest reference population (frequency, 8.8%; P < .05). Centenarians with the apolipoprotein B X2X2 genotype and apolipoprotein E4 phenotype had a higher mean plasma cholesterol level than those with the X1X1 genotype and E2 phenotype (5.24 versus 3.43 mmol/L; P < .05).