Association between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Southern China: A case‐control study

• Published in: Journal of clinical laboratory analysis Vol. 35; no. 12; pp. e24061 - n/a
• Main Authors: Liu, Sudong, Weng, Ruiqiang, Gu, Xiaodong, Li, Lihai, Zhong, Zhixiong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.12.2021; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Alcoholism; Alleles; Apolipoprotein E; apolipoprotein E (ApoE); Apolipoproteins; Apolipoproteins E - blood; Apolipoproteins E - genetics; Asians; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Diabetes; E protein; Fatty liver; Female; Gene Frequency; Gene polymorphism; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype & phenotype; Health risk assessment; High density lipoprotein; Hospitals; Humans; Laboratories; Lipids; Lipids - blood; Lipids - genetics; Lipoproteins; Liver cancer; Liver diseases; Logistic Models; Male; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - blood; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - genetics; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); Patients; Phosphatase; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Genetic; Risk factors; Southern China; China; gene polymorphism; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); Southern China; apolipoprotein E (ApoE)
• ISSN: 0887-8013; 1098-2825; 1098-2825
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.24061

Background Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the conclusions of studies are inconsistent in different regions. The present study aims to investigate the role of ApoE genotypes on NAFLD in southern China. Methods A total of 1064 subjects including 372 NAFLD patients and 692 controls who attended Meizhou People's Hospital located in southern China from March 1, 2016 to April 30, 2020 were enrolled in this study. The ApoE genotypes were detected and the laboratory parameters were examined. Results Significant differences were observed between NAFLD patients and controls in the prevalence of ε3/ε3 (p < 0.001) and ε3/ε4 (p = 0.004). NAFLD patients presented higher frequency of ε4 allele than controls (p = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis suggested that ε3/ε3 was an independent risk factor (OR: 1.435, 95% CI: 1.084–1.891, p = 0.010), while ε3/ε4 was an independent protective factor (OR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.404–0.828, p = 0.003) for development of NAFLD. In addition, allele ε4 showed a protective effect on NAFLD with an adjusted OR of 0.588 (95% CI: 0.420–0.824, p = 0.002). Conclusion Our results suggested that ApoE genotype was associated with the development of NAFLD in the population of southern China. Individuals carrying ε3/ε3 were at higher risk of NAFLD, while those carrying ε3/ε4 were at lower risk of NAFLD. The study was aim to reveal the relationship between Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Southern China. The result showed that a significant differences were observed between NAFLD patients and controls in the prevalence of ε3/ε3 (P < 0.001) and ε3/ε4 (P = 0.004). NAFLD patients presented higher frequency of ε4 allele than controls (P = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis suggested Individuals carrying ε3/ε3 were at higher risk of NAFLD, while those carrying ε3/ε4 were at lower risk of NAFLD.