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Apolipoprotein E allele frequencies in a South African Indian female population
Author(s) -
Gounden Nirmala,
Naidoo Jenisa,
Pegoraro Rosemary J.,
Berger G. Michael B.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
clinical genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.543
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1399-0004
pISSN - 0009-9163
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-0004.1995.tb04097.x
Subject(s) - confidence interval , allele , apolipoprotein b , genotype , allele frequency , medicine , coronary heart disease , apolipoprotein e , incidence (geometry) , genetics , population , demography , endocrinology , biology , gastroenterology , disease , cholesterol , gene , mathematics , geometry , sociology
Coronary heart disease is common amongst South Africans of Indian (Asian) ancestry. As part of an investigation into risk factors in premenopausal and post‐menopausal Indian nurses, we determined the apolipoprotein E genotype by means of restriction isotyping on 173 healthy nurses between the ages of 25–55 years. The apolipoprotein E allele frequencies on 346 chromosomes were: ε2, 1.2% (95% confidence interval 0.06‐2.66); ε3, 87.6% (95% confidence interval 84.1–91.1 and ε4, 11.3% (95% confidence interval 7.94‐14.60). No ε2/2 homozygotes were encountered. Our results demonstrate an extremely low frequency of the ε2 allele, a low‐normal apo ε4 and a high ε3 allele frequency. It is unlikely that apolipoprotein E polymorphism contributes to the high incidence of coronary heart disease in this population.