Apolipoprotein A-I Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Normolipidemic Controls

Abstract

A low level of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) has been reported to be a predictive indicator of coronary heart disease (CHD). Apolipoprotein A-I is a principal protein constituent of HDL and decreased apolipoprotein A-I level is also regarded as a risk factor of CHD. We studied the difference in a Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of apolipoprotein A-I gene with endonuclease Pst I digestion between 30 CHD-patients and 24 normolipidemic control groups. Using 2.2kb fragment of human apolipoprotein A-I gene as a probe, 2.2kb and 3.3kb bands were detected. There was no significant difference in the frequency of 3.3kb band between patients with CHD and controls, 0.100 and 0.063, respectively. In this study the polymorphism of apolipoprotein A-I gene is different from those reported by Ordovas. Such difference would be expected to show racial and regional influences. In Japanese population there was no significant association between this RFLP and CHD. The 24 patients with CHD were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence 3.3kb band and patients with 3.3kb band have been proved to have higher triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol levels.