apolipoprotein e gene polymorphism in iranian coronary atherosclerosis patients candidate for coronary artery bypass graft

objective(s): apolipoprotein e genotype (apoe) polymorphism affects lipid levels and coronary artery disease (cad) risk. the aim of this study was to study the association of the apolipoprotein e genotypes with coronary artery disease in the iranian population.   materials and methods: the apolipoprotein e genotype in dna samples extracted from 66 cad+ patients and 61 control subjects by restricting enzyme digestion of amplified exon 4 apoe gene was determined. results : the ε3 allele was found at similar frequency in control subjects (88.5%) and atherosclerosis patients (83.3%) (p=0.314). our results showed that the frequency of the ɛ3/ɛ3 and ε3/ε4 genotypes increased in three-vessel-disease patients and the frequency of ɛ2/ɛ2 genotype increased in one-vessel-disease patients. conclusion : ɛ3/ɛ3 and ɛ3/ɛ4 genotypes are suggested to be predisposing factors, which, in combination with environmental factors, may trigger the degree of luminal narrowing. the possible mechanisms remain elusive and require further studies.