P3.27 ASSOCIATION STUDY OF APOE POLYMORPHISMS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION IN BULGARIAN PATIENTS

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism influences lipid metabolism, but its association with essential hypertension (EH) is controversial. The objective of this study was to examine the association between ApoE polymorphisms and EH in Bulgarian population. We carried out a case-control association study involving 490 healthy Bulgarian individuals and 211 Bulgarian patients with EH (average of three measurements ≥140 mmHg in systolic and/or ≥90 mmHg in diastolic blood pressure). Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood using Chemagic Magnetic Separation Module I according to manufacturer’s protocol. DNA samples were then amplified by real time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), followed by High Resolution Melting Analysis (HRMA) on RotorGene 6000. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectation was tested by using a chi-square (χ2) goodness-of-fit test. Non-adjusted analysis of the association between ApoE genotypes and alleles with essential hypertension was based on Fisher Exact Probability Test by using the Vassarstat calculator. As found in most European populations, the ɛ3ɛ3 genotype was the most common (72.04%), followed by ɛ3ɛ4 (14.69%), ɛ2ɛ3 (9.80%), ɛ2ɛ4 (2.24%), ɛ2ɛ2 (0.82%), and ɛ4ɛ4 (0.41%) in control group. The genotype frequencies in hypertensive patients were: ɛ3ɛ3 (72.99%), ɛ3ɛ4 (16.11%), ɛ2ɛ3 (7.11%), ɛ2ɛ4 (2.37%), ɛ4ɛ4 (1.42%), ɛ2ɛ2 (0.00%). Allele frequencies were within the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations (P > 0.05) in both patients and controls. Neither the ɛ2 nor the ɛ4 carrier status was associated with hypertension (OR = 0.68, 95%CI = 0.41–1.13, p=0.14 and 1.23, 0.84–1.79, p=0.29 respectively). This study provides epidemiologic evidence that the ApoE genotype is not associated with EH in Bulgarian population.