出版社:American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
摘要:Plasma lipoprotein [a] (Lp[a]) concentrations are inversely associated with, and largely determined by, apolipoprotein [a] (apo[a]) gene size, a highly polymorphic trait. We studied if, within an individual, the smaller apo[a] isoform always dominated, whether there was interaction between the two alleles, and whether these features differed between Caucasians and African Americans. We determined apo[a] gene sizes, apo[a] protein sizes and relative amounts, and plasma Lp[a] levels in 430 individuals (263 Caucasians and 167 African Americans). Of the 397 heterozygotes with at least one detectable apo[a] isoform (238 Caucasians and 159 African Americans), the larger allele dominated in 28% of Caucasians and 23% of African Americans, while the smaller allele dominated in 56% of Caucasians and 45% of African Americans. In Caucasians, dominance of the smaller allele increased with Lp[a] levels, from 44% at Lp[a] ≤30 nM to 81% at Lp[a] >100 nM ( P —Rubin, J., F. Paultre, C. H. Tuck, S. Holleran, R. G. Reed, T. A. Pearson, C. M. Thomas, R. Ramakrishnan, and L. Berglund. Apolipoprotein [a] genotype influences isoform dominance pattern differently in African Americans and Caucasians. J. Lipid Res. 2002. 43: 234–244.