Genetic Polymorphisms of Apolipoprotein E in Korean Schizophrenic Patients

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Although polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E have been investigated in many neuropsychiatric disorders, results were controversial and even contradictory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genotypes of apolipoprotein E in schizophrenia and healthy controls, and to compare them in two groups in terms of distribution of apolipoprotein E genotype and allele. METHOD: Using polymerase chain reaction and amplified refractory mutation system, apolipoprotein E genotypes were identified in 77 schizophrenics and 115 healthy control persons. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1) When genotypes of apolipoprotein E were classified into epsilon2/2, epsilon2/3, epsilon2/4, epsilon3/3, epsilon3/4, epsilon4/4 according to phenotypes, there were no statistical differences in genotypes between two groups 2) In terms of allele frequency, there were also no statistical differences between two groups CONCLUSION: These results suggest that genotypes and alleles of apolipoprotein E seem to be unrelated to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.