The correlation between apolipoprotein E gene polymorphismand the lipid-lowering effects of two statins

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genepolymorphism and the lipid-lowering effects of the statins rosuvastatin and atorvastatin to provide alaboratory basis for rational clinical drug use.METHODS: A total of 146 patients using rosuvastatin calcium tablets (68 females and 78 males,with a mean age of 61.63 ± 7.32 years) and 114 patients using atorvastatin calcium tablets (51 femalesand 63 males, with a mean age of 64.15 ± 7.93 years) were selected for this study. A real-time fluorescentpolymerase chain reaction was performed to detect ApoE genotypes in patients. In addition, the directclearance method detected total serum cholesterol (TC) by enzyme colorimetry and serum low-densitylipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).RESULTS: After treatment with Rosuvastatin as lipid-lowering therapy, there was no significantdifference (P > 0.05) in serum TC and LDL-C levels between patients with E2/E3 and E3/E3 genotypes,but levels were significantly lower (P<0.05) in those patients than in those with the E3/E4 genotype. Forthe patients treated with atorvastatin as lipid-lowering therapy, there were significant differences (P< 0.05)in serum TC and LDL-C levels among the three genotypes, with levels lowest in patients with the E2/E3genotype. For patients with the E2/E3 genotype, there were significant differences (P< 0.05) in serum TCand LDL-C levels between the rosuvastatin and atorvastatin groups. There was no significant difference (P> 0.05) in serum TC and LDL-C levels between the rosuvastatin and atorvastatin groups for patients withE3/E3 and E3/E4 genotypes.CONCLUSION: The ApoE gene may be polymorphic, and this gene polymorphism is correlated withthe lipid-lowering effects of statins. Rosuvastatin and atorvastatin have better lipid-lowering effects in E2/E3 patients and E3/E3 patients than in E3/E4 patients.