APOE genotypes in Lebanon: distribution and association with hypercholesterolemia and Alzheimer's disease.

Aim: We first investigated the distribution of APOE genotypes in Lebanese general population and Alzheimer's disease study (ADS) groups, and compared it with 1000 genomes populations. Then, we assessed eventual association between APOE genotypes, hypercholesterolemia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 591 individuals. Clinical and biological data were collected, DNA was extracted and genotyped using Kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP™) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphis (PCR-RFLP). Results: Prevalence of APOE genotypes in Lebanon was similar to that seen in Asian populations. APOE genotypes were not associated with hypercholesterolemia. A significant difference between APOE genotypes in AD cases versus controls and versus Lebanese general population was seen. Moreover, E4 allele was approximately threefold higher in Alzheimer's disease study patients when compared with the remaining individuals.

Conclusion: We established the distribution of APOE genotypes in the Lebanon and showed that in contrast to lipid profile, E4 correlates with AD.