Wozniak M A, Faragher E B, Todd J A, Koram K A, Riley E M, Itzhaki R F
Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, UMIST, Manchester, UK.
J Med Genet. 2003 May;40(5):348-51. doi: 10.1136/jmg.40.5.348.
Outcome of infection varies greatly among people, and in the case of three very different viruses, it is determined by apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. APOE might affect outcome of malaria infection also, since apoE protein and the protozoon (like the viruses) share cell entry mediators (heparan sulphate proteoglycans and/or specific apoE receptors). APOE polymorphisms give rise to protein variants that differ in binding strength to these mediators; thus, the extent of competition between apoE and protozoon for cell entry, and hence magnitude of protozoan damage, might depend on apoE isoform. Genotypes of infants infected with malaria were examined. It was found that APOE epsilon 2 homozygotes became infected at an earlier age than those carrying the other genotypes, the difference being statistically significant. Parasite densities, all of which were low, did not differ significantly. This effect, although based on small numbers, suggests that APOE epsilon 2 may be a risk factor for early infection.
感染的结果在人群中差异很大，对于三种截然不同的病毒而言，其感染结果由载脂蛋白E（APOE）基因型决定。APOE可能也会影响疟疾感染的结果，因为载脂蛋白E蛋白和疟原虫（与病毒类似）共用细胞进入介质（硫酸乙酰肝素蛋白聚糖和/或特定的载脂蛋白E受体）。APOE基因多态性会产生与这些介质结合强度不同的蛋白质变体；因此，载脂蛋白E和疟原虫在细胞进入方面的竞争程度，进而疟原虫损伤的程度，可能取决于载脂蛋白E异构体。对感染疟疾的婴儿的基因型进行了检测。结果发现，APOE ε2纯合子比携带其他基因型的婴儿更早感染，差异具有统计学意义。所有寄生虫密度都很低，差异不显著。这种效应虽然基于少量样本，但表明APOE ε2可能是早期感染的一个风险因素。
