Association of Apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism with the risk of T2DM and obesity among Egyptian subjects

Background: Numerous reports investigated the involvement of apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphisms with elevated risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. The principal objective of this study is to assess the contribution of APOE polymorphisms (rs429358 and rs7412) with the risk of T2DM and obesity. Subjects and methods: This work was designed involving 400 participants [100 healthy controls, 100 T2DM patients, 100 obese patients, and 100 T2DM + obese patients]. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the APOE polymorphisms was characterized using the PCR-RFLP assay. Results: The common predominant genotype of the study population is the APOE epsilon 3/epsilon 3 [T2DM patients (46%), obese patients (52%), T2DM + obese patients (37%), and healthy controls (58%)]. The frequencies of the APOE epsilon 4/epsilon 4 genotype and the APOE*E4 allele were significantly elevated among T2DM patients (p-value < 0.05). Additionally, the frequencies of the APOE epsilon 2/epsilon 2 genotype and the APOE*epsilon 2 allele were significantly increased among obese patients (p-value < 0.05). Moreover, the frequencies of the APOE epsilon 2/epsilon 2 genotype, APOE*E2 allele, APOE epsilon 4/epsilon 4 genotype, and APOE*epsilon 4 allele were statistically significant among T2DM + obese patients (p-value < 0.05). Conclusions: APOE*E2 and APOE*E4 alleles were considered as independent risk factor among T2DM + obese patients. Furthermore, the APOE*E2 allele was correlated with elevated risk of obesity, while the APOE*E4 allele was correlated with elevated risk of T2DM.