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Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in patients with neuropsychiatric SLE

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate a relationship between neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE), characterized by many different neurological and psychiatric disorders, and the polymorphism of apoE as a neurobiologically important molecule conferring increased risk and a worse prognosis of a variety of CNS diseases. One hundred and forty-six SLE patients and 93 healthy controls were studied. Out of the SLE cohort, 48 patients (32.8%) were diagnosed with NPSLE and further classified according to criteria of onset, extent, relapsing tendency and type of neuropsychiatric impairment. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism was determined by PCR-RFLP and confirmed by isoelectrofocusing. The frequency of the ε4 allele was significantly higher in the NPSLE group than in the non-NPSLE group (17.7% vs. 3.1%, χ2=19.05, p<0.0001). Distribution of apoE genotypes was significantly different between NPSLE and non-NPSLE groups (χ2=80.95, p<0.0001). Both ε4 allele frequency (17.7% vs 8.6%, χ2=5.082, p<0.024) and genotype distribution (χ2=7.202, p<0.027) were significantly different between NPSLE group and the controls. The allele ε4 was also associated with earlier disease onset (Fisher’s test, p<0.036) and peripheral nervous system involvement (χ2=8.242, p<0.0041), but not with relapse frequency (p<0.37) or major/minor subtype of the disease (p<0.90). The ε4 allele carriers did not develop significantly more neuropsychiatric syndromes than non- carriers (1.75±0.23 sy (mean ± SD) in ε4 vs 1.85±0.19 sy (mean ± SD) in non-ε4 carriers, Mann–Whitney test, p<0.78). In conclusion, the data suggest an association between apoE polymorphism and NPSLE.

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Abbreviations

apoE:

Apolipoprotein E

NPSLE:

Neuropsychiatric SLE

SLE:

Systemic lupus erythematosus

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Acknowledgements

This study was partially supported by grant No. 2000 – UK/135/2000 from the Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia, and Martin Faculty Hospital grant No. MFN-2/1999.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Clinic II, Martin Faculty Hospital, Jessenius Medical Faculty, Kollárova 2, 036 59, Martin, Slovakia

    Rudolf Pullmann Jr.

  2. Institute of Clinical Biochemistry, Martin Faculty Hospital, Jessenius Medical Faculty, Kollárova 2, 036 59, Martin, Slovakia

    Mária Škereňová, Jana Hybenová & Rudolf Pullmann

  3. Research Institute of Rheumatic Diseases, Piešťany, Slovakia

    Jozef Lukáč & Jozef Rovenský

Authors
  1. Rudolf Pullmann Jr.
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  2. Mária Škereňová
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  3. Jana Hybenová
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  4. Jozef Lukáč
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  5. Jozef Rovenský
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  6. Rudolf Pullmann
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Correspondence to Rudolf Pullmann.

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Pullmann, R., Škereňová, M., Hybenová, J. et al. Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in patients with neuropsychiatric SLE. Clin Rheumatol 23, 97–101 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-003-0796-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-003-0796-0

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