Effects of apolipoprotein E genotypes on metabolic profile and oxidative stress in southwest Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Apolipoprotein (APO) E genetic polymorphism plays an important role in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and has been shown to be associated with the risk of metabolic and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and late-onset Alzheimer's disease. It is not clear, however, whether there are any relationships between the APOE genotypes and PCOS in Chinese women. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between APOE genotypes and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to evaluate the effects of the genotypes on metabolic profile and oxidative stress in south-west Chinese women.

STUDY DESIGN: A total of 625 patients with PCOS based on the Rotterdam consensus criteria and 514 control women from a population of Chinese Han nationality in the Chengdu area were studied during 2006-2012. APOE genotypes were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Clinical and metabolic parameters, serum malondialdehyde concentration, and total antioxidant capacity were analyzed.

RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the frequencies of APOE genotypes (E2/2, E2/3, E2/4, E3/3, E3/4, E4/4) and alleles (ε2, ε3, ε4) between PCOS and control groups. Compared with ε3 homozygotes (APOE3/3), however, ε2 carriers (APOE2/2+APOE2/3+APOE2/4) had significantly higher body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio, a more adverse glucose and insulin metabolic profile, lower high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (C) and APOA1 levels, higher triglyceride (TG)/HDL-C ratio and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), whereas ε4 carriers (APOE3/4+APOE4/4) had higher total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein (LDL)-C levels in patients with PCOS.

CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of south-west Chinese women, there were no significant associations between any APOE genotype and PCOS. The APOE ε2 allele seems to be related to abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and MS in PCOS women.