[The relation between polymorphisms of apolipoprotein B gene and atherosclerotic cerebral infarction]

To explore the association of variance at XbaI site of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) gene and atherosclerotic cerebral infarction (ACI) in Chinese Han population.

Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, we studied the restrict fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at XbaI site of ApoB gene in 150 patients with ACI and 301 healthy age, sex-matched individuals from a population of Chinese Han nationality in Beijing.

In both ACI group and control group, X-X- genotype was the most frequent one (frequency: 0.907, 0.948) and we did not find X+X+ genotype. The distribution of genotypes in the two groups was at the Hardy-Weiberg equilibriums. The frequency of rare allele X+ was significantly lower in Chinese Han than that reported in Caucasians (0.027 vs 0.418, 0.454, 0.479, P < 0.01). The higher frequency of rare allele X+ was found in the ACI group as compared with the control group (0.053 vs 0.027, P < 0.05). markedly increased levels of TC (5.3 +/- 1.3), (4.9 +/- 1.3) mmol/L (P < 0.05), and low levels of Apo-AI, Apo-AI/ApoB in the ACI group were observed (1.02 +/- 0.34), (1.26 +/- 0.40) g/L, (P < 0.01); X+X- genotype was associated with higher levels of ApoB compared with the levels of X-X- genotype in the ACI group (0.89 +/- 0.29) g/L, (0.78 +/- 0.17) g/L (P < 0.05).

X+ allele of ApoB gene may be associated with ACI to some extent in the Chinese population, and presumbly through its effect on ApoB metabolism it increases the susceptibility to ACI.