Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Cell-free Biochemical Fluorometric Enzymatic Assay for High-throughput Measurement of Lipid Peroxidation in High Density Lipoprotein
Published on: October 12, 2017
The influence of serum apolipoprotein E concentration and polymorphism on serum lipid parameters in hemodialysis
Evagelos N Liberopoulos1, George A Miltiadous, Marios Cariolou
1Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Background:
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism has been shown to influence serum lipid parameters and ApoE levels in both healthy subjects and hemodialysis (HD) patients. Conversely, ApoE concentration significantly affects serum lipid levels in the general population, independently of ApoE polymorphism, by modulating lipoprotein production, lipolytic conversion, and receptor-mediated clearance. Therefore, studying the effect of ApoE polymorphism on serum lipid levels without taking into account ApoE levels could lead to confounding results. However, such a combined study has not been performed in HD patients to date.
Methods:
Three hundred one patients without diabetes on long-term maintenance HD therapy and 200 matched healthy subjects were studied. Determination of levels of fasting serum ApoE and other lipid parameters, as well as common ApoE genotypes, was performed in all subjects.
Results:
HD patients had a significantly lower prevalence of the epsilon4 allele and greater levels of ApoE compared with the control population. ApoE2 allele carriers had significantly lower levels of ApoB and serum total, low-density lipoprotein, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as increased ApoE levels. When ApoE levels were included in analysis, ApoE levels themselves were proven to be important determinants of serum lipid levels, whereas the effect of ApoE polymorphism became more pronounced. The combination of these 2 factors explains a much greater percentage of the variation in the studied parameters than each factor alone.
Conclusion:
For the first time, our study provides data to support that ApoE concentration in combination with the ApoE polymorphism significantly influences serum lipid parameters in HD patients.
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Patient-Related Factors
Age stands as a key determinant in protein-drug binding. Neonates, characterized by low albumin content, experience heightened concentrations of unbound drugs such as phenytoin and...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Drug-Related Factors
One crucial factor in drug-protein binding is the drug's lipophilicity or its affinity for fat. More lipophilic drugs tend to have higher binding extents. For example, highly lipophilic drugs like cloxacillin exhibit substantial protein binding, with as much as 95% of the drug binding to proteins. In contrast,...
