[Effects of ApoE gene polymorphism on anti-inflammatory action of xuezhikang capsule]

To study the effects of ApoE gene polymorphism on anti-inflammatory action of Xuezhikang Capsule.

One hundred and two patients with hyperlipidemia (as the treated group) and one hundred healthy volunteers (as the control group) were enrolled in the case-control study. Total DNA of the peripheral blood was extracted and ApoE genotypes were determined by PCR sequence analysis. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP)were measured in all subjects. The changes of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and hs-CRP were detected before and after 6-week Xuezhikang Capsule treatment, thus analyzing the correlation between ApoE gene polymorphism and changes of each inflammatory factor.

The frequency of E3/3 genotype was 86% (86/100 cases)in the control group, significantly higher than that of the treated group (62.7%, 64/102 cases). The frequency of E3/4 genotype was 6% (6/100 cases) in the control group, significantly lower than that of the treated group (21.6%, 22/102 cases; both P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and hs-CPR were higher in the treated group before treatment (P < 0.05). In hyperlipidemia patients with E3/4 + E4/4 genotype, the serum level of TNF-alpha was higher than that of E3/3 genotype (P < 0.05); the serum level of IL-6 was higher than that of E2/E2 + E2/E3 genotype (P < 0.05); the serum level of hs-CRP was higher than that of E2/E2 + E2/E3 and E3/E3 genotype (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in the serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, or hs-CPR between E3/3 and E2/E2 + E2/E3 genotype. After 6-week intervention of Xuezhikang Capsule, the serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and hs-CRP were lower in the treated group (P < 0.05), but the serum levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 were still higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). But there was no statistical difference in the decrement of TNF-alpha, IL-6, or hsCRP among E2/E2 + E2/E3, E3/E3, or E3/4 + E4/4 genotypes (P > 0.05).

The distribution of ApoE gene polymorphism is different between the hyperlipidemia patients and the healthy people. Chronic inflammatory reactions exist in hyperlipidemia patients, especially in those with e4 allele. Xuezhikang Capsule showed anti-inflammatory effects, but ApoE gene polymorphism did not affect its effects.