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Apolipoprotein E Effects on Mammalian Ovarian Steroidogenesis and Human Fertility
Reinaldo Barreto Oriá1, Juliana Zani de Almeida1, Carolyne Neves Moreira1
1Laboratory of the Biology of Tissue Healing, Ontogeny and Nutrition, Department of Morphology and Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, 1315 Rua Cel. Nunes de Melo, Fortaleza, CE 60430270, Brazil.
Abstract:
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a glycoprotein consisting of 299 amino acids, highly produced in the mammalian ovaries. The main function of the ApoE is to transport cholesterol from the peripheral tissues to be metabolized in the liver. In humans, the ApoE gene is polymorphic, with three alleles in a single chromosome-19 locus: APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. ApoE has also been implicated in cholesterol transport within ovarian follicles to regulate steroidogenesis. Ovarian thecal and granulosa cell cholesterol uptake requires ApoE either by participating in the lipoprotein-receptor complex or lipid endocytosis. In this review, we summarize ApoE role on mammalian ovarian steroidogenesis and on human fertility and discuss recent findings of ApoE4 as an antagonistic pleiotropy gene under adverse environments.
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