Biochemical Investigation of the Association of Apolipoprotein E Gene Allele Variations with Insulin Resistance and Amyloid-β Aggregation in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

This article investigates the intricate associations between apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene alleles variation, insulin resistance (IR) and amyloid-β aggregation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. A cohort of 250 patients exhibiting the symptoms of CVD and 50 control subjects participated in this study. After applying the stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, the diseased group was further stratified into three categories: CVD+ (Alzheimer's disease) AD, CVD + (diabetes mellitus) DM and CVD + DM + AD. Blood samples were collected from all recruited participants for the biochemical analyses of lipid profile, glycaemic status, liver function enzymes, inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. Tetra amplification-refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was employed for APOE gene analysis. Biochemical evaluations revealed the significant elevations in the serum levels of glucose, liver enzymes, interleukin-6 (IL-6), cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in CVD + DM + AD group. Conversely, the serum levels of insulin, HDL and hexokinase decreased in CVD + DM + AD group compared to the controls and other CVD groups. Tetra ARMS-PCR results indicated a higher percentage of the risk allele in CVD + DM + AD group when compared with the other groups. Our study elucidates the multifaceted cardiovascular risk factors contributing to IR and AD in CVD patients. Age-related risk factors, prevalence of APOE risk alleles and the impact of statin use on AD incidences were identified. These findings underscore the need for tailored preventive measures, particularly in APOEε4 and ε3/ε4 carriers with CVD. Further studies should delve into the knowledge-based protocols to comprehend the underlying mechanisms. Focusing on the therapeutic targets to prevent or delay DM and AD progression in CVDs, especially in APOEε4 carriers, is essential.