Apolipoprotein A2

Abstract: Background. Advancing age, chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, and disorders of lipid metabolism are positively linked to the late-life cognitive impairment. Serum biomarkers may be associated with the cognitive status in older men. Methods. 440 old male subjects with different cognitive functions were recruited to investigate probable serum markers. Pearson Chi-Squared test, univariate analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate biomarkers which may be associated with cognitive status. Results. Levels of fundus atherosclerosis (AS) (P < 0.001), age (P < 0.001), serum biomarkers peroxidase (POD) (P = 0.026) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (P = 0.001), serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < 0.001), apolipoprotein A2 (ApoA2) (P = 0.001), and ApoC2 (P = 0.005) showed significant differences. Compared to group 3, ApoA1 in group 1 (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.01-1.67) and group 2 (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.11-1.94) were higher, while ApoA2 were lower (group 1: OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.18-1.02; group 2: OR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.54) after adjusting for control variables. Conclusion. The results demonstrated that age, AS levels, POD, IL-6, HDL-C, ApoA2, and ApoC2 were significantly related to cognitive status. Moreover, ApoA1 and ApoA2 were independently associated with cognitive impairment and late-life dementia.

Abstract: As part of an ongoing search for diabetes susceptibility loci, we tested linkage with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) for 19 candidate loci or regions chosen for their potential to affect directly or indirectly the action of insulin. Loci were associated with insulin resistance, known effects on lipid metabolism, or effects on glucose metabolism or insulin action. Loci included the insulin-responsive (GLUT4) glucose transporter, hexokinase 2, glucagon, growth hormone, insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, hepatic and muscle forms of pyruvate kinase, hepatic phosphofructokinase, the apolipoprotein B and the apolipoprotein A2 cluster, lipoprotein lipase, hepatic triglyceride lipase, the very-low-density-lipoprotein receptor, and the Pima insulin resistance locus on chromosome 4. For several candidates, no specific informative marker was available; consequently, we tested the surrounding region with highly informative markers. These regions included the diabetes-associated ras -like gene, rad , and the cholesterol ester–transfer gene, both mapped to chromosome 16. Additionally, we tested for linkage with markers at the tumor necrosis factor–α gene and the Friedreich's ataxia region. All regions were tested for linkage with microsatellite polymorphisms in >450 individuals from a minimum of 16 Caucasian families under parametric (LINKAGE 5.1) and nonparametric (affected pedigree member) models. On initial analysis, each region was rejected as a major diabetogenic locus under parametric models (logarithm of odds [LOD] <− 2) and nonparametric analyses, except growth hormone (LOD = 1.42; P < 0.005, nonparametric analysis) and IRS1 ( P < 0.001, nonparametric analysis). Linkage of IRS1 and NIDDM was no longer significant when additional families were tested, and linkage of growth hormone under parametric analysis could likewise be rejected. However, under nonparametric, model-independent analysis, linkage to the growth hormone region remained suggestive. Additionally, possible evidence for linkage ( P < 0.05) was found under nonparametric models for apolipoprotein A2 in an expanded sample of 29 families. We excluded multiple candidates as major diabetogenic loci, including fatty acid binding protein 2, IRS1, the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, and rad . However, the region around the growth hormone locus on chromosome 17 warrants further analysis in other populations.

Abstract: Cardiovascular diseases are known to manifest different clinical symptoms in men and women. Basically this is due to gender-specific genotypes and sexual hormones. We studied gender specificity on the protein expression level in the mouse and human heart, with particular emphasis on the age-dependency of sex-specific protein expression. We first studied the heart proteome in female and male mice at 14 and 100 weeks of age using two-dimensional electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. Protein pattern comparison in young and old mice revealed 7 and 22 protein spots with sex-related expression profiles, respectively. Four proteins co-changed in both age groups. The variant protein spots were identified and revealed 10 distinct proteins and several isoforms thereof: alpha1-antitrypsin (3 isoforms), apolipoprotein A2 (2 isoforms), apolipoprotein A4 (3 isoforms), apolipoprotein E, apolipoprotein J (3 isoforms), carbonic anhydrase 2 (6 isoforms), desmin, nitrilase 1, peroxiredoxin 2 and Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha (2 isoforms). More sex-related proteins were detected in old than in young mice. Through 2DE protein pattern and immunoblot comparisons, six of the variant proteins detected in mice were also observed to change in an age- and sex-dependent manner in the human heart. The age and/or gender-related proteins and species differences in this regard are discussed in terms of cardiovascular disease.