Association of Apolipoprotein e2 Allele with Insulin Resistance and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among an Admixed Population of Mexico

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the association of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphisms with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among the admixed population of West Mexico. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ApoE genotypes were determined in 168 T2DM patients and 449 non-diabetic control subjects from the general admixed population of West Mexico. The non-diabetic subjects were stratified according to body mass index (BMI) in normal weight (n=186), overweight (n=138), and obesity (n=125). ApoE genotypes were assessed by using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay, insulin resistance (IR) by HOMA-IR, and biochemistry with a dry chemistry assay. RESULTS: The rate of dyslipidemias and IR increased by BMI category among the control subjects. The greater shift in the prevalence of dyslipidemia was observed from normal weight (51.4%) to overweight (76.6%), p<0.01. Normal weight or obese e4 allele carriers had a higher level of total cholesterol and hypercholesterolemia than non-e4 carriers. Among the T2DM patients, the e2 carriers had abnormal HOMA-IR value than the non-e2 carriers (p=0.002). Comparatively, between the T2DM patients vs non-diabetics, the e2e3 genotype or e2 allele conferred a higher risk for T2DM (adjusted OR= 2.36, 95% CI 1.28–4.34, p=0.006 and adjusted OR=2.1, 95% Cl 1.20–3.79, p=0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: The ApoE e2 allele was associated with IR and the risk of T2DM in subjects from the general admixed population of West Mexico.