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Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in patients with cataract
  1. M Zetterberg1,5,
  2. H Zetterberg2,
  3. M Palmér2,
  4. L Rymo2,
  5. K Blennow2,6,
  6. G Tasa3,
  7. E Juronen3,
  8. S Veromann3,
  9. P Teesalu4,
  10. J-O Karlsson5,
  11. K Höglund6
  1. 1Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Mölndal, Sweden
  2. 2Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
  3. 3Department of Human Biology and Genetics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
  4. 4Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
  5. 5Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical Faculty, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
  6. 6Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
  1. Correspondence to: Dr Madeleine Zetterberg Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Ophthalmology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-431 80 Mölndal, Sweden; madeleine.zetterberganatcell.gu.se

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2003.032698

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    Based on similarities in epidemiology and biochemistry, it has been suggested that cataract and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) share the same aetiological mechanisms. Comorbidity of cataract and AD in trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome) is well known1,2 and both diseases are characterised by aggregated proteins exhibiting excessive glycation and racemisation of aspartyl residues.3 Several AD related proteins—amyloid precursor protein (APP), β amyloid (Aβ), and presenilin (PS)—are expressed in the lens4,5 and Aβ is accumulated in the cytosol of lens fibres in cataractous lenses of people with AD.6

    Human apolipoprotein E (apoE) exists in three major isoforms encoded by distinct alleles (APOE ε2, ε3, and ε4). The different APOE alleles have been studied in relation to several human age related diseases: inheritance of the ε4 allele is a strong risk factor for AD and influences Aβ metabolism.7,8 The purpose of this study was to investigate the APOE ε2/ε3/ε4 polymorphism in patients with cataract.

    After informed consent, patients with senile cataract …

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