APOE

Apolipoprotein E is essential for the normal catabolism of triglyceride rich lipoprotein constituents. The apolipoprotein E gene is mapped to chromosome 19 in a cluster with APOC1 and APOC2. Defects in Apolipoprotein E result in familial dysbetalipoproteinemia, or type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP III), in which increased plasma cholesterol and triglycerides are the consequence of impaired clearance of chylomicron and VLDL remnants. Mutations in the APOE gene confer susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease by affecting amyloid-beta deposition.