Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
1) Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow; 2) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of biology, Department of anthropology, Leninskie Gory, 1, p.12, Moscow, 119991, Russia; 3) N.I. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Borovkova N.P., e-mail: borovkova.nadya@gmail.com; Sheremetyeva V.A., e-mail: sheremetyeva_v@mail.ru; Evsyukov A.N., e-mail: evsyukov@mail.ru; Spitsyn Viktor A.
Apolipoprotein E (APOE = gene, apoE = protein) shows a genetic polymorphism determined by three common alleles: APOE*2, APOE*3, APOE*4. World distribution of APOE varies in wide ranges: 0–37% for АРОЕ*2, 36-98% for АРОЕ*3, 0–49% for АРОЕ*4. We completed a meta-analysis of APOE allele frequencies from 372 geographically defined populations. The aim of this analysis was to investigate anthropological and ecological characteristics of APOE frequency distribution. We estimated the hypothesis of АРОЕ*4 adaptive value in dark-skinned ethnic groups and northern populations with decreased solar radiation, which have insufficient endogenous production of vitamin D. We found a clear north to south decline in *4 allele frequency for Eurasia and increased level of this allele in dark-skinned ethnic groups. This confirms the viewpoint of evolutionary advantage of APOE*4 carriers in populations, where dietary supplementation of vitamin D plays an important role.
apolipoprotein E, polymorphism, world distribution of APOE, adaptive value of APOE*4
Цит.: Borovkova N.P., Sheremetyeva V.A., Evsyukov A.N., Spitsyn V.A. Frequency distribution of apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles in world population // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2010; 2/2010; с. 21-35
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