[Interrelation of genetic dimorphism of ear wax and the level of apolipoproteins with atherogenesis and longevity in the Lithuanian population]

Abstract

Genetic dimorphism of the cerumen was studied in a random sample from the Lithuanian population (N = 253), among the patients with the most atherosclerotic risk, from different age groups (N = 276) and in a cohort of long-living (N = 117). Simultaneously, the levels of apolipoprotein (apo- A-1, B, E) were determined in blood sera of the males-donors, long-living and elderly individuals depending on the phenotypes for ear wax consistency. The prevalence of frequency of the w gene for humid cerumen in children suffering from the insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was found as compared with populational sample--0.8293 and 0.6024, respectively (P < 0.002). On the contrary, essential increase in frequency of the d gene responsible for dry cerumen in long living was found as compared with the control--0.5311 and 0.3976, respectively (P < 0.01). An absence of differences in the concentrations of w and d alleles among the patients with coronary artery atherosclerosis and the populational control indicated that the genetic characters under study exerted no marked change in incidence of atherogenesis. However, the ratio apoB/apoA-1 proved higher in the donors with humid ear wax than in those with the dry variant under P < 0.06, which can stimulate this disease. The results of this study support the statement that low level of apoB and especially apoB/apoA-1 may be one of the longevity markers.