High Frequency of the Apolipoprotein E*4 Allele in African Pygmies and Most of the African Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa

Document Type

Brief Communication

Authors

L. Zekraoui, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, France
J.P. Lagarde, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, France
A. Raisonnier, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, France
N. Gérard, International Institute of Anthropology, France
A. Aouizérate, International Institute of Anthropology, France
G. Lucotte, International Institute of Anthropology, France

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E genotypes (alleles *2, *3, and *4) have been determined in 70 Aka Pygmies and 470 unrelated African sub-Saharan subjects. Allele frequencies for Pygmies are 5.7% for APOE*2, 53.6% for APOE*3, and 40.7% for APOE*4, and the global proportions for sub-Saharan subjects are 11.6% for APOE*2, 70.6% for APOE*3, and 17.8% for APOE*4. The frequencies in some ethnic groups are statistically different from the overall mean in the Afar and the Isa, the Ewe (Togo), the Malinké (Guinea), and the Mossi; three ethnic groups have a higher allele frequency of APOE*4 (Fon, 29.4%; Zairians, 33.3%; Tutsi, 38.5%). The APOE*4 allele is considered the ancestral form because of its high frequency in African Pygmies and other aboriginal population.

Recommended Citation

Zekraoui, L.; Lagarde, J.P.; Raisonnier, A.; Gérard, N.; Aouizérate, A.; and Lucotte, G. (1997) "High Frequency of the Apolipoprotein E*4 Allele in African Pygmies and Most of the African Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa," Human Biology: Vol. 69: Iss. 4, Article 10.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/humbiol/vol69/iss4/10