Differential reproductive efficiency associated with common apolipoprotein E alleles in postreproductive-aged subjects
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Objective To investigate the possible impact of apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism on reproductive efficiency. Design Population study. Setting University Departments and a Laboratory of National Research Council. Patient(s) One hundred sixty healthy unrelated subjects of postreproductive age. Intervention(s) Peripheral blood collection and questionnaire administration. Main outcome measure(s) Apolipoprotein E genotypes were detected after PCR amplification and CfoI digestion; plasma total cholesterol was assayed. Result(s) The mean number of children of e*2 allele carriers (2.4) was lower than that of e*3/e*3 and e*4/e*3 subjects (3.9). The trend was similar (2.8 vs. 4.8) when the number of pregnancies was considered. Moreover, there was a clear inverse relationship between number of children and e*2-carrying genotype proportions (chi(2) for trend = 6.3). Conversely, the e*3/e*3 genotype was associated with the highest number of children and pregnancies (3.9 and 4.9, respectively), and the e*4/e*3 genotype, with intermediate values (3.7 and 4.4). Carriers of e*2 allele also showed the lowest levels of total cholesterol. Conclusion(s) The e*2 allele seems to be associated with the lowest reproductive efficiency and the e*3 allele, with the highest. The different total cholesterol levels associated with APOE genotypes could have an effect on steroidogenesis and determine as a consequence the observed differential fertility.
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Genotype-linked variations in total cholesterol may influence steroidogenesis, contributing to fertility differences.
“This finding indicates that such genotype-linked variations in total cholesterol may influence steroidogenesis, which in turn contributes to the observed differences in fertility.16”
From The First Case of Lipoprotein Glomerulopathy in a Patient With Male Infertility (2026) · cites this paper as [16]
Total cholesterol levels vary significantly across different APOE genotypes, with the difference more pronounced in young individuals.
“a study explored the effect of APOE gene polymorphism on reproductive potential and found that the total cholesterol levels varied significantly across different APOE genotypes. The difference was more pronounced in young individuals”
From The First Case of Lipoprotein Glomerulopathy in a Patient With Male Infertility (2026) · cites this paper as [16]
Carriers of the ε2 allele show the lowest levels of total cholesterol.
“Interestingly, carriers of ε2 allele also showed the lowest levels of total cholesterol.”
From The First Case of Lipoprotein Glomerulopathy in a Patient With Male Infertility (2026) · cites this paper as [16]
There is a clear inverse relationship between number of children and ε2-carrying genotype proportions.
“that there was a clear inverse relationship between number of children and ε2-carrying genotype proportions.”
From The First Case of Lipoprotein Glomerulopathy in a Patient With Male Infertility (2026) · cites this paper as [16]
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The First Case of Lipoprotein Glomerulopathy in a Patient With Male Infertility
Ye, C., Wang, Y., Liang, C., Wang, Y., Zhang, C., & Jiang, H. (2026) · Kidney Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.xkme.2026.101308
- Authors
- Corbo, R. M., Scacchi, R., & Cresta, M.
- Affiliations
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Cresta, Massimo
- ORCID
- Corbo, Rosa M.
- Venue
- Fertility and Sterility
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2004-01
- Volume
- 81
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 104-107
- ISSN
- 0015-0282 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2159453720
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 2.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Fertility and Sterility (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Lipoproteins and Cardiovascular Health
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Keywords
- apolipoprotein E, APOE polymorphism, reproductive performance, number of children, number of pregnancies, APOE e2 allele, APOE ε4, total cholesterol, steroidogenesis, fertility
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Apolipoproteins E, Cholesterol, Female, Fertility, Gene Frequency, Genetics, Population, Humans, Italy, Male, Parity, Polymorphism, Genetic, Reproductive History
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