Apolipoprotein E genotype and hepatitis C, HIV and herpes simplex disease risk: a literature review

Abstract

Apolipoprotein E is a polymorphic and multifunctional protein with numerous roles in lipoprotein metabolism. The three common isoforms apoE2, apoE3 and apoE4 show isoform-specific functional properties including different susceptibilities to diseases. ApoE4 is an accepted risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disorders. Recently, associations between apoE4 and infectious diseases have been demonstrated. This review summarises how apoE4 may be involved in the infection incidence and associated pathologies of specific infectious diseases, namely hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus disease and herpes simplex.ApoE4 seems to be protective against chronic hepatitis C virus infection and retards fibrosis progression. In contrast apoE4 enhances the fusion rate of human immunodeficiency virus with target cell membranes, resulting in accelerated cell entry and faster disease progression. Its association with human immunodeficiency virus-associated dementia remains controversial. Regarding herpes simplex virus infection, apoE4 intensifies virus latency and is associated with increased oxidative damage of the central nervous system, and there is some evidence that herpes simplex virus infection in combination with the apoE4 genotype may be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. In addition to reviewing available data from human trials, evidence derived from a variety of cell culture and animal models are considered in this review in order to provide mechanistic insights into observed association between apoE4 genotype and viral disease infection and pathology.

Ficolin-2 Inhibits Hepatitis C Virus Infection, whereas Apolipoprotein E3 Mediates Viral Immune Escape

“…Our data suggest that ficolin-2 displays a differential EC 50 in the presence and absence of 300 nM ApoE3, and ApoE3 interferes with ficolin-2 independently of is ability to enhance HCV infection…”

ApoE genotype: from geographic distribution to function and responsiveness to dietary factors

“…There is increasing body of evidence that apoE may modulate susceptibility to viral infections in an isoformdependent manner (extensively reviewed in Kuhlmann et al (28) ). ApoE4 increases fusion rate and cell entry of the HIV resulting in faster disease progression relative to apoE3, though the risk of acquiring HIV infection is independent of the apoE isoform (29) .…”

Influence of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> leaves on atherogenic lipids and glycaemia evolution in HIV-infected and uninfected malnourished patients

“…Lipoprotein-lipase and hepatic lipase action can be inhibited by metabolic effect of cytokines (IL-1 and TNF) thus disturbing triglycerides rich particles lipolysis and decreasing HDL quantity. It explains hypertriglyceridemia and HDLC decrease (Stenvinkel, et al, 2005;Kuhlmann et al, 2010). In HIV positive, cytokines effect like INF-alpha  IL-1, IL-6 and TNFalpha would be correlated with hypertriglyceridemia (Crowe et al, 2010).…”