Apolipoproteins are involved in normal cholestrol trafficking, but we now know that they can have much broader impacts on our health when misregulated. From cancer to cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease, apolipoproteins can serve as powerful biomarkers. Discover more about these fascinating proteins and see how they may be connected to your research.
What are Apolipoproteins?
Apolipoproteins are amphipathic molecules that, along with other proteins, surround oil-soluble fats and cholesterols to form lipoproteins that transport lipids through the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Apolipoproteins can also serve as enzyme cofactors, receptor ligands, and lipid transfer carriers that regulate the metabolism of lipoproteins and their uptake in tissues. Apolipoproteins are biomarkers for various conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and sepsis.
Apolipoproteins and Disease
Apolipoproteins are commonly known for their amphipathic properties and consequent role in lipid protein formation. But they also serve many other functions in the human body.
Hover over the image below to find interesting publications that outline the connection between apolipoproteins and disease.
Brain
Apolipoprotein E plays a role in various conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury.
Selected Publications
- Zhou S and Sun XC (2012). Influence of apolipoprotein E and its receptors on cerebral amyloid precursor protein metabolism following traumatic brain injury. Chin J Traumatol 15, 183–187.
- Kim J et al. (2009). The Role of Apolipoprotein E in Alzheimer’s Disease. Neuron 63, 287–303.
- Miners JS et al. (2017). Clusterin levels are increased in Alzheimer's disease and influence the regional distribution of Aβ. Brain Pathol 27, 305–313.
Heart
From disease risk factors to protective functions, apolipoproteins are intimately involved in cardiovascular disorders.
Selected Publications
- Sniderman AD et al. (2016). Age and cardiovascular risk attributable to apolipoprotein B, low‑density lipoprotein cholesterol or non‑high‑density lipoprotein cholesterol. J Am Heart Assoc 5, e003665.
- Valleix S et al. (2016). D25V apolipoprotein C-III variant causes dominant hereditary systemic amyloidosis and confers cardiovascular protective lipoprotein profile. Nat Commun 7, 10353.
Lungs
Apolipoproteins A1 and E are involved in many lung and respiratory conditions, including pulmonary fibrosis and apnea.
Selected Publications
- Dai C et al. (2012). Apolipoprotein A-I attenuates ovalbumin-induced neutrophilic airway inflammation via a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-dependent mechanism. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 47, 186–195.
- Kim TH et al. (2010). Role of lung apolipoprotein A-I in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: antiinflammatory and antifibrotic effect on experimental lung injury and fibrosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 182, 633–642.
- Tisko R et al. (2014). Effects of apolipoprotein E genotype on serum lipids in obstructive sleep apnoea. Eur Respir J 43, 1097–1105.
Liver
Apolipoproteins are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cell death.
Selected Publications
- Yang MH et al. (2010). The associations between apolipoprotein B, A1, and the B/A1 ratio and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in both normal-weight and overweight Korean population. J Clin Lipidol 10, 289–298.
- Paiva AA et al. (2017). Apolipoprotein CIII overexpression-induced hypertriglyceridemia increases nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in association with inflammation and cell death. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2017, 1838679.
Gut
Apolipoproteins are associated with metabolic syndrome inflammation such as Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Selected Publications
- Michalak A et al. (2016). Common links between metabolic syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease: current overview and future perspectives. Pharmacol Rep 68, 837–846.
- Vaiopoulou A et al. (2015). Serum protein profiling of adults and children with Crohn disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 60, 42–47.
Cancer
Apolipoproteins play multiple roles in cancer. Apo A1 has been shown to have a protective role in tumor progression while elevated levels of Apo E have been associated with tumor metastasis.
Selected Publications
- Zamanian-Daryoush M and DiDonato JA (2015). Apolipoprotein A-I and cancer. Front Pharmacol 6, 265.
- Luo J et al. (2016). Elevated serum apolipoprotein E is associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer. Tumour Biol 37, 10,715–10,721.
Sepsis
Changes in high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and apolipoprotein concentrations may indicate serious systemic conditions like sepsis.
Selected Publications
- Cao Z et al. (2014). Proteomics reveals age-related differences in the host immune response to sepsis. J Proteome Res 13, 422–432.
- Sharifov OF et al. (2013). Anti-inflammatory mechanisms of apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide in acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to sepsis. PLoS One 8, e64486.
- Morin EE et al. (2015). HDL in sepsis — risk factor and therapeutic approach. Front Pharmacol 6, 244.
Diabetes
Apolipoproteins and C‑reactive protein play key roles in the development and progression of type II diabetes.
Selected Publications
- Mao Y et al. (2017). The nonlinear association between apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 ratio and type 2 diabetes. Medicine (Baltimore) 96, e5834.
- Aroner SA et al. (2017). Apolipoprotein C‑III and high-density lipoprotein subspecies defined by apolipoprotein C‑III in relation to diabetes risk. Am J Epidemiol [published online ahead of print May 18, 2017]. Accessed September 7, 2017.
- Borja MS et al. (2017). Apolipoprotein A‑I exchange is impaired in metabolic syndrome patients asymptomatic for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. PLoS One 12, e0182217.
Maternal and Infant Health
Apolipoprotein activity is especially important during pregnancy. Dysregulation of lipid metabolism can have serious effects on maternal and infant health.
Selected Publications
- Ba HJ et al. (2017). Dyslipidemia in pregnancy may contribute to increased risk of congenital heart defects. Int J Clin Exp Med 10, 3526–3532.
- Spracklen CN et al. (2014). Maternal hyperlipidemia and the risk of preeclampsia: a meta-analysis. Am J Epidemiol 180, 346–358.
Introducing the Bio-Plex Pro™ Apolipoprotein Panel
The Bio-Plex Pro Apolipoprotein Panel is a sensitive, magnetic bead–based multiplex panel that lets you screen for nine disease-relevant apolipoproteins plus C-reactive protein in a single reaction.
Key Advantages
- Focused panel — obtain biologically relevant results from a single assay
- Robust performance — gain confidence in your results with sensitive, accurate, and reproducible assays
- Rapid assay protocol — save time and effort with short turnaround times
- Easy to use — simplify your workflow with clear and easy assay protocols
- Streamlined data analysis — analyze and manage your data efficiently with Bio-Plex Data Pro™ Software
- Flexible instrumentation options — use with any Luminex platform:
- – Bio-Plex® 200 (LX200)
- – Bio-Plex 3D (FLEXMAP 3D)
- – Bio-Plex® MAGPIX™ (MAGPIX)
- – Bio-Plex Pro Wash Station
Pricing and Ordering Information
Why Multiplex?
Immunoassays allow sensitive and highly specific detection of analytes in a wide range of biological samples while traditional assays are limited in throughput. Bio-Plex® Mulitplex Immunoassay Systems let you detect and quantify up to 100 different biomarkers in a single well and thus provide a more complete picture of human health.