APOE ε2 allele
One copy of the APOE ε2 allele detected.
You have one copy of the APOE ε2 version.
Broadly associated with a *lower* lifetime risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease compared with the common ε3 form, but with a small increased risk of a lipid disorder called type III hyperlipoproteinemia.
Your lifetime chance of late-onset Alzheimer's is broadly lower than people with the common ε3 form. It comes with a small bump in the chance of a treatable cholesterol-related condition called type III hyperlipoproteinemia.
What this means
APOE comes in three common forms — ε2, ε3, ε4 — defined by two SNPs (rs429358 and rs7412 together). ε2 is generally the protective form for Alzheimer's risk, but it has a quirky downside: in roughly 5 to 10 percent of ε2/ε2 individuals, the impaired binding of the ε2 protein to lipid receptors leads to type III hyperlipoproteinemia, a treatable lipid disorder.
APOE comes in three common versions — ε2, ε3, and ε4 — defined by two specific spots in your DNA read together. ε2 is generally the protective version when it comes to Alzheimer's risk, but it has one quirky downside. In roughly 5 to 10 in 100 people who have two copies of ε2, the ε2 protein doesn't bind well to the cell receptors that clear fats from the blood, which can lead to a cholesterol-related condition called type III hyperlipoproteinemia. It's treatable.
Caveats
- True ε2 status requires interpreting rs429358 and rs7412 together. This entry only looks at one of the two markers.
- Most ε2/ε2 individuals never develop type III hyperlipoproteinemia — it requires additional metabolic triggers.
- The Alzheimer's protective effect is statistical, not absolute.