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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2011-01 > 1295105293


From: Ann Turner <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] KIF6 and APOE genes
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2011 07:28:13 -0800
References: <mailman.8159.1295046481.2081.genealogy-dna@rootsweb.com><8CD825CA5660E6D-1404-17BE@webmail-m083.sysops.aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <8CD825CA5660E6D-1404-17BE@webmail-m083.sysops.aol.com>


The KIF6 connection to coronary artery disease has been questioned in a
recent meta-analysis:

http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/reprint/56/19/1564.pdf

although Celera has objected:

http://www.genomeweb.com/blog/berkeley-heartlabs-kif6-test-really-useless

23andMe does have the SNP, rs20455. The risk allele is G at 23andMe, which
uses the plus orientation. The SNP was reviewed by the 23andMe curation team
long before the meta-analysis was published. The literature didn't qualify
for a report because it had not been replicated by different investigators.

The APOE gene is also involved in Alzheimer's disease. There are two SNPs
that are used in combination to identify patterns 1, 2, 3, and 4: rs7412 and
rs429358.

http://www.snpedia.com/index.php/APOE

23andMe reports results for rs7412 (T = A, C = G). They have not been able
to get rs429358 to perform well using chip genotyping.

AFAIK, laboratories that test APOE will not report the Alzheimer-related
pattern, just the cardiovascular associations.

Ann Turner
Disclosure: I have a consulting arrangement with 23andMe, but the statements
expressed above are my own and not official policy of 23andMe.

On Fri, Jan 14, 2011 at 3:48 PM, D. Newman <> wrote:

>
> I know 23andme has a few items on statins but does anyone know if 23andme
> data can be evaluated for the below mutations?
>
> ___________________________________________________
> exerpted from
> http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/PVN/7-tests-you-re-not-having-that-could-save-your-life
>
> Genetic Tests
>
> How they work: A blood sample is tested at a lab for mutations of the KIF6
> and APOE genes. Cost: $130 each Duration: 5 minutes
>
> Why they're heart smart: A common variation in the KIF6 gene and two
> mutations in the APOE gene raise your heart disease risk. "You have no
> control over your genes," says Dr. Agatston, "but these tests can help your
> doctor better tailor your treatment to head off a heart attack."
>
> Get them if: You're 40 or older.
>
> What the results mean: "The KIF6 gene test predicts how effective statins
> are likely to be at heading off a future heart attack," says Dr. Agatston. A
> recent study found that people with a certain variant of KIF6 had a better
> response to statin treatment, with a 41% drop in heart attack risk, while
> people without this mutation didn't respond as well, with a 6% drop. "So
> we'll use a different treatment in these cases," he says— typically, a
> fenofibrate or niacin. As for the APOE gene, certain people with those
> variants have a much greater response to a low-saturated-fat diet. "So they
> may not need medication if they're diligent about avoiding saturated fat,"
> Dr. Agatston says.
>
> Next steps: A drug to lower cholesterol, changes in diet, or both.
>
>
>
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