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Gene & pathway reference · FROM DR. PURSER’S TEACHING

APOE

APOE encodes a protein that carries lipids between cells. The familiar APOE e2, e3 and e4 groupings depend on the combination of rs429358 and rs7412, not on either marker read in isolation.

Based on teaching by Dan Purser, MD. How we prepare these guides

Updated Sep 23, 2026 · Educational reference

THE TEACHING CONNECTION

Lipid transport and brain-health risk

Lipid transport and brain-health risk

APOE encodes a protein that carries lipids between cells. The familiar APOE e2, e3 and e4 groupings depend on the combination of rs429358 and rs7412, not on either marker read in isolation.

Putting the pieces together

Dr. Purser includes APOE in his late-onset Alzheimer’s teaching. This is a reason to discuss cardiovascular and brain health together: blood pressure, lipids, glucose, sleep and family history add information that a genotype cannot supply. APOE risk is probabilistic and does not diagnose dementia or predict a certain outcome.

A question to bring to your visit

Has my APOE type been interpreted from both markers, and which modifiable health factors matter for me?

Variant lookup

These names can help you find an entry on your original genetic report. Seeing a name here does not tell you whether it affects your health or whether you need treatment.

Names you may see

Apolipoprotein E