APOB
protein-codingapolipoprotein B, the group of Apolipoproteins
Gene summary
This gene product is the main apolipoprotein of chylomicrons and low density lipoproteins (LDL), and is the ligand for the LDL receptor. It occurs in plasma as two main isoforms, apoB-48 and apoB-100: the former is synthesized exclusively in the gut and the latter in the liver. The intestinal and the hepatic forms of apoB are encoded by a single gene from a single, very long mRNA. The two isoforms share a common N-terminal sequence. The shorter apoB-48 protein is produced after RNA editing of the apoB-100 transcript at residue 2180 (CAA->UAA), resulting in the creation of a stop codon, and early translation termination. Mutations in this gene or its regulatory region cause hypobetalipoproteinemia, normotriglyceridemic hypobetalipoproteinemia, and hypercholesterolemia due to ligand-defective apoB, diseases affecting plasma cholesterol and apoB levels. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2019]
MANE transcript
Inheritance
ClinVar variants
Top phenotype
gnomAD constraint
Max pathogenic AF
Genomic locus
External References & Databases
Transcript & Mutation Effects
hg38 • Region Span ~42.6 kbGenCC Phenotypes & Disease Associations
Curated gene-disease validity assertions and inheritance patterns
Inheritance Pattern: AR
Disease ID:MONDO:0018328
Submitter: Orphanet
Inheritance Pattern: AR
Disease ID:MONDO:0014252
Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp
Inheritance Pattern: SD
Disease ID:MONDO:0014252
Submitter: ClinGen
The relationship between APOB and familial hypobetalipoproteinemia was assessed using the ClinGen gene-disease clinical validity framework, as of February 5, 2020. Variants in APOB were first reported in relation to familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) in 1988 (Young et al, PMID 3399894; Collins et al, PMID 2843815). FHBL is characterized by plasma LDL-cholesterol that are <5th percentile. The condition is inherited in a semi-dominant (co-dominant) manner and is typically caused by variants in APOB that result in the production of truncated forms of apoB100, a structural component of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL). Heterozygotes are usually asymptomatic but may develop hepatic steatosis. Homozygotes have extremely low LDL-cholesterol levels and may have symptoms varying from none to severe neurological and gastrointestinal dysfunction (For reviews, see PMIDs 1977530, 8527219, 12639976, 15308601, 15818469, 24751931). Over 60 unique variants in APOB in individuals with hypobetalipoproteinemia have been reported (PMID 22588666). The majority are nonsense and frameshift variants resulting in truncated forms of apoB. However, missense and small inframe deletions have also been reported (Burnett et al, 2003 PMID 12551903; Magnolo et al, 2016, PMID 26825690). Eleven unique variants in this gene were curated from six publications in 8 monoallelic and 2 biallelic probands (Collins et al, 1988, PMID 2843815; Farese et al, 1992, PMID 1527480; Huang et al, 1992, PMID 1770316; Burnett et al, 2003 PMID 12551903; Magnolo et al, 2016, PMID 26825690; Rimbert et al, 2016, PMID 27179706). Segregation evidence from two large families was also curated (Farese et al, 1992, PMID 1527480; Burnett et al, 2003 PMID 12551903). More evidence is available in the literature, but the maximum score for genetic evidence (12 points) has been reached. This gene-disease relationship is supported by the well characterized function of apoB (reviewed in Whitefield et al, 2004, PMID 15308601), expression of the gene in liver (https://gtexportal.org/home/gene/APOB), functional alteration experiments (Srivastava et al, 1999, PMID 10224159), and animal models (Kim et al, 1998, PMID 9502790; Chen et al, 2004, PMID 13130124). Additional experimental evidence to support the gene-disease relationship is available in the literature but the maximum experimental evidence score (6 points) has been reached. Of note, this gene has also been implicated in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH); the clinical validity of APOB-FH has been assessed separately by ClinGen. In summary, APOB is definitively associated with FHBL. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time. This classification was approved by the ClinGen General Gene Curation Expert Panel. LUMPING AND SPLITTING CONSIDERATIONS: In OMIM, APOB is associated with two disease entities – Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 2 (MIM# 144010) and hypobetalipoproteinemia (MIM# 615558). Per the criteria outlined by the ClinGen Lumping and Splitting Working Group, there are differences in the molecular mechanism and phenotypic presentation for these conditions. Missense variants in the LDL-receptor binding domain of apoB impair binding of LDL to the LDL receptor, causing hypercholesterolemia and premature coronary artery disease, the primary features of FH. In contrast, variants resulting in reduced secretion of APOB (mainly nonsense and frameshift variants) cause familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, which is characterized by hypocholesterolemia and resistance to atherosclerosis. Therefore, these two disease entities have been curated separately for their relationship with APOB.
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0007751
Submitter: Genomics England PanelApp
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0007751
Submitter: ClinGen
The APOB gene has been reported in association with hypercholesterolemia (autosomal dominant) and hypobetalipoproteinemia (autosomal recessive). The relationship between APOB and hypercholesterolemia (autosomal dominant) was evaluated using the ClinGen Clinical Validity Framework. Variants in APOB were first reported in humans with hypercholesterolemia as early as 1989 (Soria et al., PMID: 2563166). At least 7 variants (missense) in at least 13 probands in 6 publications been reported in humans (PMIDs: 24498611, 24234650, 15135245, 22408029, 2563166, 7627691). Variants in this gene segregated with disease in at least 41 family members. This gene-disease relationship has been studied in at least 1 case-control study at the single variant level with an odds ratio of 78 (95% CI 16-388, p=0.0001) (PMID: 9603795). The mechanism for disease involves mainly heterozygous missense variants resulting in defective apo B100 on LDL particles that fails to bind to LDLR (PMID: 29219151). The gene-disease association is also supported by in vitro studies and animal models. In summary, APOB is definitively associated with autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia. This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time. This classification was approved by the ClinGen General Gene Curation EP on 11/14/2018.
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0007751
Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)
Inheritance Pattern: AR
Disease ID:MONDO:0014252
Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0007751
Submitter: G2P
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0014252
Submitter: Labcorp Genetics (formerly Invitae)
Inheritance Pattern: AD
Disease ID:MONDO:0007751
Submitter: Ambry Genetics
Clinical Genomic Database (CGD)
Manifestation: Cardiovascular; Gastrointestinal; Hematologic; Neurologic; Ophthalmologic
Intervention: Cardiovascular; Gastrointestinal
Rationale: Some variants may be associated with familial hypercholesterolemia, and dietary/lifestyle/medical measures (eg, with statins) may be beneficial to reduce the risk of sequelae including coronary artery disease, with evidence that early diagnosis and management improves outcomes; In hypobetalipoproteinemia, dietary measures (eg, with a low fat diet and supplementation of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins) can be beneficial, and early initiation can prevent/decrease severe sequelae; In Hypercholesterolemia, familial, 2, medical management (with inclisiran, a small interfering RNA), has shown evidence of benefit related to parameters such as LDL levels
Comments: Variants in multiple related genes (eg, LDLR) may have additive effects
ClinVar Associated Diseases & Phenotypes
Reported disease conditions connected to APOB variants in ClinVar
ClinVar Variants & Pathogenicity by Type
Statistics based on transcript NM_000384.3. Only rare variants are included.
We include only reliable ClinVar variants with their consequences to MANE Select, MANE Plus Clinical transcripts, or transcripts with TSL equal to 1. Click a count to filter the variants table below.
Slight differences between displayed counts and ClinVar may occur due to a different transcript/consequence chosen by our variant effect predictor, or because we classify Benign/Likely benign as Likely benign and Pathogenic/Likely pathogenic as Likely pathogenic.
| Effect | PathogenicP | Likely pathogenicLP | VUS | Likely benignLB | BenignB | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| synonymous | 18 | 1481 | 23 | 1522 | ||
| missense | 3 | 17 | 1993 | 972 | 42 | 3027 |
| nonsense | 58 | 27 | 18 | 103 | ||
| start loss | 0 | |||||
| frameshift | 89 | 34 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 144 |
| splice donor/acceptor (+/-2bp) | 7 | 27 | 1 | 35 | ||
| Total | 157 | 105 | 2049 | 2454 | 66 | 4831 |
Highest pathogenic variant AF is 0.00042073042
Transcript Catalog
Annotated transcript isoforms across RefSeq and Ensembl databases
| Transcript ID | Source | Protein ID | Coding Exons | MANE Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RefSeq | NP_000375.3 | 29 | MANE Select | |
| Ensembl | ENSP00000233242.1 | 29 | MANE Select | |
| Ensembl | ENSP00000382200.4 | 17 | Standard | |
| Ensembl | ENSP00000382200.4 | 17 | Standard |
Model Organisms & Knockout Phenotypes
Observed phenotypic effects in mouse and zebrafish models
| Gene / Model | Organism | Observed Phenotype |
|---|---|---|
| apoba | Danio rerio | Structure: subintestinal vein Quality: morphology abnormal |
Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations & Pathways
Biological processes, molecular functions, cellular components and pathways
Pathways ConsensusPathDB
- Fat digestion and absorption - Homo sapiens (human)
- Vitamin digestion and absorption - Homo sapiens (human)
- Cholesterol metabolism - Homo sapiens (human)
- Statin Pathway, Pharmacodynamics
- Selenium Micronutrient Network
Biological Process
- retinoid metabolic process
- in utero embryonic development
- toll-like receptor signaling pathway
- triglyceride mobilization
- receptor-mediated endocytosis
Molecular Function
- protein binding
- phospholipid binding
- heparin binding
- cholesterol transporter activity
- lipase binding
Cellular Component
- extracellular region
- extracellular space
- cytoplasm
- early endosome
- endoplasmic reticulum lumen
gnomAD Constraint
Source:
- Gene type
- protein_coding
- Transcript type
- protein_coding
- Transcript
- ENST00000233242
- Coding exons
- 29
- Length
- 42645
- Individuals with no LoFs
- 125554
- Homozygous LoFs
- 0
- Heterozygous LoFs
- 194
- Defined
- 125748
- p
- 0.000772
| Z-Score | Observed | Expected | Observed/Expected | Mutation Rate | Total Possible | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missense | -1.70 | 2482 | 2.25e+3 | 1.10 | 0.000119 | 30090 |
| Missense (PolyPhen) | 644 | 609.82 | 1.0561 | 8417 | ||
| Synonymous | -1.40 | 953 | 900 | 1.06 | 0.0000498 | 8901 |
| Loss of Function | 7.20 | 56 | 152 | 0.369 | 0.00000783 | 2096 |
Population LoF Frequency
| Population | CAF | p-value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| African | 0.00093 | 0.00092 | rare |
| Latino/Admixed American | 0.00035 | 0.00035 | rare |
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 0.00070 | 0.00069 | rare |
| East Asian | 0.00049 | 0.00049 | rare |
| Finnish | 0.00028 | 0.00028 | rare |
| European (Non-Finnish) | 0.00088 | 0.00088 | rare |
| South Asian | 0.0013 | 0.0013 | notable |
| Other | 0.00098 | 0.00098 | rare |
dbNSFP Gene Annotations
Source:
- Function
- FUNCTION: Apolipoprotein B is a major protein constituent of chylomicrons (apo B-48), LDL (apo B-100) and VLDL (apo B-100). Apo B-100 functions as a recognition signal for the cellular binding and internalization of LDL particles by the apoB/E receptor.;
- Disease
- DISEASE: Hypobetalipoproteinemia, familial, 1 (FHBL1) [MIM:615558]: A disorder of lipid metabolism characterized by less than 5th percentile age- and sex-specific levels of low density lipoproteins, and dietary fat malabsorption. Clinical presentation may vary from no symptoms to severe gastrointestinal and neurological dysfunction similar to abetalipoproteinemia. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:12551903, ECO:0000269|PubMed:21981844, ECO:0000269|PubMed:27206948}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry. Most cases of FHBL1 result from nonsense mutations in the APOB gene that lead to a premature stop codon, which generate prematurely truncated apo B protein products (PubMed:21981844). {ECO:0000269|PubMed:21981844}.; DISEASE: Familial ligand-defective apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB) [MIM:144010]: Dominantly inherited disorder of lipoprotein metabolism leading to hypercholesterolemia and increased proneness to coronary artery disease (CAD). The plasma cholesterol levels are dramatically elevated due to impaired clearance of LDL particles by defective APOB/E receptors. {ECO:0000269|PubMed:21382890, ECO:0000269|PubMed:2563166, ECO:0000269|PubMed:7883971, ECO:0000269|PubMed:9259199}. Note=The disease is caused by mutations affecting the gene represented in this entry.; DISEASE: Note=Defects in APOB associated with defects in other genes (polygenic) can contribute to hypocholesterolemia.;
Recessive Scores
- pRec
- 0.883
Intolerance Scores
- LoFtool
- 0.732
- RVIS EVS
- 1.42
- RVIS percentile EVS
- 94.85
Essentials
- Essential (CRISPR)
- N
- Essential (CRISPR2)
- N
- Essential (gene trap)
- N
- Indispensability pred.
- E
- Indispensability score
- 0.983
Gene Damage Prediction
| All | Recessive | Dominant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendelian | High | High | High |
| Primary Immunodeficiency | High | High | High |
| Cancer | High | High | High |