Background: High plasma lipids are one of the risk factor of atherosclerosis. The contribution of environmental and genetic factors to plasma lipids is roughly equal. Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein (apo) CIII play an important role in plasma lipid metabolism. The aim of the study was to establish the role of polymorphisms in these genes in plasma lipid determination.
Methods and results: Using PCR and restriction analysis we have measured Taq1 polymorphism in CETP, asparagine 291/serine polymorphism in LPL and C3238G polymorphism in apo CIII genes in two groups of children selected from opposite ends of the cholesterol distribution curve of 2000 children. 82 children in high- (HCG) and 86 in low- (LCG) cholesterol group participated in the study. No significant difference was found in the frequencies of the CETP and apo CIII genotypes between LCG and HCG. In the LCG, significantly more carriers (p < 0.05) of the LPL serine291 allele were found.
Conclusions: Common polymorphisms in the CETP and apo CIII genes do not determine the plasma lipid levels in childhood. The carriers of the rare allele in the LPL gene could be genetically predisposed to low plasma lipid levels.