Correlation between common genetic variants and risk factors associated with prediction of cardiovascular diseases in dyslipidemic patients

Rare Variants in Genes of the Cholesterol Pathway Are Present in 60% of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a pandemic in which conventional risk factors are inadequate to detect who is at risk early in the asymptomatic stage. Although gene variants in genes related to cholesterol, which may increase the risk of AMI, have been identified, no studies have systematically screened the genes involved in this pathway. In this study, we included 105 patients diagnosed with AMI with an elevation of the ST segment (STEMI) and treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Using next-generation sequencing, we examined the presence of rare variants in 40 genes proposed to be involved in lipid metabolism and we found that 60% of AMI patients had a rare variant in the genes involved in the cholesterol pathway. Our data show the importance of considering the wide scope of the cholesterol pathway in order to assess the genetic risk related to AMI.

Association of Apolipoprotein E Polymorphisms with White Matter Lesions and Brain Atrophy

OBJECTIVE

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is mainly synthesized in the liver. So far, it is unknown the relationship among APOE gene polymorphisms and WML, brain atrophy. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the associations of APOE gene polymorphisms in patients with WML and brain atrophy.

METHODS

A total of 58 patients with WML, 128 patients with brain atrophy, 112 patients with co-occurrence of WML and brain atrophy and 95 healthy elderly volunteers were recruited from Renmin Hospital of WuHan University.

RESULTS

Allele E3 was the most common allele. The alleles E2 had significantly higher levels of ApoB and lower age in WML group. The alleles E2 was associated with the lower level of ApoB, LDL-Ch, TCh, and sdLDL in co-occurrence group. The E3/E3 genotype has higher level of sdLDL, but lower age and female frequency in WML. The E3/E4 genotype had higher level of TG, but lower age in WML. Gender, Age, E2, Hyperhomocysteinemia and UA were also significantly associated with disease progression.

CONCLUSION

This study found that clinical data, lipids and metabolic complications were closely related to ApoE genotypes and alleles, and also disease progression and type.

Selenium Level and Dyslipidemia in Rural Elderly Chinese

OBJECTIVE

Higher selenium level has been hypothesized to have the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases including dyslipidemia. However, results from previous studies are inconsistent. This study aims to determine the association between selenium level and dyslipidemia in elderly Chinese with relatively low selenium status.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 1859 participants aged 65 or older from four rural counties in China was conducted. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDLC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDLC), nail selenium concentration and APOE genotype were measured in all subjects. The four types of dyslipidemia were defined as >5.17 mmol/L for High-TC, >1.69 mmol/L for High-TG, >3.36 mmol/L for High-LDLC, and <1.04 mmol/L for Low-HDLC according to Chinese Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Dyslipidemia in Adults. Logistic models adjusting for age, gender, APOE genotype, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, medication use for cardiovascular diseases were used to examine the relationship between selenium levels and the risk of dyslipidemia.

RESULTS

Mean nail selenium concentration was 0.465 μg/gin this sample. Rates for High-TC, High-LDLC, High-TG, Low-HDLC were 18.13%, 13.23%, 12.21% and 32.76% respectively. Results from logistic models indicated that higher selenium levels were significantly associated with higher risk of High-TC, High-LDLC and lower risk of Low-HDLC adjusting for covariates (p < 0.0001). Compared with the lowest selenium quartile group, participants in selenium quartile groups 2, 3 and 4 had significantly higher rates of High-TC, High-LDLC, High-TG, and lower rate of Low-HDLC adjusting for covariates. No significant association was observed between selenium level and the risk of High-TG. APOEε4 carriers had higher rates of High-TC and High-LDLC. There was no interaction between selenium level and APOE with the rates of dyslipidemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest long-term selenium exposure level may be associated with the risk of dyslipidemia in elderly population. Future studies are needed to examine the underlying mechanism of the association.

A meta-analysis of the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/ deletion gene polymorphism and the risk of overweight/obesity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The association between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion (ACE I/D) gene polymorphism and the risk of overweight/obesity remains controversial. A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and overweight/obesity susceptibility.

METHOD

All eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis by searching PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases through April 2013 according to a predefined criteria.

RESULTS

Fourteen case-control studies including 3371 cases and 4490 controls were recruited for the analysis of the association between ACE I/D gene polymorphism and overweight/obesity susceptibility. A significant association was observed between DD genotype and overweight/obesity risk in overall populations and Africans (p=0.014 and 0.010, respectively). D allele was associated with the risk of overweight/ obesity in Africans (p=0.026). However, II genotype might not be a protective factor against overweight/obesity risk in overall populations, Africans, Caucasians and Asians.

CONCLUSIONS

DD genotype is a risk factor for the overweight/obesity susceptibility in overall populations, particularly in Africans. D allele is a risk factor for the overweight/obesity susceptibility in Africans. Further larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Is the apolipoprotein E4 allele always hazardous? Serum uric acid level as a conflict

Hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, and apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This study sought to determine the association of apoE gene polymorphism with hyperuricemia and dyslipidemia in young healthy people. Association of serum uric acid (SUA) and serum lipids with apoE was studied by analysis of variance in 198 healthy southern Iranian candidates. Subjects with an E2/E3 genotype had a lower cholesterol level in comparison with E3/E3 individuals. In addition, male E3/E4 subjects had a lower SUA level in comparison with other men. Lower cholesterol levels in E2 carriers mean a lower risk for CVDs, while SUA, as another risk factor for CVDs, in male E4 carriers was low. Regarding the higher risk for CVDs in men and the known role of SUA and apoE polymorphism in CVDs, it is not simple to guess the net effect of each one of these risk factors. This is the first report to study the association between SUA level and apoE in healthy men.