title: Heritability analysis of lipids and three gene loci in twins link the macrophage scavenger receptor to HDL cholesterol concentrations.
abstract: We studied 100 healthy monozygotic and 72 dizygotic twin pairs (mean age, 34 +/- 14 years) to test for genetic influences on blood lipids and to examine relevant gene loci. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) levels were determined after a 12-hour fast. Zygosity was determined with the use of microsatellite markers. Heritability estimates were conducted by using the lisrel 8 program; a sib-pair analysis was conducted by using the sibpal program. Linear regression analyses were carried out between identical-by-descent status and squared within-pair differences of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG values. Heritability estimates of the lipid serum concentrations ranged from .58 to .66. A significant linkage relationship was found for HDL-C (P = .008) and TGs (P = .05) with D8S261 on chromosome 8p. However, no linkage was found between any of the lipid variables and the lipoprotein lipase gene locus (LPL GZ14/15 and D8S282). Because D8S261 is located approximately halfway between the LPL and macrophage scavenger receptor genes, we examined the nearby markers D8S549 and D8S1731. Linkage was found for HDL-C and D8S549 (P = .001) and for HDL-C and D8S1731 (P = .04). On the other hand, we found no linkage between the LDL receptor gene locus and LDL-C serum concentrations nor between the LPL gene locus and the various other lipid fractions. Our data suggest a significant influence of the macrophage scavenger receptor gene locus on HDL-C and weak influence on TG levels. We suggest that inherited variability in the macrophage scavenger receptor gene has an influence on serum lipid concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Franz Volhard Clinic, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knoblauch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busjahn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Münter
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Faulhaber
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000235:genetics*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics*; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014427:Twins
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018110:Receptors, Lipoprotein; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger; C454739:Scarb1 protein, mouse; D051122:Scavenger Receptors, Class B; D014280:Triglycerides; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase