Visceral obesity attenuates the effect of the hepatic lipase -514C>T polymorphism on plasma HDL-cholesterol levels in French-Canadian men.
The dyslipidemic state of visceral obesity is characterized by increased plasma triglyceride (TG) levels, low HDL-cholesterol concentrations and alterations in LDL composition and concentration. A functional, non-coding -514C>T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the hepatic lipase gene (LIPC) has been related to variation in HDL-cholesterol concentrations.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the hypotheses that the LIPC -514C>T polymorphism may be associated with a deteriorated lipoprotein-lipid profile and that environmental factor, such as abdominal obesity, alters this association.


METHODS
A total of 235 French-Canadian men from the greater Quebec City area were assigned into three groups on the basis of their LIPC -514C>T SNP, including 149 CC homozygotes, 75 CT heterozygotes, and 11 TT homozygotes.


RESULTS
In the present study, the highest values of BMI, waist circumference, and accumulation of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were observed among TT homozygotes (p<0.05). After adjustment for age and BMI, TT homozygotes still showed higher plasma apolipoprotein (apo) AI and HDL-TG concentrations than the two other groups (p<0.05). When the two genotype groups (CC vs CT/TT) were further divided on the basis of VAT accumulation using a cut-off point of 130 cm(2) (high vs low) it appears that irrespective of the genotype subjects with low VAT had higher HDL(2)-cholesterol concentrations (p<0.0001). However, lean carriers of the T allele had higher plasma HDL(2)-cholesterol levels than lean CC homozygotes. The beneficial effect of the T allele on plasma HDL(2)-cholesterol levels was abolished in the presence of visceral obesity (VAT>130 cm(2)).


CONCLUSIONS
In summary, the presence of visceral obesity attenuates the impact of the LIPC -514C>T polymorphism on plasma HDL(2)-cholesterol levels.
St-Pierre
Julie
J
Dyslipidemia, Diabetes and Atherosclerosis Group and the Community Genetics Research Center, Complexe Hospitalier de la Sagamie, Que, Chicoutimi, Canada.
Miller-Felix
Isabelle
I
Paradis
Marie-Eve
ME
Bergeron
Jean
J
Lamarche
Benoît
B
Després
Jean-Pierre
JP
Gaudet
Daniel
D
Vohl
Marie-Claude
MC
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005602:France / Q000208:ethnology; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014781:Viscera
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008049:Lipase