Apolipoprotein E polymorphism modifies the alcohol-HDL association observed in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study.
BACKGROUND
The apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) allele epsilon4 is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The presence of the epsilon4 allele has been associated with lower concentrations of HDL cholesterol, but it is not known whether the epsilon4 allele modifies the association between alcohol consumption and HDL-cholesterol concentrations.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to assess whether the epsilon4 allele modifies the association between alcohol consumption and HDL-cholesterol concentrations.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional design, we studied 670 men and women aged 26-78 y who participated in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Family Heart Study to assess whether the epsilon4 allele of the gene APOE modifies the association between alcohol consumption and HDL-cholesterol concentrations. Alcohol data were self-reported, and we used multivariate, generalized estimating equations to assess interactions.


RESULTS
In a model with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, exercise, waist-hip ratio, TV viewing, and study site, there was a significant effect of the interaction between the epsilon4 allele and alcohol consumption on HDL cholesterol (P=0.0001). In the absence of the epsilon4 allele, multivariate adjusted means of HDL were 1.24, 1.36, and 1.54 mmol/L among subjects who never drank and those who currently drink 0.1-12 and >12 g alcohol/d, respectively; in the presence of the epsilon4 allele, the corresponding values were 1.19, 1.27, and 1.25 mmol/L.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show a significant effect of the interaction between the epsilon4 allele and alcohol consumption on HDL. The increase in HDL associated with alcohol appears to be stronger in subjects without the epsilon4 allele than in those with the epsilon4 allele.
Djoussé
Luc
L
Section of Preventive Medicine & Epidemiology, Evans Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. ldjousse@bu.edu
Pankow
James S
JS
Arnett
Donna K
DK
Eckfeldt
John H
JH
Myers
Richard H
RH
Ellison
R Curtis
RC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D000483:Alleles; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012907:Smoking; D014481:United States
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL