APOC3 promoter polymorphisms C-482T and T-455C are associated with the metabolic syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Despite the growing epidemic of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), few studies have evaluated genetic polymorphisms associated with the MetS phenotype. One candidate, APOC3, modulates lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and the promoter polymorphisms C-482T/T-455C are associated with loss of insulin downregulation.


METHODS
One hundred twenty two consecutive MetS cases were matched by age, sex and race in a 1:1 case-control design to evaluate the prevalence of common polymorphisms in the following candidate genes: APOC3, APOE, B3AR, FABP2, GNB3, LPL, and PPARalpha and PPARgamma.


RESULTS
Compared to controls, MetS subjects exhibited a greater prevalence of APOC3 promoter polymorphisms. Specifically, the frequency of the variant C-482T and T-455C alleles was 70.5 and 81.9% of cases compared to 43.4 and 54.1% in controls, respectively (p <0.0001). Overall, APOC3 promoter variants were associated with a greater likelihood of MetS compared to wild type [C-482T (OR: 4.3; 95% CI: 2.2, 8.6 [p <0.0001]), T-455C (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 2.0, 6.7 [p <0.0001])]. No material differences were identified between the other genetic variants tested and prevalence of MetS.


CONCLUSIONS
These data, therefore, suggest that the APOC3 promoter polymorphisms C-482T and T-455C are associated with the MetS.
Miller
Michael
M
University of Maryland Hospital and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. mmiller@medicine.umaryland.edu
Rhyne
Jeffrey
J
Chen
Hegang
H
Beach
Valerie
V
Ericson
Richard
R
Luthra
Kalpana
K
Dwivedi
Manjari
M
Misra
Anoop
A
D000328:Adult; D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III