Postprandial triacylglycerol metabolism is modified by the presence of genetic variation at the perilipin (PLIN) locus in 2 white populations.
BACKGROUND
Several perilipin (PLIN) polymorphic sites have been studied for their potential use as markers for obesity and the metabolic syndrome.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to examine whether the presence of polymorphisms at the perilipin (PLIN) locus (PLIN1, 6209T-->C; PLIN4, 11482G-->A; PLIN5, 13041A-->G; and PLIN6, 14995A-->T) influence postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in 2 white populations.


METHODS
Eighty-eight healthy Spanish men and 271 healthy US subjects (men and women) underwent an oral-fat-load test in 2 independent studies. Blood samples were taken in the fasting state and during the postprandial phase at regular intervals. Total cholesterol and triacylglycerol and triacylglycerol in triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRL, large and small) were measured.


RESULTS
Carriers of the minor C allele at the PLIN1 variant displayed lower postprandial concentrations of large-TRL triacylglycerol (Spanish subjects: P = 0.024; US subjects: P = 0.005) than did subjects carrying the T/T genotype. The same pattern was observed in the Spanish population at the PLIN4 locus (P = 0.015), and both SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium. In both populations, subjects carrying the minor C and A alleles at PLIN1 and PLIN4, respectively, had significantly lower postprandial concentrations of plasma triacylglycerol (P < 0.05) and lower concentrations of small-TRL triacylglycerol than did those who were homozygous for the major alleles at PLIN1 and PLIN4 (Spanish subjects: P = 0.020 and 0.008, respectively; US subjects: P = 0.021 and 0.035, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
These 2 studies suggest that the presence of the minor C and A alleles at PLIN1 and PLIN4, respectively, are associated with a lower postprandial response that may result in lower atherogenic risk for these persons.
Perez-Martinez
Pablo
P
Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory, Jean Mayer-US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. pablopermar@yahoo.es
Yiannakouris
Nikos
N
Lopez-Miranda
Jose
J
Arnett
Donna
D
Tsai
Michael
M
Galan
Enrique
E
Straka
Robert
R
Delgado-Lista
Javier
J
Province
Michael
M
Ruano
Juan
J
Borecki
Ingrid
I
Hixson
James
J
Garcia-Bailo
Bibiana
B
Perez-Jimenez
Francisco
F
Ordovas
Jose M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D010316:Particle Size; D000070778:Perilipin-1; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D019518:Postprandial Period; D013030:Spain; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C000602978:PLIN1 protein, human; D000070778:Perilipin-1; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol