Genetic and environmental influences on serum lipids and the effects of puberty: a Chinese twin study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the contribution of genes and environment on the variation of serum lipids and the effects of puberty.


METHODS
In total, 314 same-sex twin pairs aged 5-18 years were studied. Puberty was marked physiologically by spermarche/menarche, and model fitting was used to analyse the genetic and environmental variance and its difference before and after puberty.


RESULTS
Lipid levels were different before and after puberty. The genetic factor had an important influence on lipid levels; the heritability estimates of total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) were between 49 and 86%. The total phenotypic variances of TC, HDL, LDL, Lp(a) and ApoE decreased after puberty, mainly as a result of decrease of genetic variance, even though the common environmental variance for HDL, Lp(a) and ApoE increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Genes and the environment have different effects on the levels of different lipids. The shared environmental effects on lipids are very important in children. The role of puberty on lipids deserves future study.
Chen
Tian-Jiao
TJ
Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University, 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, China. tianjiaochen@163.com
Ji
Cheng-Ye
CY
Hu
Yong-Hua
YH
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D011627:Puberty / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D014427:Twins
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002784:Cholesterol