title: Gene-gene and gene-environment interactions defining lipid-related traits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Steps towards reducing chronic disease progression are continuously being taken through the form of genomic research. Studies over the last year have highlighted more and more polymorphisms, pathways and interactions responsible for metabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and dyslipidemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many of these chronic illnesses can be partially blamed by altered lipid metabolism, combined with individual genetic components. Critical evaluation and comparison of these recent studies is essential in order to comprehend the results, conclusions and future prospects in the field of genomics as a whole. Recent literature elucidates significant gene--diet and gene--environment interactions resulting in altered lipid metabolism, inflammation and other metabolic imbalances leading to cardiovascular disease and obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epigenetic and epistatic interactions are now becoming more significantly associated with such disorders, as genomic research digs deeper into the complex nature of genetic individuality and heritability. The vast array of data collected from genome-wide association studies must now be empowered and explored through more complex interaction studies, using standardized methods and larger sample sizes. In doing so the etiology of chronic disease progression will be further understood.
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Centre on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. jose.ordovas@tufts.edu
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ordovás
authors.forename: Ruairi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Ellen Ní
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Cléirigh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004777:Environment; D057890:Epigenomics; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D008074:Lipoproteins