Apolipoprotein C3 genetic polymorphisms are associated with lipids and coronary artery disease in a Chinese population.
BACKGROUND
The disorder of triglyceride (TG) metabolism leading to hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Variants in the apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) gene were found to be associated with elevated TG levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two polymorphisms (1100 C/T and 3238 C/G) of APOC3 on plasma lipid and risk of CAD in a Chinese population.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 600 patients with CAD and 600 age- and gender-matched controls. The APOC3 gene polymorphism was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).


RESULTS
Patients with CAD had a significantly higher frequency of APOC3 3238 GG genotype [odds ratio (OR) =1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.10, 2.43; P = 0.01] and APOC3 3238 G allele (OR =1.27, 95% CI =1.04, 1.55; P = 0.02) than controls. The findings are still emphatic by the Bonferroni correction. When stratifying by hyperlipidemia, CAD patients with hyperlipidemia had a significantly higher frequency of APOC3 3238 GG genotype (OR =1.73, 95% CI =1.13, 2.64; P = 0.01) than without hyperlipidemia. The APOC3 3238 G allele was significantly associated with increasing plasma TG levels and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) levels both in cases and controls (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The APOC3 3238 G allele might contribute to an increased risk of CAD as a result of its effect on TG and VLDL-C metabolism.
FengHe
F
Cui
KeZhong
K
Li
YunFeng
Y
Li
XueWu
X
Zhang
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Clinical College of Yanbian University, No, 1327 Juzi Street, Yanji 133000, China. csan2003@outlook.com.
ChangShan
C
An
D000368:Aged; D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D053305:Apolipoprotein C-III; D015243:Cholesterol, VLDL; D014280:Triglycerides