The postprandial chylomicron (CM) triacylglycerol (TG) response to dietary fat, which is positively associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk, displays a high interindividual var Show more
The postprandial chylomicron (CM) triacylglycerol (TG) response to dietary fat, which is positively associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease risk, displays a high interindividual variability. This is assumed to be due, at least partly, to polymorphisms in genes involved in lipid metabolism. Existing studies have focused on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), resulting in only a low explained variability. We aimed to identify a combination of SNPs associated with the postprandial CM TG response. Thirty-three healthy male volunteers were subjected to 4 standardized fat tolerance test meals (to correct for intraindividual variability) and genotyped using whole-genome microarrays. The plasma CM TG concentration was measured at regular interval times after each meal. The association of SNPs in or near candidate genes (126 genes representing 6225 SNPs) with the postprandial CM TG concentration (0-8 h areas under the curve averaged for the 4 test meals) was assessed by partial least squares regression, a multivariate statistical approach. Data obtained allowed us to generate a validated significant model (P = 1.3 × 10(-7)) that included 42 SNPs in 23 genes (ABCA1, APOA1, APOA5, APOB, BET1, CD36, COBLL1, ELOVL5, FRMD5, GPAM, INSIG2, IRS1, LDLR, LIPC, LPL, LYPLAL1, MC4R, NAT2, PARK2, SLC27A5, SLC27A6, TCF7L2, and ZNF664) and explained 88% of the variance. In 39 of these SNPs, univariate analysis showed that subjects with different genotypes exhibited significantly different (q < .05) postprandial CM TG responses. Using a multivariate approach, we report a combination of SNPs that explains a significant part of the variability in the postprandial CM TG response. Show less
Vitamin E and carotenoids are fat-soluble micronutrients carried by plasma lipoproteins. Their plasma concentrations are governed by several factors, some of which are genetic, but data on these genet Show more
Vitamin E and carotenoids are fat-soluble micronutrients carried by plasma lipoproteins. Their plasma concentrations are governed by several factors, some of which are genetic, but data on these genetic factors remain scarce. We hypothesized that genes involved in lipid metabolism, i.e. the genes implicated in intestinal uptake, intracellular trafficking, and the lipoprotein distribution of lipids, play a role in the plasma concentrations of these micronutrients. To verify this hypothesis, we assessed whether the plasma status of vitamin E and carotenoids is related to genes involved in lipid metabolism. Fasting plasma vitamin E (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol) and carotenoid (alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, beta-cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin) concentrations were measured in 48 males and 80 females. The following genes were genotyped [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)]: apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV, apo B, apo E, lipoprotein lipase, and scavenger-receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in apo A-IV, apo E, and SR-BI. Plasma gamma-tocopherol concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in apo A-IV and SR-BI. Alpha-carotene concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in SR-BI. Beta-carotene concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in apo B and SR-BI. Lycopene concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in apo A-IV and apo B. Beta-cryptoxanthin concentrations were different (P < 0.05) in subjects bearing different SNP in SR-BI. Plasma lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations did not differ in subjects bearing different SNP. Most of the differences remained significant after the plasma micronutrients were adjusted for plasma triglycerides and cholesterol. These results suggest that genes involved in lipid metabolism influence the plasma concentrations of these fat-soluble micronutrients. Show less