Gender specific effect of LIPC C‐514T polymorphism on obesity and relationship with plasma lipid levels in Chinese children

Hepatic lipase (LIPC) is a key rate‐limiting enzyme in lipoprotein catabolism pathways involved in the development of obesity. The C‐514T polymorphism in the promoter region is associated with decreased LIPC activity. We performed a case‐controlled study (850 obese children and 2119 controls) and evaluated the association between LIPC C‐514T polymorphism, obesity and plasma lipid profile in Chinese children and adolescents. Additionally, we conducted a meta‐analysis of all results from published studies as well as our own data. A significant association between the polymorphism and obesity is observed in boys (P = 0.042), but not in girls. And we observed a significant relationship of the polymorphism with total cholesterol (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) independent of obesity in boys. The T allele carriers have higher levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) in obese boys, and triglyceride (TG), TC and LDL‐C in non‐obese girls (all P < 0.05). In the meta‐analysis, under dominant model the T allele increased body mass index (BMI) level in boys, while it decreased BMI in girls, and increased the levels of TC both in the overall and subgroups, TG and HDL‐C in the overall and boys, and LDL‐C in the overall (all P < 0.05). Our results suggest that the T allele might carry an increased risk of obesity in Chinese boys. The meta‐analysis suggests that T allele acts as a risk allele for higher BMI levels in male childhood, while it is a protective allele in female childhood. And the polymorphism is associated with the levels of plasma lipids, which may be modulated by obesity and gender.