The influence of the apolipoprotein E gene promoter (-219G/ T) polymorphism on postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in young normolipemic males

The apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene promoter (-219G/T) polymorphism has been associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, premature coronary heart disease, and decreased plasma apoE concentrations. We examined whether the -219G/T polymorphism could modify the postprandial response of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins (TRLs). Fifty-one healthy apoE 3/3 male volunteers (14GG, 29GT, and 8TT) were given a vitamin A fat-loading test consisting of 1 g of fat/kg body weight and 60,000 IU of vitamin A per m2 of body surface area. Blood samples were taken at time 0 and every hour until the sixth hour, and every 2 hours and 30 minutes until the eleventh hour. Cholesterol, triacylglycerols (TGs), and apoE were determined in plasma; and cholesterol, TG, apoB-100, apoB-48, and retinyl palmitate (RP) were analyzed in lipoprotein fractions. Postprandial lipemia data revealed that subjects with the -219TT genotype had a higher postprandial response of large TRL-cholesterol (P < 0.03), large TRL-triacylglycerols (P < 0.001), large TRL-RP (P < 0.004), and small TRL-apoB-48 (P < 0.03) than carriers of the -219G allele. Moreover, the -219TT subjects had the lowest postprandial levels of serum apoE (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the -219G/T polymorphism may influence TRL metabolism during the postprandial period, thus prolonging postprandial lipemia in subjects with the TT genotype.