Investigation on two polymorphisms effective on HDL-C concentration in patients with coronary artery disease using restriction fragment length polymorphism

Background and aim: High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is a known inverse predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD). Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and hepatic lipase (HL) are key proteins in HDL-C metabolism so that decreased CETP or HL activity is associated with high HDL-C. -629C/A polymorphism in promoter of CETP gene and-514C/T in promoter of HL gene were previously reported to reduce related protein level in plasma. In this study association of these polymorphisms with CHD related to HDL-C level were investigated. Methods: In this analytical-descriptive study 321 subjects underwent coronary angiography and divided in two groups base on angiogram (non CAD = 135 and CAD = 186). Serum lipids profile was measured by standard procedure and genotype was detected using PCR-RFLP method. Results: Overall the CETP genotype frequencies were in CAD patients: 58.8% (n=110), 28.9% (n=54) and 12.3% (n=23) and in non CAD patients: 45.2% (n=61), 41.5% (n=56) and 13.3% (n=18) for AA, CA and CC respectively. HL genotype frequencies were in CAD patients: 61.6% (n=114), 33.5% (n=62) and 4.9% (n=9) and in non CAD patients: 65.9% (n=89), 27.4% (n=37) and 6.7% (n=9) for CC, CT and TT respectively. In control group HDL-C concentration was higher for AA than CC genotype in -629C/A, and also for TT than CC genotype in -514C/T. Allele A in all subjects and T allele in woman were higher in CAD than non CAD group. A high increase in HDL-C level (10. mg/dl) was observed in individuals with CETP-AA/LIPC-TT and CETP-CA/LIPC-TT relative to CETP-CC/LIPC-CC across all subjects (P< 0.001) but there was no difference in CAD prevalence. Conclusion: Allele A from -629C/A, and T from -514C/T even with the increasing of HDL-C concentration had higher frequency in CAD than non CAD group. Therefore, it seems that HDL-C didn’t protect coronary artery when CETP or HL activity was reduced by these polymorphisms

Comparison of glucose tolerance in renal transplant recipients and hemodialysis patients

BACKGROUND: Impaired glucose tolerance is a risk factor for atherosclerosis in hemodialysis patients and renal transplant recipients. METHODS: To check the relationship of impaired glucose tolerance with the other atherosclerotic risk factors, fasting blood sugar and the standard two hour glucose tolerance test, serum tryglyceride, serum cholesterol, cyclosporine through level (in renal tranpslant recipients) and hemoglobin A1C were measured in 55 stable renal transplant recipients, 55 hemodialysis patients and 55 healthy controls with similar demographic characteristics. Patients with diabetes mellitus and propranolol consumers were excluded. The mean age and female to male ratio were 39 +/- 7 years and 23/22, respectively. RESULTS: Four of the renal transplant recipients and twelve of the hemodialysis patients had impaired glucose tolerance. Significant linear correlation was observed with body mass index and IGT only in hemodialysis patients (r = 0.4, p = 0.05). Glucose tolerance also had a significant correlation with triglyceride levels (217.2 +/- 55 mg/dl in hemodialysis patients vs. 214.3 +/- 13 mg/dl in renal transplant recipients and 100.2 +/- 18 mg/dl in control groups, p = 0.001). The glucose tolerance had significant relationship with higher serum cholesterol levels only in the renal transplant recipients (269.7 +/- 54 in renal transplant recipients vs. 199.2 +/- 36.6 mg/dl in hemodialysis and 190.5 +/- 34 mg/dl in control groups, p = 0.0001). In the renal transplant recipients, a linear correlation was observed with glucose tolerance and both the serum cyclosporine level (r = 0.9, p = 0.001) and the hemoglobin A1C concentration (6.2 +/- 0.9 g/dl). The later correlation was also observed in the hemodialysis patients (6.4 +/- 0.7 g/dl; r = 67, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that although fasting blood sugar is normal in non-diabetic renal transplant and hemodialysis patients, impaired glucose tolerance could be associated with the other atherosclerotic risk factors