ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PLASMA HDL-CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION AND TAQ1B CETP GENE POLYMORPHISM IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

The effects of CETP gene Taq1B polymorphism on plasma lipoproteins wer e investigated in 176 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mel litus. The distribution of CETP genotypes was similar to that previous ly described in the general population. A significant association was found between CETP genotype and both CETP and HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) concentrations. B1B1 had the highest CETP and the lowest HDL-c whereas B2B2 had the lowest CETP and the highest HDL-c. However, HDL-c was no t correlated with CETP concentration, even when genetic groups were se parately considered. By multivariate analysis, the determinants of HDL were body mass index, triglycerides concentration, net mass CE transf er, and CETP genotype. No association was found between CETP genetic g roups and HDL or LDL size distribution. In contrast, net mass CET was positively and HDL and LDL sizes were negatively correlated with plasm a triglyceride concentration. Overall, our work demonstrates that, in a population of diabetic patients where lipoprotein-related parameters vary over a large range, the association of CETP gene polymorphism wi th HDL-c is independent of plasma CETP concentration.