GENETIC-MARKERS IN CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE IN A RUSSIAN POPULATION

The association of genetic markers at the apolipoprotein B gene (APOB) (XbaI, MspI, and EcoRI polymorphisms) and the lipoprotein lipase gene (LPL) (PvuII polymorphism) with coronary artery disease (CAD) and wit h variation in plasma lipid levels (total cholesterol, high-density li poprotein cholesterol, and total triglycerides) was studied in 94 male patients with CAD diagnosed by angiography and in 122 unrelated men o f Russian descent free of clinical signs of CAD. The frequent allele ( M+) of the APOB MspI RFLP was seen more frequently in CAD patients tha n in control subjects (0.963 vs. 0.898, p < 0.025). No significant dif ferences in allele frequencies were observed for the APOB XbaI and Eco RI polymorphisms or for the LPL PVuII polymorphism, In patients, carri ers of the rare allele (E-) of the EcoRI RFLP had higher mean triglyce ride levels than homozygotes for E+ (p < 0.05). No significant differe nces in lipid variables were determined for the other three polymorphi sms studied. Analysis of intragenotype variances and the multivariate measure of mean values of lipid concentrations showed that genetic var iability within the APOB locus may contribute to a certain extent to t he level and variability of serum Lipid levels in this Russian populat ion.