Objectives: We hypothesized that common variation in the angiotensinogen (A
GT), beta-3-adrenergic receptor, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, ser
um paraoxonase, paraoxonase-2, hepatic lipase, apolipoprotein E (APOE), and
Werner helicase (WRN) genes would be associated with Variation in biochemi
cal phenotypes in a previously unstudied neonatal sample.
Design and methods: We examined associations of both nongenetic and genetic
variables with plasma lipoprotein traits in neonates from Trinidad.
Results: Among nongenetic variables, we found significant associations betw
een plasma concentrations of: 1) lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and both ethnicity
(p = 0.037) and birth weight (p = 0.001); 2) total cholesterol and gender (
p = 0.010); 3) triglyceride and birth weight (p = 0.035); and 4) apolipopro
tein Al and gender (p = 0.016). Among genetic variables, we found that: 1)
common Variation on chromosome 1q in AGT codon 235 was significantly associ
ated with variation in plasma apolipoproteins Al (p < 0.0001) and B (p = 0.
013); 2) common variation in WRN at codon 1367 was significantly associated
with Variation in plasma Lp(a) lo < 0.0001); and 3) common Variation in AP
OE at codons 112 and 158 was significantly associated with variation in pla
sma triglycerides (p = 0.013).
Conclusions: The associations with AGT and WRN are novel and may have resul
ted either from a direct influence of the genetic Variants or through linka
ge disequilibrium with other functional loci, such as the familial combined
hyperlipidemia locus on chromosome 1q in the case of AGT. Despite the fact
that there are some limitations in making determinations from cord blood,
the results suggest that there may be genetic determinants of plasma lipopr
oteins in neonates. Copyright (C) 1999 The Canadian Society of Clinical Che
mists.