Apoprotein E genotype and the response of serum cholesterol to dietary fat, cholesterol and cafestol

Previous studies on the effect of apoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism on the r esponse of serum lipids to diet showed inconsistent results. We therefore s tudied the effect of apoprotein E polymorphism on responses of serum choles terol and lipoproteins to various dietary treatments. We combined data on r esponses of serum cholesterol and lipoproteins to saturated fat, to trans-f at, to dietary cholesterol, and to the coffee diterpene cafestol with newly obtained data on the apoprotein E polymorphism in 395 mostly normolipidemi c subjects. The responses of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-) cholesterol to saturated fat were 0.08 mmol/l larger in subjects with the APOE3/4 or E4/4 genotype than in those with the APOE3/3 genotype (95% confidence interval: -0.01-0.18 mmol/l). In contrast, responses of LDL-cholesterol to cafestol w ere 0.11 mmol/l smaller in subjects with the APOE3/4 or E4/4 genotype than in those with the APOE3/3 genotype (95% confidence interval: - 0.29-0.07 mm ol/l). Responses to dietary cholesterol and trans-fat did not differ betwee n subjects with the various APOE genotypes. In conclusion, the APOE genotyp e may affect the response of serum cholesterol to dietary saturated fat and cafestol in opposite directions. However, the effects are small. Therefore , knowledge of the APOE genotype by itself may be of little use in the iden tification of subjects who respond to diet. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Irela nd Ltd. All rights reserved.