Genetic polymorphisms and lipid response to dietary changes in humans

Background Previous studies on the effects of genetic polymorphisms on the serum cholesterol response to dietary treatments were often inconsistent an d frequently involved small numbers of subjects. Materials and methods We studied the effect of 10 genetic polymorphisms on the responses of serum cholesterol to saturated and trans fat, cholesterol and the coffee diterpene, cafestol, as measured in 26 dietary trials perfor med over 20 years in 405 mostly normolipidaemic subjects. Results Apoprotein A4 360-2 allele attenuated the response of low-density l ipoprotein cholesterol to dietary cholesterol, but not in women. Subjects w ith the cholesteryl ester transfer protein TaqIb-1 allele had -0.02 to -0.0 5 mmol L-1 smaller responses of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to die t than those with the 2/2 genotype. The effects of the other eight polymorp hisms on cholesterol response were either inconsistent with results in prev ious studies or need to be replicated in other studies. Conclusions Apoprotein A4360 and cholesteryl ester transfer protein TaqIb p olymorphisms may affect dietary responses. However, no one single genotype was a major determinant of a subject's lipid response to diet. Therefore, k nowledge of these genotypes by themselves is of little use in the identific ation of subjects who may or may not benefit from dietary treatment.