Dietary Fat Intake Determines the Effect of a Common Polymorphism in the Hepatic Lipase Gene Promoter on High-Density Lipoprotein Metabolism

Abstract
Background— Gene-nutrient interactions affecting high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations may contribute to the interindividual variability of the cardiovascular disease risk associated with dietary fat intake. Hepatic lipase (HL) is a key determinant of HDL metabolism. Four polymorphisms in linkage disequilibrium have been identified in the HL gene (LIPC), defining what is known as the −514T allele. This allele has been associated with decreased HL activity and increased HDL-C concentrations. However, the effect is variable among populations. Methods and Results— We have examined interaction effects between the −514(C/T) LIPC polymorphism, dietary fat, and HDL-related measures in 1020 men and 1110 women participating in the Framingham Study. We found a consistent and highly significant gene-nutrient interaction showing a strong dose-response effect. Thus, the T allele was associated with significantly greater HDL-C concentrations only in subjects consuming <30% of energy from fat (P<0....