Genetic variants in lipid metabolism are independently associated with multiple features of the metabolic syndrome

Background Our objective was to find single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), within transcriptional pathways of glucose and lipid metabolism, which are related to multiple features of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods 373 SNPs were measured in 3575 subjects of the Doetinchem cohort. Prevalence of MetS features, i.e. hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, decreased HDL-cholesterol levels and hypertension, were measured twice in 6 years. Associations between the SNPs and the individual MetS features were analyzed by log-linear models. For SNPs related to multiple MetS features (P <0.01), we investigated whether these associations were independent of each other. Results Two SNPs, CETP Ile405Val and APOE Cys112Arg, were associated with both the prevalence of low HDL-cholesterol level (Ile405Val P = <.0001; Cys112Arg P = 0.001) and with the prevalence of abdominal obesity (Ile405Val P = 0.007; Cys112Arg P = 0.007). For both SNPs, the association with HDL-cholesterol was partly independent of the association with abdominal obesity and vice versa. Conclusion Two SNPs, mainly known for their role in lipid metabolism, were associated with two MetS features i.e., low HDL-cholesterol concentration, as well as, independent of this association, abdominal obesity. These SNPs may help to explain why low HDL-cholesterol levels and abdominal obesity frequently co-occur