Genetics
CETP I405V genotype determines whether dietary plant sterols lower cholesterol and CETP concentration (J Nutr 2003)
Original title: The human cholesteryl ester transfer protein I405V polymorphism is associated with plasma cholesterol concentration and its reduction by dietary phytosterol esters
In a crossover, double-blind trial, 50 women and 10 men aged 20-60 with moderate hypercholesterolemia consumed margarine with or without plant sterol esters (PSE, 1.68 g/d phytosterols) for four weeks each, while CETP I405V, Taq1B, and apoE genotypes were tested for their influence on the lipid response. PSE overall reduced total cholesterol 10% and LDL-cholesterol 12%, but by I405V genotype, total cholesterol reductions were 7.2% in II, 4.2% in IV, and not significant in VV, while significant LDL-cholesterol reduction occurred only in II. Plasma CETP concentration itself decreased with PSE only in the II phenotype, showing that CETP I405V genotype determines both the cholesterol-lowering response to dietary plant sterols and whether CETP concentration itself falls.
Original abstract
We examined the relationships of I405V cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), Taq1B CETP and apolipoprotein (apo)E polymorphisms with the pattern of response to dietary plant sterol ester (PSE) by plasma lipids and CETP concentrations as well as lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity. Subjects with moderate primary hypercholesterolemia (20-60 y old; 50 women; 10 men) consumed margarine (20 g/d) without (placebo) or with PSE (2.8 g/d = 1.68 g/d phytosterols) for 4 wk each period, in a crossover, double-blind study. Plasma CETP concentration was measured by ELISA; endogenous LCAT activity was expressed as the percentage of esterification (30 min incubation) of the subjects' (14)C-unesterified cholesterol HDL. PSE reduced concentrations of plasma total cholesterol (TC) (10%) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (12%). In relation to the I405V CETP polymorphism, the percentage reductions in TC with consumption of PSE for the II, IV and VV phenotypes were 7.2, 4.2 and not significant, respectively, whereas LDL-C significant reductions occurred only for II (9.5%). However, the CETP concentration diminished only in the II phenotype.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.