Genetics
Absence of the CETP B2 allele doubles coronary artery disease risk, but only in ethnic Chinese Singaporeans (Lipids Health Dis 2013)
Original title: Association of CETP Taq1B and -629C > A polymorphisms with coronary artery disease and lipid levels in the multi-ethnic Singaporean population
This study investigated the association of two CETP polymorphisms, Taq1B (rs708272) and -629C>A (rs1800775), with coronary artery disease (CAD) and HDL-cholesterol in 662 CAD patients and 927 controls from the multi-ethnic Singapore population, comprising Chinese, Malay, and Indian participants. TaqB2 allele frequency in controls was lowest in Malays (0.43), intermediate in Chinese (0.47), and highest in Indians (0.56). The B2 allele frequency was significantly lower in Chinese CAD cases than controls (p=0.002), and its absence was associated with CAD (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.4) after adjustment for confounders. The B2 allele was significantly associated with higher plasma HDL-cholesterol in Chinese men after adjustment, while the Taq1B polymorphism was associated with plasma ApoB and Lp(a) only in Malay men. The authors conclude absence of the Taq1B2 allele was associated with CAD specifically in the Chinese population.
Original abstract
Background: Hyperlipidaemia is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene polymorphisms are known to be associated with lipid profiles.
Methods: In this study, we investigated the association of two polymorphisms in the CETP, Taq1B (rs708272) and -629C > A (rs1800775), with CAD and lipid levels HDL-C in 662 CAD + cases and 927 controls from the Singapore population comprising Chinese, Malays and Indians.
Results: TaqB2 frequency was significantly lowest in the Malays (0.43) followed by Chinese (0.47) and highest in the Indians (0.56) in the controls. The B2 allele frequency was significantly lower in the Chinese CAD + cases compared to the controls (p = 0.002). The absence of the B2 allele was associated with CAD with an OR 2.0 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.4) after adjustment for the confounding effects of age, smoking, BMI, gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. The B2 allele was significantly associated with higher plasma HDL-C levels in the Chinese men after adjusting for confounders. Associations with plasma apoA1 levels were significant only in the Chinese men for Taq1B and -629C > A. In addition, the Taq1B polymorphism was only associated with plasma Apo B and Lp(a) in the Malay men. Significant associations were only found in non-smoking subjects with BMI <50th percentile. In this study, the LD coefficients between the Taq1B and -629C > A polymorphisms seemed to be weak.
Conclusion: The absence the Taq1B2 allele was associated with CAD in the Chinese population only and the minor allele of the Taq1B polymorphism of the CETP gene was significantly associated with higher plasma HDL-C levels in Chinese men.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.