Genetics
The CETP B2 allele is linked to lower LDL cholesterol specifically in black, not white, South African women (Atherosclerosis 2015)
Original title: Ethnic differences in the association between lipid metabolism genes and lipid levels in black and white South African women
Studying 234 white and 209 black South African women of Xhosa ancestry, genotyped for CETP (rs708272, B1/B2) alongside LPL, LIPC, and PCSK9 variants, researchers found black women had significantly lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides than white women (all P less than 0.001), with genotype and allele frequencies also differing significantly between groups for LPL, PCSK9, and LIPC. Genotype effects on lipids were seen only in black women: those with the LPL SX genotype had lower total and LDL cholesterol and higher HDL cholesterol than SS carriers, and women with the CETP B2 allele had lower LDL cholesterol than B1B1 homozygotes, supporting the hypothesis that LPL and CETP gene polymorphisms contribute to the more favorable lipid profile of black compared with white South African women.
Original abstract
Objective: Dyslipidaemia can lead to the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD), however its prevalence has been shown to differ between ethnic groups in South Africa (SA). Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in the association between serum lipid levels and polymorphisms within genes involved in lipid metabolism in black and white SA women.
Methods: In a convenient sample of 234 white and 209 black SA women of Xhosa ancestry, body composition (DXA) and fasting serum lipids were measured. Participants were genotyped for the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP, rs708272, B1/B2), lipoprotein lipase (LPL, rs328, S/X), hepatic lipase (LIPC, rs1800588, C/T) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9, rs28362286, C/X) polymorphisms.
Results: Compared to white women, black women had lower concentrations of serum total cholesterol (TC, P < 0.001), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, P < 0.001), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, P < 0.001) and triglycerides (TG, P < 0.001). There were significant differences in the genotype and allele frequency distributions between black and white women for the LPL S/X (P < 0.001), PCSK9 C679X (P = 0.002) and LIPC 514C/T (P < 0.001) polymorphisms. In black women only, there were genotype effects on serum lipid levels. Specifically, women with the LPL SX genotype had lower TC and LDL-C and higher HDL-C concentrations than those with the SS genotype and women with the CETP B2 allele had lower LDL-C concentrations than those with the B1B1 genotype.
Conclusion: Polymorphisms within the LPL and CETP genes were associated with a more protective lipid profile in black, but not white SA women. This supports the hypothesis that the more favorable lipid profile of black compared to white SA women is associated with polymorphisms in lipid metabolism genes, specifically the LPL and CETP genes.
ancestrygeneticsHDL biologywomen
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.