Apolipoprotein C-III Gene Polymorphism and Several Environmental Factors with Serum Lipid Levels in the Guangxi Hei Yi Zhuang and Han Populations

Background Apolipoprotein (apo) C-III gene polymorphisms have been associated with increased plasma triglycerides (TGs) and coronary artery disease, but the results have not always been concordant among diverse populations. The present study was undertaken to detect the association of the apoC-III 3238C>G polymorphism and several environmental factors with serum lipid profiles in the Guangxi Hei Yi Zhuang and Han populations. Methods A total of 490 subjects of Hei Yi Zhuang and 540 participants of Han Chinese aged 15 to 89 years were randomly selected from our previous stratified randomized cluster samples. Genotyping of the apoC-III 3238C>G was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis and then confirmed by direct sequencing. Results There was no difference in the genotype and allele frequencies between the 2 ethnic groups ( P > 0.05), but G allele and GG genotype frequencies were higher in females than in males, or in high TG than in normal TG individuals in Hei Yi Zhuang ( P < 0.01); and in high total cholesterol than in normal total cholesterol subgroups, in high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) than in normal LDL-C subgroups, or in high apoB than in normal apoB subgroups in Han ( P < 0.05). There were also differences in the genotypic frequencies between normal apoA-I and low apoA-I subjects in Hei Yi Zhuang, and between males and females or between normal TG and high TG subgroups in Han ( P < 0.05). Serum TG and apoA-I levels were correlated with genotype or allele in Hei Yi Zhuang, and TG, LDL-C, and apoB levels were associated with genotype in Han ( P < 0.05). Serum lipid parameters were also correlated with age, sex, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, blood pressure, body weight, and body mass index. Conclusions There were no significant differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies between the Hei Yi Zhuang and Han populations. But the 3238G carriers have unfavorable serum lipid profiles. The differences in the serum lipid profiles between the 2 ethnic groups might result from different gene-environmental interactions.