Authors: Quarta, G.¹; Stanzione, R.²; Evangelista, A.²; Zanda, B.³; Sciarretta, S.¹; Di Angelantonio, E.⁴; Marchitti, S.²; Di Murro, D.²; Volpe, M.; Rubattu, S.

Source: Journal of Internal Medicine, Volume 262, Number 5, November 2007 , pp. 555-561(7)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

.  Quarta G, Stanzione R, Evangelista A, Zanda B, Sciarretta S, Di Angelantonio E, Marchitti S, Di Murro D, Volpe M, Rubattu S (University La Sapienza, Rome; IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli; and University of Sassari, Sassari; Italy). A protective role of a cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene variant towards ischaemic stroke in Sardinians. J Intern Med 2007; 262: 555-561. Objectives. 

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a key role in the metabolism of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a strong, inverse, independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

We sought to investigate the relationship between a common variant of CETP gene, the Taq1 B polymorphism, that has been previously associated with CETP blood concentrations, and the risk of ischaemic stroke in a genetically homogenous population from the Sardinia island, Italy. This population has been previously shown to be a highly conservative sample. Design. 

A total of 215 cases of ischaemic stroke and 236 controls were selected and characterized for the CETP Taq1 B polymorphism. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared amongst cases and controls. Results. 

Age, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia were independent risk factors for stroke in this cohort. We found that presence of the CETP Taq1 B2 allele was associated with a significantly decreased risk of ischaemic stroke when assuming a recessive mode of inheritance (OR 0.55, 95% CI = 0.34-0.90, P = 0.017). This result was confirmed by multivariate analysis, after adjustment for age, presence of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia (OR 0.53, 95% CI = 0.32-0.88, P = 0.014). By performing separate analysis for gender we found that the effect was present in females but not in males, with a significant sex-CETP gene variant interaction for both recessive (P = 0.005) and additive (P = 0.029) modes of inheritance. Conclusions. 

Our data suggest that the Taq1 B2 allelic variant of the CETP gene may be associated, as a protective factor, with occurrence of ischaemic stroke. Further studies are needed to further elucidate the clinical implications of our finding.

Keywords: cholesteryl ester transfer protein; genetics; ischaemic stroke; polymorphism; Taq1 B

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01845.x

Affiliations: 1: From the Department of Cardiology, IInd School of Medicine, University La Sapienza, Ospedale Sant'Andrea, Rome 2: IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli (Is) 3: Department of Neurology, University of Sassari, Sassari; Italy 4: Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University La Sapienza, Rome

Publication date: 2007-11-01

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine
• By this author: Quarta, G. ;  Stanzione, R. ;  Evangelista, A. ;  Zanda, B. ;  Sciarretta, S. ;  Di Angelantonio, E. ;  Marchitti, S. ;  Di Murro, D. ;  Volpe, M. ;  Rubattu, S.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers