Quantitative assessment of the effect of hepatic lipase gene polymorphism on the risk of coronary heart disease

Background and aims: The human hepatic lipase (LIPC) is a glycoprotein member of the lipase superfamily that has attracted considerable attention as a candidate gene for coronary heart disease (CHD) based on its enzyme function as a key factor in lipoprotein catabolism pathways. In the past decade, a number of case-control studies have been carried out to investigate the relationship between the LIPC polymorphisms and CHD. However, studies on the association between LIPC polymorphisms and CHD remain conflicting.

Methods: To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis of 11,906 cases and 13,273 controls from 18 published case-control studies was performed.

Results: Overall, the summary odds ratio of CHD was 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.66-1.15) and 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 0.98-1.07) for LIPC -250A and -514T alleles, respectively. No significant results were observed in heterozygous and homozygous when compared with wild genotype for these polymorphisms. In the stratified analyses according to ethnicity, source of controls, no evidence of any gene-disease association was obtained.

Conclusions: Our result suggest that the G-250A, C-514T polymorphisms of LIPC gene are not associated with CHD susceptibility.