Lipoprotein lipase PvuII polymorphism is associated with variations in serum lipid levels in non-diabetic pregnant women.

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (apo E) genes and the serum lipid profile in pregnancy and puerperium. Non-diabetic women of European descent in the third semester of pregnancy (N = 120) were selected. Those with diseases or other condition that could modify their lipid profile were excluded from the study (N = 32). Serum lipids were measured by routine laboratory procedures and genomic DNA was extracted by a salting out method. LPL (PvuII and HindIII) and apo E (HhaI) SNPs were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Categorical and continuous variables were compared by the chi-square test and Student t-test or ANOVA, respectively. Women carrying the LPL P1P1 genotype had higher serum LDL cholesterol (N = 21; 155 +/- 45 mg/dL) than women carrying the P1P2/P2P2 genotypes (N = 67; 133 +/- 45 mg/dL; P = 0.032). During the puerperium period, serum levels of triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol were significantly reduced in women carrying the P1P1 (73%, P = 0.006) and P1P2 (51%, P = 0.002) genotypes but not in women carrying the P2P2 genotype (23%, P > 0.05). On the other hand, serum concentrations of lipids did not differ between the LPL HindIII and apo E genotypes during pregnancy and after delivery. We conclude that LPL PvuII SNP is associated with variations in serum lipids during pregnancy and the puerperal period in non-diabetic women.