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APOA5 gene variants affect children’s vitamin E levels
6 September 2010
MedWire News: The impact of certain apolipoprotein A-5 (APOA5) gene variants on plasma lipoproteins can affect fat-soluble vitamin concentrations in Caucasian children, a study suggests.
Particular APOA5 polymorphisms predisposed children to elevated triglycerides and the α-tocopherol form of vitamin E, and affected boys differently to girls, the researchers report in the journal Atherosclerosis.
They report: “The APOA5 gene has a significant influence on α-tocopherol concentrations, which is not completely explained by its influence on lipoprotein metabolism.”
Apolipoprotein A-5 plays an important role in lipid metabolism regulation, particularly triglyceride levels, note Josep Ribalta (Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain) and colleagues.
They analyzed the effect of APOA5 on lipid profiles and fat-soluble vitamins in 964 children aged 6 to 8 years.
The allele frequencies of the polymorphisms -1131T>C and S19W in the APOA5 gene were comparable to those described in adult Caucasian populations, at 0.08 and 0.07, respectively.
Boys carrying the -1131C allele had a significant 12% increase in circulating triglyceride levels and a significant 7% decrease in high-density lipoprotein phospholipid levels compared with other boys.
They also had a significant 5% increase in plasma α-tocopherol levels, which the researchers say was linked with the variant’s effect on triglycerides and was not observed in girls.
Boys carrying the rare allele for the S19W polymorphism had a significant 4% increase in circulating cholesterol levels, whereas girls with this allele had a significant 9% increase in circulating triglyceride levels.
Linked to this effect on triglycerides, girls carrying the rare allele for S19W also had a significant 6% increase in α-tocopherol levels.
The researchers conclude: “We confirmed that the effect of APOA5 gene variability on triglycerides could be observed as early as 6–8 years of age in Caucasian children.
“Such an effect is significantly modulated by gender and is accompanied by a compensatory elevation in vitamin E levels. Therefore, the APOA5 gene influences lipid and fat-soluble vitamin metabolism in Caucasian children.”
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