BACKGROUND: Despite a general decline in mean levels across populations, LDL-cholesterol levels remain a major risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The APOB, LDL-R, CILP, and SORT-1 genes have been shown to contain variants that have significant effects on plasma cholesterol levels. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined polymorphisms within these genes in 1191 controls and 929 patients with ACS. Only rs646776 within SORT-1 was significantly associated with a risk of ACS (P < 0.05, AA vs. + G comparison; OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.01-1.45). With regard to genetic risk score (GRS), the presence of at least 7 alleles associated with elevated cholesterol levels was connected with increased risk (P < 0.01) of ACS (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.06-1.52). Neither total mortality nor CVD mortality in ACS subjects (follow up-9.84 ± 3.82 years) was associated with the SNPs analysed or cholesterol-associated GRS. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that, based on only a few potent SNPs known to affect plasma cholesterol, GRS has the potential to predict ACS risk, but not ACS associated mortality.

• Keywords
• Acute coronary syndrome, Cholesterol, Polymorphism, Risk estimation,
• MeSH
• Acute Coronary Syndrome * genetics   MeSH
• Cholesterol MeSH
• Genetic Risk Score * MeSH
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cholesterol MeSH

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common monogenic diseases, leading to an increased risk of premature atherosclerosis and its cardiovascular complications due to its effect on plasma cholesterol levels. Variants of three genes (LDL-R, APOB and PCSK9) are the major causes of FH, but in some probands, the FH phenotype is associated with variants of other genes. Alternatively, the typical clinical picture of FH can result from the accumulation of common cholesterol-increasing alleles (polygenic FH). Although the Czech Republic is one of the most successful countries with respect to FH detection, approximately 80% of FH patients remain undiagnosed. The opportunities for international collaboration and experience sharing within international programs (e.g., EAS FHSC, ScreenPro FH, etc.) will improve the detection of FH patients in the future and enable even more accessible and accurate genetic diagnostics.

• Keywords
• epidemiology, familial hypercholesterolemia, gene score, polygenic FH, variants,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Increased plasma cholesterol levels are listed between the major atherosclerosis risk factors. The final plasma cholesterol levels result from the interplay between the genetic and environmental (diet, physical activity) factors. Little is known, how dietary factor influence epigenetics. We have analyzed, if an over-generation feeding of rat with cholesterol influences total liver-DNA methylation, and if total liver-DNA methylation differ between the different rat strains (Prague hereditary hypercholesterolemic rats, Prague hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats and Wistar Kyoto rats). The animals were feed with high fat (additional 5 % over normal capacity) high cholesterol (2 %) diet for 14 days. DNA methylation in the liver tissue in different generations was analyzed using the liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. We have not observed any significant changes in total liver-DNA methylation over the 9 generations of animals feed by fat/cholesterol enriched diet. Additionally, there were no differences in DNA methylation between different rat strains. In animal model, the dietary changes (hypercholesterolemic diet) not significantly influence the total DNA methylation status within the liver.

• MeSH
• Cholesterol, Dietary administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Diet, High-Fat * adverse effects   MeSH
• Hypercholesterolemia chemically induced   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Liver metabolism   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• DNA Methylation genetics   MeSH
• Rats, Wistar MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cholesterol, Dietary MeSH

BACKGROUND: Plasma triglyceride (TG) values are significant predictors of cardiovascular and total mortality. The plasma levels of TGs have an important genetic background. We analyzed whether 32 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in genome-wide association studies are discriminators of hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in the Czech population. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to replicate and test the original findings in an independent study and to re-analyze the gene score leading to HTG. METHODS: In total, we analyzed 32 SNPs in 209 patients with plasma TG levels over 10 mmol/L (HTG group) and compared them in a case-control design with 524 treatment-naïve controls (normotriglyceridemic [NTG] group) with plasma TG values below 1.8 mmol/L. RESULTS: Sixteen SNPs were significantly associated with an increased risk of HTG development, with odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) varying from 1.40 (1.01-1.95) to 4.69 (3.29-6.68) (rs964184 within the APOA5 gene). Both unweighted (sum of the risk alleles) and weighted gene scores (WGS) (log of the achieved ORs per individual genotype) were calculated, and both gene scores were significantly different between groups. The mean score of the risk alleles was significantly increased in the HTG group compared to the NTG group (18.5 ± 2.5 vs. 15.7 ± 2.3, respectively; P < 0.00001). Subjects with a WGS over 9 were significantly more common in the HTG group (44.5%) than in the NTG group, in which such a high score was observed in only 4.7% of subjects (OR 16.3, 95% CI 10.0-36.7; P < 0.0000001). CONCLUSIONS: An increased number of risk genetic variants, calculated both in a weighted or unweighted manner, significantly discriminates between the subjects with HTG and controls. Population-specific sets of SNPs included into the gene score seem to yield better discrimination power.

• MeSH
• Alleles MeSH
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease * MeSH
• Genetic Association Studies * methods   MeSH
• Genetic Testing MeSH
• Genotype MeSH
• Hypertriglyceridemia blood   diagnosis   epidemiology   genetics   MeSH
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide MeSH
• Comorbidity MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Odds Ratio MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Case-Control Studies MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH