The C-514T polymorphism of hepatic lipase gene modulates the impact of a high carbohydrate diet on lipid profile in healthy Chinese young adults

Background: Serum lipid concentrations are associated with genetic and environmental factors. Studies of interaction between genetic variations and diets may provide more insight into the mechanisms of lipid metabolism and the development of coronary heart disease.

Objective: We studied the interaction of a common C-to-T substitution at position -514 of the hepatic lipase promoter with high carbohydrate diet in a young and healthy Chinese population lipid profiles.

Methods: Fifty-six young, healthy Chinese subjects were given stabilization diets of 54% carbohydrate to exclude interference from the dietary background of the subjects. This was followed with a high carbohydrate diet of 70%. We analyzed the serum lipid profiles at baseline, after the stabilization diet, and after the high carbohydrate diet. Hepatic lipase gene polymorphisms were also determined.

Results: After the high carbohydrate diet, almost the whole population had significantly lower levels of phospholipids and all the females showed significantly higher levels of triacylglycerol (TAG). Notably, carriers of C allele had significantly lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Males with CC, CT genotypes and females with CC genotype had significantly lower levels of total cholesterol. Furthermore, CC genotype males showed significantly increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). A significant difference in the hepatic lipase C-514T polymorphism was found in phospholipid of males with TT >CT >CC.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the C-514T polymorphism in the hepatic lipase gene could modulate the impact of a high carbohydrate diet on lipid profiles in this young and healthy Chinese cohort. This influence is gender-specific.