Heritability of Serum Apolipoprotein Concentrations in Middle-Aged Japanese Twins

Abstract

BackgroundStudies of the genetic and environmental influences on apolipoproteins have been conducted, but few have used data from Japanese twins. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare the genetic and environmental causes of individual differences in the serum concentrations of apolipoproteins in Japanese middle-aged twins.MethodsApo A-I, apo A-II, apo B, apo C-II, apo C-III, and apo E were studied. A total of 142 twin pairs, aged 45 through 65 years, were enrolled: 85 monozygotic pairs (59 male, 26 female) and 57 same-sexed dizygotic pairs (43 male, 14 female). The intraclass correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling were used to estimate the best-fitting model and heritability.ResultsSixteen percent to 75% of the total variances of apo A-I, apo C-II, and apo C-III were attributable to genetic influence; apo A-I and apo C-II were influenced by dominant genetic factors. Twenty percent to 73% of the total variances of apo A-II, apo B, and apo E were attributable to additive genetic influence; apo B was clearly influenced by common environmental factors. Furthermore, the heritability of all apolipoproteins was higher among females than among males.ConclusionsGenetic factors, including additive genetic effects (A) and dominant effects (D), influence apolipoprotein levels. However, a common environment does not influence the variances of these apolipoproteins, with the exception of apo B. Furthermore, the heritability of apolipoprotein phenotypes differs by sex.

A higher glycemic response to oral glucose is associated with higher plasma apolipoprotein C3 independently of BMI in healthy twins

“…Therefore, the observed within-pair differences in ApoC3 are probably associated with acquired factors that, independently of obesity, genetic background and shared environmental factors, also interfere with glucose homeostasis. Our report is in line with previous studies in Japanese MZ twins showing an ICC for ApoC3 of 0.597 in men and 0.477 in women [29,30]. In addition, APOC3 polymorphisms have been associated with plasma ApoC3, triglyceride metabolism and related cardiovascular risk [31e33].…”

Common Genetic Factors Influence Hand Strength, Processing Speed, and Working Memory

“…This classification methodology is known to be 95% accurate in determining twin zygosity. 21 , 22 This study was approved by the Osaka University Ethical Review Committee.…”

Apolipoprotein E-C1-C4-C2 gene cluster region and inter-individual variation in plasma lipoprotein levels: a comprehensive genetic association study in two ethnic groups

“…ApoC1 is involved in lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activation [ 19 ] and cholesterol ester transfer protein inhibition [ 20 , 21 ]. ApoC4 is involved in triglyceride (TG) metabolism [ 22 ] and apoC2 is a cofactor for lipoprotein lipase enzyme [ 23 ]. Although the major contribution of the APOE-C1-C4-C2 gene cluster is in the regulation of LDL-related traits, recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) also reported their significant associations with TG and HDL-C levels [ 4 , 5 , 8 ]…”