Rs708272

rs708272, also known as the TaqIB polymorphism of the CETP gene, may influence the levels of the "good" cholesterols, the high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterols. Generally, the B2 allele is considered to lead to higher HDL levels.

However, high HDL cholesterol, at least when combined with another HDL raising SNP (rs1800588), doesn't appear to actually protect individuals from coronary artery disease, at least based on one study of ~800 Caucasian male patients.

A similarly confusing picture emerges from a study of two populations of 10,000+ individuals each. The distribution of the CETP genotype was observed to be different in population-based studies compared with studies in populations selected by high cardiovascular risk, and contradictory results were seen when trying to figure out if the TaqIB SNP predicted whether drugs would lower plasma lipids or cardiovascular outcome.

A meta-analysis concluded that there probably was a statistically significant, but weak, association for this SNP. For each rs708272(T) allele inherited, individuals had lower mean CETP mass (-9.7%; CI: -11.7% to -7.8%), lower mean CETP activity (-8.6%; CI: -13.0% to -4.1%), higher mean high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations (4.5%; CI: 3.8%-5.2%), and higher mean apolipoprotein A-I concentrations (2.4%; CI, 1.6%-3.2%). The combined per-allele odds ratios (ORs) for coronary disease were 0.95 (CI: 0.92-0.99).

A prospective cohort study of 18,245 initially healthy American women over a 10-year period found similar results with respect to HDL-C levels and (inversely) risk of myocardial infarction; rs708272(T) was associated with a per-allele increase in HDL-C levels of 3.1 mg/dL and a concordant 24 percent lower risk of future myocardial infarction (age-adjusted HR 0.76, CI: 0.62-0.94).

Review: CETP & CAD Risk