Polymorphisms in PLIN and hypertension combined with obesity and lipid profiles in Han Chinese

The current study investigated the association between PLIN polymorphisms and the combination of hypertension and obesity (HO) and the related clinical features. The polymorphisms 1237 (T/C), 1243 (C/T), and 1323 (C/G) were genotyped in 503 cases with HO and 511 unrelated controls. No associations between polymorphism 1237 (T/C) or 1243 (C/T) and HO were found. However, total cholesterol (TC) levels were significantly different among genotypes of polymorphism 1243 (p = 0.023, power = 0.55). In male cases, 1243T carriers (TT + CT) had higher TC, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels compared with CC homozygote carriers (5.23 +/- 0.88 vs. 4.98 +/- 0.90, p = 0.024; 1.13 +/- 0.23 vs. 1.07 +/- 0.22 mM, p = 0.034; 3.3 +/- 0.78 vs. 3.11 +/- 0.80, p = 0.03, respectively). Additionally, 1243T allele carriers were more prevalent among the subjects with both HO and elevated TC levels (> or =5.2 mM) than those with HO and optimal TC levels (<5.2 mM) (chi(2) = 8.53; p < 0.003; odds ratio, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.19 approximately 2.42). Multiple logistic regression analysis suggested a significant contribution of polymorphism 1243 to the elevated TC levels after controlling for conventional risk factors (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.14 approximately 1.91; p = 0.003). Polymorphism 1243 in the PLIN gene did not seem to be associated with HO but with TC levels in Chinese. The PLIN gene may be involved in human lipid metabolism.