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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

High-Density Lipoprotein-Specific Phospholipid Efflux Assay
Published on: September 30, 2025
A twin study of heritability of plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) mass and activity
Livia Lenzini1, Katia Antezza, Brasilina Caroccia
1Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
Objective:
We investigated heritability of plasma levels (mass) and activity of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)).
Materials And Methods:
In 54 healthy twins pairs we estimated genetic variance and heritability of Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity using maximum likelihood and least squares methods. We estimated intra-class correlation (ICC) and proportion of additive genetic variance from a model comprising additive genetic influence (A), environmental effect common to cotwins (C) and individually unique environmental (E) influence (ACE) model.
Results:
Twenty-six twin pairs were monozygotic (MZ) and 28 dizygotic (DZ). The Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity showed a significant correlation (r=0.87, p<0.001) and the mean values were similar in MZ and DZ. ICC estimates of heritability for Lp-PLA(2) were 0.27 (mass) and 0.28 (activity); ACE model-based estimates of heritability were 0.37 (mass) and 0.54 (activity). Heritability estimates were not significant for Lp-PLA(2) mass, but significant for Lp-PLA(2) activity.
Conclusions:
These results suggest heritability for activity, but not for mass, in healthy Caucasians.
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