Genetics of non-conventional lipoprotein fractions

Lipoprotein subclass measures associate with cardiometabolic disease risk. Currently the information that lipoproteins convey on disease risk over that of traditional demographic and lipid measures is minimal, and so their use is clinics is limited. However, lipoprotein subclass perturbations represent some of the earliest manifestations of metabolic dysfunction, and their etiology is partially distinct from lipids, so information on the genetic etiology of lipoproteins offers promise for improved risk prediction, and unique mechanistic insights into IR and atherosclerosis. Here, I review the genetic variants validated as associating with lipoprotein measures to date, and show that the majority of identified variants have functionality that is best understood as related to lipid measures. Until we focus on the genes as they relate to lipoprotein subclass production, we are limiting our understanding of biological mechanisms underlying cardiometabolic disease.