The impact of the leucine 7 to proline 7 polymorphism of the neuropeptide Y gene on postprandial lipemia and on the response of serum total and lipoprotein lipids to a reduced fat diet.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to examine the impact of the leucine7 to proline7 (Leu7Pro) polymorphism of the NPY gene on postprandial (PP) lipemia, post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HL) activities, and the response of serum lipids to a reduced fat diet.

DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

Seven middle-aged obese subjects with Leu7Pro genotype were matched with seven subjects with Leu7Leu genotype for gender, age, apolipoprotein E phenotype and BMI. These 14 subjects participated in the oral 8 h fat tolerance test. Sixty-eight slightly obese middle-aged subjects (10 with the Leu7Pro genotype) had participated in intervention studies and consumed a reduced fat diet for 8 weeks.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in PP areas under the curve of plasma total triglycerides (TG), chylomicron TG, VLDL-TG or insulin between the genotype groups. The TG-to-cholesterol (C) ratio in VLDL was significantly lower in the subjects with Leu7Pro genotype compared to those with the Leu7Leu genotype at time points 30 min and 1 h in the fat tolerance test. Heparin-induced activities of LPL or HL or the response of serum total or LDL-C to the reduced fat diet did not differ between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The NPY genotype neither affects the magnitude of postprandial lipemia induced by a fat tolerance test nor the response of serum total lipids or lipids in different lipoprotein classes to the reduced fat diet. However, this preliminary study suggests that there might be compositional differences in the lipoprotein particles between the genotype groups that affect postprandial lipid metabolism.

SPONSORSHIP

The Council for Health Sciences of the Academy of Finland, Kuopio University Hospital and the National Technology Agency, Finland.