rs12670798 variant and G × E interactions on serum lipid levels, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and the lipid-lowering efficacy of atorvastatin.

Previous genome-wide association studies have showed that the rs12670798 variant in the dynein axonemal heavy chain 11 gene () is associated with some serum lipid phenotypes. The present study was undertaken to detect the rs12670798 variant and G × E interactions on serum lipid levels, coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke (IS), and the lipid-lowering efficacy of atorvastatin in the Chinese Han population. This study included 1,108 unrelated patients (CHD, 568 and IS, 540) and 541 healthy controls. Genotypes of the rs12670798 were determined by the Snapshot technology. A total of 724 hyperlipidemic patients were treated with atorvastatin calcium tablet 20 mg per day for 8 weeks after genotyping. Serum total cholesterol (TC) levels in controls were different among the three genotypes of the rs12670798 ( = 0.019), the C allele carriers had higher TC levels than the C allele non-carriers. The C allele carriers were associated with an increased risk of CHD (CT genotype: OR = 1.345, 95% CI = 0.975-1.855, = 0.071; CC genotype: OR = 1.590, 95% CI = 1.109-2.278, = 0.012). The C allele carriers were also associated with an increased risk of IS (CT genotype: OR = 1.597, 95% CI = 1.153-2.213, = 0.005; CC genotype: OR = 1.722, 95% CI = 1.192-2.488, = 0.004). The C allele carriers had lower TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein (Apo) A1 and ApoB levels than the C allele non-carriers after atorvastatin treatment. Stratified analysis showed that the rs12670798 may interact with the gender, age, body mass index, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption to affect the risk of CHD and IS. The rs12670798 variant was associated with elevated serum TC levels, and increased risk of CHD and IS in the Chinese Han population. The C allele carriers had higher serum TC levels and the risk of CHD and IS than the C allele non-carriers, but they had lower TC, LDL-C, ApoA1 and ApoB levels than the C allele non-carriers after atorvastatin treatment.