The Apolipoprotein E Gene and the Serum Low-Density
Lipoprotein Cholesterol Response to Dietary Fiber
The Apolipoprotein E Gene and the Serum Low-Density
Lipoprotein Cholesterol Response to Dietary Fiber
Jenkins DJ; Hegele RA; Jenkins AL;
Connelly PW;
Hallak K; Bracci P; Kashtan H; Corey P; Pintilia M; Stern H; et
al.
Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental, 1993 May, 42(5):585-93
Abstract:
Our
goal was to determine whether differences in apolipoprotein E
(apo E) influenced the response to dietary changes aimed at
reducing serum cholesterol levels, especially increases in fiber.
Apo E phenotype and genotype were determined in 43 men and 24
women who had previously taken part in parallel 2-week metabolic
dietary studies involving either wheat bran or oat bran
supplementation at a level of 6.8 g fiber/1,000 kcal.
Fasting
blood lipid measurements had been made at the beginning and end
of the 2-week metabolic period. Reductions in low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels across both oat and wheat
bran diets were significantly different depending on the E allele
(P = .048).
The LDL cholesterol level reduction for E2 carriers (0.60 +/- 0.14 mmol/L, n = 13) was greater than that for E3 homozygotes (0.21 +/- 0.07 mmol/L, n = 38; P = .014) and E4 carriers (0.28 +/- 0.12 mmol/L, n = 16; P = .09). Only the change in dietary fiber on the oat bran diet was related significantly to the decrease in LDL cholesterol levels (r = -.47, P = .007; n = 32). No such relationship was seen on the wheat bran diet (r = -.010, P = .59; n = 33).
Carriers of the E2 allele appear to be more responsive than noncarriers to a dietary change involving increased fiber intake. The data also support a lipid-lowering advantage of oat bran over wheat bran. Current dietary recommendations to reduce serum lipid levels may vary in effectiveness depending on distribution of apo E alleles in the different populations studied.
