We undertook a cross-sectional analysis on CETP and
atherosclerosis among Japanese subjects, by means of CETP mass assay, its gene polymorphism and coronary angiogram. The 110 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography were enrolled into the study except for those over 70 years and taking
lipid-lowering drugs. Association was analyzed among plasma
lipid and
lipoproteins, CETP mass, its gene polymorphisms and the finding in coronary angiography. Four
CETP-deficiency heterozygotes were identified and excluded from the analysis. CETP mass level showed neither significant correlation with the coronary score (CS) (r=0.06, P=0.52) nor the difference between the groups eventually diagnosed as
coronary heart disease (CHD) positive and CHD negative (2.36+/-0.57 vs. 2.24+/-0.21, P=0.24). CETP mass correlated with the total and
LDL cholesterol (r=0.43, P<0.001; r=0.36, P<0.001, respectively) but not with
HDL cholesterol (r=0.08, P=0.40). While I405V polymorphism had no impact on CETP mass,
HDL cholesterol or CS, CETP mass was low with TaqIB polymorphism (B1B1>B2B2, P<0.05) only in the low CS group (<4). Among the
lipid and
lipoprotein,
HDL cholesterol had a greater impact than
LDL cholesterol on
coronary atherosclerosis. We concluded that CETP mass in plasma does not correlate with
coronary atherosclerosis as whole in the non-CETP-deficient. However, the B2B2 genotype in CETP TaqIB polymorphism, only when it decreases the CETP level, may act as a protective factor against
atherosclerosis. It should also be noted that CETP mass in general correlates to total and
LDL cholesterol, so that it would be an indirect atherogenic parameter.