I405V polymorphism of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene in young and very old people

This study was designed to analyze the prevalence of I405V polymorphism in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene, the CETP serum concn., the lipoprotein profile, and certain clin. end-points in two populations, one young and another of very old people. We recruited 100 healthy young people (median age 31 years) and 100 very old people (median age 89 years) and analyzed their DNA for the presence of I405V polymorphism. The frequency of the VV genotype in very old people was more than double that in the young population. Subjects with this genotype had lower serum concns. of CETP. Young people with the V/V genotype had a less atherogenic lipoprotein profile (lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, Apo B, and Apo B/Apo A-I ratio) than those with the I/V or I/I genotypes. The older subjects, particularly the older women with the V/V genotype, had larger LDL than the young people. The prevalence of clin. endpoints was much lower among the very old people with the V/V genotype. In conclusion, the V/V genotype of the I405V CETP polymorphism is more frequent among very old people than young ones, and is assocd. with a lower incidence of vascular damage.