Association between SLC44A4-NOTCH4 SNPs and serum lipid levels in the Chinese Han and Maonan ethnic groups

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe current research was to assess the relationship of the solute carrier family 44 member 4 (SLC44A4) rs577272, notch receptor 4 (NOTCH4) rs3134931 SNPs and serum lipid levels in the Han and Maonan ethnic groups.MethodsThe genetic makeup of theSLC44A4rs577272 andNOTCH4rs3134931 SNPs in 2467 unrelated subjects (Han, 1254; Maonan,1213) was obtained by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, combined with gel electrophoresis, and confirmed by direct sequencing.ResultsThe genotype frequencies ofSLC44A4rs577272 andNOTCH4rs3134931 SNPs were different between Han and Maonan populations (P < 0.05); respectively. TheSLC44A4rs577272 SNP was associated with total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in Maonan group. TheNOTCH4rs3134931 SNP was associated with triglyceride (TG) in Han; and TG and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in Maonan groups (P < 0.025–0.001). Stratified analysis according to gender showed that theSLC44A4rs577272 SNP was associated with TC and HDL-C in Han and Maonan females; TC in Maonan males, meanwhile, theNOTCH4rs3134931 SNP was associated with TG and HDL-C in Han males; TG in Han females; TG and LDL-C in Maonan males; and TG, HDL-C and LDL-C in Maonan females. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the most common haplotype was rs577272G-rs3134931A (> 50%) in both Han and Maonan groups. The haplotype of rs577272G-rs3134931A was associated with TG and HDL-C in Han; and TC, TG and HDL-C in Maonan ethnic groups.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the relationship amongSLC44A4rs577272,NOTCH4rs3134931 SNPs and serum lipid parameters may vary depending on the gender and/or ethnicity/race in some populations. Haplotypes could explain more changes in serum lipid parameters than any single SNP alone particularly for TC, TG and HDL-C.