The relationship between adiponectin, an adiponectin gene polymorphism, and high-density lipoprotein particle size: from the Mima study.

This study examined the association among serum adiponectin levels, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the adiponectin gene, and the size of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles in a general population. A total of 275 subjects were examined as part of the community-based Mima study. Serum adiponectin levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum small-sized HDL was measured with the electrophoretic separation of lipoproteins using the Lipoprint system. Single nucleotide polymorphism G276T (rs1501299, SNP276) of the adiponectin gene was determined with a fluorescent allele-specific DNA primer assay system. Age- and sex-adjusted correlation test revealed a significant inverse relationship between small-sized HDL and adiponectin levels (r = -0.236, P < .001). More percentages of small-sized HDL were observed in the subjects with the SNP276 G/G and G/T genotypes than in those with the T/T genotype (5.5% ± 5.0% vs 3.0% ± 2.9%, P = .016). In a multiple regression analysis, small-sized HDL was significantly and independently correlated with triglycerides levels (β = 0.133, P = .030), adiponectin levels (β = -0.242, P < .001), and the SNP276 G allele (β = -0.142, P = .014). Our findings indicated that adiponectin and SNP276 of the adiponectin gene may modify the size of HDL particles.