Particle for Particle, Does Lp(a) or LDL-C Contribute More to Atherogenesis?

A genome-wide association study finds an approximate sixfold greater atherogenicity for lipoprotein(a), supporting current interest in developing drugs to lower it.

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is believed to be a risk factor for development of coronary heart disease (CHD), but a debate exists about its atherogenicity relative to that of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on a per-particle basis. To address this question, researchers performed a genome-wide association study using the UK Biobank population, capitalizing on the fact that Lp(a) and LDL-C both contain one apolipoprotein B (apoB) per particle.

Investigators identified two clusters of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). One involved 107 variants linked to Lp(a) mass concentration, and the other, 143 variants linked to LDL-C concentration. Within these Lp(a) and LDL-C clusters, they examined the association between genetically predicte…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)