A genetic sum score of effect alleles associated with serum lipid concentrations interacts with educational attainment

GND
1272969088
Affiliation
Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Emmel, Carina;
GND
1201683653
LSF
56511
Affiliation
Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Frank, Mirjam;
GND
1166273016
ORCID
0000-0002-0378-0757
Affiliation
Institute of Medical Sociology, Centre for Health and Society, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Dragano, Nico;
GND
1069221139
ORCID
0000-0002-8770-2464
Affiliation
Department of Genomics, Life and Brain Center, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Nöthen, Markus M.;
GND
108550877
LSF
14806
Affiliation
Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Erbel, Raimund;
GND
171154290
LSF
10462
Affiliation
Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Jöckel, Karl-Heinz;
GND
1035041413
LSF
50555
Affiliation
Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
Schmidt, Börge
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol (TC) levels are influenced by both genes and the environment. The aim was to investigate whether education and income as indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) interact with lipid-increasing genetic effect allele scores (GES) in a population-based cohort. Using baseline data of 4516 study participants, age- and sex-adjusted linear regression models were fitted to investigate associations between GES and lipids stratified by SEP as well as including GES×SEP interaction terms. In the highest education group compared to the lowest stronger effects per GES standard deviation were observed for HDL-C (2.96 mg/dl [95%-CI: 2.19, 3.83] vs. 2.45 mg/dl [95%-CI: 1.12, 3.72]), LDL-C (6.57 mg/dl [95%-CI: 4.73, 8.37] vs. 2.66 mg/dl [95%-CI: −0.50, 5.76]) and TC (8.06 mg/dl [95%-CI: 6.14, 9.98] vs. 4.37 mg/dl [95%-CI: 0.94, 7.80]). Using the highest education group as reference, interaction terms showed indication of GES by low education interaction for LDL-C (ßGES×Education: −3.87; 95%-CI: −7.47, −0.32), which was slightly attenuated after controlling for GESLDL-C ×Diabetes interaction (ßGES×Education: −3.42; 95%-CI: −6.98, 0.18). The present study showed stronger genetic effects on LDL-C in higher SEP groups and gave indication for a GESLDL-C ×Education interaction, demonstrating the relevance of SEP for the expression of genetic health risks.

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