Deciphering the association of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene polymorphisms with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels in the Bangladeshi population

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) gene polymorphisms influence CETP expression and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels, yet their genetic impact remains unexplored in the Bangladeshi population, where low HDL-c is prevalent. This study examined the association of CETP −629C/A and 277C/T polymorphisms with circulating HDL-c levels in 402 individuals (217 males, 185 females). Serum lipid profiles were measured using an automated analyzer, and CETP polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. The −629C/A and 277C/T polymorphisms were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, with heterozygous genotypes being the most frequent. While −629C/A genotypes showed no significant difference between the high and low HDL-c groups, individuals carrying the −629AA and CA + AA genotypes had significantly higher HDL-c levels compared to CC carriers (p = 0.023, p = 0.043). For the 277C/T, TT genotype differed significantly between the high and low HDL-c groups (p = 0.011, OR = 0.37) and, individuals carrying the 277 TT and CT + TT genotypes had significantly higher HDL-c compared to the CC genotype (p = 0.002, p = 0.019). Additionally, allelic analysis suggested a marginal association between the 277T allele and increased HDL-c levels (p = 0.051, OR = 0.59). Multiple regression analysis confirmed an inverse association between −629CC (β = −1.106, p = 0.038) and 277CC + CT (β = −0.963, p = 0.016) with HDL-c levels. However, no significant differences were observed in total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-c, or apolipoprotein levels across genotypes. These findings suggest that CETP −629CC, 277CC, and CT genotypes contribute to low HDL-c levels in the Bangladeshi population, highlighting the potential role of CETP genetic screening as a biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of HDL-c deficiency and associated cardiovascular complications.