Gene Influence in the Effectiveness of Plant Sterols Treatment in Children: Pilot Interventional Study

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is linked to high serum low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels. Cardiovascular risk may be indirectly influenced by genetic load. Serum LDL-cholesterol levels may be reduced by the consumption of food enriched with plant sterols (PS). The aim was to test a plant sterol treatment on cholesterol levels according to different genetic polymorphisms. A pilot interventional trial was performed in 26 children (n = 16 girls, n = 10 boys). Seven hundred milliliters/day of commercial skimmed milk with added plant sterols delivering 2.2 g plant sterols were ingested for three weeks. Blood draws were performed at the baseline and end of the study. Significant modifications of non-high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (p = 0.010; p = 0.013) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.004; p = 0.013) levels appeared in the genes LIPC C-514T and PPAR-α L162V carriers. No statistically significant differences were observed for other genes. LIPC C-514T and PPAR-alpha L162V carriers could benefit from a plant sterol supplement to ameliorate hypercholesterolemia.