ABSTRACT
Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein [CETP] facilates the exchange of triglycerides [TG] and cholesteryl ester between lipoproteins particles. Diabetic subjects have been reported to have higher TG levels and lower high density lipoprotein-cholesterol [HDL-C] levels which contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk observed in some of these patients. The CETP activity was shown to be more important in a group of 93 non insulino-dependant diabetics with coronary artery disease than in a group of 92 healthy subjects [p = 0.033]. Several polymorphisms have been reported in the CETP gene. The common Taq IB polymorphism is associated with decreased CETP activity and increased HDL-C. We have observed a frequency of 0.31 for B2 allele in deference to those reported in subjects from Caucasian population. An association between the presence of the B2B2 genotype, decreased CETP activity and increased of plasma HDL-C was observed in healthy subjects but not in diabetics with coronary artery disease