ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CIRCULATING APOC-II AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY

Apolipoprotein-CIII (apoC-III) is mainly synthesized in the liver and found on the surface of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and high-density lipoproteins. The main functions of apoC-III in lipoprotein metabolism are (i) inhibition of the clearance of apolipoprotein B (apoB) containing lipoproteins from the circulation, (ii) inhibition of lipoprotein lipase, and (iii) promotion of VLDL assembly and secretion by the liver.1 Since apoC-III is a key regulator of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism, it represents a potential therapeutic target to reduce cardiovascular risk. Therefore, epidemiologic studies have investigated the relationships of circulating apoC-III with cardiovascular events. However, most of these studies had a relatively low sample size, a cross-sectional design, or did not thoroughly allow for potential confounding.2 We aimed to precisely analyse the associations of circulating apoC-III with cardiovascular mortality in 3141 participants of the LUdwigshafen RIsk and Cardiovascular health (LURIC) study.3,4 They were...